Repatriation rumours seem to have fizzled out. Mum not too good.
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The Japanese give permission for a limited number of postcards to be written to neutral friends in town, but it's a long time before they're delivered.
RAF man Donald Hill is in Shamshuipo POW Camp. Today someone gives him a parcel brought by his Chinese girlfriend Florrie: a large tin of cocoa, milk, butter, soap and biscuits. He goes down to the fence and finds her there; she tells him she was interned in Stanley for two weeks and then released:
Today black out restrictions imposed. Black out restrictions lifted ?-03-1942.
All bodies left around Camp after the fighting are finally buried.
A group of men, women and children living in Bowen Road are finally forced to enter Camp. One of them, Sally Refo, tells their story:
Demolishing ex air-raid shelter No4. Poor tiffin. Lovely sunburny weather. Evening meal not so good. Sir Atholl sold stock bought from Cheng. Many thoughts & visions of good food. When are we to get a decent meal? Gendarmerie apparently leaving, being relieved by civil administration. No news.
Sandbach / Spence.
Kitchen row.
((Note: the first date in the heading of this instalment is precise – Thomas Edgar’s article in The British Baker (September 1946) confirms that the bakers were sent to the French Hospital on February 8, 1942. The closing date is approximate – the Memoir is not in diary form – but it gives a rough idea of the period described.))
Stage 2: Becoming a Civilian
Loathsome food pow-wow in morning ((In quadrangle of Married Quarters)). I was ashamed of being there because it was all so bald and horrible. Angry and hungry people quarrelling about the rations and kitchen staff, and cooking. We had dumplings last night - delicious. Fried fish for the lucky ones, but I wasn't amongst them.
A 'rainy, drizzly Sunday'. 18 American nationals among the Maryknoll sisters are moved by bus to Stanley (a lorry takes their luggage). The American Block is full, so their Chairman ((presumably Bill Hunt)) arranges for them to temporarily occupy two nearby rooms in the British section. They will stay there for about two weeks.
Notification all English signs must disappear from streets by 21st February.
Sir Atholl disposed of the remainder of Cheng’s gear. Much colder today & it emphasises the hunger factor. (Players 10st ($1.20) (Facetowels 75cts) (Cocoa Malt $5) (Klim $15 per tin) Compradores ought to be shot or all their stock confiscated after this Jap trouble is over. Rations worst so far, the whole day’s did not fill a pint mug.
Dearest, it is now 9/2/42. It is very difficult to write these days. We have a certain amount of communal labour to do and that seems to take most of one's energy - then one has only to wait from one meal to the next. I do the cooking for the 3 of us and make tea for the whole flat. We have porridge as an extra for tiffin and then boil up the leftover rice from tiffin and dinner into a pudding for dinner. I never want to eat rice again!
Cheero Darling. I can't write more now. B
Notable for fried fish in a.m., and pasty in evening.
Today the first term of schooling in Camp begins.
The Temporary Committee meeting hears a letter from Dr. Selwyn-Clarke expressing grave concern at the appearance of early signs of malnutrition amongst the internees and recommending a universal medical examination.
The American community meets at 2 p.m. in the Club House Rooms and various reports are read. The Japanese have offered everyone with a bank account in Hong Kong $50 for food, but this is declined.
Not much doing today. No home news. Ex Indian old broken furniture auctioned off at ridiculous high prices. (Cane chairs $1 new going for $5) Cold & damp. Latrine trench.
Food terrible today.
Assistance wanted in hospital - office work, and I'm to start tomorrow, feeding there.
Electric lights on.
Second death in Camp, this time from dysentery: John Oram Sheppard, a freight agent with Canadian Pacific, aged 63. Before being sent to Stanley he and his wife were held at 177, the Peak.
The Temporary Committee hears that arrangements are being made to transfer some aged and infirm internees to St. Paul's Hospital in Causeway Bay. Nine have already been sent.
Death of J.O.M.Shephard (63)