Warmer.
All Internees mustered & were checked out by F.A. & taken over by Military.
First 3 hrs with A. Fraine 5-8pm. He is not so bad really.
8oz. rice issued in lieu of bread.
Hungry as hell.
Pages tagged:
Rudolf Zindel is back in Stanley - he wasn't allowed to visit in January, although he did manage to pay 'pocket allowances'. He interviews a number of internees and holds lengthy discussions with Franklin Gimson.
((Following text is not dated:))
We made our own entertainment during the years of captivity using makeshift props. Mosquito netting was soaked with a variety of medicines from bright mercurochrome to methylene blue, and made into frilly skirts. Jam tins were saved for helmets and crowns, with silver cigarette paper stuck on cardboard to resemble armour and shining swords. Japanese guards watched these performances, and didn't entirely approve of the mosquito netting. Rehearsals could not go on for too long, as it was so weakening.
Cold, windy & drizzly.
German lesson.
Hosp. 2 to 5pm.
Choir practice.
With Steve pm.
Formosans arrived?
New camp guards
Fine, cloudy, damp.
Hungry. Rations somewhat less.
5-8pm with Frain.
Bulletin contains hopes for a couple of RedX parcels, perhaps better food, free drugs & medicines, & monthly allowance.
Today paper deals chiefly with British & US atrocity stories, or rather, Jap comments thereon.
Mrs. Doris Groves dies at the age of 27. She falls victim to a haemorrhage after giving birth to a premature baby, Arthur, who also dies.
She leaves a policeman husband and a young daughter, Joyce, in Camp.
Source:
Bernice Archer and Kent Federowich, The Women of Stanley: Internment 1942-1945, 388, 2006
Death – Mrs. Doris Groves (27) & child.
Classical concert (Brown, Heasman, Talbot, Bicheno, Goodban) ((Probably Cyril Brown))
Mrs Doris Groves died during childbirth, also the baby Arthur, leaving a husband and 3-year old Joyce in camp. (In 1942 Mrs Groves had also had a son who had died at birth). ((In the 1990s Joyce phoned me out of the blue to ask about Stanley memories.))
Humid, warmer.
New guards took over & they seem to be OK. young & self-conscious.
German lesson.
2-5pm Hosp.
With Steve pm.
Made up Canteen list.135.
Rumours of some improvements to come.
Tea & sugar issue perhaps.
Classical concert ((for details see 3rd Feb))
Rain, muggy, cold later.
Ground rice for Mary.
Tasted real potatoes, first time in 2 yrs today.
Wrote music aft.
5-8pm hosp.
More instructions received re repatriation.
Classical concert ((for details see 3rd Feb))
Dr. Myasaka took over the medical side of the camp and introduced a clinic system.
((This resulted in much more paper work in hospital office. Japs supplied forms for the decentralised clinics through the camp, and each patient became the subject of a form; records of these were made in the hospital office, we also card-indexed and cross-referenced all hospital patients.))
Cleaned bthrooms etc.
2 Pkt Cigs issued.
New guards appear to be getting more familiar & accustomed to their job & to us.
Hosp 2-5pm.
With Steve pm.
Cold & rainy.
Instructions re repat. completed, (checking of Passports & Identity papers & required destination listed ready for air transmission to Tokyo.
Real cold snap set in. Damp & drizzly.
Ground rice for Mary.
5-8pm Hosp. Nice supper on return helped with a piece of Mrs Willcock’s veg. pie.