Fighting at Shum Chun. ((Today called Shenzhen)) Jap women & children leaving.
Hitler has visited Stalingrad front & has returned to Berlin for conference re possibility of carrying on Stalingrad attack?
Jap troop movement to & from Fort.
Repatriation request details being worked out.
Received $15 from Mr L. Barton ((Treasury)).
Camp in disgrace for being generally lax, (notably not keeping to the Jap's rules of being in the vicinity of our respective blocks after curfew.)
Glorious tiffin of dumpling, roast meat, and a baked sweet potato.
Finished writing Chapter 7.
Rumours of repatriation not yet substantiated.
Mabel OK.
Lovely recital by Elizabeth and Heath tonight in St Stephens.
BCC went up hill for talk with Yamashita
((John continues describing the show held on 19th September.)) The entertainment itself (or the various numbers) was quite amusing, but the really funny stuff came from outside. After one or two items had been completed, I noticed several people in the audience looking up to a balcony of the Warder’s Club. Following their gaze I saw a Japanese photographer setting up a fairly large camera on a tripod and directing it at the stage. Presently there was a vivid flash as the photo was taken, producing several squeaks and squeals from the various startled members of the audience.
Yamashita held meeting with our Council to point out facts re Camp discipline.
Lots of news of Russia, Lybia & the bombing of Germany.
Petition is going round about wanting to be repatriated. First didn't mean to sign it, but then after talking on the bank with Mr Fantham and Mrs Braithwaite, decided to do so. I do want to go out of here, tho I really feel we should have no say, yet it might help as Fantham says, if Gimson really wants to know what we want to do.
Went for a swim after French lesson.
Zindel (I.R.C.) [cf Zingall earlier..] visited Camp. No news today.
Mabel has to have 5 or 6 teeth out.
We now have a bench at office, room for many on it. ((Up to then, there were only chairs for the 2 stewards and us stenos; with the bench, some of the doctors could have tiffin in the office.))
1,000 tons of comfort kits (for Bri prisoners in HK) on board Kamakura Maru
Last day of September. We have been in this camp for over 8 months now. The paper today announces that the Kamakura Maru, the Japanese ship which returned from Lorenco Marques with Japanese nationals, is due to call at Hong Kong on 2nd October where it will unload about 1,000 tons of parcels and comfits for British prisoners of war. I wonder what that means! Does it mean that all that amount of stuff is for HK or is most of it to be transhipped in smaller vessels to Shanghai? Also, does it mean tons weight or tons displacement?
An absolute uneventful day.
8P.M. curfew re-enforced.
Petition re repatriation going the rounds for signatures.
Well I eventually came in a week ago today and I'm feeling a lot better. I have a small bottle of milk every day and I'm eating extra meat and now sardines. I get an iron tonic and now I've started on Hepetex. I've already paid H$60 to get some Hepetex injections but they haven't come yet. I think I'll soon pull up though I feel a bit tired today.
Cheero Honey B
Heard that the 'Tatakuma Maru' arrived with parcels on board for prisoners of war. I didn't see her come in, but Mabel did.
Mabel is to have 6 teeth out tomorrow, Sammy Shields officiating.
The British want to follow the Americans and 'sail away' from Stanley:
Petition to C. S. started asking him to recommend repatriation.
((C.S. = Camp/Colonial Secretary, Franklin Gimson.))
Kamakura Maru arr. from L.M.
Strong NE monsoon
Typhoon around, great howling gusts all night and day, enormous waves. 2 small ships sheltering in cove.
Mabel had 6 teeth out. Went up to see her, she was just coming round and asked 'Didn't he come with you?' I said 'Who?' She said 'Sid.' (Her boyfriend in Shamshuipo Camp). It made me want to cry. Then she asked 'Where's Mummy?' and later 'Where's Olive?' They wanted to put her back to sleep but she said she'd wait till Mum had been. Seemed quite chirpy later.
At a Council meeting today Franklin Gimson speaks in opposition to a Camp petition calling on the British Government to arrange for repatriation from Hong Kong.
He states that those involved must be prepared to answer a charge of 'disloyalty'. His words cause a sensation in Camp and Gimson is eventually forced to explain himself at length to try to dampen the outrage.
Typhoon weather
Reply to petition (disloyalty) read by Bl. Reps.
Stabbing case at I.Q.