Diary pages from this date

The last Japanese soldiers leave Maryknoll House in the early hours of this morning. The Fathers report that the city water goes on again today - it was working in Victoria yesterday, but they're down in Stanley. They need plenty of it as they're cleaning up.

George Wright-Nooth and the rest of his police station, acting under orders given yesterday, leave for the Gloucester Hotel. While there, an 'informal mess' system evolves between him and five other officers: everything but sentimental possessions is shared. There are changes of personnel - for example, one of the original half dozen, W. P. Thompson escapes -  but the principle is kept throughout internment - 'we became practical communists and in our case it worked'

John Stericker, factory manager of the British Cigarette Company, is walking up to the Peak in the middle of the afternoon. Close to the Peak Tram Terminus in Garden Road he sees two groups of Chinese roped together to a tree. He'll see them again tomorrow at the same time, some of them having collapsed to the ground and dragged the others as far as the ropes would allow.

About 7,000 prisoners of war from West Brigade (and the navy) assemble in Victoria in the early morning. They are taken by ferry to Kowloon and then to the former barracks at Shamshuipo, which is now their prison camp. Two thousand men from East Brigade are still at Stanley - they're told they'll be taken to their new camp tomorrow.

Doctors Newton and Gosano are busy in Argyle Street Camp:

Doctor Newton did great work among the wounded also Dr. Casano (sic). They scrounged some ether and did operations by the score, one after the other with practically no kit.

Under the headline Hongkong British Fight Way Out In Launches page one of The Daily Express reports Chan Chak’s ‘great escape’:

EIGHTY-TWO Britons and Chinese made a fighting escape from Hongkong on Christmas Eve, the day the island garrison gave in, Chungking radio disclosed last night.

Led by one-legged Admiral Chang, ((sic)) Chinese liaison officer in Hongkong, the escaping party manned six launches. ((The escape and surrender were of course on Christmas Day.))

As far as the coverage of Hong Kong in The Daily Mirror and The Daily Express goes, this report – a left-over from the fighting – is pretty much it for the next 9 weeks or so - understandably, as reliable news of any kind will be hard to come by. The next time Hong Kong makes the headlines will be March 10/11, and the news will be deeply upsetting to all those with loved ones there:

http://gwulo.com/node/11079

http://gwulo.com/node/9924

Sources:

Maryknoll: Maryknoll Diary, December 30, 1941

Wright-Nooth: George Wright-Nooth, Prisoner Of The Turnip Heads, 2004, 76-77

Stericker: China Mail, December 28, 1946, page 2

Shamshuipo: Tony Banham, Not the Slightest Chance, 2003, 285

Doctors: Diary of Staff-Segeant James O'Toole, R. A. O. C.:

http://www.far-eastern-heroes.org.uk/James_OToole/html/dairy_1941.htm

Ranks were re-established this morning in the best Naval tradition. It did seem a pity and wholly unnecessary that after days such as they had been through where officers walked, ate and slept with their men that, on return to a more or less normal living, there came the definite split. Requests for a separate officers’ mess – the request, it must be admitted, coming from a few only – was refused tactfully but firmly and in our position of “superior civilians” we had the opportunity and pleasure of watching all the sideplay.

After the breakfast came the official photograph and a get together ceremony in the church which again proved that the English have no flair for the theatrical. There we were packed in the church – British on one side, and Chinese on the other. Up rose the Major and in a flow of impassioned oratory informed all and sundry that ABCD was the stuff, that Japan’s days were numbered and that soon under the Generalissimo etc etc. The toast was replied to by Commander Montague who was jolly glad to be there, appreciated their hospitality and informed them they had been decent to us. The buck having again been passed to the Chinese they piled on more points by giving us an elaborate choral rendering of the first four letters of the alphabet – extolling each in turn with the responses being given by the (written in classical Greek:; OI ΠOΛΛOI – chorus?) in the rear. Having the game well in hand now they proceed to sweep us off the court by a series of well organised cheers which would have done credit to any American college. Service came back to us but we double faulted badly with feeble hurrahs for each letter in turn and lost the second set. The final game was played at speed and with fury the Chinese sweeping all before them with “Che Lai” although we were saved from total collapse by Mike’s prompting, in an unreachable falsetto, of “God Save the King”. This made us 15-40 but our slight hopes were blasted with the presentation of huge baskets of fruit, cigarettes, towels, etc. Game, set and match for our Chinese allies.

This over, we managed to see the town. It has a lovely situation with low hills around and the city itself broken up by the river and lakes one of which – with islands, pagodas, and small bridges is a living example of the holiday resort poster-maker’s art. The town itself having been occupied twice consists mainly of wooden buildings in the main street and the usual narrow cobbled back streets. Prices in the shops were high – much too high for our shallow pockets and soon we were back in the hospital. The evening proved interesting in so much as it gave us an insight into the official army mind and again it was brought home to us that in the end the staff knew exactly as much as the man in the street and about one half of what the soldier does.

A newspaper appeared, in English - The Hongkong News. Principal news item was a report of Sunday's victory parade. It declared, "Great Britain's century-old base of aggression at Hongkong has now fallen, and one piece of the glorious settlement of the Greater Asian war has been successfully completed."

My sister and her daughter Florrie came home, escorted to the door by our Director of Medical Services, Dr Selwyn-Clarke. In the afternoon the smashed water meter at the gate began leaking, and with loud shouts we rushed with a rubber hose to siphon a bucketful. We were not disappointed; supply was being resumed.

I see I didn't write yesterday.  I was up at the house today - looters had been in but they couldn't get into the hot room - though there were marks on the door that they had tried to get in.  They got into my den however though I had one door locked - the other onto the verandah was blown in by the explosion - I had nailed it up but they soon burst it open.  They took a few things - very little - that I had left  in my dressing table drawers - then in my desk - the only thing I missed, and I'm sorry for, is my desk Ronson lighter that Win gave me - what was the [?pony] on that occasion - I forget.  Shipmaster I think.  Well we can just hope on.         Cheerio Darling.     B

Retrieved as much gear as possible from our Qts. & placed it all in D Block. The Japs are to occupy our flats. (I saved all I could sweetheart & said Goodbye for us both to our first little home, maybe we’ll get back there yet dear) (We are all worried now because none of you down there know what has happened to us. I hope you are bearing up Marj dear).

Ah Ding ((our family amah)) appeared at the (guarded) front door of Tai Koon and asked for me. We were allowed to talk at the door. She was very upset because our flat had been entered by the Japs who had taken mattresses and blankets, and my new red coat material (bought 7th Dec.) as a blanket.  She had orders to leave our flat. She had found out that I was in Dina House by going to the ARP HQ in Happy Valley, and asking the Chinese ARP messengers who were still there.