Things seem to be happening rapidly now. It appears that Badoglio has been playing false to Germany and, according to a German report, he signed a treaty of surrender to the American and British Forces on Sicilian soil at the end of July but this was kept secret. Now the Italians have actually engaged in hostilities against the Germans – short lived and soon quelled if German reports are to be believed, but how amazing!
Fine, cloudy.
Paper contains much good news for us indirectly.
Made star-charts.
About 12 P.40s did aerobatics & low flying at 4.30pm a sight for sore eyes. One pilot acknowledged us with a wave, another machine gunned the Gendarmerie station in Stanley village. No opposition. Everyone happier.
((G))
Much cheerier today - we have just had a great raid - the planes flew quite low and machine gunned the H.Q. of the Gendarmerie who guard us. I hope they killed a few. I don't think they dropped many bombs - they were escort fighters and I think staged a little celebration for Italy's capitulation. That is one real milestone passed and I think we are well on the way now - we'll get strong naval reinforcements out here I expect and soon the Japs will feel the pinch. It might be over by the Spring of next year.
OBJECTIVE: Bomb ships in Victoria Harbor
TIME OVER TARGET: ~2:00 p.m.
AMERICAN UNITS AND AIRCRAFT: Ten P-38 Lightnings from the 449th Fighter Squadron (23rd Fighter Group)
AMERICAN PILOTS AND AIRCREW: 2nd Lt. Gregg; 2nd Lt. Newnom; 2nd Lt. Ivan A. Rockwell; 2nd Lt. Taylor
ORDNANCE EXPENDED: Four P-38s use skip-bombing tactics and drop 4 x 500-pound bombs, while six P-38s fly top cover
Today's Waichow Intelligence Summary (WIS 46, sheet 3 - the BAAG digest of intelligence) has this report about a former internee:
Yesterday afternoon we had the greatest thrill of our internment when about a dozen P38 Lockheed twin engine fighters came over the camp and did aerobatics, victory rolls and such like and one plane flew very low at the Gendarmerie headquarters and opened up his machine gun on it. Evidently the Nips. got the shock of their lives.
The first batch of residents move into Rosary Hill Red Cross Home.
Most but not all of the people who live here will be 'dependents' of British Prisoners of War and civilian internees - the group that consistently causes the Red Cross the most difficulties.
"Jury System" (HC Macnamara)
OBJECTIVE: Bomb Kowloon docks and godowns
TIME OVER TARGET: Due to heavy cloud cover, the bombers do not reach the target
AMERICAN UNITS AND AIRCRAFT: Nine B-25s from the 11th Bomb Squadron (341st Medium Bomb Group) and an unspecified number of escorting fighters, probably from the 74th and/or 449th Fighter Squadron (23rd Fighter Group). All aircraft are from the 14th Air Force.
The Hong Kong News reports that the Gripsholm has sailed from New York on September 3 with 1,340 Japanese on board and the Teia Maru will be coming to Hong Kong to repatriate Americans and Canadians.
Source:
Geoffrey Emerson, Hong Kong Internment, 1973, 69
Last Thursday, Friday and Saturday, Yvonne and I took part in a programme of one act plays that had been somewhat hastily arranged. I produced ‘Villa for Sale’ by Sacha Guitori; a translation from the French. I tried a couple of men for the part of Gaston but could not cast it satisfactorily and in the end, for want of a more suitable person, took the part myself, though I dislike acting and producing in the same play. No doubt the play suffered accordingly. Still, it went down quite well.
Vaudeville (Garton, Brown, Heath, Pauline Beck, Shaw, Jack, Medley, Savitsky, E. Grant, M Johannsen, O. Campbell, M. Barton, Winnie Cose (?), Claus Schosten (?), L. Pennell, D. Phillips, H. Tyler, C. Thirlwall, T. Ross)
((Barbara Anslow:
Well, it looks like the Canadians really are going on the 23rd; lucky beggars. They were told about a month or so ago that a ship would be leaving Tokyo or some Japanese port on Sept. 15th and after calling at Shanghai would call at HK on Sept. 22nd or 23rd. Now they have been told to have their heavy luggage (if any!) ready by tomorrow so that it can be inspected and stored, ready for shipping. Fancy actually packing up to go!!
Two 475lb drums from go-down.
Canadians to H.Qs & told they could not take any papers whatever, marriage birth, or any certificates & no diplomas, they must only speak the truth re Camp conditions.
((G))
Sang couple of choruses in Concert at St Stephens.
Strong wind & rain all day.
Vaudeville ((see 16th for details))
