Barbara Anslow's diary: View pages

Mabel broke down and cried, so unsettling about the 'Lisbon Maru'.  Today's notices are that Mr Yamashita is trying to find who was on board, survivors etc., and willl try to find out whereabouts of any one whose name we give in to C.S.O.

Mabel wants to come out of hospital ((being a stone's throw from the sea which looked so grey and cruel today, made her anxieties worse.)) I collected her glasses from Welfare. ((She hadn't worn glasses before this, hadn't known she had a problem.  In much later life it was discovered that she was practically blind in one eye – had been since birth.))

Maureen Kathleen Seymour born.

Mary went in for xray and returned, and thinks there's nothing wrong.

Dr Uttley gave me a medical inspection, for permanent establishment.

Mabel allowed out ((of hospital)) for a walk in evening; she Olive and I scrambled round path up from hospital by Leprosarium, and sat on a stone while service was going on.  

After choir practice I walked round with Marie Barton.

Dr says Mabel has filled out nicely since she has been in hospital. She is being allowed to come to Elizabeth's playing tomorrow evening.  

This evening Olive and I went to see Billie Gill and Brian.

Ploughed through difficult chapter 11. 

Kind Mrs Seath brought Mabel a blancmange to the hospital.

Mabel allowed to come to the music this evening. Mr Kelly brought me a box to sit on. After, I careered back to hospital with her, I'm afraid she's frightfully excited and overwrought.

Norah Witchell's 20th birthday, we made her a card - lettering by Olive, verse by me, drawing by Dorothy. ((Norah had recently joined us 3 in the hospital office as a stenographer.   Tragically  In 1950, as Norah Stutchbury, she was murdered in Malaya by terrorists.))

Poor Mr. Kershaw ((William, aged 45)) died today, such a shame, as he almost got better and actually went out of hospital for a time.

Pat Cullinan ((Police, he had TB)) came back from x-ray yesterday, said he saw Father Moore who asked to be remembered to us.

Did a bit of 'Catholic Action' in evening, by speaking to Elizabeth (Betty) Aslett about coming to choir practice tomorrow.

Just finished writing Chapter 12.

Prof. Digby had an operation today - suddenly.

Mabel fed up, because she hasnt been put in the ward with babies.

Mrs Denton is in next bed to Mabel.  (Ivy Denton, nee Thirlwell - Eurasian).  She says a Chinese said the men who went from HK ((on 'Lisbon Maru')) were mostly Wavy Navy (HKRNVR), and that the regulars are working at Kai Tak with shaved heads.

Mr. Pyke died (Alfred, aged 59).

Catholic Action meeting in evening.

A bulletin gives names of people who have died since internment ((i.e.  who died in other camps)).  One is Mr Lacey, husband of Annie Lacey; she is here with twins called Winston and Wavell, aged 1 year.

I'm now considered on Permanent Establishment of Senior Clerical & Accounting Staff of Govt.

Great news - we are to get parcels from Red Cross. Notice says they are 'beautifully packed', each contains 12 tins of assorted food.   Also clothes have come - 500 trilby hats; cocoa, tea etc., dried fruits - absolutely wonderful.. will help so much with this winter and relieves my mind about Mum and Mabel.

Roast meat and lovely baked potato.  We drew 2 canteen tickets.

Notice also says that the prisoners of war ((i.e. men in other camps)) will have twice as much as we are to have - that is making every one happy.  Olive & I received $15 each.

Stye coming on the other eye now.  Dr Hargreaves is going to take out my lower lashes.

Visited Frieda Salmon today.

Great excitement, many planes about, very high.  Some people saw ack-ack puffs later (Olive did). I thought I heard bangs too - grand if so, though it's probably goodbye to our Red Cross parcels.

Mr G. Buchanan died suddenly.  On Bowling Green.  I went to Mr Carrie (W.J.) about funeral arrangements.  Mr Puckle ((Director of Air Raid Precautions, my boss)) lives there too.

By all accounts, an air raid over Hong Kong last night, and there have been planes around all day.

Mabel fed up and spotty.  Pulse better after concert.

Selwyn-Clarke was expected, but didn't turn up, which may mean that raiding is real. I'm afraid for the boys perhaps working at Kai Tak.

Dr Hargreaves tugged out some more of my ((infected)) eyelashes ((he'd had to do that a couple of months earlier)). Eyes ache and are sore.

Jap. papers admit air raid, they say they shot down 2 planes.  No word of our parcels, all fear we may not get them now due to lack of transport etc.

Selwyn-Clarke didn't come in, upsetting all x-ray arrangements.

Mabel getting really fat in the face.

Another air raid today, we distinctly heard bombs,and saw ack-ack fire.   Must have been big bombs for us to hear all this way, think they were at Taikoo. Dreadful to think of the poor Chinese casualties there must be at the docks and other places.

Dr Y-E said Mabel's heart beats are showing through her skin, said it's pushing against the chest wall and isn't right.

Blackout last night. Still haven't finished next to last chapter of Louie.

Great losses on Solomon Islands, both for U.S. and Japs.

Nan in hospital.

Had front tooth filled.

Mabel still has to stay in ((hospital)) quite a time. She is to get about 2 or 3 Yen from VADs.

Mr Thomas Nicolas died this morning ((Ship's Officer)).

Mrs Mitchell had a baby daughter this afternoon - Rosemary. ((The first true Stanley baby, her parents were married at the very start of the camp. Rosemary came to see me in 2010 - we had a wonderful chat. Her father Alec Mitchell was Prison Staff pre-war; after the war the family had a flat in the Married Quarters in Stanley!))

I typed story all afternoon ((on backs of old Hospital returns)).

((NB. After the war was over, we learned that Sid and Arthur indeed had been on the 'Lisbon Maru' when it was torpedoed and sunk.   Both were rescued and ended up as pows in Japan and survived the war.  Topper was not on the L. Maru, but was taken on a later ship to Japan, where he died.))

Rumours of more bombing, and of parcels coming in on Tuesday - let's hope so!

Betty Drown ((in room next to ours)) wasn't going to play tonight (she has a temperature) but when Mum told her Mabel was going out of hospital to hear her, she did play.  

Choir sounded nice at church.  

Mabel felt dizzy again yesterday, and today before she went to hear music.  

Meat cake today.

Finished writing story - 'Limelight on the Lower Fifth', not very satisfied with the ending. Very flattered today – Mrs Pryde stopped me and talked about my poems. She likes 'School Magazine' best.

The Red Cross parcels are actually in the camp, brought by boat.

Betty Drown isn't well, she has flu and tonight Ian Heath played alone ((they often played duets)).

Mrs. F lent me her story the other day.  I do hope mine doesn't read as disjointedly as hers does to my critical mind.

Parcel rumours much in the air - that there are only 900 of them, only bully beef and clothes.

We have been ordered to black out tonight.  Rumour has it that the Allies will be bombing heavily after today, and Chinese have been warned to keep clear of militry objectives.  Worried a little for ourselves and the boys at Shamshuipo, as we aren't lit up at night.

Mabel still in hospital, very bored.  I don't think she's looking quite so well either.

Future uncertain - will we be retaken by Allies, then bombed and interned again?

Played bridge in evening.

European news still supposed to be good.