Barbara Anslow's diary: View pages

The daily air raid began at about 1 o'clock, it was clear by 2.30 so we were able to go to the Easter Entertainment in St Stephens (during which there was another air raid alarm.)

This was a concert given by the R.C.s. The tableaux were awful, the choir and Rag Dolls dance good, and the fairies not too bad though I started the song too soon ((There are Fairies at the Bottom of our Garden)); Denise's veil was almost pulled off.  ((Denise de Vleeschouwer, who was Queen of the Fairies.))   Raffle: the Fortescues won the cushion cover Mrs Kopecsky embroidered, Leslie Parkin the table centre, and a cake. Rosaleen (Millar) sold 9 of the winning tickets.

I managed to get into pale green costume  ((made pre-war, brought to me by our family amah when I was in the Tai Koon Hotel before internment; because of rice fat in camp, it was a tight fit now))

To Mass then to work, pretty busy.

Newspaper is full of landings on Lu Chius made on Sunday morning, and the bombing of the French Hospital in town on 4th April, resulting in death of 'at least 4 Sisters and 100 children and babies in creche'.  How much of it is near to military objectives is under much discussion here; some say godowns are near, others say that Japs are living there, etc.

((The modern name for the Lu Chius is the Ryukyu Islands - this diary entry refers to the allied landings on Okinawa)) 

Visited Leprosarium and Connie Van Der Lely, and Mrs de Broekert and Burgess in afternoon.

Jacquie Anderson & Keith Mackie's wedding day.  They were married before Mass.  Jacquie looked very nice in powder blue dress and white hat. I took Fleur.

Cold, wet and windy. Worked in afternoon.

Had eyelid  scrubbed again in evening, most painful.

Rumour that Germany has capitulated, and that the Japanese cabinet has resigned en masse.

Hospital ship came in bay and out.

Had very bad night, eye sore and discharging a lot.

Worked in am but couldn't do much because of sight.

Benediction, then visited the de Vleeschouwers, Doreen, and Aileen Thirlwell.  

Spoke to Rev Sandbach re clubs.  

Pasty.

Worked in am.  Eye bad.

To C.A. Meeting.

Lecture on Banks, I didn't go.

Eye bad.

Doreen came for shorthand.

Went to see 'Housemaster', Kathleen Davis very good.

Zusuki (78 yrs) is Premier of Japan.

Cold, rainy, windy.

Walked round with Alice Anderson, then Gladys and Peggy.

Awa Maru missing.

Getting warmer.

Bridge in afternoon in our room with Gladys, Marie and Vincent.

We had seconds in vegetable balls. Eyes not so bad.

Cigarettes came in today. ((We 4 Redwoods were non-smokers, but aways 'bought' our allotment and sold them at profit to smokers who were always happy to have them - so we covered what we had paid for them and had spare money for canteen purchases))

Americans and Russians supposed to be meeting in Germany in about 1 month.

Another theft from Canteen (6/7th April), valued at about Yen 2,000.

Rumour that 25 Shamshuipo men killed at Kai Tak.

Mum saw Professor Digby re pimple on her finger which he'll probably remove.

Signed Annie's marriage certificate in Fr. Hessler's room.

German lesson outside. Worked.

3 packets cigarettes each ((if you had the money to pay for them.))

Spent evening with Peggy, and Dorothy Wilson outside American Block.

Raid in night - noisy, ended about 2am.  Another raid started about 11 am and went on till 1.30pm when I went to hospital (to work).  Then to Annie's party in Grants' room. Quite a big air raid between 1pm and 3 pm.

Worked in afternoon.  Visited Mrs Grant, de Broekherts, and Burgess.

Rumour says Roosevelt died.

Card from Charles Pike (RAMC, in Shamshuipo Camp)

Raid on.

Water in hydrant in am but not in taps yet.  

Joint Communion Day.  Went to see Mrs Taylor, then heard plans so left. 

Rumours: the new Jap premier has committed hari kari ((harakiri, ie ritual suicide)) and that Japan has sued for peace: we offered 7 points, 3 of which they have accepted, 4 being considered.

Roosevelt died on 12th April.

'Church Congress' in afternoon.  I read report on Girls' Clubs.  Many other papers read – there wasn't time to read them all out.

Benediction in Quarry (grotto).  Father Hessler's birthday.

Went down to the nullah and did a big clothes wash, but lost my soap in nullah ((across which was barbed wire, so I couldn't get at it)).  Someone's fault for taking out the stones which some one else had put there after they too lost their soap.

Air raid alarm just as I finished; apparently a false alarm, but another about noon.

Shigometsu (or some name like that - a Jap Minister) has committed harikari they say.

The camp expected an attack last night:  now expected tonight.  ((Can't remember any details of expected attack... I imagine this means the Allies were expected to attack the Japs.))

We opened our last tin of tomatoes tonight.

Had eyelashes done.

Very hot.

No air raid.

Bridge in afternoon with Dick Cloake, Betty Drown and Mr Simmons in our room.

Kitchen staff of American and Married Quarters walked out.

No air raid.  Went to hospital with Mum to have her callosity on finger removed.  Clifton was there with his father who is going blind.

Dick told me off about my bridge, wants me to study it properly – can't be bothered now.

Tea in quarry with Sheila and Pat (Cullinan). They tried to make me agree that we do another play but I don't think it worth while - can't cope with constant air raids, and lack of enthusiasm.

Sheila and I went to funeral of Mr J. Owens (RC) who died yesterday of beriberi heart.

A kitchen squad (under Mr Owen Evans) has done well so far. The main grouse from strikers seems to be that they're not allowed to draw their meals from the kitchen, but may eat them there when on duty. ((Now I can't make sense of that entry, perhaps Mr. Jones' diary might mention this matter?))

Clifton made me a nice small stool (a piece of canvas across two bits of wood).

Shorthand with Joan and Doreen.  Primrose Day.

German lesson outside Block 4.

To Mrs. F. Large's first aid class ((she was Clifton's Mum)).

Terrific wind and storm in night. Thunder like Nimitz ((Admiral, whom we were always expecting to relieve us))

Much groaning of lorries, presumably bound for the Fort, in night.

We all had stew seconds. Had lovely sweet tart and ground rice in afternoon.

Bridge in evening with Marie, Alec and Gladys.

Newspaper says raid on 17th when a ferry was bombed.

Rumour that Allies have broadcast from Berlin, and that Spain has forbidden Germans to land there.

Went to see Burgess and Pat C.

Meeting with juniors (RC clubs) in evening.  Majorie Wilkinson, Rosemary Lewis and Irene Drewery accosted me afterwards re 'going up' to next group. 

To early Mass after which air raid alarm went. All clear not until second Mass finished.

Worked in afternoon.

Danny Wilson and Mrs Bander won the raffled cakes, and Mrs Wilson (mother of Wendy) the embroidered cushion.

We had vegetable tarts, stew and salad at night – terrific meal.

Went to Open Forum in evening.  I'm to transfer to new Catholic Action group.

Rumour that Russian shells are falling in Berlin, and 'we' are 11 kilometers off.

To Dr. G. Herklots' lecture on Tropical Seas; the walking on the sea-bed bit was most interesting.

Went to new C.A. Meeting in morning – Gladys, Rosaleen, Mrs Connolly, Mrs Lederhofer.

Outside roll call.

Yesterday we were able to buy 4 ozs. wong tong at Yen 7.70.

Newspaper says that Russians are advancing along Unter den Linden into the heart of Germany.

Went to play reading of 'Flashing Stream.' June (Cheape) excellent in her part.

Worked in morning.

Date of San Francisco Conference.

Shorthand to Doreen in am, worked in afternoon.  Meeting (church) in our room at 1.30pm, and at 6.15pm in Grants.

Dorothy Wilson told us the sad story of her family's bombing (in UK).