No oil has arrived so far for ten-day period from 20th April. But salt issue free.
Watanabe and ?(Jap) have gone, and new people did roll call on Tuesday.
Worked in afternoon, then German lesson.
Went to senior girls' club meeting in A3 (Mrs D. Jenner spoke).
Oil came, we had 2 ounce issue each.
Soap issue.
Apparently fighting still going on in Berlin and Europe - not the end yet.
Clifton's father went to hospital yesterday. Clifton not well today.
Junior club meeting on cold windy evening in Block 3 stairway.
Am forging ahead with writing 'Theo' story.
Requiem Mass for Mr Owens.
Mr J. Graf (Dutch) was beaten up for going up hill to Japs to complain of being 'done' by a guard/dealer (black market). As a result the new boy in charge stopped guards' weekend leave - they're usually well loaded with rings etc. to sell at weekends, and 28 furious guards sought vengeance on Graf. 3 chased him up towards the CSO whither he was bound for refuge, and they hit him with rifles etc., but Kathleen Grant (who saw this) said Graf was very brave and didn't squeal, though it might have been death if Mrs. V. Armstrong (she spoke Japanese) hadn't intervened.
Bridge in afternoon, with Tom Cashman, George Davitt (policemen) and Gladys Johnson.
June Cheape's 25th birthday, gave her a typescript of The Hound of Heaven. After, Mabel, Clifton and I went to June's landing (her billet). There were Tony Sanh, June, her husband (who was in a separate billet, they appeared to be 'not together'; Fleur Cheape (4) and her friend Maggie Seraphina (4); George Saunders, Alec Summers, Freddy Morley. Had a kind of brandy snaps, tea, lovely iced cake (with marzipan made of peanut butter and wong tong, I was so full up). Went to Rosary.
Then on to Clifton's verandah with someone's gramophone, dancing.
Took Conchita (Mejia) to Mass with me. ((Conchita one of large family who lived in the room below us. She had a disabled leg, and should have been wearing a brace, walking was very difficult for her, she was a sweet child – then 5 years old)).
Went to see Doreen (shorthand pupil), who has started writing a story of Stanley entitled 'I am hungry' which impresses me. Gave her a cumshaw shorthand lesson.
Peter Van Der Lely was beaten up yesterday as well.
Rumour that Leopold ((?King)) is released and has gone to Switzerland. Stalin's son is supposed to be held as hostage by Germans. Truman says that war is not yet over but the Americans and Russians have met.
Mrs Eileen MacLeod gave a very nice talk on 'Uganda'.
We ate our garden produce this evening – very little.
Doreen (Leonard) and Joan (Wilkinson) came for shorthand.
Rations pretty grim. Daily baking allowed now, which helps oil situation.
Worked in afternoon, then to C.A. Meeting in Maria Connolly's room. Mrs Nora Hillon and Elsie Bidwell have joined us.
Jean Martin's 5th birthday. ((Mabel often took Jean and other tots for walks around the camp, and made clothes for Jean.)) Mrs. Deacon gave us a piece of Jean's cake. ((Mrs Deacon was mother of Mrs Irene Braude who as well as looking after her own toddler Patricia, was guardian to Jean in camp.))
Play reading of younger girls' club in evening beside railings.
Rumour that Germany has surrendered unconditionally.
Newspaper says Mussolini has been assassinated.
Kris Thoresen has chicken pox.
Stye coming on my eye again.
Mr. L. Barton ((of Treasury, HK Govt.)) gave talk on Street Sleepers in Hong Kong, at St. Teresa's club.
George and May Halligan have adopted Jeanette Madeline Clark, baby sister of Valerie and Margaret who were adopted earlier in camp by Mr & Mrs Thomas. ((The Clarks had problems dealing with children. Valerie changed her name to Hazel, and Margaret became Frances. I was so pleased to meet up with them both a few years ago.))
Mr. N. C. Barber died at 1.25pm, a Christian Scientist who refused to have operation for cancer of the tongue etc.
'Jeanette' Clark is to be called 'Helena' or similar ((handwriting in original diary too faint)). ((within a week or so of the adoption, Mrs Clark went to the Halligans saying 'I want my bairn back' – and took Jean. The Halligans were devastated. Many years later I learned that Jean had died in her early twenties.))
Horrible stye again.
Walked round with Gladys and Rosaleen in evening, then play reading with girls' club.
Went to stream (nullah) and washed hair and clothes. The kids were having a grand time sluicing each other.
Outside roll call. They did it with two inspecting parties.
To older girls' meeting where Mrs Joan Witham gave a talk.
Newspaper says Hitler died at his bunker, and Goebells committed suicide.
Worked in afternoon. Wrote a little of story, beginning Chapter 8.
Sat on grass with Rosaleen and Sheila playing bridge hands. (practice)
Wrote talk on films for Wed. club. Worked in afternoon.
To Benediction, there was the Crowning of Mary. Lesley Eager and other children, Antony Witham and Cyril Eager renewed their pledge to Children's Eucharistic Crusade.
Paper says that Northern Germany, Norway, Denmark etc. have surrendered as from 8.30am on Friday 4th May. Hitler apparently 'was deprived of his life'; by a 'Red Army bullet' when coming down a staircase in his residence with a weapon in his hand - on May 1st.
Bought 4 ozs. tomatoes from the Anguses for a pound of rice. ((Mrs. M. Angus - 72, 2 sons Herbert 'Ginger' Angus - 37, Frank Angus - 36; daughter-in-law Mrs Hilda Angus (41) all in camp (but not Hilda's husband).))
Went up to Lena and Thomas Edgar's bungalow and had a lovely tea - lettuce tomatoes, bread and butter, bread and beancurd, tea with cube sugar, and little tarts.
Miss S. Spencer (nurse) has had some short stories published (pre-camp).
((writing too faint to read))
((writing too faint to read))
Armistice signed 2.41pm on 7th May; the German people asked by Hitler's successor to keep calm and try to help dispel the feeling of hate - so ideal.
We all seem to take the peace so much for granted here, because it has never seemed real to us, but I try to imagine how it is - no blackouts, children coming back from overseas, no more the dread of something happening - and the prospect of being able to settle down to proper family life again.
If it were the Japanese who had surrendered we would feel differently; as it is, we are praying that she will surrender and thus save more useless bloodshed (including perhaps our own).
Dr Talbot gave me aspirins - have headache with styes.
German lesson. Father (don't remember which) invited me to go to Pacifist Circle 3.30 tomorrow.
Paper says Allies have retreated from Okinawa; also that prisoners of war returning from Germany were mobbed in England - sounds wonderful, yet still unreal to us here.
I think I'll have to be a Pacifist really because it's the only way I can see, yet still want to be intensely nationalistic and patriotic, therefore go to meeting to try to learn how to reconcile the two.
No rations have come in; tonight we had a dry garden hash - very nice. ((Can't remember what garden hash was!))
Doreen didn't come for lesson. Worked in afternoon.
Rumour that Hankow has fallen, Rangoon too, and a landing in Canton delta.
Rumour that repatriation is in the air again - in Chinese newspapers - now that the menace of German action is no longer present, since that apparently was the fly in the ointment before - the Germans wouldn't guarantee us a safe passage.
Mass offered in thanksgiving for Peace in Europe.
Went to Doreen and gave her shorthand lesson, then called on Asletts. Betty is home again ((from hospital presumably)). We talked evacuation 1940, then walked round by the lovely rocks and sat by Indian Quarters – glorious day.
Catholic Action meeting, Miss D. Pepperell gave a talk on Hong Kong poverty.
Yesterday evening the Protestants had thanksgiving service in the open, and Japs made a fuss and said permission must be asked for these things, but allowed it.
Rumour of repatriation, And Okinawa gone to us.
Visited Maria, Mrs Harris and Burgess in hospital. ((Barbara: This is Mrs Violet Harris, shown in Greg Leck's list as 33 yrs at end of camp. She and husband took 7 very young children into camp, and had their 8th child in Stanley. I had connections with some of their children through plays I wrote.))
Peggy and I played Iris Joyce and Gladys MacNider in evening, they won.
Wrote two poems for children to recite in end of May celebration.
Peggy and I, bridge with Kerslake & Allison, and we won +3!
Then Peggy and I joined Dorothy Wilson, Sheila, Elsie and Gladys on a ledge overlooking the sea to finish the third anniversary of Elsie's reception into the Church. ((Barbara: Elsie Bidwell, whose husband Harold was already RC when they married.))
Had teeth filled (Dr. Lanchester).
Rumour that Okinawa has fallen to us; paper says we have Rangoon.
Churchill says we have a long fight ahead against the Japs, and slangs the Irish in the newspaper.
Peggy and I, bridge with Alan and Alec at noon, they won by 5.
Garden produce now has to count as 'rations'.
Communal housing after the war under discussion.