R. E. Jones Wartime diary: View pages

Much plane activity through the night.

Showery, little cooler. SW wind.

Odd jobs.

10ct ring for my own souveneer. [Sic]

Sunbath aft.

Mended mug for Steve.

(We are to be exchanged with Japs in US middle of next month via Macau)

To Mozart with V & G. ∴

Meat arrived.


Fine, hot.

Trifle emotional 10am no more gdnts. Took me ½ hr to wash overall with fragments of soap. 

(Russia to take over F.E. Red Cross)

Gute Nachte mit G sind zu Ende, zeit weilig?[Goodnight/s with G are ending, time??]

((Additional notes from Jill Fell: 'Zeitweilig' means 'for the time being' so RE Jones is saying "Goodnights with G are finished - for the time being?" (He hopes!) ))


Fine, hot.

Cut hole in Sewing shop wall & got smothered in brick dust, no soap to wash with either. 

Signed pay sheet at H.Qs.

1pm. G sehr hold 12.30 [?] Gott segnen dich meine Geliebte [God save you my Beloved?] (Jill Fell's translation: "G very friendly 12.30. God bless you my beloved."))

Walked around camp alone pm.

(Repat. ship to arrive 25th inst?)

Herr Kew begliedete ihr um viertel fur acht. [Mr Kew……around quarters ..for 8?] ∴ ((Jill Fell's translation: "Mr Kew escorted her at a quarter to eight." It should refer to Henry or Arthur Kew.))

Stevens snooping?

Wind backed to the E & heavy cloud formed.


Heavy squalls early am. E wind. Squally all day.

Odd jobs & Rec. room forms re-seating with iron box strapping.

Japs order all private raw rice to be handed in.

Lorry with veg. 6pm.

German lesson. 

(Russia & China sign Pact of Friendship, India  & Self-government, & our forces in & around Pakhoi) ∴


Cool E wind.

Odd jobs am & fixed the other Rec. rm. form with seating.

Rec. Dec ’43 with snap of them both from Marj.

Pwd. box for C ∴ sehr hold. [very affectionate.]

Wood squads detailed.


Showery. E wind. Cleared forenoon.

Odd jobs am. Wood-carrying aft.

Repaired V’s table.

Wood squads worked until 9pm.

Plane over machine gunning 10.30pm.


Fine, hot, cool wind gone.

Outside roll-call.

No work today.  Stood by for arrival of wood but none came.

Rings for Tom & Mary.

Very muggy pm.

To I.Q. with G & back. ∴


Fine, hot.

Rings for Chung & Ying.

Wood arrived & first squad on  at 4.30pm. Meat arrived. On wood 6.30-9.30pm. 11.30pm-2.30am 22nd.

G & V had tea & bread ready for me at 9.30pm bless ‘em ∴ so schõne [so lovely?]


Heavy showers 6am.

Somewhat stiff & tired on rising.

The women’s tea effort for the wood squads was very much appreciated. Bath on roof at 3am after congee. Jack gave me a little wong tong (to G & V). 

Repaired Jack’s pipe & ring for V.

Finished off the wood-carrying 3.00pm-4.30pm.

On roof with G but incorrect roll-call spoilt ∴

Workers cigs for last period June issued (22)


Fine, hot.

Window in Sewing shop. Shoes for G.

Cigs 48Y per pkt.

Guards moving up to H.Qs from Prep School.

Canteen staff joined up with Ration Party.

Frain died today (48)

(landing made in Japan 14th. New British ‘plane in action in Far East. 3 landings made on Sumatra)

Tea issued.

Lard Y1200 per lb. £60. ∴


Thunderstorm 5-8am. Humid. Showery.

Didn’t work today, cold developing.

Learned netting stitch.

Full Moon. ∴


Bright, hot.

Window panes in Ward 7.

Saw Dr. Smalley & he put me on Digitalis & strychnine with orders to ease up on heavy labour. B.P.125.

Jap flying boat dropped practice bombs on St. Stephens & A. Bungalow area. 4 persons injured 12.15pm. The effort would appear to be deliberate, flying & bombing weather being perfect  & the plane flew slowly & low. The Camp Japs blew the A/r alarm and quickly dived into their A/r shelters. St. Stephens area placed out of bounds until the undamaged missiles were salvaged. Many theories by Camp “experts” re type of bomb, depth charge, identity & type of plane & reasons for the event. ∴


Hot, humid.

Hosp. Cookhse floor. Finished off G’s shoes.

Some news knocking about  re 5th & 8th Armies.

G with Kew as lecture as promised. ((Possibly A J Kew or H W Kew))

Salt (rock) £18 per lb. ∴


Hot, humid, one or two showers.

Outside roll-call & speech by Jap Lieut. 1/c Camp re “US plane” bombing camp & importance of saluting & bowing to the Japs.

Hosp. Cookhse. floor.

No soap, salt, sugar or toilet paper for days, lots of people all [adirt?] ∴


Hot, showery.

Hosp. Ck’hse floor finished. Thimble for Betty, shoes for Stone. Y250 for V.

“US” plane over again today, no markings thereon & no opposition. 3 – 300lb bombs &  8 100lb unearthed from St. Stephens area.

Lorry arrived with meat & veg & bran for Canteen.

B.M. stuff arrived too & it was distributed at 9.30pm. ∴


Very hot, odd showers.

Fed up to hell am until G. appeared. Nice afternoon.

W.T. 600Y 1lb. Soap 60Y per cake (inferior).

(Churchill elevated to Peerage & now in H of Lords. Attlee Premier. 4,800 planes raided Jap. in 2 days. Japs shortened lines in China, they think invasion imminent. Kwong Chow Wan, & Nanning evacuated by them)

∴x


Hot, cloudy SW wind.

Odd jobs. 2 rings for Webber. ((Probably fellow prison officer W E Webber, though there were several other people surnamed Webber in the camp.))

(Kongmoon evacuated by Japs) ∴


Hot, SW wind.

Odd jobs.

German lesson.

Bran order 26th June issued.

Much conjecture re Japs evacuating HK.

Bit of sunbathing aft.

∴x


Showery, overcast, hot.

Odd jobs.

Saw Dr. Smalley again. Heart OK more Dig. & Strych.

Tea 1.4oz & Shark liver oil (1 teaspoonful for 10 days) issued.

Toothbrush to G & ground salt & beans.

(No reply to Peace Terms offered to Japan, Gov’t still debating same) ∴


Humid, overcast, showery.

Finished Sewing shop window. Repaired “A” Bungalow roof.

To lecture on Phycology with C. ∴x aber nicht mehr? [but no more]