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OBJECTIVE: Fly post-sundown sea sweep mission to detect and sink Japanese ships in the South China Sea.

RESULTS: A lone B-24 makes a radar-guided nocturnal bomb run on ships 40 miles to the north of Hong Kong, which are later determined to be islands.  The aircraft commander then opts to bomb the Kowloon docks (the designated secondary target) on the return flight with his remaining bombs.  Damage is unknown.

TIME OVER TARGET: Late evening over Kowloon docks

AMERICAN UNITS AND AIRCRAFT: One B-24 from the 308^th Heavy Bomb Group

Jean Gittins eats her first salad (see September 1):

Pak choi is not normally used in European cuisine and Ethel was unwilling to try it, but she noted the obvious relish with which Jeanne ate her salad and quickly changed her mind. It turned out to be delicious too when lightly cooked in oil.

Source:

Jean Gittins, Stanley: Behind Barbed Wire, 1982, 107

Jenner & Pearson

Alarm while walking home from town. First time caught in street.

Cool am & pm. NE wind.

Canteen buyer 58 easy day on Cookhouse.

Got some lime & made a trowel.

Lorry in at 5.30pm with Canteen gear, tobacco arrived too.

Air-raid alarm 3.20 to 4.30pm.

Good new [sic] from all fronts & Pacific. Soviets 5 mls from Memel 10th. Heavy raid by 1,100 planes on Formosa 12th & 13th.

OBJECTIVE: Fly nocturnal sea sweep mission to detect and sink Japanese ships in the South China Sea.

RESULTS: The radar-equipped B-24 fails to locate any Japanese ships.  The aircraft commander then opts to bomb the Kowloon docks (the designated secondary target) on the return flight.  Damage is unknown.

TIME OVER TARGET: Late evening

AMERICAN UNITS AND AIRCRAFT: One B-24 from the 308^th Heavy Bomb Group

AMERICAN PILOTS AND AIRCREW: Captain Armstrong in plane #823

ORDNANCE EXPENDED: 12 x 500-pound bombs

OBJECTIVE: Fighter sweep over the Canton airfields

RESULTS: No enemy aircraft are encountered in the air or observed on the ground.

TIME OVER TARGET: ~12:45 p.m.

AMERICAN UNITS AND AIRCRAFT:

• Eight P-40s and six P-51s from the 76^th Fighter Squadron
• Nine P-51s and three P-40s from the 118^th Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron (TRS)

AMERICAN PILOTS AND AIRCREW:

OBJECTIVE: Reconnaissance flight over Canton, Hong Kong, and Sanchau Island

RESULTS: Pilot takes a series of recon photos.  Pilot reports 15 ships in the 200 to 400-foot range in Victoria Harbor and a large 400-foot tanker in a bay on the south side of Hong Kong Island.  Engine failure prevents coverage of Sanchau Island.

TIME OVER TARGET: ~1:00 p.m.

AMERICAN UNITS AND AIRCRAFT: One F-5E from Flight B, 21^st Photographic Reconnaissance Squadron

AMERICAN PILOTS AND AIRCREW: Lt. Snyder in aircraft #305

ORDNANCE EXPENDED: None

Mrs B. R. Humphreys died

Still in Tweed Bay Hospital and not yet operated on tho' I expect to be done on Wednesday. I am having thiamine injected into me every forenoon and evening and consequently both my arms are feeling rather sore, especially when the needle is so blunt. It is really difficult to describe the lousy conditions under which the Doctors and Sisters work with inadequate tools, utensils and medicines etc. 9 patients in this small ward is typical of the conditions prevailing of the closeness people live generally throughout this camp.

Dow / Myhill ((sp?))

Death – Bruna Rose Humphreys (55), wife of Ernest Humphreys.

Planes around early am.

Fine, cool NE wind.

Woodchopping & ground lime for crack in Steve’s room.

1oz Chinese tobacco & 2 pkts cig papers issued Y6.

Air-raid alarm 5.15-6.15pm

1 US fighter flew over. Some face-slapping. 1 internee who took cover in hall down below played the piano during the alarm period, so he got slapped.

With Steve little while pm.

Rice party on pier.

OBJECTIVE: Destroy radar station near White Cloud airbase at Canton

RESULTS: Pilots bomb and strafe the radar installation, causing substantial damage.  The pilots also strafe and set alight two fighter aircraft (or dummy aircraft) on the ground at White Cloud.

TIME OVER TARGET: ~6:30 a.m.

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

AMERICAN PILOTS AND AIRCREW: Major Slocumb (23^rd FG) and Lt. Oran S. Watts (118^th TRS)

OBJECTIVE: Sink merchant vessel anchored on south side of Hong Kong Island

RESULTS: Pilots strafe a motor launch and claim four direct hits on a tanker in or near Repulse Bay.  Possibly, this is the oiler IJNS Kamoi, but if so, the ship suffers no damage during the attack.

TIME OVER TARGET: ~3:00 p.m.

AMERICAN UNITS AND AIRCRAFT: Two P-51s from the 118^th Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron

AMERICAN PILOTS AND AIRCREW: Lt. Pascoli and DeVeer (26^th Fighter Squadron)

OBJECTIVE: Reconnaissance flight over Canton and Hong Kong

RESULTS: Cloud cover obscures Canton and Hong Kong from view, but recon photos are taken of Samshui.

TIME OVER TARGET: ~4:00 p.m.

AMERICAN UNITS AND AIRCRAFT: One F-5E (#287) from Flight B, 21^st Photographic Reconnaissance Squadron

AMERICAN PILOTS AND AIRCREW: Lt. Campbell

ORDNANCE EXPENDED: None

JAPANESE UNITS, AIRCRAFT, AND PILOTS: None

AIRCRAFT LOSSES: None

OBJECTIVE: Reconnaissance flight over Canton and Hong Kong

RESULTS: Numerous reconnaissance photos taken of Tien Ho airbase in Canton and Kai Tak airbase and Victoria Harbor in Hong Kong.  Pilot observes thirteen large ships in Victoria Harbor.

TIME OVER TARGET: ~12:15 p.m.

AMERICAN UNITS AND AIRCRAFT: One F-5B (#262) from Flight B, 21^st Photographic Reconnaissance Squadron

AMERICAN PILOTS AND AIRCREW: Lt. Stevenson

ORDNANCE EXPENDED: None

JAPANESE UNITS, AIRCRAFT, AND PILOTS: None

AIRCRAFT LOSSES: None

OBJECTIVE: Bomb aircraft revetments at White Cloud airbase in Canton

RESULTS: Bombers claim to destroy six to seven enemy aircraft in revetments and inflict additional damage on buildings and other installations at the airbase

TIME OVER TARGET: ~2:50 p.m.

AMERICAN UNITS AND AIRCRAFT: Twenty-eight B-24s from all four squadrons (373^rd, 374^th, 375^th, and 425^th) of the 308^th Heavy Bomb Group escorted by 50 fighter aircraft from the following squadrons:

OBJECTIVE: Reconnaissance flight over Canton area

RESULTS: Numerous reconnaissance photos taken of Canton area

TIME OVER TARGET: ~2:30 p.m.

AMERICAN UNITS AND AIRCRAFT: One F-5B (#301) from Flight B, 21^st Photographic Reconnaissance Squadron

AMERICAN PILOTS AND AIRCREW: Lt. Schmidt

ORDNANCE EXPENDED: None

JAPANESE UNITS, AIRCRAFT, AND PILOTS: None

AIRCRAFT LOSSES: None

Death of Bruna Rose Humphreys aged 55.

Note:

The Camp Roll at the Yahoo Stanley Group lists Alfred David Humphreys as B. R.'s husband, but this is contradicted by the list at Hong Kong War Diary, which states that A. D.'s wife was that Elizabeth who died at Tweed Bay Hospital on 8.5. 43, and by Mundia, which suggests that she (B.R.) was the wife of internee Ernest Humphreys (born 1884:)

Lights came on again.

Started a Retreat, with daily talks, and private readings in evenings.

Terrific air raid, planes like great silver birds.