Pages tagged:

Notes:

Bulletin….”2 second-hand tyres for hosp. stretcher cost Y 550 each”

Twydale, Brenchley

B.O.

Niece Florrie sends message that her brother Freddie not home since last night. I press them come next day. Freddie's absence very unsettling. Apparently no rest for us. Florrie has been to enquire. Received sympathy but no information.

Hot, dry.

Work on wall & wood chopping aft.

Oil, curry pwdr. cigarettes & 2 boxes matches issued. Canteen open am but due to none arrival of ordered goods many things ran out before all people were served.

P. Henriot (Prop. Minst. of France) assassinated 28th. Allies 25mls S & SW of Florence, Sienna. Advances made on all other fronts. US casualties to date. Killed 35,148. Wounded 86,789, missing 45,725, Prs’s. 36,467.

Birth of Rosaleen Frances McDermott.

Her parents were part of Stanley's Irish community - over 160 strong for most of the occupation. This is their second child in camp, one having been born in 1941.

Source:

China Mail, September 15, 1945, 3

OBJECTIVE: Weather reconnaissance over the Canton area

RESULTS: Pilots encounter scattered thunderstorms and are unable to observe Canton airbases

TIME OVER TARGET: ~5:00 p.m.

AMERICAN UNITS AND AIRCRAFT: Two P-51s from 76^th Fighter Squadron (23^rd Fighter Group)

AMERICAN PILOTS AND AIRCREW: Lt. Rodier; Lt. Florance

ORDNANCE EXPENDED: None

JAPANESE UNITS, AIRCRAFT, AND PILOTS: None

AIRCRAFT LOSSES: None

Rosaleen Frances McDermott born, the second child born to that family in Stanley.

Wittenbach / Ream

Petition about rations read

To Mr. & Mrs. J.E.D. McDermott – a daughter ((I think the "J.E.D. McDermott" mentioned here is same person as the "Mr. E. McDermott" mentioned on John Black's list.))

Jenner / Pearson ((There are a couple of options for people with these names. I guess it refers to a musical event played by Reg. Jenner and G.W. Pearson, both of whom have a musical background.))

Fine, hot.

Work on wall.

Joint protest being signed by all adult internees. It deals with all the Camp problems that are becoming more acute daily, poor food, lack of drugs & medicines, the increase of diseases caused through malnutrition, the inadequacy of canteen supplies & money. It points out that for 100yrs Japan has had a name for treating her war prs. decently & that in this case she has let herself down badly. Let’s hope something comes of it.

B.O.

((Following text not dated:))

Many cases reported people mauled in streets by animals. Seven cases reported mostly after midnight. Believed wild starving dogs. Bodies eaten. Stray dogs to be shot.

Rosary Hillites complain insufficient food. 400 there, Red Cross wants reduce to 300. May throw out Hullo Johns ((Chinese wives of regular soldiers)) without children.

Nursing pumpkin, first ever produced on roof. Then typhoon and rotted. But good half was excellent.

Rained nearly all night and clear up at 9am. Wind veered to S from NE.

More bricks & chopped fire-wood.

Sand found in last Canteen purchase of Wheat-bran.

Heavy gun-fire about 3.30pm.

No Canteen gear arrived today.

US severed Diplomatic relations with Finnland 30th ult. Advances being made by Allies on all fronts.

OBJECTIVE: Harass Canton airfields and prevent JAAF from flying night bombing missions

RESULTS: At staggered intervals, two B-25s bomb White Cloud airbase and three B-25s bomb Tien Ho airbase.  Damage to target is unknown.

TIME OVER TARGET: ~8:34 to 11:39 p.m.

AMERICAN UNITS AND AIRCRAFT: Five B-25s from 491^st Bomb Squadron (341^st Medium Bomb Group)

AMERICAN PILOTS AND AIRCREW: Unknown

ORDNANCE EXPENDED: Sixty 100-pound fragmentation bombs

JAPANESE UNITS, AIRCRAFT, AND PILOTS: None

AIRCRAFT LOSSES: None

B.O.

Heavy showers all day, brightened 5pm.

Brick work & ground rice.

Some significance being attached to cartoons & wine adverts that have appeared in the paper recently. Meanings bearing on the war can be read into them.

No lorry today.

Mrs Flaherty caught trading with Formosan guard. Japs arrested her.  

Much rumour re Kowloon being turned over to Wang Ching Wei Gov’t. 

With Steve pm. He has slight fever.

Mrs. Lily ('Ma') Flaherty is detained at the Japanese headquarters for black market activity.

Her room is raided by the gendarmes, who find a rich haul of rings, brooches, gold articles, money and I.O.U.s.

Sources:

Date of arrest: Gimson Diary, Weston House, Oxford, p. 85 (recto) (the Stanley Camp Roll, IWM gives July 12 but Gimson seems to have been updating his diary daily at this point)

Other details: George Wright-Nooth, Prisoner of the Turnip Heads, 1994, 216

OBJECTIVE: Bomb ammunition and supply godowns at Canton

RESULTS: Damage to target is unknown, but eighty percent of bombs are estimated to fall in target area and the bombing ignites numerous fires.

TIME OVER TARGET: ~8:37 to 9:06 p.m.

AMERICAN UNITS AND AIRCRAFT: Fifteen B-24Js from the 373^rd, 374^th, 375^th, and 425th Bomb Squadrons (308^th Heavy Bomb Group)

AMERICAN PILOTS AND AIRCREW: Unknown

ORDNANCE EXPENDED: 410 x 100-pound bombs; 158 x 100-pound incendiaries; 4,000 propaganda leaflets

OBJECTIVE: Harass Canton airfields and prevent JAAF from flying night bombing missions

RESULTS: At staggered intervals, B-25s bomb White Cloud and Tien Ho airbases.  Damage to target is unknown, but two large and three small fires are ignited by the bombing.

TIME OVER TARGET: ~7:45 to 9:42 p.m.

AMERICAN UNITS AND AIRCRAFT: Six B-25s from 491^st Bomb Squadron (341^st Medium Bomb Group)

AMERICAN PILOTS AND AIRCREW: Lt. Col. Clark; Captain Toney; Lt. Anderson; Lt. Cullen; Lt. Hexberg; Lt. Lesher

B.O.

Wed 5th, and 4 yrs since we parted darling.

Rained during the night, cloudy & hot.

Medical inspection. Weight now 156lbs. from 165 & 175 before the war.

Petition re food etc. handed to Gimson and by him to Japs. 2012 had signed it out of a possible 2191  91.8%.

Lorry arrived at last, no Canteen gear.

Rice in town works out at 3d an ounce & milk at 7/- a pint.