The water shortage is upon us and it is not nearly as bad as we had feared. This is because, at present, the water is turned on at the mains every third day, and so, by filling the one bath in each flat every third day, we have sufficient water to carry us through the two waterless days – that is for flat uses only. Those who want it can draw about 1½ gallons per day from this source and it still leaves ample for flushing purposes.
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Fine, dry, variable wind.
Bootmakers shop & trench-digging.
Workers’ oil & sugar issued. Matches (2) issued.
Rec. letter 3-1-43 from Marj.
Saw Steve noon with oil lamp, coffee & cigs.
Lorry 4pm with wood & salt fish.
US troops advanced to 7mls of Julich 15th. French troops crossed Doubs river. Russians captured Godollo 10mls E of Budapest & advanced to 5 [mls of?] Miskolo.
Cup of tea with V & E 6pm & showed them snaps.
Fine, dry.
Started on Tinsmiths’ shop, wood chopping & grass cutting.
Lamp glass & hammer to Steve.
Oil & sugar issued.
Convoy arrived.
Lorry with veg 6.30pm.
Roosevelt promises something good before New Year. Metz entered 19th & other advances made on Western Front. US troops now 7mls inside German border. Japs claim many more sinkings around Leyte & 6 s/ms in waters around Japan.
Death of Ernest Thomas Warden, a 44 year old revenue officer.
Before being sent to Stanley he was held at the Tai Koon Hotel.
Sources:
Geoffrey Emerson, Hong Kong Internment, 2008, 188
http://www.hongkongwardiary.com/searchgarrison/nonuniformedcivilians.html#_Toc43367497
Death suddenly E.T. Warden (44) Revenue Officer, in R.12, Bl.3
Issue 4 pkts. cigarettes Y2.60
Fine, dry, NE wind.
Tinsmiths shop & wood-choppping.
Water on.
Lorry with salt fish & cigs. 4 pkts issued.
Fed up day today.
US troops one third the way into Metz 37 mls from Strasburg & De Gaullists advance to the Rhine. Four of six passages thro’ Vosges to Rhine captured.
Postcard from Shanghai reports receipt of Aust. parcels.
(Chungking & New Delhi have radioed HK conditions re electric & water?)
There has been more shipping activity. On 21st a convoy of a biggish tanker, about a 6,000 ton cargo boat and a small liner (shipping people say it was one of the Messageries Maritime Line, about 12,000 tons) were seen. These were convoyed by two destroyers, two submarine chasers. The MM ship was the biggest we have seen, apart from the repatriation ships. This evening the same convoy steamed out again, the tanker looking lighter, as though she had delivered some oil – maybe aviation oil.
Fine, dry, SW wind.
Started on Sewing shop, & bricked in a drain.
Saw Mary re brooch.
Today’s paper full of absolute bunk. (1 Jap fighter breaking up a formation of B29s & shooting one down and so on) Kyushu raided 21st.
6 more cigs issued.
News re British Fleet & task force off Malaya.
Jap Harvest [?] Festival.
Fine, dry, overcast, SW wind.
Sewing shop, & wood lorry with veg & fish 2pm.
Meyer beat Olsen 12-21 in Bowls Singles. ((Today's entry in the MacNider diary lists the winner as "W. Mair"))
Hauled up before guard for cutting grass out of bounds.
Canteen gear arrived 6pm. No paper.
Air-raid practice alarm 8 to 8.30pm.
Commissioner of Police J. Pennefather-Evans is a fervent Christian and member of the Oxford Group ((later Moral Rearmament, now Initiatives For Change)). He's been approaching his police officers to try to persuade them to attend Group meetings. In his diary for today George Wright-Nooth records that recently he appeared to have been successful as five of the police turned up at a meeting. One of them became very emotional and began to confess his past sins 'with vivid descriptive detail'.
About a month ago we heard that the Formosan’s were buying white gold and giving very good prices for it and we were advised to sell anything of white gold that we possessed. Gold too was fetching a good price. Before we were married I had bought for Yvonne in ‘Cat Street’ (thieves market) a white gold wristlet watch with the usual 13 or 15 diamond mountings. I got it from the little jeweller we used to patronise: it was a nice little watch (stolen property) but he let me have it for $16 - £1.
Overcast, mist, drizzly. NE wind.
Sewing shop & wood.
Water on so had nice bath, rather cold now.
Jewelry fetching enormous prices, any gold, even teeth fillings fetch good money.
Lorry with wood 5.20pm.
Paper has nothing whatever about other fronts except Japanese. Raid on Tokyo 80 planes [22nd crossed out, looks like 24] for 2 hrs.
I was delighted to receive your dear loving letter of 23rd May 1943 on Monday. It was splendid and I am always thrilled at receiving yours. It's great and I am very grateful Nell.
(St.And's Soc. attended. L – Wylie)
Dow / Myhill