Electricity came on again today - we've ((in Married Q)) been off about 4 days, and most of camp about a week.
To French conversation class this afternoon, with Frieda Salmon and Pauline Beck. ((Pauline played piano accompaniment to many of our children's plays.))
I can't imagine us being out of here by Christmas.
Tony (Cole) called and gave me a small empty 1936 diary, and some cumquots ((small Chinese hard fruit which sometimes fruited within camp precincts.))
The Chinese Volunteers are released from Shamshuipo. They spend a few days in St. Teresa's Hopsital, are forced to sign a promise not to fight again, and then they're free.
Maximo Cheng, one of those released, states that no explanation for their release was given to the POWs. It's possible that this was a Japanese attempt to win credibility for their 'Asia for the Asians' claims. According to another Volunteer POW, the Japanese always showed partiality to the Chinese in Shamshuipo: 'they never ill-treated us.'
But Raymond Mok, another POW freed today, says that some of his fellows thought the reason for the release was economic: outside Camp the Japanese wouldn't have to feed them and they could work for their rations.
Both Cheng and Mok escaped from Hong Kong and carried on the fight, Cheng wit the Chindits, Mok as a BAAG Medical Officer.
Sources:
Chen: Interview with Maximo Chen, http://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/80020175
Partiality: Peter Tan, cited in Peter Cunich, A History of the University of Hong Kong, Volume 1, 2012, 541
Mok: Interview with Dr Raymond Mok, http://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/80020174
Stericker ("Cigarettes & Cigarette making" 32,000,000 Bri Isles 5 months. 2,000,000,000 cigt, per yr.)
No news.
A new craze has beset the Camp. It consists of a piece of polished wood at the edges of which numerals, the alphabet, months & the words Yes & No are placed. A port wine glass is placed upside down in the centre of the board & persons asking questions place a finger on the bottom of the glass which then moves and gives the answer.
Tried it tonight with Steve, Hiscock ((sic. probably Hircock)), Mrs Stevens ((possibly "Steve's" wife, M A Stevens - but why so formal?)) & McLin [?] ((possibly Girlie Macklin)) & myself. Only part successful. Tonight it told us that the Japs would leave by Oct 5th & that I would see Marj Dec.1946.