From here on it was not possible to keep a day to day record of events. I can only give the outstanding occurrences in my mind and in sequence as near as I can remember. I must have slept sound during the night but everything seemed very quiet on waking. No shooting or bombing. No chance of a wash or shave. On going downstairs I find a Jap captain and a group of soldiers in conversation with Brown the Manager and some of his henchmen.
Collected all arms & amm. Billeted in Sgts. Mess (You have been there too darling Marj but I didn’t expect to see it under such circumstances) Had some beer. Frank ((possibly fellow prison officer E S Franks)) & I went to Sgt. Dick’s place for food etc. Rum PM. Stevens turned up wounded. Although capitulation is not so good it feels nice to know that the likelihood of being shot or blown apart is gone.
We weren't allowed out of Dina House. We had some tinned food and pooled it. Japanese officers moved peaceably into Dina House.
Immediately news of the capitulation was received , steps were taken to try to get the hospital into good working order . About a dozen of the Chinese staff returned , including three laundrymen , two cooks and some labouring coolies .
The next few days were fraught with apprehension and indecision. Nobody knew exactly what was happening. Occasionally, we saw a few Japanese staff officers who were attending conferences with our H.Q. but, other than that, the Japanese Forces did not enter the Fort in large numbers. We occupied the time by organising parties to proceed to the vicinity of Stanley Village, where the fiercest fighting had taken place, and bring in the wounded and collect and bury the dead, trying as far as possible to keep accurate records of the casualties.
Note:
Passages in italics are linking narrative provided by the editor. Passages in italics and ((double brackets)) are explanatory notes. Staff-Sergeant Sheridan’s diary of the hostilities can be read in full at:
On this day, or hereabouts, policeman Norman Gunning, his wife Nan, their 6 month baby Richard and others in their party are expelled from their quarters by the Japanese. They seek refuge for the night in the house of an important Government official on the Peak, but they are turned away.
Reveille was called at 6 and after breakfast and the usual orgy of washing and teethbrushing (razors having been already packed away) – we readied to march at about 8. We were still fortunate with the weather and with a pleasant mild morning and easy going over padi spirits rose and it was a very cheerful party which strung out over the padi fields. At Wong Mo Hoi we were soon to have our first view of what J. occupation means to a village; burnt out houses being at a premium in what was, or rather had been, obviously a fairly prosperous market village.
Sister Mosey, ((who had stayed at the Repulse Bay Hotel to attend to two seriously wounded British soldiers)), was afterwards taken to Stanley Prison together with the two wounded by the Japanese on the 27th December.
We still have to solve our water problem; the neighbours have begun to resent our drawing on their wells. There is still no electricity, and we made an oil lamp using peanut oil and candle ends. There is also the garbage menace. It is now over a foot deep in the streets all around us and is continuously being augmented despite our shouted protests. A great pile of it graces our front entrance. The flies are becoming a disturbing nuisance. In addition to their rubbish, our neighbours are discarding everything that would connect them with our fighting forces.
((Date is approximate))
The Shell House Episode
The company which had employed my father in the construction of air raid shelters had carefully selected a good one for the families of their employees. We were evacuated from Kowloon to Victoria Island.
Before that evacuation, I had seen what I thought was a British warplane being shot down by a Zero in a dogfight. This must have impressed me greatly as I had reason to recall that event soon after with considerable effect.
I couldn't write more last night - we were on the go the whole time. Another posse came and said they would soon bring 500 men - I bargained with them and they agreed to leave us half of the accommodation we previously had so we had a busy evening. Then this morning I wasn't sure if they would let us leave with all our stuff but we got away and are now in the Bacteriological Institute. I don't know how long we'll be able to stay here - we have ample water from a good spring - but can get no food.
Stanley Platoon returned to Prison at 10AM & occupied what had been the Day Guard Qtrs. Allowed to our own qts for 20 mins to collect essential gear (Marj pal, what a mess our place was in, everything ransacked & a bomb had been thrown at the bedroom window) (Blackie had been put to sleep Wed)
The Japanese Victory Parade is held. Streets are cleared and Europeans forbidden to look on pain of death, although some risk a glimpse or two.
Dawn brought the signal to move – a welcome signal to most of us who were chilled to the bone & only too willing to do anything for warmth. The wind was miserably cold tho’ & we could not get really warm until the sun came up. By daylight we were in fairly open country – fertile & well-cultivated & after crossing still another river – the countryside here seems to run with rivers – but this time by a bridge – a ½ hour’s walk by groves of sugar cane brought us to our objective the Tanshan(?) Waichow highway.
I had tired of keeping out of sight. So, there being strangely few soldiers about, took myself for a short walk, knee deep in stinking rubbish, and with flies pestering. At the first corner I came suddenly upon the corpse of a well-dressed young Chinese - perhaps a nocturnal prowler come to grief, or perhaps merely a body dumped to save funeral expenses.
Nothing much more today- Septic still wants me to go to the Bank Building - Macleod is apparently up in Septic's house with his family - I decided I would not go. I saw the C.S. at last and had a long talk with him. I then went to see a Col [?Ohada] armed with a letter from the C.S. but he was out - I'm to go back tomorrow at 10. I hope to be able to fix up things otherwise H.K.
Resumed Prison duties & commenced clearing up the debris. The Prison had been bombed & shelled & there was plenty of loose brickwork & concrete around. No water or electric on. Pris’s allowed to smoke. Indians, what are left of them, are very insolent. Tweed Bay cleared. Pos, ex ARP AHS’s, wardresses etc all eat together in ex G pty now.
