Today duty. H Block. Nothing of interest. Heard 13 Jap ships sunk.
R. E. Jones Wartime diary: View pages
Clearing up debris slowly. Nothing happened noteworthy. Reviewed our day of action for the umpteenth time. Walked around the Gaol.
Brushwood on hillsides S of Prison set alight today. Heard ammunition exploding. Went up to G Block again & got some photos of Rae. Framed her big one & now I can look up on the whole family. (Where are you tonight sweetheart, God Bless you both)
Quiet day, no events. Pile tells me he saw Blackie in the village. I hope it is right.
((Possibly C. S. Pile, a policeman.))
Quiet. 5 or 6 Japs taking over A Block. Rained.
Day off. Walked around outside of Prison & mooched around generally. Japs in interrogating Pris’s.
Nothing doing today. Shared out Club Funds $15 per member. How much longer Marj darling. ($210 left)
Cigs up to 70cts per pkt. Rumour re Churchill saying he will invade Japan.
Shifted all gear from D Block to old Printing Shop.
Is Jap news re Singapore correct?
My radio has been taken.
Japs slowly getting accustomed to Prison routine. No one allowed out any more. (Euros) Few planes knocking about. Turkey for dinner.
More yarns re future. Peninsula to be Internment area?
170 Rmds taken away. Special job.
Special job. Colder.
Finished the ladder.
Rumours re Russians attacking Japan & of the Japs being told to get out of HK or be bombed out. The news is supposed to be authentic so we are feeling somewhat bucked.
Pris’s changed into their own clothing.
Ko So came to see me. ((This was probably Jones's amah. There is a bit more information about her at http://gwulo.com/comment/34555#comment-34555, where her name is spelled "Garso".))
Pris’s did not go out today as arranged. Few internees arrived D Block & patients arrived from QM Hospital with some staff.
3000 & 5811 caught opening locks in C Hall with pieces of wire (when reported for this offence under our management before the war 3 day R & W). The Japs hung them upside down for an hour or more & then beheaded them. Somewhat bloody but very effective. Barrett would no doubt be please (sic) to hear about 5811.
((David: I guess '3000 & 5811' were two of the prisoners at Stanley Gaol, and 'R & W' means 'rice & water' as a punishment.
I don't know who the Barrett is. I supposed he'd have been a fellow prison officer, but I don't see any Barrett on the List of Prison Officers in 1940.))
Well darling, our Rae is 12 months old & I sincerely hope & pray that this her first birthday will be the first & last that we are parted until she leaves us to start a home of her own. I hope you had a nice little party sweetheart with one candle on the cake. God Bless you both.
Majority of servants (Chineses) sent out today so the big noises must fend for themselves a little.
Shifted from Prison to E Block Indian Qtrs. 4 per room. Everyone searched pretty well when we left gaol. It is nice to be able to walk round anyway.