Weather moderated a little.
Much controversy re repatriation request.
Aussies gave beating to Japs in New Guinea.
“K.Maru” to take regulars away?
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Mabel looked so weary and frail this morning.
Olive and I went to receive 'scapula' medals at the Maryknoll chapel. Feast of the Little Flower. ((St Teresa)).
28,000 Japs wiped up in New Guinea & a big Jap convoy sunk off Formosa?
The Kamakura Maru delivers 32,940 Red Cross parcels to Hong Kong.
The ship is carrying people involved in a primarily diplomatic exchange of prisoners. It also bears the ashes of midget submariners who died during a raid on Sydney Harbour on May 31, 1942. After these reach Japan in October and are returned to the families, Radio Tokyo calls their return by the Australians a chivalrous act that greatly impresses Japan.
Source:
http://www.combinedfleet.com/Kamakura_t.htm
Heard that some of our troops had gone away. Saw the fat 'Tatakuma Maru' going out.
This evening Mrs Drown and Heath played. People humming softly to Schubert's 'Ave Maria', 'Today I feel so happy', 'Cheek to Cheek', and roaring out 'We're going to sail away'; then a quick 'I want to be happy' - and 'Rule Britannia', everyone yelling out that Britons never would be slaves.
(Wittenbach) ("Render unto Caesar.....")
Alton
Fine day.
Odds & ends of news arrived but it is not worth repeating.
Pasties at the hospilal, delicious pastry.
Mabel looking so much better.
Had Welfare issue of lav. Paper.
Lovely Elizabeth in evening, after Rosary servce in the open.
I feel a bit better but the blood count is not so good Haemoglobin is up to 58% but the count is down to 2,180,000. Drugs that might be helpful are unobtainable - or in some cases beyond my purse! But I'm feeling better so I don't worry. A ship came in from Lourenco Marques 3 days ago said to have 1000 tons of parcels for prisoners.
Issue of 5 Royal Leaf $3.
2 Jap convoys messed up off Formosa. Japs lost 2 Battleshps 4 cruisers & 11 transports & destroyers in an attack on the Aleutians. Burma bombed. 8,000 Japs mopped up in New Guinea.
C.S. & C of P. informed re my desire to rejoin R.N. if I am repatriated.
Cig. issue (5).
((Jones was a submariner in the Royal Navy before working in the Hong Kong Prisons. "C.S. & C of P" are probably the Colonial Secretary, Gimson, and the Commissioner of Prisons, Willcocks))
No French lesson because Sister Mary has a fever. So I went to see Mabel and tripped in the gutter en route and made a mess of my knee.
No rumours today.
New Kitchen utensils arr. in Camp
U.S. established big airfield in W. Aleutians ready to bomb Japan. Swatow & Amoy turned over to W.C.W.s by Japs. ((Brian Edgar explains: W.C.W.s were supporters of the pro-Japanese Chinese Government led by Wang Ching Wei.))
General meeting.
Rice cut 10%.
The above mentioned petition ((see his previous diary entry on 30 Sep)) has aroused quite a storm in the camp and has evoked quite a sharp reply from the C.S. There are many people who did not sign it and their hinted inference (and I regret, the inference of the C.S. too) is that the petitioners here, “Can’t take it”, and that all we are worrying about is getting out of here with whole skins as fast as we can so that we can reach a safer place and live in comparative comfort again.
This evening I went to see the Salmon family. I don't know why I don't go oftener, I do enjoy them. Mr Salmon said that we will hear within a day or two that we are to be repatriated; that our troops have not gone away – that that rumour emanated from fact that Eurasian and Chinese internees had been released, and Canadians sent from North Point to Shamshuipo.
Mabel is to have extra food from Irish Red Cross.
Estella Teresa Cullen marries William Arthur ('Rex') Reice, a clerk with the HKVDC.
Source:
Greg Leck, Captives of Empire, 2006, 622.
Oda returned from Tokyo, rumours re repatriation circulating in consequence.