R. E. Jones Wartime diary: View pages

To Grindleys for dinner

Rec. 1st Nov from M

Rec. 10th Nov & Rae’s photo. Posted No89. 10.35 AM Prison box.

Committee meeting. D & g reg.

Blue uniform

Day off. Sent £3 to M. Saw “South of Suez” at Queens.

Posted letter to Bob. 86-113-88

Sun routine due to War Ex. Black-out sun-set to sun-rise.

Quiet day off.

Posted No90 to Marj. Paid bills  & bought shoes. Saw “The Phantom Raiders” at the Queens. (173$ locked in Club safe)

Rec. Nov 3rd from Marj

A few drinks in the Club for a change

I started my birthday with a war. Kowloon bombed about 8AM. No1 Police Launch bombed at 10.30AM but she got away. A.A. fire seems to be futile. Posted No91 to Marj but it will not go now. She’ll be worrying now bless her. 11 hrs duty today. Organisation terrible.

Raids began early & continued off & on till 2.00PM. Dr’s house & rest of K Block hit at 2.05PM. No one injured.

Quiet day for Stanley. Heavy gunfire from Kowloon. Stonecutters heavy guns bombarded Japs on Castle Peak. Landings expected so our platoon got ready for action. How are you Marj old pal?

Went into H.K. for Prison rations and to try to get some beer etc. No can.

Alarm went when I was in town & things are run very well indeed.

Began discharging Pris’rs.

Stanley heavies ((ie the 9.2" guns there)) get going PM.

Alarms off & on all day. Stanley very quiet. Prison muster down to 1418.

Kowloon evacuated. Hundreds of Chinese shot for looting.

Jap. position not so good. They are in Kowloon being smashed up by our heavy guns & the Chinese army are advancing through the New Territories.

Stanley heavies made Blackie dash under the bed again.

West Point godown fires lit up the sky tonight.

Very quiet this side of the Island. Prison routine as usual. Another 300 Pris’s discharged.

The position of the Chinese Army seems to be in doubt so what the Japs are doing over at Kowloon I cannot imagine. Digging in & bringing their guns up maybe.

Ordinary routine. Chinese service at noon in Club.

HK bombarded all PM, leaflets dropped. V.G. ((Probably 'Victoria Gaol')) & Central Police Station hit.

“Tiny” Baker committed suicide?

Cannot get potatoes or veg.

Air raids started 7.20AM. AA fire appears to be useless. Probably the Japs want HK intact meantime hoping the civil population will revolt or that we submit due to starvation (Marj dear, I’m glad you are away but would be happier if I knew you were really safe too).

V.G. ((Victoria Gaol)) personel returned to Stanley. V.G. smashed up.

Blackie getting used to gunfire now bless her.

Manned our posts about 9PM but returned by 10.50PM nothing doing.