Out on deck early to see hazy coastline of Ceylon, lots of small catamarans bobbing up and down. The harbour choc-a-block with ships. We're anchored rather far out.
Clifton got one of officers to signal Block House re 'Empress of Australia', to find it is due here tonight or tomorrow - but whether or not the original passengers from HK (including Mum and Mabel) have been dumped elsewhere we don't know.
At 2pm we were standing by. Fyffe ((believed to be David Robert Fyffe Canadian, repatriated from Stanley in 1943 though wife Dorothy (British) and baby daughter stayed in camp)), turned up on board.
We went ashore in landing barge, thence into Red Cross buses, taken to Echelon Barracks, to a sort of marquee and sat down in comfortable chairs drinking tea or lemonade and eating biscuits. Red Cross workers, very smart in uniform, were buzzing round doing all they could. There were magazines, books etc. Red, white and blue bunting draped the ceilings. There was a corner roped off, made like a toyshop for the kids, and they had a wonderful time. ((This was probably the creche mentioned in link with IWM))
At different venues in Echelon, we received toilet things, underclothes, shoes, secondhand summer dress and skirt and blouse. We had HOT BATHS (with bath salts) and some folk had hairsets and face massage! Everything was taken care of. ((Heaps of released pow's around, looking pale and ill, hair in tufts. We found we people had a name, RAPWI, I think it stands for Returned Allied Prisoners of War and Internees.))
((There were no billets for us at Echelon, we were siphoned off to various places to sleep.)) Olive and I learned that a Mr & Mrs Best had invited us to stay with them. ((We had met the Bests in 1938 as they travelled on the 'Kaisar-I-Hind' to Ceylon when we were aboard on our way to Hong Kong.)) She and I were put in a bus driven by an Indian, with among others the Mills family, the Buddens, Mr Megarry, Mr. J. Pennefather-Evans (Commissioner of Police, HK), and a Wren who was in charge of us.
Some were dropped at Kent House, we were taken to the Bests' house, Mrs. B came out to receive us. ((Although the Bests are asked just for Olive and I, we airily took with us our best friend Nan Grady, who was happily welcomed too.)) They gave us a lovely bedroom, they are so very very kind, and have 3 other lodgers. We want to stay here for a while – it's all so grand – and I hope we never forget to thank God for it.