((Following text not dated:))
Eurasian meeting. Arranged relief rates. To pay for flour in yen.
To town for flour. Flour 50 sen catty. Oil ration depots to open. Reportedly 9.4 taels per head per month at Y1.40 a catty. Eggs 80 cents each. We get 70 cents from neighbours. Little house paper quite a problem. Buying cho chi at 70 cents catty. Lane Crawford selling siege biscuits 70 sen a pound. Sealed tin 28 lb for Y18. These were intended for distribution in anticipated siege.
((More about Yvonne's birthday party on the 6th ...)) The candles all lit, I’m glad to say, but Yvonne failed decidedly in her effort to blow them all out in one blow. Maudie presented her with the key - as her mother by proxy - and thereafter she asked everyone to sign their name on it as she apparently intends to keep it. Of course, we all sang, “She’s twenty one today……” after the key had been presented. Altogether it was a most successful party.
Sugar 5/- per lb. Soap 6/- per bar. Condensed milk £1.0.0. per tin.
No news.
Four people’s estimation of duration of internment: 2yrs, 6 to 12mths, 2mths & one who is certain of repatriation. ((They would remain interned for another three years.))
1lb sugar, ½ bar of washing soap & 3 small boxes of inferior matches cost me the equivalent of 8/6d. today.
Weighed myself again today - a little down, I think, but very little - 130 1/2 lbs. Very bored with everything. No word from Glover yet.
We went swimming - including Mum, her first attempt in Stanley, with a roll-on suspender belt underneath costume. So gorgeous, able to wallow in that lovely warm water. ((no hot water to wash ourselves or clothes in the Blocks)).
Talking about writing to Golly Anslow ((Francis Joseph, son of F.P. Anslow who worked in the hospital office, Golly often came to talk to his Dad as they weren't billeted together. Little did I think then he and I would be married 6 years later.))
Today we again had services in Thode’s room. It being Ziegler’s 20th anniversary, she treated us all to beer.
Shortage of paper (res. To make own Sept. ration cards)
(Rose - “What is truth?”) / Maj. R. Ponting, SA
Swim A.M.
Jap paper full of Axis victories etc.
Mrs 'X' wanting the sink removed from our kitchen; committee being asked about it tonight, we sent in a protest - almost all the block.
Miss Ellis ((Leontine)) - from St. Theresa's - died this morning.
So tired and sunburnt, afternoon off, spent it at the beach. Olive started to have a week's holiday, Norah Witchell taking her place for the time being. ((Post war Norah Married HK policeman Stutchbury. She was murdered in Malaya during the troubles there.))
Our 12th anniversary, but Bobby didn’t feel well all day. The weather is very hot and stuffy. Everybody is all in. I had to stay with Bobby so couldn’t have a treat with the gang.
Death of Miss Leontine Ellis (48)
A.N.S.
((MacNider makes a mistake here - Ms Ellis was with the VADs, not the ANS.))
Solomon Isles in our favour & India has signed a pact with Britain in conjunction with America re her independence after the war?
Miss Ellis, Jew, V.A.D. buried tonight.
Went to talk by Mr Gilmour. (Boss to Mabel for 2 days when she worked at CSO at the beginning of our war.) Grand, very amusing. He was District Officer of various outposts. ((We saw him in early 1972 in a tv documentary about the Far Eastern war; he was still in Singapore, looking blooming.))
The kitchen sink ((see yesterday's diary entry)) will NOT be removed.
The inaugural meeting of the (first) British Community Council takes place.
'Community' has been chosen because it seems less democratic than 'Communal'. There are ten elected representatives, and a number of individuals are appointed by Gimson to serve as administrative officers. In fact, the Committee's role, in theory at least, is to advise him - he's won the 'constitutional conflict' and is the effective governor of the camp, except when the Japanese decide to get involved.
The torpedoed oil tanker in the Carribeaan:
Greg Leck reported from some interviewee that the sea was calm and the fire was out. That contradicts what I recall seeing. Ella confirmed my memory that the ship was still on fire.
I seem to recall the ocean itself on fire, in a circle around it about the radius of the ship's length - floating oil aflame. And I recall large waves that were smoothed out (wind had died somewhat).
We had real excitement today for at 5:00 the ship made a sudden turn and soon we discovered an object in the water which looked like a raft, so we pulled alongside to see. About 6:00 we passed a burning ship, the ruins of which certainly gave one the shivers.
Mr. E. Gilmore “Some experiences of a District Officer".
New Br. Community Council met for first time at 2:15 this afternoon under the Chairmanship of Mr. F.C. Gimson. Unanimous vote of thanks to ??? ((sp?)) B. Communal C. for their accomplishment during their term of office.
Wind backed to NE brought clouds.
No news.
Chinese believe that we shall soon be released.
Am annoyed because the camp voting hours ((for Council)) don't let me vote ((because of my hospital office shift)).
HK News (paper) rather depressing - about Germans pressing through the Caucasus. Rather ominous that we haven't had any news of the usual good sort lately.
Extra potato at dinner.
Mary (Taylor) is in hospital just now, she looks so pale.
In pouring rain from a typhoon, Doug Ferguson and Les Howarth cut through the barbed-wire at Shamshuipo.
Villagers and guerrillas help them into the hands of the British Army Aid Group, who lead them to safety.
Source:
The Hunter News, Souvenir Edition, November 2004