Diary pages from this date

The only meeting of the Council of Hong Kong University during internment takes place. It's held in the British Community Council Office and its first business is to welcome Franklin Gimson to the Council. It moved on to note deaths of University staff and students and to express sympathy for their relatives.

An article in the Daily Express (page 3) casts light on the anxieties of loved ones in the United Kingdom, and on the fate of Japanese people there. The story's about 15 Japanese released from internment as 'friendly aliens'. Even though they want to do war work to help the British, no-one is willing to employ them because of the degree of hostility this would arouse from other employees. One worker tells the reporter 'We don't want any Japs working here' while pointing to a 'Remember Hong Kong' notice on the wall. (See entry for March 26, 1942.) It seems, partly through a slogan launched by the Express itself, that 'Hong Kong' has become synonymous with atrocities.

Source:

Lindsay Ride, in Clifford Matthews and Oswald Cheung (eds.), Hong Kong University During The War Years: Dispersal and Renewal, 1998, 18.

A huge number of parcels were distributed last Monday and I was very fortunate getting five in all. Bone got two, Meffin two and McIntyre two and most of the parcels were from our yard people.

Y.A.N. Gow
1st Floor, 28 Tai Foo St.
1tin Del Monte coffee 1lb
1tin Falcon butter 12oz
1tin condensed milk
1tin sugar 2lbs
1tin jam 5lbs
1lb bread

A.H.Liv
133 Das Vocand Rd. 
1bag mixed cocoa beans 1 1/2lb
1bag sugar 2lbs 
1tin jam 12oz 
1tin pears
1tin salmon
1pkt Sunlight Soap

A.H Lenng
Pletchacker
2tins corned mutton
2tins fish

Hoo Cleorg Wo Co
2 tins fish 
1tin beef 
1tin mutton
5lbs Sugar
2 towels (face)
2 tubes toothpaste 
2 pcks washing soap
1tin tobacco

Lo Wai Mai Room 105 Lock Hig Bldg. 33 Queens Rd.
1 pullover, size 34 (HS)
2 singlets
1 tooth brush
1 tube toothpaste
1 face towel
1lb salt
1tin lard 2 1/4lbs

All good stuff and all very acceptable so that our wee larder has a good stock for our rough days when iron rations may be the order of the day. We hope in the very near future too. What we usually do when the chow is very poor as it so often is we open one of these tins and divide out equally whichever it is it makes a tasty bite.

It is pleasing to get these gifts from our Chinese and shows that they haven't quite forgotten us and also it shows a lot of courage on their parts sending us these gifts and lets us know too that their sympathies are with us and that they too also hope for the day when Hong Kong will be British again.

J.F. was very pleased at receiving his parcels. On Tuesday 19th J.F. came up and gave me a pile of Yen to pay out to the Staff, each of us is getting M.Y.10 each which was also very acceptable in these harsh times.

J.F. gave his lecture on Monday night on 'Launching' and on Friday afternoon Hugh Smith gave one on 'Stability' both of which were very good.

My voice is still lost so on Friday morning I had a consultation with Dr. Talbot who says I have acute laryngitis and an ulcer on one of the cords. He prescribed medicine for me and at the same time has proscribed the use of my voice so I've not to talk at any rate as little as possible. This morning Talbot was operated on for  appendicitis very suddenly.

A very large ship arrived this week and is now freely rumoured that about 1000 volunteers have been taken away in her. That is only rumour but never the less it might be true.

I didn't go to the concert this week well it was super classical and I'm not very high brow these days.

It is now over a year since we arrived out at Stanley (Thursday by the day and Friday by the date) and we have remained in this block and the same room all that time, let's hope we wont have to remain here very much longer, ten in one room is at least eight too many. We look on the bright side and hope for happier days to come our way soon and may the day of our reunion be not far distant.

D.B.B. and I were invited to Bungalow F to J.F's for a cup of coffee and a talkee talkee and we discussed the war and the dockyard.

Classical Concert

Cementing brackets in A1.

((G.))

News good if true.

I haven't written for a week.  My back has been horrid - I don't know what causes it, lack of fats I think.  But it's better again.  I have had 2 lovely parcels this week, one from a Margaret Guttinger (Dora knows her - she of course just lends her name as a "cover" - I think it's the gentleman whose wife travelled to Singapore with you - No, it's not) - 1 tin of bully, 2 lbs sugar, a cake of Carbolic Soap, facetowel, toothbrush and toothpaste.  The latter I've no use for so I gave it to Dora.  Another parcel from the Informal Welfare Comm (Selwyn Clarke's show) - 1 tin Jam, and of Pineapple Crush, Grapefruit, Tomatoes, and Vegetables. I made a glorious stew of the Veg which were green peas and diced carrots and a tin of bully. The Grapefruit, half the pineapple crush with 1 lb sugar, a whole fresh orange, rind and all, and the rind of another orange and two small pieces of ginger I got from Lynne Jones ((probably Evelyn Jones)) - I have made the most glorious marmalade.  We are terribly short of things to spread on our bread.  I buy peanuts at the Canteen, roast them and grind them  (Johnny Farr ((probably John Carr)) has a machine) and make lovely peanut butter.  I'll make it for you when I get home. It's really good and full of vitamins.

I wrote this morning - tonight I've had another parcel from Mrs Kan Tong  Po Jam, Condensed Milk, 1 lb Coffee, 1 tin Braised Pork and some Chinese Rice Biscuits - very good. 

I think this is the 32nd Anniversary of my first "popping the question" in that little back room in Gilmore Place.  You remember I once thought the 23rd was your birthday, and you were so cross with me - I knew it was a date of some importance!  We have been promised more mail which is said to be in Tokyo - so I hope to get another letter soon.

I had to stop there - I've had some men in seeing me.  I am the member of Committee for the Indian Quarters in charge of the kitchen - as well as Treasurer - and so I have quite a lot to do. 
I won't go on any more therefore tonight.    Goodnight   L.O.