15 May 1943, Diary of George Gerrard in Stanley Internment Camp Hong Kong

Submitted by Alison Gerrard on Sun, 12/09/2018 - 14:31

After several more days of blackouts they have again been called off for which we are thankful, it would appear that Canton has been bombed two nights in succession and so the Japs are jittery.

On Monday I received 10 Yen from Lam Cho Chaw, so also did J.F. and J. Watson. This is a good sign and shows that Lam is not 'feart'. I have the feeling somehow that is working for Hoo Cheong Wo in his place. We had a canteen tab this week and so I was able to get some things such as sugar, shoe laces, bean curd etc. and so long as we have enough money to buy eggs and bananas this helps to supplement our chow.

Well the great news of the great victory in North Africa is very fine and with the knowledge that Winston C. is over in Washington with a retinue of experts gives us an idea that things will moving soon on all fronts. Time is passing on and we are all getting very tired of this life of restriction. We try to do the best we can but it all gets very boring.

We have started a bowls team composed of Q.M.S. staff (that is W.J.Anderson) and the rations parties and Andy suggested the name of 'Trojans' and this we are known by. We lost our first game last Tuesday against the Police Green, most of our team are purely novices, my side being A.Wyllie, C. Rowcliffe, H.T. Smith and myself as skip, we lost 16-12 we got one point.

The lectures go on on Mondays and Fridays, other talks were on Radio and Mining.

D.B.B. and J.F. and I go our usual walk round the camp on Sundays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays. On Friday J.F. usually has a meeting and then on Saturdays D.B.B. and I go to J.Fs' for our cup and yarn.

My thoughts are always so much of you dear and I try to visualise how things are going with you, how you are keeping and I always trust that you are fit and well, how you are off financially, are you still at 1050 Chiles Street, did you get the money I sent you over HI, Line Services sent you both word and money and so on.

I do wish that repatriation would come along soon so that within the next few months or even the end of the year we could be reunited again. Here's hoping. At church at 10am for a little while and again at 4pm.

Date(s) of events described