13 planes flew over camp (N.W. Direction)
AA fire reported observed
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The Asama was far out in the Indian Ocean, a day’s voyage ahead of us, before the Gripsholm sailed on July 29 for Rio de Janeiro, almost two weeks away across the South Atlantic Ocean. The harbor and Delagoa Bay were still crowded with freighters and tankers of the United Nations, some newly arrived, and others which had been waiting for a week for us to get out of the way.
Part-typhoon, white billows and great foam and spray breaking against the rocks beside the hospital and the little island beyond.
Dr Selwyn-Clarke came in, said No.9 signal is up.
Miss Hill has stopped shorthand lessons for a while.
Swim in morning. I wore Welfare shorts (khaki, unisex, and hanky front.)
The Ogden Standard Examiner, the Nashua Telegraph and a number of other American papers carry a syndicated report from Vaughn Meisling, a former internee now on his way back to the USA. Filed from Lourenco Marques, the article describes Hong Kng as a 'ghost town' stalked by the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse:
Some million Chinese have been starved to such a point that the whole town has a wraith-like appearance... famine, pestilence and destruction of physical and moral values stalk the former British crown colony.
A grand day, sunny and cold. The meals are fine and it’s fun to have a nice cabin. I have been resting and reading a lot. The children are getting acquainted with the ship, too, by this time.
I had the pleasure of buying a dress in the shop today. The children are having plenty candy, their friends give them money.
Typhoon weather (No. 9 signal reported up)
Doughnuts delivered to rooms for tea
After being in port for 5 days, the Gripsholm, a ship about 700 ft long with a beam of about 75 feet, got under way with its 1200 passengers and crew of about 400.
Six months ago today I came into this "dump" With Glover away we have rearranged the room and fixed up a sort of table so I am going to try and write a resume' of the first six months - I'll set to sometime soon and I'll try to add a bit every week or so Cheero Darling B.B.
The boys enjoyed making use of the elevator to its seven decks and the pool on the lowest level, which actually they were not to do but boys have a way of not noticing signs and getting away with it.
It took us several days until we were able to find our way around the ship without too much difficulty. Our cabin was toward the bow of the ship which at times gave us a bit of rough sailing.
Olive's 26th birthday. She made a currant bread loaf, and had 'party'' in Joan Walkden's corridor. Ginger (H.Angus, Govt. clerk), also Bill Kerr. Also there Lorraine Money, of 'Courtlands' Kennedy Road, Bicky (B.I. Bickford) and Nielson.
Bill Kerr told how he had milked the cows at Pokfulam during the war, and pinched piglets!
Death of Christine Miriam Ross, aged 58.
She'd been interned in the Kowloon Hotel and in Stanley lived in the Married Quarters.
Sources:
Geoffrey Emerson, Hong Kong Internment, 1973, 271.
Death of Christine M. Ross, widow of S.B.C. Ross, former P.M.G., HK.
We have just returned from visiting Marjorie in hospital. She is much better and hopes to be out tomorrow. In the meantime Elsie has retired to bed with an ache in her throat and buzzing in her ears. But Billy Hackett who has just been to see her thinks it is nothing serious.
Med. exam today in connection with Welfare Committee. All OK. B.P. 124-86.
(People who left for Shanghai (26th) supposed to be still here due to lack of shipping. The vessel intended for their transport used to evacuate Japs from Canton. All Japs in out-lying districts called into HK & Kowloon. Kowloon bombed today (dock-area) Some Indians employed locally sent away somewhere else. Burmese turn against Japanese. Rommell pushed back. American troops take over Iraq from British)
Row with Olive about buns. I threw one at her. ((At this time there was still a flour ration, and we each had a bread bun every day. Of course they weren't exactly of uniform size, so we used to take it in turns having first choice from our room's supply. On this day, I thought it was my turn to choose, so took the best one; but Olive insisted it was HER turn, so we had a fierce argument, then I threw my bun at her - it hit her on the face... I felt so ashamed afterwards, and we all wept.))
After a good breakfast, I did the family wash, also ironed what I had to do, then went up on deck into the sunshine. The weather was perfect. The meals are very good and surely I’ll gain back some weight. Leonard has been going for a swim every day.