A photo from George Cautherley showing "my father with myself and my mother taken in Stanley Internment Camp on 2nd September 1945, my third birthday.":
Diary pages from this date
Fine, hot.
Airmail letter to Marj.
Poor issue of M & V, chocolate etc ex US. Had to draw for odds & ends of it. 11 oz meat ration – 3, 3 cigs – 2, mixed supper ration – 2.
Navy man had accident with Jap. pistol & is in T.B. Hosp in serious condition. G & V N.Duty on him. [I wonder if G & V are nurses?]
R.N. took over Camp Guard & hoisted White Ensign.
Marine Band of “Euralue” [Euryalus?] played on bowling green from 5-7pm.
Mary brought me tinned food from town & after duty 3-6pm had bottle H.B. & Hamburger with Steve.
Supper & little walk with G 9.15pm then took her to Hosp.
∴ Cooked porridge. 2 tins Milk from Prison Store.
The Japanese did not leave the island until 2nd September, and they spent their last few unhappy days trudging here and there trying to sort themselves out. A good many army men came down the river in junks, hoping to escape from the wrath of the Chinese irregulars. They found that nobody wanted them. We sent some of these boat-loads over to Kowloon, where they were interned in one of their own prison camps. Nearly three thousand prisoners were shipped over on the last day, watched by about two dozen British sailors.
At 1100 hours on the 2nd the Rising Sun set over the stone roof of Admiralty House. This was not exactly according to plan, since the Admiral had made a signal suggesting that it would be wiser to leave the flag flying until the actual evacuation was completed at 1600 hours. The handing-over of the building was scheduled to take place at noon. By ten-thirty a landing-party of three sections, under the command of the gunnery officer from H.M.S. Maidstone, posted themselves discreetly round the place. From their hides they watched the last disorderly convulsions of the Japanese Staff H.Q. They looked at their watches. There was still a good long wait before them. It was therefore with considerable surprise that they watched the jeep containing one of the submarine spare crew officers and two armed seamen drive past imperturbably and pull up at the main door between the indignant yellow sentries. The officer and his men passed inside, completely ignoring the guard, and were seen, a few minutes later, standing on the flat roof. Shortly afterwards they moved easily over to the flagstaff, and the Rising Sun came down with a rush, followed quickly by the flag of the Officer Commanding, which flew from the other end of the building. British and Japanese watched this in stunned silence. They looked away to smile nervously at each other, and, houp la ! when they looked up again the White Ensign was being hoisted.
This little scoop passed without incident, and the Japanese flags were carried back to the Maidstone in triumph.
So the Japanese passed from Hong Kong ; and as the last of them stepped down into his boat the town awoke. In the streets and on the wharfs, from balconies and windows, came the crack of Chinese firecrackers. They hissed and rattled as if a major battle were being fought. Heaven help any evil spirits in the town that night! They must have spent some uncomfortable moments in their eternity. The power station puffed out little clouds of smoke and sparks. There were lights on the hill—lights that went up to mingle and become confused with the stars. Long, amber reflections ran out across the harbour to meet those coming from Kowloon. In the centre of the glow lay the fleet ; dark shadows on the still water.
(Sunday) Got up early and went to St Joseph's Church (Garden Road) but it appeared to be closed, not even any handles on the doors. Went round back to Grotto, Our Lady's statue still there and OK.
Knelt on the marble prie-dieu but there were mosquitoes and ants so couldn't concentrate. There met a man in military uniform, Mr. Sherry (I didn't know him), he said Mass would be at 8.30am but I coudn't stay as due in office.
Very busy in office, even though Norah Witchell from camp is also helping. The phones ringing continuously and one is forever dashing up and downstairs trying to find people.
Bottle of milk each at tiffin and dinner.
Mary Taylor arrived last night and working with Police Dept.
Eric Himsworth is Food Controller and dashed in to get someone (me) to type something, just as I received a note from Olive pleading 'try to get me out of this dump.' I asked Himsworth if he had a steno, and he hadn't, so he dictated to me a note to Stanley requesting Olive to come and work for him.
Hospital ship 'Oxfordshire' is at Kowloon.
Was given a tablet of soap today.
Our office is moving to Hong Kong Bank building tomorrow.
Surrender signed in Japan today.
The formal surrender of Japan takes place aboard the USS Missouri (thanks to Laura Ziegler Darnell for the link):