Diary pages from this date

Mum on practice duty as an ANS (Auxiliary Nursing Service) nurse at Jockey Club (designated as a war-time convalescent hospital.)   They had real convalescent patients brought out from main hospitals - in this cold weather.   Sid was in from camp yesterday but had to go back ready to play at camp church services - riding round on back of lorry with piano.

Arthur had to leave early today to play at the Officers' St. Andrews do.  He gave me 'Human Being' by Christopher Morley for my birthday.

Topper says we are as near war now as we have ever been, that Japan with her militarist Govt. can't very well back down now.   I don't know what to think, but I'm afraid - because I recklessly bought myself chocolates today at $2.30... perhaps as a treat lest it's the last of treats.

The Medical Department holds a major exercise designed to test the system for getting food to hospitals and first aid stations in the event of an emergency.

It seems that the general plan is that food will be cooked at a 'supply centre' and sent out hot to each First Aid Post, although some places will cook their own food. The lorry delivering the food will be accompanied by a supervisor and two workers, and also carry two baskets of chopped firewood in case re-heating is needed.

My guess is that this is pretty much the scheme that was put into operation on December 8. It may or not be significant that one place we know the food supply arrangements never worked was the emergency facility at the Peninsula Hotel (Kowloon) which doesn't feature in the surviving record (papers belonging to Auxillary Nursing Service member Florence Robinson).

These papers show that regulations for the ANS made it clear that, whether in an exercise or an 'emergency', its members were only allowed to give first aid when specifically instructed to do so by the Medical Officer in charge of their station.

Source:

Hong Kong PRO, HKMS77-1 - 'St John's Ambulance Brigade Exercise...'

Quiet day off.