Diary pages from this date

Jean Gittins eats her first salad (see September 1):

Pak choi is not normally used in European cuisine and Ethel was unwilling to try it, but she noted the obvious relish with which Jeanne ate her salad and quickly changed her mind. It turned out to be delicious too when lightly cooked in oil.

Source:

Jean Gittins, Stanley: Behind Barbed Wire, 1982, 107

Jenner & Pearson

Alarm while walking home from town. First time caught in street.

Cool am & pm. NE wind.

Canteen buyer 58 easy day on Cookhouse.

Got some lime & made a trowel.

Lorry in at 5.30pm with Canteen gear, tobacco arrived too.

Air-raid alarm 3.20 to 4.30pm.

Good new [sic] from all fronts & Pacific. Soviets 5 mls from Memel 10th. Heavy raid by 1,100 planes on Formosa 12th & 13th.

OBJECTIVE: Fly nocturnal sea sweep mission to detect and sink Japanese ships in the South China Sea.

RESULTS: The radar-equipped B-24 fails to locate any Japanese ships.  The aircraft commander then opts to bomb the Kowloon docks (the designated secondary target) on the return flight.  Damage is unknown.

TIME OVER TARGET: Late evening

AMERICAN UNITS AND AIRCRAFT: One B-24 from the 308^th Heavy Bomb Group

AMERICAN PILOTS AND AIRCREW: Captain Armstrong in plane #823

ORDNANCE EXPENDED: 12 x 500-pound bombs

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).

OBJECTIVE: Reconnaissance flight over Canton, Hong Kong, and Sanchau Island

RESULTS: Pilot takes a series of recon photos.  Pilot reports 15 ships in the 200 to 400-foot range in Victoria Harbor and a large 400-foot tanker in a bay on the south side of Hong Kong Island.  Engine failure prevents coverage of Sanchau Island.

TIME OVER TARGET: ~1:00 p.m.

AMERICAN UNITS AND AIRCRAFT: One F-5E from Flight B, 21^st Photographic Reconnaissance Squadron

AMERICAN PILOTS AND AIRCREW: Lt. Snyder in aircraft #305

ORDNANCE EXPENDED: None

JAPANESE UNITS, AIRCRAFT, AND PILOTS: None

AIRCRAFT LOSSES: Right engine fails over Hong Kong, but Lt. Snyder returns safely to base on left engine.

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: Fighter sweep over the Canton airfields

RESULTS: No enemy aircraft are encountered in the air or observed on the ground.

TIME OVER TARGET: ~12:45 p.m.

AMERICAN UNITS AND AIRCRAFT:

• Eight P-40s and six P-51s from the 76^th Fighter Squadron
• Nine P-51s and three P-40s from the 118^th Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron (TRS)

AMERICAN PILOTS AND AIRCREW:

• 76^th FS: Lt. Perkins, Lt. Anderson, Lt. Thompson, 2^nd Lt. Jerome F. Eisenman, Lt. Newsome, Lt. Baker, Lt. Joyner (5^th FG CACW), Lt. Wheeler (74^th FS), Major Slocumb (23^rd FG), 2^nd Lt. Robert L. Schaeffer, Lt. Dahlberg, Lt. Raymond, Lt. Moore, Lt. Policarpo
• 118^th TRS: Major Edward O. McComas, Lt. Smith, Lt. Wegman, Lt. Miehe, 1^st Lt. Everson F. Pearsall, Lt. Greene, Lt. Murray, Lt. Denton, Lt. Williams, Lt. Robbins (74^th FS), Lt. Wells (23^rd FG), Lt. Long (23^rd FG)

ORDNANCE EXPENDED: None

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).