25 JUNE 1920 Arthur G. Lamplugh (of the Canton Insurance Company) wrote to Major Villiers: 9 JULY 1920 A meeting of the Hong Kong Aero Club was held at the premises of Jardine Matheson & Co. Ltd. Opening the meeting, the Chairman said that he did not propose to make anything in the nature of a formal speech because the proceedings up to the present time had been merely informal, and they had met to put the club on a correct and formal basis. At the meeting on 20 April 1920 a provisional Committee with a provisional Chairman, Captain Arthur, was elected to consider the best form in which to start the club, and briefly what objects it should have in view. The Report read as follows: I am now able to give you some more information on C.E.W. Ricou and his doings. His history is a rather extraordinary one. He was born in Hong Kong, his father a French Canadian, and his mother a French woman, however, he is now under British papers. He learned to fly at Buc just before the war, and during the war he enlisted in the French Army as a British soldier, and I believe he rose to command a French Squadron. He has made a lot of money out here at Macao which is a Portuguese settlement, but literally owned and run by Ricou. I have now seen the Air station at Macao and note that all their machines are being housed in Mat Hangars and not very well looked out. His pilots and machines are all raw Americans. I believe Ricou has a lot of his own money at stake besides the Curtiss Company. he is also receiving some support from the French Chamber of Commerce in Shanghai and the Legation in Peking. The military authorities have laid down a rule here that nobody is allowed to fly above 150 feet over the harbour or town, though one is allowed to climb 2000 feet when one is sufficiently far away from the port. I am endeavouring to get the Government to start a volunteer defence flight from amongst the old R.F.C. and R.N.A.S. pilots here. There are at least a dozen pilots who have had over 300 hours war flying, and they do not seem to realise the vital importance of Air Defence in the Colony at present. Do you think the Air Ministry would look favourably on the scheme if it is put up to them? All we need are 6 old B.R. 2 Camels, with floats, and they would do wonderful work out here.
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