R. E. Jones Wartime diary: View pages

Heavy storm early am. & showery all day.

Paper keeps up the usual note re our hopeless efforts at trying to win the war, it seems that the word “annihilate” and its derivatives was coined in order to describe the fate  of the men opposed to the Axis.

There are internees who still think we have another eighteen months to exist in this Camp that the Germans will still be fighting well into next year. Time alone will tell of course but I sincerely hope they are wrong.

Result of Zindel’s visit negative re parcels & repatriation. Bran, beans & allowance to come. Black-out & Curfew orders more stringent.

With Steve pm.

4 Pkts. cigs issued.

Rained & temp. dropped remarkably am.

Get awfully pessimistic at times, promoted & assisted by hunger, lack of soap & other things no doubt. Hope springs in the heart eternal, optimism is ever with us & so life is more or less balanced. Circumstances such as these prove that patience is a virtue, & virtue of value to the possessor thereof. The sense of humour too is a great thing to have. Human nature is the most finely balanced product in existence, for every dent there comes a bump & thank heaven our feelings are not subject to the forces of earthly gravity. 

Jap paper admits more landings & more area under our control in France. The fall of Imphal again imminent.

Ground rice for bread.

With Steve pm.

Final congee issue pm wong tong & ginger. 

(Theory has it that 2nd. front commenced before date of report) (Russians advancing & 20,000 Jap troops landed locally & moved up to Canton)?

Overcast, low cloud, showery.

Collected congee from A1-3 kitchen. Some residents still dissatisfied re routine, quantity etc.

Posted June card to Marj indicating need for holiday similar to the one they had down on a farm last year.

Rained too much for wood cutting.

Disconnected electrical hotplates etc as the amount of elec. now allowed will not permit their use.

No paper today so we are sans news.

Ferry service, so called, from HK discontinued.

Use of electricity in HK greatly curtailed. Slowly the public & ourselves are being deprived of essentials. Come on Nimitz!

With Steve pm.

(Camp news. Russians landed at Danzig, 2 German Divs. surrender. Paratroops land near Paris & General Tito with Major Churchill & forces joined up with Russians)

Planes over 3.20am.

Rained heavily 7am.

Saving on cigs, we have no means of lighting them. Demonstrates in a small way how efficiently the Japs are managing the production in all their captured territory. Typhoons, earthquakes, plagues, loqusts [sic] & Japs are all in the same category for their destructive qualities.

Brightened somewhat during the forenoon. Wood-chopping, rice grinding & food carrying.

Some plane activity during the day.

German evacuated (9th) Tarquinia 55mls. N. of Rome. Sketchy report re French front. Imphal still falling. Nothing in paper to support Camp news. Public warned re possibility of air-raids & reminded how inhuman & cruel we’ll be when our planes come over. Have the Japs forgotten their own ruthlessness so soon?

Tea & sugar 20 days  & oil 10 days issued also Y2.50 more of last month’s allowance. Total allowance received = Y12.50 or 11 boxes of matches & 40 sen change, or ¾ lb of soap if one added 10 sen, or 7 razor blades by adding 52 sen.

Clouds lifted again during the evening.

With Steve pm.

Black-out off.

Overcast, bright intervals.

Congee musty & rice half-cooked.

Soap 12 to a bar issued, very welcome, ex. Govt. stores.

Paper news 3 days behind & the usual Jap rot.

Steve to practice pm.

No canteen today due to lack of goods.

Planes over 11.30pm.

Main switches in HK pulled at mnt.[Midnight?]

Planes over at 2am.

Heavy rain storm 4am. Overcast all day.

Switch pulling at mnt. to continue & all shops, cafes etc to be vacated by 11pm by order of Chief of Gendarmerie. Leads one to think that our radio news is too good & true for the Japs to allow the public to listen to. Our progress is obviously good.

Anglo U.S. now 80 mls N. of Rome.

Pris. Ind. escaped from Gaol.

With Steve pm.

4 razor blades, curry.

Rained all night. Must be a record year for rain so far.

Roll-call cancelled due to rain.

Wood for chatties much in demand now that electrical appliances are forbidden.

Filed up a couple of canvas needles.

(Chinese Paper. Churchill with all Generals etc. in France 12th. Germans expect Allied landing in Greece, Portugal ceased to send tungsten to Germany. Meeting held in Turkey between Premier & Cabinet re decision to be made re war, position described as tense. Sir S. Hoare in conference with Franco. Petain & Laval had serious meeting (12th). Roosevelt said the invasion of Germany would be made by 3 roads (12th))

Apparently we can expect news of Turkey & the Balkans soon.

Very good meal tonight.

With Steve pm.

Canteen (63) buyer.

All lights switched off 9.55pm.

Planes around & over till 11/15pm. All Clear 11.30pm.

Dull, overcast, raining.

Got canteen gear.

Ground rice for bread.

Chopped wood.

Jap paper quite as usual, we’re losing everything, sez them!

With Steve pm.

Cherbourg captured?

Rained, overcast, muggy.

4 cigs, 1 matches issued Y1.97.

Kyushu, the Southern Island of Japan raided 2am 16th. Turkish Foreign Minister resigned 15th. US forces succeeded in landing on Sai-pan Island in Mariana Group 15th. All news indicates stepping up of our pressure on all fronts.

Brightened during afternoon.

With Steve pm.

Drizzly & dull again.

Ground rice.

Information re Camp conditions, health & rations dispatched to Swiss Minister in Tokyo.

With Steve pm.

No paper today, no news or rumours.

Continual wet weather spoiling gardens. Clothing etc. damp & muggy & cockroaches having a wonderful time.

From Ponting through Form. guard, we’ve some good news to come.

Overcast, raining. E. wind, cooler.

US attacked Bonins [?] ((Ogasawara)) with scores of planes 15th. 600 mls. S. of Japan. Usual disparaging reports re French & Saipan landings. German’s new weapon reported as being pilotless planes. (Easy meat for our fighters if true & how do these planes find their targets?)

Rec. letter from Hilda, undated.

At auction for little while (1 pencil Y9=10/6. 1 towel Y20= £1-3-4. 1pr homemade shoes Y12=14/-. 2 small sewing needles Y1=1/2.) Saw Steve after.

(We are all to be moved into the Gaol. Repatriation still expected to take place by the people who should know).

Rain & more rain. Very depressing weather.

Ground rice.

German “new weapon” causing much havoc in SE England according to the Jap paper. Elba attacked 16th. Japs stress futility of all our efforts & even make “gains” out of our raid on Kyushu also they deny the “rumours” circulated by Chungking that Tokyo was bombed at the same time.  

Four pris’. discharged after serving 2yrs & 2 mths for escape, Bidmead, Morisson [sic], Fay & Randall, and are now under treatment for malnutrition in hospital (treatment consists of bran & soy beans, the only stuff available containing Vit.B1.)

Steve to dress rehearsal.

Made out Canteen chit for Mary & span yarn re future.

(Turkey in the war 16th?)

10 day P.N.oil issued.

Rained all day.

Elba reinforced & Germans driven back [and in?] Italy too. Russians make more gains in Finnland. [sic] Cotentin Peninsula almost all ours. Japs still refuting reports (1 from Reuters) of bombing of Tokyo. Hallsey made C in C 3rd US Pacific Fleet.

News is generall excellent & we are making obvious progress.

Convoy arrived HK am.

Steve to Concert pm. Saw Mary.

Pumpkin jam.

Rain, heavy low cloud.

Roll-call 8am.

Longest day.

No rations arrived.

Paper playing up the German “new weapon”. Elba evacuated & four more places in Finnland. Obvious progress being made in France with Germans saying Cherbourg & peninsula not really worth much strategically. Total absence of Pacific or Burma news.

Ground rice, chopped wood.

Saw Steve after concert.

(Shall I be seeing you two soon Marj darling?)

Rain & heavy cloud. Cleared up 4pm.

Flaherty buried, & in a coffin too. Many moons since coffins were seen, rice bags are the usual thing. (The wood was more or less stolen for this coffin anyway?)

Allies approaching Cherbourg 21st. Battle on 87mls front intensified in Italy 20th. Viipuri evacuate by Finns 20th. No news of S Pacific or Burma again today.

Poor food due to yesterdays non arrival of rations, & it doesn’t seem that they made up for it today.

Still rubbing in “new weapon” & now are threatening New York with trans-Atlantic super-rockets. Changsha occupying Jap attention at present per paper.

Small quantity of mutton available in town, the first in two years, Y40 per catty, or 2/4 per oz.

Yarn with Mary. Some camp yarns very malicious & dangerous. Joan tells of going into Prison & seeing Indian head hung on a wall. ((Not sure which Joan he is referring to.))

Vic Garten’s “Vaudeville” not so good.

H.M.King with Sir R. Campbell in Normandy 16th.

Showery, much warmer.

Ground rice & chopped wood.

Finns retreating rapidly. (Cabinet have had emergency meeting) Installations at Cherbourg being demolished by Germans. We are advancing in Italy (N of Perugia) Naval action W of Marianas (how near to Formosa?) Churchill has said war will be over this Summer. Everything on the up & up for us.

Locally not so good re food. Firewood difficulties in town, among other things of course.

With Steve pm.

Neilson & wood for coffin. Mrs Flaherty offered Y500 for a coffin. Neilson procures the wood on false pretenses & takes the money.

(Camp. Japs surrendering in Burma)

Overcast, squally & muggy.

Paper news very heartening even as printed by Japs. We are advancing on all fronts. The “new weapon” seems to have been accounted for, 19,000 tons of bombs on the release area in two days has quietened them down somewhat. Japs stress vital importance of Saipan, 1,268 naut. mls from Tokyo & 1,500 from the Phillipines [sic]. Russians started new offensive in Vitebsk area. Japs significantly silent about Imphal.

Local conditions not so good for Japs due to lack of cooperation on part of residents. Pork, hard to obtain, Y34 per catty, chicken Y40 = 2/4d per oz. Gold up in value & foreign currency too since Chinese heard the good news.

Iceland broke off from Denmark & declared own independence.

Rained heavily all night.  Houses collapsing due to being under-run by so much water.

Beach not very popular this year due to bad weather and lack of energy.

No canteen orders coming in.

Overcast & showery all day.

Ground rice & chopped wood.

Some canteen gear arrived but no veg for tomorrow, sprats only.

No paper today. Chinese paper arrived & is in the course of translation.

With Steve pm.

Air-raid warning 9pm, for practice it seems.

Rocket release gear captured at Cherbourg. It is suggested by Stockholm report that Japs must retire west if Saipan is captured as their position strategically would be untenable. If such is the case, and the Japs do retire west, clear of the Phillipines & Formosa as suggested, then we can look forward to early release.

Much talk & conjecture about what we will do when release does come, how we will appreciate the small things of life, hot water, soap, clean clothing, a good bed & privacy, things that used to seem of no account. We will look back on these days with mixed feelings, some good, some bad. Food, accommodation & medical treatment will be remembered as bad, & the general life, books, lectures, concerts, talks & companionship as good. Things generally could be much worse.

I look forward to the time when my forced separation from my wife & baby is at an end & my sense of appreciation of the amenities of life is in full swing. Plain & plenty, cleanliness & comfort will = Happiness.

Much better day, occasional showers.

News excellent.  Cherbourg captured 25th. Garrison established on Saipan, & more attacks on Bonins. Anything can happen now.

Black-out ordered.

With Steve pm.

Lovely day.

Current came on 2pm.

Ground rice for bread.

Firewood problem in town more acute. Kerosene Y38 per catty & candles Y13 each. Death sentences imposed on thieves of electric wire.

Allies advancing on all fronts. N. of Lake Trasimere in Italy 25th. Cherbourg fell 8pm 24th inst. Russians advancing between Viipura & Tali 25th. Ex. Ambassador to Rome “quashes rumours of possible peace” -25th- between Allies & Germany. Japs bombed Aslito airfield on Saipan 25th. All this news is three days old before we get it. Lots can happen in three days.  

With Steve pm.

Air-raid practice 7.20pm. Black-out cancelled 8.30pm.

It has been decided to build our own wood-fire water boiler.