Issue of Y12.50
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Maudie has been causing us some anxiety of late. She has lost weight slowly but steadily since she has been in camp. She told me once in England she weighed 204 lbs! When she arrived in Hong Kong she weighed 188 lbs and by taking a course of slimming exercises with Knedgie, the Russian, she reduced her weight (just before the blitz here) to 156 lbs. At that she felt very fit. But now she weighs only 104 lbs and that is much too little for a woman of her build and boundless energy.
Wind SW.
Collected grass for boiler.
Promised parcels & Canteen goods did not arrive.
News excellent. Germany stops all outside communications. Allies N of Paris. Russians seem to be walking through to Hungary. Buzoa captured 27th. Paris captured 27th. US bombings intensified on all Jap holdings.
With Steve pm.
Air-raid alarm just after 10pm.
OBJECTIVE: Fly a series of staggered single-aircraft night raids to harass airbases at Canton and Hong Kong, which will prevent JAAF pilots from flying night bombing missions
RESULTS: Three B-25s bomb Tien Ho airbase, four B-25s bomb White Cloud airbase, one B-25 bombs Kai Tak airfield, and one B-25 bombs godowns on Pearl River south of Canton.
TIME OVER TARGET: ~8:14 to 10:25 p.m.
AMERICAN UNITS AND AIRCRAFT: Nine B-25s from 491st Bomb Squadron (341st Medium Bomb Group)
AMERICAN PILOTS AND AIRCREW: Captain Blaha
Big raid, Sleepless night. Yaumati houses hit.
August has gone – the last week or so of it in a welter of much needed sunshine – and we have entered September, the fateful September. Most people seem to think that Germany will surrender before the end of this month. Please God they are right. For some time now I have had a date sticking in my mind – since my birthday in fact. The date is October 17th. What will happen on that day – if anything – I do not know. I am not psychic and I don’t know how or why this particular date intruded itself upon my consciousness except, perhaps, because it is a nice old sort of date.
OBJECTIVE: Fly a series of staggered single-aircraft night raids to harass airbases at Canton and Hong Kong, which will prevent JAAF pilots from flying night bombing missions.
Jean Gittins sows pak choi in her rooftoop garden. (See also October 14, 1944)
Source:
Jean Gittins, Stanley: Behind Barbed Wire, 1982, 107
Fine, wind SW.
Canteen No.153.
Taking over of private gardens commenced.
No European war news whatever in today’s English paper which indicates that our yarn as to the reason for Germany’s severance of communications is correct, ie, “Trouble has broken out amongst the Germans”. Rouen captured also the Roumanian oil pipe-line 29th.
Lorry load of Jap soldiers arrived in Camp complete with arms & rations etc.
With Steve pm. Bet with Mary re parcels tomorrow.
OBJECTIVE: Block channels in Victoria Harbor with anti-ship mines and deny the use of the harbor to the Japanese.
RESULTS: Three B-24s drop anti-ship mines into the approaches to Victoria Harbor. American intelligence now believes the port is completely blocked by mines dropped during this mission and the mission flown on August 29.
TIME OVER TARGET: ~8:38 to 9:41 p.m.
AMERICAN UNITS AND AIRCRAFT: Three B-24s from the 373rd Bomb Squadron (308th Heavy Bomb Group)
AMERICAN PILOTS AND AIRCREW: Unknown
9.30 a.m. Outdoor roll-call
Ox tongue for pm meal
Workers received "back pay" cigarettes
Fine. Wind SE.
Outside roll-call 9.15AM.
4 Pkt.Cigs issued. Japs making up deficiency of workers cigs 1-10Aug.
Parcels promised & expected this afternoon again delayed, damn their bloody slant eyes. Canteen gear promised for tomorrow arrived today.
Five years ago today we declared war on Germany, what a turmoil and change has taken place in that time. The Germans are gradually getting back to their own lands again from whence they started. Our movements in France are amazing, we are all great map studiers and follow the moves forward with great keenness. Actually the Chinese and Japanese papers give us more up to date news than the English rag which is now only one page and double in price.
Today the European war completes its fifth year and embarks on its sixth! I do not think it will last for much of the sixth year. A number of the more optimistic people in camp have lost bets on this date, as they had wagered the European War would be over by Sept 3rd. Well, there may be something in my date of 17th Oct.
Hot night, cramp and left chest pain, poor sleep.
Overcast, cooler, rain.
5th anniversary of outbreak of European War. We have the assured satisfaction of knowing there will not be a 6th.
Oil 4oz. Sugar 1.6oz & Curry Pwdr 1oz issued. Mrs Brown gave me hers.[This written above the curry powder] ((MW Brown?))
Great display early a.m. activity. Searchlights.
Cooler, fine, wind E.
Outside roll-call 8.45am (1 male too many, 1 female short. Eventually found amongst Norwegians).
5 days wood arrived.
Excellent news. Verdun, Amiens, Arras & Dieppe captured & Sedan besieged. Russians being held on their front (Theory is that Germans prefer our invasion of Germany to the Russians)
With Steve pm.
Delivery of parcels still the main thought of most people.
Daily average Veg 9.5oz fish not enough to worthy its reckoning.
OBJECTIVE: Night raid to bomb targets in Canton/Hong Kong area
RESULTS: One B-25 bombs Kowloon targets, including Kai Tak airfield. A second B-25 bombs the town of Samshui in Canton area.
TIME OVER TARGET: ~9:30 to 11:25 p.m.
AMERICAN UNITS AND AIRCRAFT: Three B-25s from the 491st Bomb Squadron (341st Medium Bomb Group)
AMERICAN PILOTS AND AIRCREW: