Former Colonial Secretary Franklin Gimson and his Government team arrive in Stanley; Gimson declares himself the representative of the King and the London government, and calls on the internees to accept his authority.
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C.S.O. Staff moved into Stanley.
96,000 Germans caught at Smolensk.
Women & kids evac’d from Ceylon.
USA & Aust. to send us food.
C.S. ((probably 'Colonial Secretariat'?)) & G.P.O. staff arrived in Camp.
Rice 8ozs. Meat 1.4oz. fish .68oz veg. bread 36 per loaf 1.33oz. 658 adults & 30 infants (13.4ozs)
Talk that Sir Antony Eden had mentioned conditions here, and said we would have to put up with it but food would be sent.
Didn't sleep well because of Mrs. G's candle.
Mum and I went to Confession.
Fine day, no news.
Campitis re flour & Sallis’ enquiry as to where it came from. ((Probably A W D Sallis))
Ankles swollen.
Mum and I to Confession yesterday, and to Holy Communion this morning.
Wittenbach / Pastor Binks.
Rained. Stalin to eliminate Germany by early Winter. USA ready to attack Japan. Chiang Kai Shek prepared for counter-offensive if provided with pilots & planes?
(Two years ago tonight sweetheart you threw the clock at me for being late. I wish you were here to do it again pal. I’d catch it this time though)
Another 12 arrived. Sanitary & Health people.
Note:
Staff-Sergeant Sheridan provides the only detailed description I know of conditions for those living at the French Hospital – for a fuller account see http://brianedgar.wordpress.com/2012/09/29/early-days-in-the-french-hospital-the-evidence-of-staff-sergeant-patrick-sheridan/
New rumour is that we are bound for Shanghai.
Nice meat roll today.
Colder.
Bowls on P.O.C.green.
Mtg. for men only – work ((sp?))
1 ton of soap to be rationed out.
Rumour brought in by S & H ((sanitary & health)) people re being sent to Shanghai.
Then on the 16 March 1942 Miss Cholmeley ((sic.)) who was lying in the camp quarters asked me whether I was still thinking of making a break. I told her I would if there was a chance. She then introduced me to Epstein and Van Ess.
After having a chat, I was informed that they were preparing for a get-away and that they had found a small boat near the beach and had made an oar from one of the doors, and that they already had made a rudder and paddle, so were more or less ready.
I'm now at stage where I could eat more rice than I get.
Concert tonight, Irish history, grand: Eileen Grant is very clever. Mum and Olive are staying on to dance.
St. Patrick's Day, and it's a day of some importance in Camp history. There's a 'well-organised' concert in the evening. Father Charles Murphy seems to have been the man mainly responsible for the whole event, and he also directs Father Madison in a skit on Irish history. It's the start of what is to be an important programme of amateur dramatics.
Concert at S.S. ((St. Stephens)) Hall (St. Patrick’s Day)
Bowls matches reminded me of old times. No beer to call for now though.
Finished in kitchen 6.30PM.
Concert in St Stephen’s Hall.
On the 17th we still talked our plans over and thought it better to hang on for a bit for a better wind.
Dorothy Deakin says meals at Bowen Road Hosp. are porridge, plenty of tea, meat and bread and jam. I had lovely meat roll today.
Mum and I had a grand walk. Saw poor body on rocks. ((It had been there a long time - believed to be a soldier, no one could get to it because there was barbed wire round all the beaches)).
Gave Miss Hill ((a young nursing sister)) her first shorthand lesson.