Reed gave himself up near Bungalow C and was beaten up again. Dick Cloake said people were being taken up hill from St Stephens (his billet) all night long.
Mabel weighs only 105 lbs.
C.A. Meeting, then to work.
To St Stephens in evening to repeat my talk on 'Films' – rather sceptically since it was originally written for younger people.
Guard about Camp all night in connection with Reid.
Humid, cloudy, showery.
Made door etc. for Hosp.Cookhse fire. Ring & small urn for V.
Reid found & retained re stolen sugar.
Lorry with veg 7pm.
New Moon.
G not so good ∴
Workers sugar.
Black market trouble.
Swotted German.
Bridge in evening against Burnett and Sully and lost 25. ((Connie Sully was about my age, so I think she was the bridge player rather than her mother who was also in Stanley.))
B.M. Taikoo cube sugar ￥ 600 lb
Sheila (Haynes) 30th birthday, we had supper party outside in evening.
Repatriation rumours again!
Went to first lecture on Pope's Five Point Peace Plan on 'order' – the first point. About 40 there.
“42% cut in sugar owing to thefts from godown”
Outdoor a.m. roll-call (if coats worn must button)
Issue of 3 ½ packets cigs. ￥5.60
Hot, showery. SW wind.
Odd jobs.
Outside roll-call. No incidents.
A/r alarm 11.45-1.30pm.
Another vase ex ½ “ cartridge to G.
3 ½ pkts. cigs issued Y5-60. Black-market price Y36 per pkt £2-2-0 ∴
Trouble re Reid apparently over. He is a bad lot altogether it seems, a future gaolbird.
R.C. beans & bran arrived.
Confession.
Worked in am, then swimming, glorious.
Rumour that we're going to Manila, and that a ship is waiting in Manila with food to rush to Hong kong on the fall of Hong Kong.
Went to see Annie, the Van Der Lelys lavished potato leaves on every one there. ((Anything extra to eat was welcomed.)) Abie Hardoon there too.
Classical Mozart concert (Goodban)
Club
Much plane activity through the night.
Showery, little cooler. SW wind.
Odd jobs.
10ct ring for my own souveneer. [Sic]
Sunbath aft.
Mended mug for Steve.
(We are to be exchanged with Japs in US middle of next month via Macau)
To Mozart with V & G. ∴
Meat arrived.
Worked in a.m. Had to stay there until 1.15pm because of air raid alarm from 11 until then, but no bombs. Meat.
There was a big Stemozzle on Monday 9th which incidentally was the anniversary of my first landing in Hong Kong 31 years ago. Edward Reed in our block was arrested by the guards over stealing sugar from the godowns where the Japs keep their stocks of rice etc. This sugar was being sold on the Black Market, I bought some myself (1/2lb) from Toder who was selling or acting as agent for T. Edwards who was ditto for Reed.
Short/Martin
(Meat)
Cut two pumpkins. A little green though look ripe and vines dried. More coming on. Also had couple foo kwar first time in three years. Flies usually ruin them. White rabbit surprisingly gives birth to incestuous four. Kids all excited.
Fine, hot.
Trifle emotional 10am no more gdnts. Took me ½ hr to wash overall with fragments of soap.
(Russia to take over F.E. Red Cross)
Gute Nachte mit G sind zu Ende, zeit weilig?[Goodnight/s with G are ending, time??]
((Additional notes from Jill Fell: 'Zeitweilig' means 'for the time being' so RE Jones is saying "Goodnights with G are finished - for the time being?" (He hopes!) ))
Pacifist meeting in evening - only Audrey, Charles, Father and myself.
Rumours in abundance:-