Rained, overcast, muggy.
4 cigs, 1 matches issued Y1.97.
Kyushu, the Southern Island of Japan raided 2am 16th. Turkish Foreign Minister resigned 15th. US forces succeeded in landing on Sai-pan Island in Mariana Group 15th. All news indicates stepping up of our pressure on all fronts.
Brightened during afternoon.
With Steve pm.
Dow ("self-pity") / Rose
Jenner / Pearson
The war news is marvellous for us these days. The invasion of France is progressing steadily with no sign of our forces being hurled back into the sea. The Russians are making big advances in the Central sector and in the South the Germans must have lost thousands of men and vast supplies of material when the Russians recaptured the Crimean Peninsula. Our forces in Italy have forged ahead since the fall of Rome and out here things are certainly moving.
Drizzly & dull again.
Ground rice.
Information re Camp conditions, health & rations dispatched to Swiss Minister in Tokyo.
With Steve pm.
No paper today, no news or rumours.
Continual wet weather spoiling gardens. Clothing etc. damp & muggy & cockroaches having a wonderful time.
From Ponting through Form. guard, we’ve some good news to come.
Former Stanley internees John Power and his wife Mary are arrested at their house in Kowloon's Granville Road..
Overcast, raining. E. wind, cooler.
US attacked Bonins [?] ((Ogasawara)) with scores of planes 15th. 600 mls. S. of Japan. Usual disparaging reports re French & Saipan landings. German’s new weapon reported as being pilotless planes. (Easy meat for our fighters if true & how do these planes find their targets?)
Rec. letter from Hilda, undated.
At auction for little while (1 pencil Y9=10/6. 1 towel Y20= £1-3-4. 1pr homemade shoes Y12=14/-. 2 small sewing needles Y1=1/2.) Saw Steve after.
Vincent Morrison, Harold Bidmead, Brian Fay and Victor Randall are released into the Camp from Stanley Prison. They escaped on April 8, hid on April 9, were recaptured on April 10 and sentenced to two years on June 20 (see entries for all these dates in 1942).
Morrison is in particularly bad shape, as he weighs only 80 pounds. In hospital he is nursed by Marie Barton, who he eventually marries.
Sources:
George Wright-Nooth, Prisoner of the Turnip Heads, 1994, 204-205
Rain & more rain. Very depressing weather.
Ground rice.
German “new weapon” causing much havoc in SE England according to the Jap paper. Elba attacked 16th. Japs stress futility of all our efforts & even make “gains” out of our raid on Kyushu also they deny the “rumours” circulated by Chungking that Tokyo was bombed at the same time.
((Where there are several possible candidates for a name in this list, I have left it un-linked))
Rained all day.
Elba reinforced & Germans driven back [and in?] Italy too. Russians make more gains in Finnland. [sic] Cotentin Peninsula almost all ours. Japs still refuting reports (1 from Reuters) of bombing of Tokyo. Hallsey made C in C 3rd US Pacific Fleet.
News is generall excellent & we are making obvious progress.
Convoy arrived HK am.
Steve to Concert pm. Saw Mary.
Pumpkin jam.
Mr M Flaherty died of Hodgkin's disease. Much fuss over his coffin, apparently made from a questionable source (all furniture now being strictly communal - there was a Tribunal case over it, against L. Nielson). Mrs Flaherty Chinese, she spent some time in gaol but is out now.
No births during June.
Still rehearsing 'Peter Pan'.
Death of M. J. Flaherty of the Hong Kong Police from Hodgkin's lymphoma.
Source:
Barbara Anslow Diary entry June 22, 1944
George Wright-Nooth, Prisoner of the Turnip Heads, 1994, 214-215.
Note:
Rain, heavy low cloud.
Roll-call 8am.
Longest day.
No rations arrived.
Paper playing up the German “new weapon”. Elba evacuated & four more places in Finnland. Obvious progress being made in France with Germans saying Cherbourg & peninsula not really worth much strategically. Total absence of Pacific or Burma news.
Ground rice, chopped wood.
Saw Steve after concert.
(Shall I be seeing you two soon Marj darling?)
Father Bernard Meyer buries M. J. Flaherty in a Roman Catholic service.
George Wright-Nooth regards the euology as excessive and the revelation of words spoken between the dying man and his confessor as inappropriate.
Source:
George Wright-Nooth, Prisoner of the Turnip Heads, 1994, 215-216
Note: for the prelude to today's events see yesterday's entry.
Death – M.J. Flaherty, (46), HKP.
Rain & heavy cloud. Cleared up 4pm.
Flaherty buried, & in a coffin too. Many moons since coffins were seen, rice bags are the usual thing. (The wood was more or less stolen for this coffin anyway?)
Allies approaching Cherbourg 21st. Battle on 87mls front intensified in Italy 20th. Viipuri evacuate by Finns 20th. No news of S Pacific or Burma again today.
Poor food due to yesterdays non arrival of rations, & it doesn’t seem that they made up for it today.
Rec’d Y 1.29
“Vaudeville” ((for details see 21st))
Showery, much warmer.
Ground rice & chopped wood.
Finns retreating rapidly. (Cabinet have had emergency meeting) Installations at Cherbourg being demolished by Germans. We are advancing in Italy (N of Perugia) Naval action W of Marianas (how near to Formosa?) Churchill has said war will be over this Summer. Everything on the up & up for us.
Locally not so good re food. Firewood difficulties in town, among other things of course.
With Steve pm.
