80 years ago: Hong Kong's wartime diaries

Mrs Henson died peacefully in hospital in the night.

Death of Mrs Edith May Henson, formerly of 6, Gun Club Hill, Kowloon, at the age of 65.

She and her husband Joseph, who had worked for the RASC Barrack Department at Shautakok, were helped by Charles Barham to escape to Hong Kong Island on December 8, 1941, the start of the fighting.

Some time in 1944 he sent his wife a postcard from Shamshuipo which ended with the injunction to 'Keep on smiling'. It's not known if she received it before her death.

Sources:

Address: http://www.roll-of-honour.org.uk/civilians/html/h.html

Escape: Charles Barman, Resist to the End, 2009, 7

Card: http://www.ebay.com/itm/HONG-KONG-c1944-POW-MAIL-CAMP-TO-CAMP-P-OF-CFS-TO-STANLEY-HASEGAWA-CENSOR-/131018883809?pt=UK_Stamps_CommonwealthStamps_GL&hash=item1e815582e1

Wittenbach / Dow (“chastened and subdued moods”) (Psalm 4-2)

Death of Mrs. S.M. Henson (65)

Drown / Jenner

Schöner tag. Mehl fur brot gemahlt. Nmtg.an dem Dach ein wenig Sonn brennen. Abend mit Steve. Catolik Geistlicher spracht “Japan erwasten US troopen hierzokommen durch Mirs Bay

((Jill's translation:

Beautiful day. Ground flour for bread. Got a bit sunburnt on the roof in the afternoon. Evening with Steve.  A Catholic priest said that Japan expects US troops to come here through Mirs Bay.

))