But the next morning we moved to the Saint Paul's College Hostel, just up the hill form the Church Guest House.
We lived with the Shoops, the Rebers, the Pommerenkes, Avis Thompson, and several that you didn't know, which we didn't know before the war.
| ((Original text)) | ((Jill Fell's translation)) |
| Coup de théâtre absolument imprévu. Nous apprenons avec stupeur que les Japonais sont maitres de tout Kowloon, que toutes les troupes anglaises ont été ramenées sur l’île ! Que va-t-il se passer ? Toute l’île est ainsi à portée de canon et tous les avions ennemis vont concentrer leurs attaques sur l’île. Comment l’ile pourra-t-elle se défendre et tenir ? |
A day of readjustment, alerts and nuisance shelling of the Island, without much damage. The communique announcing the withdrawal from the mainland declared, "We have retired within our fortress, and from the shelter of our main defences we will hold off the enemy until the strategical situation permits of relief."
Driving myself home at sunset I had my first taste of shell-fire. Two whistled and crashed in the Naval Dockyard as I dodged a military vehicle coming fast on the wrong side of the road.
Proceeded at dawn and steamed to C2 buoy off Aplichau. Went up to Aberdeen later & Rose & party rejoined navy spent night at China F.C. ((China Fleet Club)) Various planes seen over HK during day.
Went up 5.45 and returning 6.30 when single bomber dropped three only bombs abreast of ship but off HK island. Set junk building yard on fire. Put out by 8.30.
The next day ((ie the 12th)) we barricaded ourselves the best way we could in the ground floor basement. We strapped boxes of books and trunks into the window sills and doorways. We hoped this would stop shrapnel, but we also knew there was little or no protection from a direct hit. We also nailed quilts over the windows, fastening only the top side, leaving the rest loose. This would also stop shrapnel and the concussion of a bomb if one would burst close at hand.
Used up considerable amount of fuel yesterday - so refueled early - went up to the office after breakfast leaving instructions with 1st. Lieut. to check over bilges, D.C.s, guns, ammo etc. (also had mechanics and stokers change oil) while I made arrangements to embark one torpedo to replace one fired yesterday.
I met a very angry George Neve this morning. The F.O.P. at High Junk and Port Shelter had been ordered to evacuate their positions. They were told to bring with them instruments that they could carry, smash those that had to be left behind, and rendezvous at midnight at a little village in Junk Bay. They were to show a light when they heard a launch approaching. George had gone out to pick them up and after wandering a long time up and down the coast looking for them, had found the whole lot lying asleep on a beach. What bad junior N.C.Os we have.
By December 12, there appeared to be a lot of confusion in Kowloon and many people were making their way to Hong Kong Island by various means. Shells from some Japanese field guns were coming uncomfortably close to our ship. Indeed, we witnessed the sinking of the Missions to Seamen's launch the "Dayspring" by one such shell just off the bows of our ship.
The first shell landed inside the hospital area . From this time onwards the hospital laundry was out of action , and all washing had to be done in one of the ward bathrooms . The sterilising plant was also put out of action . Fortunately an ample supply of sterile drums and emergency dressings had been prepared . After this day all sterilising was carried out at the Bowen Road Military Hospital .
Today I make a trip into the Queens Road Depot with a lorry and some coolies to collect some more coke and wood for the Field ovens. I also pay a visit to my room in the Sgts. Mess to collect some underclothing. I have to leave my nice camphorwood box, filled with all sorts of items, i.e. two tennis rackets, two cameras, two albums, one grey suit white drill shirts, slacks and shorts, etc, Soon it will be looted no doubt.
Dearest - home at last. Before I forget - I have heard a rumour that the ship N.L. was on – I think my parcel for Christmas was bombed and sunk. I’ll be so disappointed if that is true.
I’ve been reading over this letter - I am tremendously glad that you too – as well as the bairns – are not here. It is not nice to hear the whine of the shells and not know where they are going – but more later.
Alarms off & on all day. Stanley very quiet. Prison muster down to 1418.
Kowloon evacuated. Hundreds of Chinese shot for looting.
Jap. position not so good. They are in Kowloon being smashed up by our heavy guns & the Chinese army are advancing through the New Territories.
Stanley heavies made Blackie dash under the bed again.
West Point godown fires lit up the sky tonight.
I would go to town every other day to buy food, and Reverend Buuck would go the other days. Each family had a ration card, but we could only buy for our own family, so when I went down I could only buy for the 7 in our family and Reverend Buuck could only buy for five. In this way we had enough of the rationed foods for 7 one day and 5 the next. This was made to last the 12 of us. We would leave the house in the morning with a prayer for our own safety and also for the loved ones left behind.
The following morning (Dec 13th) I was ordered to take some lorries to Aberdeen and await the arrival of HMS Thracian, which was bringing the rearguard over from Kowloon. The main body had been brought over in the afternoon and night of the 12th.
Walked from home with Mum just as it was getting light, and went to office ((Mum to Jockey Club hospital.) Much shelling by Happy Valley in night.
Edith Hamson, her children May and Richard, her mother Mrs. Wood and her younger sister Leilah, are all at Kowloon Hospital. As the sun comes up, the first Japanese soldier appears - 'in his wake followed an army of soldiers, who began to tear the place apart':
Today as most subsequent days was to prove fairly uneventful during daylight hours. During day both Mike and Tai had been making attempts to find their contact guerrilla man but without any success as he seemed to have vanished.
At dusk we set out on another patrol which soon proved that the previous evening’s parade had been effective as the roads apart from an old (odd?) police patrol were quiet and no lights were to be seen.
((Dan wrote the following notes in 2013. The exact dates of the evacuation and hostage-taking aren't known, but should be sometime between the outbreak of war and the surrender:))
Island Evacuees: Some Caucasians from outlying islands were evacuated soon after the war started by the police. Two former neighbors of mine remained on Cheung Chow, I suppose because they had refused to leave.
Uneventful. The reason became clear; the enemy are in full control of the mainland and hope to have no further trouble. They sent a peace mission over, to demand unconditional surrender - or else. The party of three Japanese officers came in a Yaumati ferry launch bearing at its bows a white sheet with the words "Peace Mission". One of the aides carried a small white flag on a stick. These signals were not immediately seen, and as the launch pulled out from Holt's Wharf at Kowloon it was fired upon but not hit.
