Overcast, NE wind.
Brick cleaning.
Dr.Selwyn-Clark released from Gaol & he, his wife & child went in to HK.
Lorry with wood 3pm.
Worlds biggest battleship to be launched in Britain shortly & she may appear in the Pacific. No European news. Usual claims re Leyte area. Germans report proposed use of Y3s against New York.
Played crib with Mrs Brown aft. ((MW Brown?))
Exercise of British fleet in Indian Ocean reported.
Colder, drizzly & miserable all day.
Worked in Pengelly’s shop.
Coffee with Steve, noon.
Lorry with nothing 5pm.
No E ((European)) news in paper.
Making crib board for Mrs Brown. ((MW Brown?))
39 today & cold & miserable it is. Temp 50’. ((10 degrees C))
Air-raid by low-flying dive bombers at 9.30am & another one at 4pm. The am raid no doubt messed up the Jap Rescript reading & the crowd that attended the Sports ground to hear it.
Tiffin with Mrs Brown & she gave me a rice bowl. ((MW Brown?))
Lorry very late with veg 7pm. No wood or paper.
Temp 50’.
Suk yin issued. 1 box matches.
Cold but fine.
Cleaned bricks.
Lorry with wood 6.30pm. Papers arrived but nothing in them except Jap tripe.
Played crib with Mrs Brown aft. ((MW Brown?))
Cigs are from 2/4 to 2/8 each.
To bed early.
Cold, fine.
Water on.
Chopped wood. Took a little tea down to Steve’s. Mary gave me a white overall.
Had bath in parts.
Allied troops on Cologne Plain & Russians 35mls from Hungarian border.
Workers oil & sugar issued.
Plane over at 9.45pm.
Warm. Overcast.
100 Concrete bricks from A1 roof. Cleaning broken bricks.
Nice cup of tea with Steve, noon.
Lorry with wood 1pm.
Cards from P of Ws camp create optimism.
Paper all Leyte tripe.
North’s notes contain news re Russian advance to Austrian border & some American building statistics.
Lorry in 5.30pm with Canteen gear.
Made out Canteen lists.
Wood chopping.
Colder, overcast.
Clay & brick collecting.
Canteen buyer No.136.
Chopped wood for Steve & chopped my finger too.
Lorry with wood 5.15pm.
More advances made by US troops thro’ Siegfried Line, 20mls from Cologne. Frazer app’t’d C in C. P.F. ((Bruce Fraser took command of the British Pacific Fleet in December 1944: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bruce_Fraser,_1st_Baron_Fraser_of_North_Ca…))
Water on.
Cold, overcast, NE wind.
Cleaning bricks.
Lorry in 3pm with wood.
North’s notes contain plenty statistics re US forces in Pacific. 23 bttleships, 3 ½ million men many other figures. US forces advance on Western Front & Russians enter Budapest. Nimitz to shift H.Qs. to Guam.
Xmas “fare” on view in Canteen window.
Cold & drizzly all day.
Brick-cleaning.
Made a chatty [a little clay stove] for Mrs Whitfield.
Lorry in with fish.
Allied advances on Western Front. Japan bombed 13th.
Col. out, saw C.S.
Posted card to Marj.
Cold. overcast, brightened pm.
Brick-cleaning.
Chatty for Mrs Brown. ((MW Brown?))
Water on.
Lorry in with nothing.
Budapest under fierce attack from 3 sides.
Cold, overcast, better pm.
Started filling in Cookhse. wall.
Grass burning in lieu of wood for cooking.
Novs workers cigs distributed.
Chopped wood 6pm.
Made saucepan for Mrs Brown. ((MW Brown?))
Lorry 6.30pm few potatoes & pak choi.
Workers’ cigs for Nov. issued.
Many Happy Returns Marj darling.
Cold but bright.
Red earth & brick for Cookhouse wall.
Made another chatty for Mrs Winfield. [Entry for 15th is clearly ‘Whitfield’]
Lorry in with Canteen gear.
Cooking being done with grass.
US forces land on Mindora Island [Mindoro?] & enter Ormoc in Leyte.
Cooking oil in town costs Y116 per catty & rice 19-50.
Cold, bright.
Cookhse wall.
Egg yolk orders filled.
Lorry with wood 3pm.
Air-raids 2pm & 6.15pm.
Another lorry with veg & canteen gear 6.20pm.
Chatty & tray for Mrs Winfield.
Cold, bright & dry. Wind SE.
Finished kitchen wall.
Workers oil & sugar issued. 5 pkts cigs issued 65 sen each.
Won 1 cig in Block raffle for pro rata canteen stuff.
Air-raid 1.30pm-3pm.
Mary Y100.
Cold, bright & dry.
Built brick pillar by Hosp.
Plenty Jap plane activity & a 4 engined flying boat alighted Taitam Bay entrance.
German counter-attack in Belgium progressed.
Lorry with wood 3.30pm.
Childrens party in Hall. Jap interpreter sang hymn for the kids.
Japan raided 19th.
Ruttonjee died 20th. ((Which Ruttonjee is he referring to?))
Warmer, SW wind, bright & dry.
Air-alarm 8.15-8.30am & 1.15-2.45pm.
Col. inspected Hosp.
Unlucky in Chicken-Raffle.
Mary gave me shaving cream.
Water on.
Built another brick pier to support water pipe.
Lorry with wood.
Germans seem to be making some headway in their thrust on Belgium.
Oil, tea, sugar & block reserve rice issued. Suk Yin & ¼ lb Salt issued.
Lorry 7pm with veg etc.
Overcast.
Window frame in Dentists place.
50 ducks arrived & rice flour etc.
Germans still making headway in Belgium, S & W of St.Vith 67mls NE of Sedan.
½ lb W.T & ¼ lb tea from Canteen to all Internees. (Y11-85 & 7.45) Soy Sauce issues.
Fine & dry.
Dentists window.
4 Raids afternoon (Tolo harbour).
Down to Steve’s at 4pm for Chow & port wine. Chicken, corned beef, Chinese pork sausage & tinned meat, rice & veg.
Bread issued.
Allowed out till 8pm.
I hope you are having a happy time Marj dearest & Baby Rae & am convinced that our next Xmas will be together.
Fine, dry. Water on.
Excellent meal pm. Rice, baked sweet potato, stew & savoury pasty.
Mrs Willcocks gave me some tobacco. I made them a lamp.
Roll call 5pm & allowed out till 8pm.
Air-raid alarm 8.15-8.40pm.