Diary pages from this date

Notice says International Red Cross are sponsoring a moving picture to be taken of life in the camp.

It was said that some planes which came over today (I'd heard them) made a 'V' formation, and that they exhaust-piped a 'V' in the sky, and that they dropped pamphlets.  ((I hadn't seen any))

Spent rest of our money on tomato ketchup and sugar.  I got rubber sandals from Welfare.

Mabel snowed under with re-knitting (unravelled) baby clothes ((for new camp babies.))

Lecture on 'Africa' by Dr McLeod  ((whose little boy had been 'blown-up'))

Dr. Macleod "African Memories"

(X) Medical repatriation list for signatures.

9 planes flew over during the afternoon E to W & a string of floaters was released was release (sic) from one of them that formed the letter “V”.

Drs making out petition re repatriation.

News received very good if true. Solomon Isles back in our hands. New Guinea almost relieved of Japs. San Francisco tells us that war in Far East will be finished in 80 days. (8th Dec). Berlin in flames. Bremen smashed up, Rommel can get no more supplies. Battle for Stalingrad very severe & the Germans, although entering the City sometimes, are promptly driven out again. Japs gradually withdrawing to China Coast consolidating their lines.

TIME OVER TARGET: ~1:00 p.m.

OBJECTIVE: Reconnaissance over Hong Kong and Canton

AMERICAN UNITS AND AIRCRAFT: One P-43A Lancer on loan to the 23^rd Fighter Group from the Chinese Air Force

AMERICAN PILOTS AND AIRCREW: Major Bruce K. Holloway

ORDNANCE EXPENDED: None

RESULTS: Aerial photographs taken during mission show many small vessels and one large vessel in Victoria Harbor, plus two large vessels under repair at the HK & Whampoa dockyard

JAPANESE UNITS, AIRCRAFT, AND PILOTS: None

AIRCRAFT LOSSES: None

SOURCES: Original mission report in the Air Force Historical Research Agency archives at Maxwell Air Force Base in Montgomery, Alabama

Information compiled by Steven K. Bailey, author of Bold Venture: The American Bombing of Japanese-Occupied Hong Kong, 1942-1945 (Potomac Books/University of Nebraska Press, 2019).