AJ Savitsky completes a portrait of Ron (Roland) Brooks in civilian clothes:
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Mum frightens me – but there's nothing we can do but pray.
Gardeners opp. S.S. Coll. fired on
Barbed wire put up
More rain.
1 ½ duck eggs issued. Fish & meat bad.
Jap. Fleet re-called from Ind. Ocean.
Landing of Allied Force in France confirmed. Stalin says he can clear up the war in Eur. in 6 weeks.
Local conditions very poor for Chinese. Many bodies found daily due to starvation.
Mum so very much better today, thank God. Got porridge from Welfare for her.
Ind. qrtrs 11oz. flour issue
Bread baked in Camp ovens for Block 2
Dull & showery.
New Guinea (?) evacuated by Japs in which they lost transports & cruisers.
British lines joined in France & Aberville captured. Russians making headway.
Jap Emperors birthday. Hope he gets a few 500lb presents.
Mum better still. She had custard today. We had lovely pastry at tiffin and sweet potato in evening.
The Japanese finally grant permission for a small number of internees to go to the French Hospital (aka St. Paul's) in Causeway Bay for X-rays. They go in the Red Cross truck and are only allowed to stay a few days.
Cookhouse all day.
Germans throwing down their arms on the Russian Front?
Wedding E.J.Kennard - Dorothy Deakin
To Mr. & Mrs. S.J.G. Burt, a son.
Issue of 1lb. flour
Nielson resigned as Chairman of Blocks 2 to 5.
((The following text is not dated:))
About May 1942, the Japanese forced all fit men in the camp to form up into working parties, which were sent to Kai Tak aerodrome to lengthen the runways, so that their fighter planes could take off and land, and also to clear the New Territories roads, which we had blocked by demolition, before evacuating the mainland. For this work, we received the sum of 5 sen a day, which is about ½d, but there was little we could buy although, in June, a few cigarettes were brought in for sale in the camp.
Mum better, she had Bengers Food and milk and soup. Eric Kennard and Dorothy Deakin married. Baby Jean Addis Martin's 1st birthday.
Finer.
America promised something good for Independence Day. What?
1lb flour issued.
Mum still improving. To Dance in evening with Tony and Olive.
Dance S.S.Coll. Hall
Sir Elly Kadoorie, Mr. & Mrs. L. Kadoorie, Mr. W. Hunt left.
(Molestation & assaults on internees by Ind. guards) (see page 35)
At 10.30 a.m. William Hunt says goodbye to his fellow internees. The 'genial and efficient' Council chairman is due to leave for Shanghai with the Kadourie Family at 4.30 p.m.
Source:
Maryknoll Diary, May 2
Note:
King Victor Emanuel taken over Govt of Italy. More allied troops landed in Belgium.
Fine day.
Dance at St Stephens.
Jap casualties arriving by launch.