Diary pages from this date
Fine, cloudy.
Chopped fire-wood.
Saw Steve pm. Spoke on matters of the future which are rather rosy if all we hear about staff alterations come true.
District chairmen held meeting & Hattori’s statements were discussed.
Convoy of several ships arrived am. Parcels? Canteen gear arrived & small amount of toothpwdr & toilet paper from the Japs.
Much guessing as to which Dom. it is refusing to comply with Jap requirements & to what the req’s may be.
3hrs work today. Calories expended 5,100, received 1,700 (10 biscuits & 1 double ration) Is it worth it?
Posted card to Marj.
In the prisoner - of - war camp at Argyle Street , conditions were very primitive and most unsuitable for the nursing of long - term cases . Nevertheless , it was only possible to transfer patients to one of the hospitals at very infrequent intervals . While at Argyle Street , the Principal Medical Officer operated on four cases of perforated duodenal ulcer and two of acute appendicitis .
In May 1944 , the P.M.O. of R.N. Hospital , Hong Kong , together with six other medical officers , was moved to Sham Shui prisoner - of war camp . He then embarked on a merchant ship which was carrying scrap metal from Hong Kong to Japan .
There were some 250 prisoners - of - war on board this ship , who were accommodated in one of the holds . The journey , broken by a short call at Formosa , was rendered more uncomfortable by the dysentery from which many of the prisoners - of - war were suffering .