- The Christmas Card was sent in 1944 December from Stanley Internment Camp by a group of three nurses from the Hong Kong Royal Naval Hospital, composed of Olga H. Franklin, Gwyneth M. Griffith, and Iris A. L. Rollin, and signed as 'Griffiths Rollin Franklin'.
- C. Blair-Hickman, as a representative of the Argyle Street prisoners of war which included their superior Hugh L. Cleave (Principal Medical Officer of the Royal Naval Hospital, Hong Kong), received this handmade Christmas card. ('N' camp in Sham Shui Po- 1944 Dec).
While addressed to C. Blair-Hickman, this Christmas card was intended as a message of goodwill to all the Navy friends in the POW camp, with the words 'to all friends' inscribed as a message of blessing to them.
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Upon entering the Stanley Internment Camp, the three naval nurses continued to provide professional medical care for the elderly, weak, and infirm within the camp. Due to not initially receiving the living allowance that military prisoners of war were entitled to, and the demands of caring for patients in the camp, their physical strength weakened. Upon learning about the naval nurses' situation, male military officers in other POW camps, despite enduring inhumane treatment themselves, wanted to secretly donate their scant POW allowances to these three angels in white. They believed Blair-Hickman, the former Director of Supply, would act as the representative and manage these donations. Thus, in the post-war report, Miss Olga H. Franklin expressed gratitude to every friend in the POW camp!
The Royal Naval Medical Service, Page 278 (https://gwulo.com/node/59265) |
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Additionally, it is worth noting that the censor seal on this postcard is from Lieutenant Hara (原 榮二), who was the Commandant of Stanley Camp between 1944 and 1945. According to R. E. Jones' wartime diary, he genuinely hoped for the civilians in the internment camp to return to their homes fit and well. On April 25, 1945, Hara and Kiyoshi Watanabe were leaving (going back home), and Kadowcki and Kodie were taking their place.
* I purchased this artifact from a Hong Kong antiques dealer, who acquired it from Spink Auction House (Auction: 22130 - The Philatelic Collector's Series - Lot: 427). In December 2022, I donated it to the Hong Kong Museum of Medical Sciences: 香港醫學博物館.
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XMAS GREETINGS FROM P.O.W. CAMP
Card prepared by Miss Olga Franklin
The Christmas card is believed to be drawn and written with blessings by Miss Olga H. Franklin.