Diary pages from this date

Mrs. Lily ('Ma') Flaherty is detained at the Japanese headquarters for black market activity.

Her room is raided by the gendarmes, who find a rich haul of rings, brooches, gold articles, money and I.O.U.s.

Sources:

Date of arrest: Gimson Diary, Weston House, Oxford, p. 85 (recto) (the Stanley Camp Roll, IWM gives July 12 but Gimson seems to have been updating his diary daily at this point)

Other details: George Wright-Nooth, Prisoner of the Turnip Heads, 1994, 216

Note:

Wright-Nooth's account states that Mrs. Flaherty was arrested within two weeks of her husband's death (June 22, 1944) because Yamashita, about to be replaced by a military commandant (which Wright-Nooth says happened on August 1) decides to act to curtail the syndicate run by his Japanese rival, a sergeant-major with whom Mrs. Flaherty was working. Wright-Nooth adds that before going to prison she entrusts her hen to Dr. Talbot, and, when she emerges three months later, demands it back, resulting in a Camp Tribunal hearing which leads to the revelation that the hen has been eaten. This Tribunal ended on May 3, 1945, which is a suprisingly long time after her release on December 12 (Camp Roll).

On the next page (217) Wright-Nooth claims she returned to her black marketeering after the Tribunal, and was arrested alongside another black marketeer for possession of 80 lbs of egg yoke in 'early June, 1944'. I think this is a misprint for '1945'. R. E. Jones notes on June 7, 1945 that Mrs. Flaherty was hospitalised as a result of her severe beating during interrogation, something which Wright-Nooth also mentions. She wasn't actually imprisoned on this occasion as this would have been recorded in the Camp Roll, which was updated until late August 1945.

OBJECTIVE: Harass Canton airfields and prevent JAAF from flying night bombing missions

RESULTS: At staggered intervals, B-25s bomb White Cloud and Tien Ho airbases.  Damage to target is unknown, but two large and three small fires are ignited by the bombing.

TIME OVER TARGET: ~7:45 to 9:42 p.m.

AMERICAN UNITS AND AIRCRAFT: Six B-25s from 491^st Bomb Squadron (341^st Medium Bomb Group)

AMERICAN PILOTS AND AIRCREW: Lt. Col. Clark; Captain Toney; Lt. Anderson; Lt. Cullen; Lt. Hexberg; Lt. Lesher

ORDNANCE EXPENDED: Sixty 100-pound fragmentation bomb clusters; six 500-pound bombs

JAPANESE UNITS, AIRCRAFT, AND PILOTS: None

AIRCRAFT LOSSES: Minor damage to one B-25 from antiaircraft fire

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).

OBJECTIVE: Bomb ammunition and supply godowns at Canton

RESULTS: Damage to target is unknown, but eighty percent of bombs are estimated to fall in target area and the bombing ignites numerous fires.

TIME OVER TARGET: ~8:37 to 9:06 p.m.

AMERICAN UNITS AND AIRCRAFT: Fifteen B-24Js from the 373^rd, 374^th, 375^th, and 425th Bomb Squadrons (308^th Heavy Bomb Group)

AMERICAN PILOTS AND AIRCREW: Unknown

ORDNANCE EXPENDED: 410 x 100-pound bombs; 158 x 100-pound incendiaries; 4,000 propaganda leaflets

JAPANESE UNITS, AIRCRAFT, AND PILOTS: None

AIRCRAFT LOSSES: None

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).

B.O.

Wed 5th, and 4 yrs since we parted darling.

Rained during the night, cloudy & hot.

Medical inspection. Weight now 156lbs. from 165 & 175 before the war.

Petition re food etc. handed to Gimson and by him to Japs. 2012 had signed it out of a possible 2191  91.8%.

Lorry arrived at last, no Canteen gear.

Rice in town works out at 3d an ounce & milk at 7/- a pint.

Japs seem to be getting on OK with their campaign in China battling strongly against US forces in Saipan & Bonin Islands. Advances made in Russia, Italy, and Finnland by us. As the Japs over emphasise their gains and under emphasise our own, things seem very good for the Allies.

North’s notes very enlightening re US Pacific strategy & likely happenings on China Coast.

Total daily food consumption per head per day 1lb 6oz approx.

With Steve pm.

“Coolie” by Madelon H.Lulops deals with Dutch Colonial contrast methods which were abolished 1931.

Full MOON, ㊸  17/8/44 ((That's how it's been transcribed. Not sure what it meant?))