Fine, warmer.
Toilet paper & a small piece of soap issued.
No news. Jap paper tells of their loss of islands in Gilbert Group.
Rehearsal of N.P. ((nativity play)) again tonight. With Steve after.
Pages tagged:
Fine, warm.
Raid over Tai-po way 1pm?
No news.
Lights failed at 7.15pm.
With Steve.
Fine, warm, an English Summer day.
3ozs. Corned beef & Y15 issued.
Stool for Hacketts son. Mrs. H ((Mrs Hackett?)) to write to Marj when able. ((Barbara Anslow: the stool was probably made for the elder Hackett boy Kevin. The younger boy Conner was born in camp.))
Kids had Xmas party in Hall below.
Walk with Steve pm.
Listened to carols for a while.
OBJECTIVE: Bomb Tien Ho airfield at Canton
TIME OVER TARGET: ~2:08 p.m.
AMERICAN UNITS AND AIRCRAFT:
Notes:
24/12/43 - Haircut -.60
4th - School Fees 4.-
C. of E. Nativity play
Issue of ¥15 / 2ozs. tea / 1 ¼ oz. margarine / tin c. beef for 4 / tin small ???((unclear)) for 4
Mrs Hearson’s/Harrison’s [?] bed. ((Probably Mrs Harrison, as she's been mentioned by R E Jones a couple of times before in his diary.))
Canteen tab 62.
Free tea 2oz & Margarine 1.2oz issued. 4 cigs.
Chopped wood for Mary.
Took part in Nativity Play at St. Stephens pm. With Steve after.
Plate of veg & rice balls. OK too.
Significance attached to Jap treatment of Dr. Farr & one patient, the gift of beans etc.
OBJECTIVE: Bomb Tien Ho airfield at Canton
TIME OVER TARGET: ~12:55 p.m.
AMERICAN UNITS AND AIRCRAFT:
Christmas 1943 was not so good {as 1942}. Residential Kowloon had just undergone its worst air raid of the war and planes were overhead nearly every day. Every other house in Tsimshatsui was housing a bomb that had failed to explode. The Gendarmerie reign of terror was touching the Christmas celebrating communities. Christmas at Stanley Goal was far worse than at the internment camps. There was little food and no medicinal alcohol. The news was much better. Nerves were very much on edge and the great majority had discovered that familiarity breeds contempt.
Brown
Carol service (Rose)
R.C. Nativity play
Alert at noon, but nothing seen.
Christmas Eve kids went to Smiths' for tea. Pastor Neilsen as Father Christmas.
Muriel and two infant kids for tiffin, stayed for dinner with Ella. Sing song. Happy day.
Fine.
Cleaned bathrm’s etc.
Everyone full of seasonal greetings.
Peanuts, soy bean biscuits am with Steve, An ample well cooked mid-day meal. Had some real coffee. Block cake somewhat soggy. Sid gave me 2 Pkts. cigs. Much individual cooking of all sorts of food, cakes etc. With Steve afternoon for pancakes, sandwiches & tea with milk & sugar in it. Had to ease top button by 5pm.
Firewood arrived.
With Steve pm.
To bed with full tummy for once.
Martin / Dow
Fine, a little colder.
All quiet. No rumours today.
Steve to Carol singing, saw him after.
Christmas has come and gone and much better than expected. The news from the outside world is good and we are winning slowly but surely. A long spell of blackouts have been cancelled. On Thursday we received 15Yen allowance and today a further 5Yen also a present from the Japs. of soya beans 1 catty per head, 1 3/4oz of margarine and 2 tins of pork --- beans amongst 7 persons.
C of E Nativity play.
Issue ¥5
Fine. Cold.
More firewood arrived, good stuff too. Rations by junk.
Sang in Nativity Play.
Jeanette Clark born today. Her parents had allowed their 2 older daughters, Valerie (3) and Margaret (1) to be adopted in camp by a missionary couple, the Thomases. ((More of them in 1944 diary))
Birth of Jeanette Madeline Clarke.
Source:
China Mail, September 15, 1945, 3
Note:
The semi-official list in the China Mail reads Wright-Brown, Clarke Jean.
For a possible explanation for the apparent presence of two surnames, see Barbara Anslow's diary for today.
To Mrs. W.L. Clark – a daughter.
RC Nativity play.