Diary pages from this date

Mutal Fielder 'celebrates' the birthday of her fiancee, Kenelm Digby, who's interned in Kuching:

I had my 21st birthday in Stanley in 1942 but it passed like any of the other often boring days there; it was certainly no time for partying. But we always marked Kenelm's birthday on 10 March every year and made some sort of cake, usually rice mixed  with a bit of sugar in it, as we wondered how we was spending the day, interned in Sarawak. I had heard he was alive but only one card from him ever reached me in Stanley. I sent two or three cards while I was there but none of them ever reached him.

Source:

Derek Round, Barbed Wire Between Us, 2002, 163

Note:

Kenelm Digby had a cousin in Stanley: Professor Kenelm Hutchinson Digby, surgeon and head of surgery at Hong Kong University (Round, 163)

Mr Zindel visited Camp 

Wet & cold.

Cookhouse all day.

((G.))

Walk with Steve pm.

Zindel came.

Much good news about. US to bomb Japan & Burma campaign developing in our favour.

3. CIVILIAN INTERNEES:-

The Hong Kong News of 19.2.1943 contains the following:-

"Lisbon, Feb, 17th (Domei) - It is reported from LONDON that negotiation for exchange of internees are now going on between the Japanese and the British Governments, particularly regarding women and children, the British Foreign Secretary, Mr. Anthony Eden, declared in the House of Commons yesterday. He said that he understood that the Japanese Foreign Office was desirous of continuing negotiations, adding that British internees in H.K. were reported to be enjoying good treatment and good health."

4. NORWEGIANS:-

68 reports that 22 Norwegian nationals are to be interned. It is known that all Norwegian nationals were called on to report to the Gendarmerie shortly after the escape of the two Norwegians reported in W.I.S. No.19 of 17th Feb: 1943, but it is thought that no Norwegian nationals have yet been interned.