1 Nov 1942, Chronology of Events Related to Stanley Civilian Internment Camp

Submitted by brian edgar on Sat, 02/15/2014 - 18:06

The Maryknoll Fathers have been released from Stanley and are living in Bethany:

(Today) the Japanese government issued orders that all shortwave radio sets must be turned in to be sealed, after which they would be returned to their owners. At that time there was no radio at Bethany, but we listened to a neighbouring one, the owner of which kindly opening his door wide and turning up the radio strong. After the first we still heard the radio news but from other sources.

These 'other sources' might have been short-wave radios kept hidden, or radios that had been 'castrated' (the popular name for being 'sealed' to prevent reception of the BBC or American stations) but whose owners possessed a device for restoring full capacity. Almost everybody in occupied Hong Kong was desperate for accurate news of the war, and the operation of short-wave radios doesn't seem to have been a major issue for the authorities until June, 1944 when some people suffered dreadfully for forbidden listening.

Source:

The Maryknoll Diary, 'November' (1942)

 

Date(s) of events described