Today's reported rumour is that Eden is again talking repatriation for us.
Mabel much brighter today. Military Hospital question has arisen again, but I don't think I should go, even if I had the chance, but I mean to read up Home Nursing and First Aid just in case. Mabel agrees that we wait and see who arrives ((from the Hosp., in case her friends come to Stanley on transfer))
Canteen - we've restocked the larder on Mabel's $17.40.
Looks as if the Americans are really going away tomorrow.
Rumours that rations cut by 10% - and we will be repatriated next.
Highbrow concert tonight, Arthur Lay at the piano. Tim Fortescue was good in a play.
Started writing new story 'Balancing Jean' - but only put the title and 'Chapter 1'.
Americans are on board the 'Asama Maru' and it's lying off the bay but no lights so far.
Notice on Dutch Q. notice board that 4 relief ships now loading at New York, and that 2 are bound for Europe and 2 for the Far East, and that all civilian foreign nationals will probably be compulsorily evacuated thereon when the ships have unloaded.
Had 3 more teeth stopped today, that makes 5 fillings done since Sunday before last.
The Americans have gone, 30th June.
Went to Dr Kirk today and he has prescribed palm oil for 'K' ((camp medical name for lack of periods, which affected most of us women)).
Tales that the notice about civilian foreign nationals doesn't apply to us, that Eden is still talking repatriation, and that we are in a very bad way in Egypt.
My weight now about 114 lbs, Olive still gaining, Mum losing a little.
We haven't got our $75parcels yet.
No relief in our room though more accommodation is available now American Quarters are vacant.
Started 'Holly' story.
Some $75 parcels are in - not ours.
Sebastipool gone. Thrust on Kharkov by Germans.
Photos (by Japs) were being taken in the food queue today. ((Perhaps this was when this food queue photo which appears in some books was taken:
))
I received $15 from A. J. C. Taylor ((prewar HK Treasury, this must have been a Govt. handout)). So did Olive - a great help for canteen.
Tony ((Cole)) invited Mabel and I to tea, he had had his $75 parcel. So generous of him, he had saved part of his yesterday's bread ration and we had toast and butter, and tea with sugar. Splendid of people to be so kind in days like this.
Mrs. Barrow's baby Oriana died this morning, of water on the brain. Mrs B ((a Govt. nursing sister)) took it very quietly, though had been expecting the death.
After Oriana's funeral, wrote poem:-
'I have seen the anxious and fearful eyes
Of a wife who knows that her husband lies.
I have heard the hopeless moan of despair
Of a woman whose man is no longer there.
I have stood by the open grave of a child
Whose mother stood by while the earth was piled.
Faithlessness, death – all the risks that attend
Attachments on which we would grow to depend;
I wonder, would this make me hesitate
Though all other voices say 'Marry thy mate' ?
Dance at St Stephens tonight, Mum, Mabel and I went with Tony. Cabaret too: June Winkelman did a tap dance, a fellow played banjo, and Azalea Reynolds did a dance - very graceful. The band was topping too. R.J. (Dick) Cloake – South China Morning Post reporter – danced with me, and talked about writing.
Got on well with story. ((a lot of the paper provided by Dorothy Holloway, who had brought a pack of lined blue fooscap into camp; I wrote originally in shorthand, then typed on the backs of old medical sheets from the records we had to make in the hospital for the Japanese.))
We ((Dorothy Holloway, Olive and I)) started having one Sunday in 3 entirely free from hosp. office work.
Rumour that 'Conte Verde' with Shanghai Americans aboard, struck a mine outside Singapore, and all rescued; another rumour that British stopped the ship because she carried guns, and took off her passengers then torpedoed her. CSO deny it, and nothing in local paper about it.
Egypt news about the same, fierce fighing there. German advances in Russia, camp rumour that Russians have driven Germans out of Sebastapool.
Mabel and I back from paddling round the blocks with no shoes on. She told me about the shows the VADs gave at the Military Hospital (often known as Bowen Road Hospital); and when she, as the baby of the VADs, was called upon to present a bouquet of flowers to the Matron for some anniversary. And how upset Nanny (Nancy Grady) was when Mabel came away.
News still supposed to be improving – Egypt, and Crimea, but local paper still claiming Germans getting into Russia.
Tony came in evening, we played rummy. His news is that the Japs are jittery – but his news is always on the optimistic side ((what a good thing, he was a great morale raiser.))
An old man of the sea died today - Anton Munze. He was tattooed almost from head to foot, and was known as 'Canaker Dick.'
Tony came to say Mr Murphy will swap his mattress for our teapot. ((Mum had a real bed, but no mattresss so she slept on the springs. There had originally been a mattress but it was alive with bugs so had to be dumped.))
Mabel's parcel arrived - grand: included 1 lb bacon, 2 lbs biscuits, 5 lb tin jam, 8 oz coffee, 3 lbs raisins, 5 lbs. 7 ozs wong tong and 1 lb butter to come.
We wrote 25-word Red Cross letters (in pencil), stamped Red Cross, Shanghai, 27487.
Mum wrote to Aunt Lilian in Gillingham, Kent:-
'Girls and myself all well and together. Future movements uncertain. Will write when able. Probably see Bess and Hilda. Don't worry. Love Mab and Girls.' ((I still have this letter and have attached a copy though I doubt if it is legible. The reference to Mum's sisters Bess and Hilda, who lived in Rhodesia, was to imply that we might get repatriated via Lourenco Marques and could maybe get to them from there. This message reached Aunt Lil safely, her reply was on the back of Mum's and dated 25.2.43:-
'Pleased and thankful for your message. All here ery fit – weather tempting Alf to garden, me to spring-clean. Love to you and girls, Lillian.'
Post-war we learned that Lillian had been most relieved to get Mum's message that we were all together, as the Red Cross had during war issued a list of internees in Stanley, and my sister Mabel's name was not on it, so Auntie thought Mabel had been killed, she was in the Military Hospital when that list was compiled.))
We have the mattress.. hope it's not got bugs in it. How lucky we've been in acquiring things - suitcases ((which Mum was given when at Queen Mary Hospital)), camp-beds, mattress, hot plate, Mabel (!) and FOOD.
News about Java landings, local bombings, things happening in Burma.
We may go swimming on Sunday.
All the rumours are conflicting: we are doing well in Egypt and Russia.. we are NOT doing ditto.
At canteen today I bought a Shnghai produced 'Lacovomalt' for Mum, and someone either swiped it in a split second, or else the correct amount weren't handed out from stock: still, they gave me another tin.
Electricity off in a.m. and hasn't been on since.
Swimming to start on Governor's beach ((in peacetime it was the Governor's)). Our turn was in the morning, but hitch occurred and we waited in vain ((for permission to go to beach)).
Electricity still off in some quarters.
Mabel has pain in throat, Dr. Hackett said it might be an incipient quinzy, she has been given gargle.
We have acquired a camp bed for Mabel through one of the young RC priests. ((Up to then, she'd still been sleeping on piled-up suitcases)).
Shanghai people are supposed to be leaving us for Shanghai if they can get the money for their fare from this end.
Paper today says that ships coming to take 1800 Britishers from Nippon etc., but I don't think it means us.
Elec. off all over until evening.
Shanghai people postponed for a few days.
The papers say that Britishers in Hong Kong will not be repatriated.
News bad in Russia, so-so in Egypt.
Pork today – Olive felt bad after it and went home from office, and Dr. Selwyn-Clarke came in and so I was busy as busy.
Our flat's electricity still out.
Mabel's throat worse, she can get her food at the Diet Kitchen today - tomato soup and rice pudding. ((To make the rations more palatable for invalids and very young children, some adult invalids qualified to get their meals from the Diet Kitchen (ground floor room in Block 2) where the rice was cooked into a mash.))