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Smalley "Further Reminiscences"
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Li Shu Fun ((medical doctor at Yeung Wo Hospital)) missing. Allegedly in for dealing medicines or being questioned about brother Li Shu Pui who got permit temporary visit Macao and didn't come back. Rumour Eurasian crisis next month when passes expire. Yarn is we be given choice of Chinese or Japanese subjects or being interned as British. Wondering what to do. Unsettling uncertainty.
Miserable day, still no cigs arrived. Smoking cig ends when found & lavatory paper.
Choir practice 5-6pm. With Steve at St Stephen’s, B. Drown’s concert practice.
No news.
Mary ill.
Franklin Gimson notes in his diary that repatriation of all the British would mean willingness to surrender the Colony to the Chinese or the Americans.
Source:
Franklin Gimson, Internment in Hong-Kong March 1942- August 1945, 21b
Today we received an issue from the canteen of 1/4lb of brown sugar free gratis and for nothing, it was to cost 85sen, but very few people have money and so the profits from the canteen fund the cost. The sugar was jolly well received and welcome too.
Free issue of ½lb brown & white sugar
Rotten day.
Stencil for Redmond. ((Possibly Mrs E B Redmond))
Canvas to Hackett.
No cigs, everyone fed up & hungry.
Hatori came to camp.
Choir sang in concert at St Stephens.
No news.
Terrible weather - it has rained continuously for over a week. No cigarettes either so we are all fed up!
"Quiz" concert (Drown, Nina Valentine, Betty Mills, Eve Gray, Goodbar, Medley, Dr. Mullitt (C), Mrs. Richards, Luke, Ch((unclear)), Stevens, D.G. Wilson, Sheila Mackinlay, John Charter) ((Possible matches for some of the other names: Goodbar = Mary Goodban?))
Better weather but not good enough raiding yet.
Musical quiz at St Stephen’s.
Cigs arrived at last.
Many more rumours re repatriation since yesterday.
168/.68 [?] Butter.
Notes:
1 case Soap ¥35.-
Sold Mido ((a watch)) ¥480.00
Today and yesterday have been sunny but, except for an occasional morning or day here and there, we have had nothing but rain during this first half of August and also during a good deal of July. Except for the greater heat and the occasional intensity of the rain we might have been having real English summer weather! It rained on Y’s birthday, but not so much as to prevent Maudie coming here for lunch or to prevent us attending the concert that evening (the theatre party!).
Better weather but no raids.
Australians had meeting so that their committee could impart info resulting from meeting with Hatori. Canadian men & women go Sept. British women & children, aged & infirm go Nov. Hatori admits food situation lousy but blames transport facilities.
Talk with Steve pm. G there too.
The fourth draft of Prisoners of War sent to labour in Japan leaves Hong Kong today when 470 men sail off on the Manryu Maru.
The only officer in the draft is former Stanley internee Lewis Bush. Bush has a Japanese wife and speaks the language fluently. He's allowed special privileges and uses his position to do as much as he can for the rest of the draft.
The men end up in Oeyama and Niigata-Rinko, two of the camps with the worst survival rates.
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