Jean Gittins is in Tweed Bay Hospital suffering from exhaustion and waiting for Kenelm Digby to remove an infected sebaceous cyst from her cheek:
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On Thursday 13th July I received two Red Cross 25 word letters from you dated 8th December '43 and 23rd December '43, so that brings us much closer in the matter of time than we have ever been. Then on Thursday 18th July I received your letter 8th June '43 and for all these glorious and loving letters Dear I am most grateful. Tho' the receiving of these letters has been most irregular.
Dow / Martin
Death – W. Faid M. Sc (51), Prof of Physics, HKU., suddenly as result of an accident
Drown
It would have been shortly after midnight when Goodwin set off at a steady pace on the road to Fanling. It was pitch dark and rain was falling when an incredible incident occurred. Some sixth sense warned him of danger, and he grabbed the base of a shrub growing on the roadside and slid down a slope, holding his face level with the road surface. Just in time, as the legs of a soldier passed just three feet away. He was followed by five other soldiers all wearing soft rubber-soled shoes that made no sound. Had he continued a few more paces they would have collided.
Rained early am. but cleared up later.
Complaints re sour congee.
Prof. Faid killed falling from a ladder 18 Block.
Lorry arrived but no papers. News too good to let us see it perhaps.
Lots of sesp [?], oatmeal, flour & odds & ends given to Camp by Japs, probably I.R.C. stuff that was kept back for their own use in town.
With Steve pm.
Wind backed to the E.
Chopped firewood.
Mr A. L. Shields died; his wife had been repatriated with the Canadians.
Death of Andrew Lusk Shields.
Shields was an Unofficial Member of the Legislative Council between 1938 and 1941 and a former President and Chief-Captain of the St Andrew's Society. Captured at the Repulse Bay Hotel, he was one of those who was allowed to go through Japanese lines on December 25, 1941. to try to persuade Maltby to surrender.
Death – A.L. Shields (62), Dir. Shewan, Tomes & mem, Ex & Leg Councils
Electric storm at night
“The Lilies of the Field” ((for details see 26th July))
It was around midnight when Goodwin reached the summit of the frontier road, then made his way down a spur towards China, heading to what he hoped would be his freedom.
His hopes were soon dashed however, when he ran into coils of barbed wire in the long grass that made progress impossible. There was nothing to do except to return to the road, and head back towards Shataokok. Half a mile down the road he found an entry to a deep gorge that carried rushing water, and he slipped and slithered down to find a secluded resting place.
Still good news coming in. The attempted assasination of Hitler by a hand grenade (a persistent rumour is going round that he really has been killed but I think that is wishful thinking - however it all seems a bit fishy); the Americans have now landed 2 divisions on Guam; in the North the Russians are N.W. of Grodno – they must be very close to the East Prussian frontier; the Anglo–American forces have taken St Lo. Altogether things are going pretty well.
Lovely day. Wind S.
Ground bread rice.
3 days papers arrived and good news in them all. St.Lo captured 19th & Leghorn entered 19th. An attempt made on Hitler’s life 20th. He gets away with a few burns yet 3 of his entourage were seriously wounded & 10 slightly wounded. We landed on Guam 21st. Premier Gen. Koisho made first speech in newly formed Cabinet aft. 22nd. Camp news has it that Hitler is dead.
With Steve pm. Lent me Y15.
OBJECTIVE: Test a new high-altitude dive-bombing procedure
RESULTS: Pilots tip over at 25,000 feet and release bombs at 18,000 feet over White Cloud airbase. They claim bomb hits on runways and taxiways.
TIME OVER TARGET: ~3:20 p.m.
AMERICAN UNITS AND AIRCRAFT: Seven P-51s from 76th Fighter Squadron (23rd Fighter Group)
Death of Edinburgh-born Agnes Mary Cunningham of nutritional enteritis and anaemia.
Source:
Philip Cracknell at http://battleforhongkong.blogspot.co.uk/
Death – Mrs Agnes M. Cunningham (67)
Corned beef stew for evening meal
Typhoon weather
“The Lilies of the Field” ((for details see 26th July))
Goodwin stood on the beach near Shataokok with his spirits soaring. It was probably around midnight, and he had to move quickly along the coast in a westerly direction to get as far removed from Shataokok as possible by sunrise. Walking along the beach was out, as he could see the torch of a patrolling sentry in the distance. He decided to walk in the sea as far out as possible from the shore. Putting on his shoes to protect his feet from sharp shells and coral growths, he walked out until the sea was at neck level, carrying his pack on his left shoulder.
Rain & N. wind all night.
Canteen 25 & what I got today cost 16/4 & pre war 10 ½d.
Rained all day.
Lorry came in very late so majority of Camp had Welfare supper (Tinned mutton, 12 per tin & 1oz bread)
Jap Cabinet intends to go on all out for victory. Mussi & Hitler had war conferences 16th-21st (so says the paper). Russians doing fine, Lemberg penetrated 22nd & Lublin threatened. Progress on other fronts not so good, according to the paper of course. Chinese papers taken to H.Qs. (Why?)
With Steve pm.
Kenelm Digby carries out the postponed operation on Jean Gittin's cheek (see July 23). In spite of several injections, the anaesthetic fails to work and she feels 'the pain of every cut and probe'. Digby encourages his patient and spends two hours on an operation that's normally over in 30 minutes. So careful is he in the difficult conditions of Tweed Bay Hospital that the operation goes without a hitch and over time the scar becomes almost unnoticeable.
“The Lilies of the Field” by James Turner (p. by Graham-Barrows, asst by RW Mills – D J Valentine, Nina Valentine, Jean Mathers, Pamela Pritchard, John Stericker, D. G.
Goodwin stood outside a large darkened village when he saw through a narrow alley a watchman with a lantern passing along the central roadway.