Diary pages from this date

Worked in a.m. Had to stay there until 1.15pm because of air raid alarm from 11 until then, but no bombs.  Meat.

To meeting of British RC Club.  ((This was a club planned for Hong Kong after liberation. Committee elected:-  Q. Macfayden, Harold Bidwell and Elsie Bidwell,  W. FitzGibbon, F. Willey, Tom Cashman, Mrs Dorothy Wilson, Peggy Barton, etc.))

Benediction in evening, then Peg and I went for a walk to cemetery (met Jim Johnson (HKPolice) on way: husband of Betty nee Bone, a Govt. colleague of mine, evacuated to Australia.)

There was a big Stemozzle on Monday 9th which incidentally was the anniversary of my first landing in Hong Kong 31 years ago. Edward Reed in our block was arrested by the guards over stealing sugar from the godowns where the Japs keep their stocks of rice etc. This sugar was being sold on the Black Market, I bought some myself (1/2lb) from Toder who was selling or acting as agent for T. Edwards who was ditto for Reed. Evidently the guards put the screw on Reed and he broke away and hid himself. At 8 o'clock the general alarm was sounded and we had to fall in for role call. We stood at attention then at ease, then heels were clicked because we stood at ease and so on, after an hour of this the whole place seemed to be swarming with Japs and Formosan guards it then appeared that Reed had given himself up and so we were dismissed but we all thought that we were going to be beaten up. Reed is now in hospital after having a very rough time.

Planes over on Thursday. Weather slightly better but the chow very poor.

Short/Martin

(Meat)

Cut two pumpkins. A little green though look ripe and vines dried. More coming on. Also had couple foo kwar first time in three years. Flies usually ruin them. White rabbit surprisingly gives birth to incestuous four. Kids all excited.

Stanley bombed by lone plane ((See diaries for 25th July)). Seven injured. No other raids in moonlight beginning of month. Why so quiet? Several nights hear planes but no bombs. 

Fine, hot.

Trifle emotional 10am no more gdnts. Took me ½ hr to wash overall with fragments of soap. 

(Russia to take over F.E. Red Cross)

Gute Nachte mit G sind zu Ende, zeit weilig?[Goodnight/s with G are ending, time??]

((Additional notes from Jill Fell: 'Zeitweilig' means 'for the time being' so RE Jones is saying "Goodnights with G are finished - for the time being?" (He hopes!) ))