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Extract from the article "City in Prison", written by Joseph Alsop, which appears in today's issue of The Saturday Evening Post:

The Reorganised National Government Of China, Japanese puppets based in Nanjing and headed by Wang Jingwei, declares war on the Allies.

Emily Hahn belives that this is the signal for the 'reign of terror' - intensified Kempeitai activivity against spying and illegal relief work - that is to see many of the so far uninterned 'Europeans' arrested, tortured, in some cases executed, and the rest sent into Stanley during the summer.

((Following text not dated:))

Wife to French Hospital to see Mrs May ((mother of Arthur May)) who operation varicose veins. She has breakfast tea and two slices bread with nothing on it. Tiffin and dinner rice and beans or greens. Plain tea at 4.

Garden poor so far. First tomatoes. Six pounds sweet spuds from one bed. Price $1.30 in market. Rationed salt at 20 sen to be .36 of catty per person per month. No meat in market for days. No fish either.

Population figures December end.

Cookhouse all day.

((G.))

Walk with Steve.

((G.))

M. Dow / Upsdell

((G.))

Walk with Steve pm.

((G.))

New moon.

The Maryknoll missionaries - freed from Stanley in September 1942 - leave Hong Kong for China in two groups. The first goes today, the second on 17 January.

Source:

Tony Banham, We Shall Suffer There, 2009

Note:

 I'm not yet certain if the departure of the Maryknoll sisters recorded for January 19 was a separate event or the second departure mentioned here  given a different date.

“Twelfth Night” {Dormer, Colledge, Kirby, Cox, Witchell, Charter, Moodie ((sp.?)), Bates, Curtis, Armstrong, Brown ((or "Bronen"?))}

((G.))

Adored - a lovely letter arrived from you today and at last I know where you are. 

Our 22nd Wedding Anniversary my dearest, another of our years has past and still we are far from each other but that wonderful thing Hope lives eternally with us and we do trust that our day of reunion is not far distant. First of all release from this detention so that we can have cable and letter communications with each other.

“Twelfth Night”

Cookhouse.

((G.))

With Steve.

Colder.

2nd night of performance Twelfth Night.

((G.))

Walk with Steve pm.

Meeting of Kitchen Staff re rules 8PM.

The British Army Aid Group's digest of information, Waichow Intelligence Summary No. 16, bearing today's date carries this passage on page 3:

J. D. S. ((almost certainly the HKU Vice-Chancellor, more usually D. J. Sloss)) is returning to Stanley this afternoon after staying out in the F. ((=French= St. Paul's, Causeway  Bay)) Hospital, for over four months.

Sloss has revealed medicines urgently needed in Shamshuipo, especially diphtheria anti-toxin.

“Here we are” (Joan Dupuy, Danny Wilson)

“A marriage has been arranged” (Sheila Mackinlay, John Charter)

“Dust before Fireworks” (Day Sage, John Stericker) (P. Jess, G-Bami ((sp.?)), Mills, John Roberts)

((G.))

Fish & pork rations arrived.

Walk with S pm.

4. STANLEY INTERNMENT CAMP

It is reported from two sources that Dr. Selwyn-Clarke is to be sent to Stanley Camp. 68 said that it was because the Japanese discovered medical supplies in the Red Cross parcels send into P.O.Ws. Camps. These were traced to Dr. Selwyn-Clarke to whom the Japanese objected, not against supplying the drugs but the clandestine way in which it was done.

“Here we are” / “A marriage has been arranged” / “Dust before Fireworks” 

Cookhouse. Fried fish

((G.))

Eve called.