Diary pages from this date

The first batch of residents move into Rosary Hill Red Cross Home.

Most but not all of the people who live here will be 'dependents' of British Prisoners of War and civilian internees - the group that consistently causes the Red Cross the most difficulties.

Life here will be spartan and rather regimented. It will not suit everyone - one nickname is 'Rosary Hell' - and to make matters worse the Home will be riven by disputes among the staff which lead to bitter feuds and resignations. But it's hard to see any obviously better form of care given the chronic inflation of wartime Hong Kong - which will eventually force Rudolf Zindel to ship most of the home's residents to Macao.

Source;

Zindel's anniversary speech

"Jury System" (HC Macnamara)

Cleaned bedding.

Fine, hot.

((G))

Choir practice 5-6pm.

Talk with Steve pm.

Full Moon.

OBJECTIVE: Bomb Kowloon docks and godowns

TIME OVER TARGET: Due to heavy cloud cover, the bombers do not reach the target

AMERICAN UNITS AND AIRCRAFT: Nine B-25s from the 11^th Bomb Squadron (341^st Medium Bomb Group) and an unspecified number of escorting fighters, probably from the 74^th and/or 449^th Fighter Squadron (23^rd Fighter Group).  All aircraft are from the 14^th Air Force.

AMERICAN PILOTS AND AIRCREW: Lt. Goode; 2^nd Lt. Edward J. Pawlowski; Staff Sgt. Robert C. Appleby; Sgt. Golden U. Gallup; Tech Sgt. George W. Gouldthrite; Staff Sgt. J.J. O’Connel

ORDNANCE EXPENDED: No bombs are dropped.

RESULTS: None

JAPANESE UNITS, AIRCRAFT, AND PILOTS: Up to ten enemy fighters intercept the B-25s, probably from the 25^th, 33^rd, or 85^th Sentai.  

AIRCRAFT LOSSES: B-25 gunners claim to shoot down up to five enemy fighters, though Japanese records do no indicate any pilots were lost over the Pearl River delta on this date.  The escorting American fighters fail to rendezvous with the B-25s due to the poor weather and do not engage the Japanese fighters.

SOURCES: Original mission reports and other documents 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).