R. E. Jones Wartime diary: View pages

Hot, fine.

With Steve pm.

No news.

Wind SE.

Hot, fine. Wind E with cloud.

Voting for Council.

((G)).

Lots of aerial activity but we cannot tell who they were.

Convoy had to return?

Talk with Steve pm. ((G)).

Fine, hot. Rained 5am.

More mysterious air activity over NTs.

Air shelter bricks being taken from the gaol in big Jap lorries.

Remainder of cigs arrived.

Definite dates given to Canadian & US repatriates.

((G)).

Steve to practice.

Choir practice 5-6pm.

Quiet month, study on typewriting. Lack old machine for practical work.

Fine & hot.

Plenty air-craft around but cannot identify.

Japs building more air-raid shelters & gun emplacements. ((Are these the tunnels that we still see today?))

Food values:

Talk with Steve pm.

Fine & hot.

Choir practice at St Stephens 11-noon.

Air-raid & either oil tanker or A.P.C. hit. Immense clouds of smoke (white over Stanley mound) 1.40PM.

Played crib with Steve pm.

Colony to be attacked within 2 weeks?

New moon. Fire still burning.

Fine & hot but cool E wind as for the last week. Fire out this am.

Softball practice am. I made my debut pm with Dutch team.

((G))

Saw Mary for a while. Steve at concert. 

4 Jap planes patrolling all day.

Wind strengthened with rain.

Gave G birthday present & painted trunk.

Saw Mary pm. G there too. Steve at concert.

Block meeting, didn’t attend.

4Pkts cigs issued.

Typhoon about, wind & rain all day.

Stencil for O.B. (("O.B." is also mentioned in Jones' diary for 23rd July, where Barbara Anslow suggests he may be referring to Oscar Basham.))

Play crib with Steve pm. ((G))

Lai Chi Kok Oil Tank ablaze again 10.30pm-Midnt.

((G))

Played crib with Steve pm. ((G))

Took tea 7.50pm. All OK.

Wind & rain all day.

3 people in from Tung Wa Hosp.

News good.

Fine day.

Meijima arrived but no results of his meeting yet.

Japs admit destruction of their oil installation.

Choir practice 5-6pm.

Steve to rehearsal. Waited at his place till he came back. ((G))

(Canton being heavily shelled?)

((G))

Wrote out parts for “O Peaceful Night”.

Ration party 5 to 6.15pm.

Talk with Steve pm.

No news.

Fine & hot though cloudy.

Make up canteen lists for tomorrow. Assisted M with hers pm. ((G))

No news.

Steve in concert at St Stephen’s.

((G)) 

Choir practice 6pm to 7.30 under cookhouse at St Stephens.

((G))

Paper had good news today re Italian unconditional surrender.

Choir practice 9-10AM.

((G))

Ground rice for Mary. Steve to concert. Took M back her rice. ((G))

Good news in paper re Italy & Iran.

Fine, cloudy.

Paper contains much good news for us indirectly.

Made star-charts.

About 12 P.40s did aerobatics & low flying at 4.30pm a sight for sore eyes. One pilot acknowledged us with a wave, another machine gunned the Gendarmerie station in Stanley village. No opposition. Everyone happier.

((G))

Fine & dry.

Paper makes light of yesterdays raid as usual.

Bit of singing with Phil at St Stephens. ((Who is Phil?))

Sold guitar Y50.

Talk with Steve pm. ((G))

Cleaned bedding.

Fine, hot.

((G))

Choir practice 5-6pm.

Talk with Steve pm.

Full Moon.

Fine & dry. E wind.

Meijima called.

No news.

Talk with Steve pm. ((G))

Daily food value for this month. Cals 1576 – Prots 43.11

Two 475lb drums from go-down.

Canadians to H.Qs & told they could not take any papers whatever, marriage birth, or any certificates & no diplomas, they must only speak the truth re Camp conditions.

((G))

Sang couple of choruses in Concert at St Stephens.

Strong wind & rain all day.

With G nearly all day re her luggage. Arrangements cancelled till tomorrow.

3oz inferior lard issued.

Choir pract. 5-6pm. Chorus for Phil ((who?)) & then more choir practice till 7pm.

Saw Steve.

Camp bulletin very pessimistic re food.

Windy & some rain.