Mike Sharp’s new book “Policing the Pleasuredome” is almost entirely a Sai Kung creation. Both the author and publisher, Guy Shirra, live here. Mike’s wife Lizzie Sharp-Eliazar, designed the cover. At the outset Mike says, “This is a book on policing and covers the stress, opportunities, desperation and grim determination of a departing administration attempting to do the right thing for the Hong Kong People. . .Within the sea of drama and crime there are great stories to be told and I have attempted to provide one.” Mike emphasises this is a work of fiction, albeit one based on his experiences of colonial policing in an age now, sadly, gone.
Mike Sharp has also written three books on fishing, seen here with Lizzie.
Most of the characters are fictional except one, Dominic “Bones” Britain, chief bomb disposal officer. This writer knew Bones personally visiting the Explosives Ordinance Depot frequently* and being impressed by the likes of “Wheelbarrow”, the bomb-dismantling robot. Bones was, is rather, an eccentric character usually seen striding around with military bearing wielding a silver-topped cane. That’s when he wasn’t wearing his bulky bomb-protection gear.
Now we quote the book:
“Brooke and Ah Luk glanced up with a look of surprise and were met with a crisp introduction, ‘Hi, Bones Brittain EOD . . . What seems to be the problem?'”
“‘Hi, Bones. . . . I mean, Sir . . . we have a suspected Japanese incendiary bomb disturbed by a workman’s digger at mid-day today . . . There is white smoke coming out of it as the digger damaged a side panel.’ “
“‘Roger that,’ said Bones.”
(Last century Mike was an police inspector who personally took charge of the bomb area, setting up a command post from which he directed operations to protect the public and bring in necessary resources.)
“Like all people facing a high risk situation, a thousand pieces of information were flying threw (Bones’) brain. . . Japanese bomb markings . . . explosive or incendiary . . . blast radius . . .access points to the casing . . .and the pleasant water-like feeling of adrenaline coursing through his brains. He entered the site and halfway to the left of his vision was the digger and somewhere nearby, the bomb.
“Unknown to Brooke, the bomb-disposal officer had just reported the existence of a 500-kilogram Japanese fire bomb which contained enough phosphorus to to incinerate a city block. . .” At this stage in Hong Kong’s history, no-one had ever defused this type of bomb and there was no manual or set of procedures to follow.” Bones was on his own.
He decided to remove all the phosphorus from the casing and burn it in a nearby hole. Ah Fai (EOD officer assisting Bones) directed firemen to be ready with their hoses. Bones knotted detonator cord around the nose cone. “Suddenly there was a muffled bang as the device was neutralised”. Job done. Broke was impressed with the coolness of the bomb disposal officer.
(Here we attempt to summarise the action brilliantly told in expert detail by Mike who was officer in command of this kind of potentially disastrous situation many times. Bones Brittain, the swash-buckling EOD expert, now lives in the UK with his wife and four sons.)
“Policing the Pleasuredome” rings with authenticity. Mike’s experience as a police officer shows in the detail, dialogue and action. It is a rewarding book worth your time, especially as it is by our local hero. You can obtain a copy by contacting Guy Shirra at Sheriff Books email guyshirra@gmail.com
* Bones and I were directors of the AdventureShip charity. He was chairman. Bones gave permission for this name to be used in Mike’s book.
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