Lovely rissole today, and 1 extra slice of bread. Colder. I broke Mrs. K's teapot. ((We called Mrs. Kopecsky Mrs. K)).
Two months since capitulation.
Today a new kitchen staff has taken over, and mum is helping to cut up the vegetables, it means getting up at 7am. We are just about on speaking terms with Mrs G who has temporarily stopped being so difficult since she was sick in night and Mum looked after her.
The camp's cooks are changed.
An extra half slice of bread per person is delivered.
St Albert's Convent Hospital, which had continued to operate, is abandoned. Bowen Road Military Hospital is still treating POWs and on February 27 four Medical officers, twenty RAMC orderlies and thirty nurses will be sent to St Teresa's to set up an 80 bed POW hospital in Kowloon.
Sources:
Cooks, bread: Constance Murray Diary, p. 2 (Weston House, Oxford)
Should have been on Storehouse Party but mob rule took charge so we were unlucky.
I have fed so well. Today's meals ((at hospital)): 2 slices of bread and jam (one with butter) in morning An extra slice saved. Tiffin - rice, soya beans, cabbage, small piece of fatty mutton and lump of fat. Evening - mutton stew, with an enormous bone with meat on (whch saved for Mum), slice of cold bully beef and a spoonful of tinned vegetable salad, and piece of tomato, and 2 slices of bread, one buttered.
Whole family out riding tram along Praya to Kennedy Town. Along western waterfront some godowns intact. Further west many warehouses destroyed in the shelling and bombing. Distressing sight bodies of soldiers drifting near Praya. Counted five close in, of which two clearly Japanese and three startlingly white in contrast. Had been moving out and back with tide for two months, and no one's business to collect and give burial.
Started work in kitchen. (This is in the Garage where we first dumped our belongings on our arrival here pal)
1 extra bread, and PORRIDGE in afternoon and evening, and stewed fruit and suspicion of custard after tiffin. Think I'm putting on weight (having lost about 10 lbs since Christmas).
Cookhouse all day. Russians interned? (Fridge, cooker & boiler taken out of our flat & used elsewhere pal)
Had quarter of a typhoid injection.
Good porridge! Minced meat today.
Cold again.
The British Communal Council, the Camp's new governing body, meets for the first time.
John Pennefather- Evans suggests prayers be offered for Divine guidance, and the Reverend Sandbach obliges.
Ration of margarine and treacle.
((Following text not dated:))
Promise of resumption of electricity service. Minimum four light points, for which deposit five yen required. We have twenty points, so much tearing out of sockets necessary. Finally apply late in February for eight lighting points only. $20 to have rest of twenty points put out of commission.
Syrup issue.
USA bombs Tokyo & Nakasaki & we have the upper hand in Java? All stores being taken from the Colony? Such are the rumours of the day.
Spotted dick but other food not so good. Mum had bread ration instead of rice, she isn't too well.
Gates
New block system of queueing
Indoors 3 – 6p.m. Visit of Jap official to Stanley.
((The following text is undated:))
Today we have been confined to our quarters from 1 p.m. till 6 p.m., because the new Japanese Governor of Hong Kong came to visit the fort at Stanley and all internees had to be off the roads during the visit.
Last Tuesday evening I was making a jug of cocoa for our supper (on the electric stove downstairs) when someone came running along the back yard shouting,
“Put out all the lights, there’s a drunken Japanese soldier coming.”
Dearest - another month! I see it's over a week since I have written. My parcel has never turned up and I think it 's been pinched - I'm trying to find out. I have no news Honeybun - it's just H - all the time - waiting wishing the time to pass - wishing one's life away!
All my love always - Someday we'll make up for all this.
Billie
A memorable kai yim ((curfew)) lasted all afternoon. Nobody allowed to move; tram passengers sat for hours.
Jap. Gov. came out to the Prison & no-one was allowed around.
News for us apparently very good all round.