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Last night there was a false alarm that the Japs had landed.  It arose in this way.  It was decided to bring over all the explosives, chiefly dynamite, from the government Magazine on Green Island.  The navy arranged to send a launch to fetch it last night, and the pillboxes along the Praya were warned about it.  However the navy instead of sending one of the little launches which used to operate between the dockyard and Stonecutters and which is the average troop’s mental picture of a launch, and which individually would have been much too small, sent a ferry.

Just a week ago today I saw the golfers enjoying their round of golf, or sitting on the verandah enjoying their cocktails. Now the grass is cut up by numerous lorries and the green in front of the Clubhouse is marred by the unsightly hump of 15 Aldershot ovens.

The weather could not have been better, it is warm and sunny all day and nice and cool at night.

Well Darling it is very difficult to think of this as a Sunday – for we have had our first taste of blitz.  Reports have been very slow in coming in and so I fear that it means buildings down and nobody  knows what the casualties are.

Ordinary routine. Chinese service at noon in Club.

HK bombarded all PM, leaflets dropped. V.G. ((Probably 'Victoria Gaol')) & Central Police Station hit.

“Tiny” Baker committed suicide?

Cannot get potatoes or veg.

Stanley and Mount Davis were still requiring shells the next day, and as the remaining ones were stored at Lyemun it was decided the Ammunition Column should move to Happy Valley which was much more conveniently situated;  so we set off for our new quarters that after noon (15th) and settled down before starting off on our all night job.

A bright, warm day:

The fine clear weather brought out the Japanese bombers. There were terrible air raids all over Victoria and casualties were numerous in the crowded Chinese districts. This caused many residents to take up permanent quarters in the air raid shelters built into the hillsides.

The artillery meanwhile, concentrates on observation posts and telephone junctions.

A curfew from 7.30 p.m. to 6.30 a.m is imposed. 

Aileen Woods' diary:

A telephone call in the morning established the fact that the ship had been well and truly finished and I personally had my first real feeling of satisfaction at something which had been done.

The Japanese seen concentrating small craft in Kowloon Bay. They were shelled, and several were hit. The shelling continued through the night.

Very lovely day. V. cold early.

6 planes over early. Bombs fell close astern. Later attack unloaded in El[...] & entrance.

Got orders to go to Deep Water Bay & [flood]. 7.45: Another attack and bombs fell in billet just left! Terrific shindy as going down harbour. Shaving water and coffee all cold!

Found Thracian crumpled bow and took all her ammunition. Later anchored off W. shore of Deep Water Bay. Plane over p.m. dived but no bombs. One plane brought down a.m.

Some sad news this morning. “Thracian" ran aground during the night and damaged her stern - necessitating docking. They are preparing to move her into the dock here at Aberdeen.

Still waiting patiently for No. 11 to come off the slip - this waiting is most annoying. She may be off this evening l am told.

We hear on a portable radio that a Japanese party flying a white flag came across the Harbour from Kowloon in a motor launch. They came to discuss surrender terms. They were met by a Major Boxer for GHQ who speaks Japanese.

7am

Well we’ve been at it for a week now – another quiet night but they must be planning something – they’ll try to land on the island of course.

No gas this morning - I think they hit the gasworks yesterday.  Well I‘ve still got my electric kettle – what we’ll do when they hit the Electric Power Station – DOK.

((Here, Billie draws two heavy lines to indicate a break in his letter writing half way down a page; leaving the office to go home to 152))

Air raids started 7.20AM. AA fire appears to be useless. Probably the Japs want HK intact meantime hoping the civil population will revolt or that we submit due to starvation (Marj dear, I’m glad you are away but would be happier if I knew you were really safe too).

V.G. ((Victoria Gaol)) personel returned to Stanley. V.G. smashed up.

Blackie getting used to gunfire now bless her.

Manned our posts about 9PM but returned by 10.50PM nothing doing.

The next morning I spoke to Major Dewer ((probably A J Dewar)) about the state of Kings Road and the Lyemun road and futility of trying to clear ten thousand shells with so few lorries, and asked his permission to visit GHQ and submit a scheme which if approved should enable me to clear a great many shells in one night.

My idea was that I should be given at least twenty lorries and allowed to make a dump of the shells on the south side of the island behind Mount Parker at the top of Shaukiwan Hill. 

On the 16th, Coast Defence guns were turned on to what was left of our shipping in the harbour to prevent capture intact by the Japanese. By this time, most of the mountain and field guns, which had been brought over from the mainland, helped to boost our beach defence positions.

Mr Garton and W. Skinner and Mr Bendall – family friends - were in and out of the tunnel re their war work.

Chan Pan Kwai, Chinese, Male, Age 26 years, fireman from SS. Ethel Moller, ((was killed at the refugee camp above Quarry Bay by Japanese shelling.))