However, we have just had two Regiments of Canadians arrive to help out in the defence of the Crown Colony. ((The Canadians came on November 16.)) Two Canadian Army Service Corps Sgts. are attached to the Supply Depot. I show them round the Bakery. ((The RASC Supply Depot and Bakery were on Queen’s Rd., the latter opposite the Naval Dockyard entrance.)) They are surprised to see 33 Chinese bakers working so hard.
A few drinks in the Club for a change
On December 7th 1941 both Mr. Kalazhny, my sub-manager, and Mr. B. Gellman, Night Reception Clark, were mobilized for duty in the fighting forces.
This morning when I went to the office, I found that the situation had worsened. I don’t really believe that anyone thinks that it will come to anything. We have had so many flaps and lived in a state of tension for so long that we have become blasé. We live only for the day when the rather annoying precautions that interfere with our private amusements are once more considered unnecessary. This is more serious than most. The Hong Kong Regiment have been ordered to get their ammunition onto their mainland positions.
On Sunday morning I had to go over to Kowloon railway station to move all the heavy camp equipment, which had come in by rail from Fanling, out of the railway trucks onto lorries and take it to the store; the lorries were loaded and just about to move off when I received an urgent phone message from the Adjutant to the effect that I was to put the stores back in the railway trucks and return to Hongkong with my lorries immediately.
On the 7th December 1941, a move was made which really did point to the shape of things to come. All troops and service personnel were ordered (through messages flashed on cinema screens, broadcasts, announcements in restaurants, etc.) to return to their units. The Hong Kong Volunteer Regiment composed mainly of local civilians, who had given their own time for part-time training, were mobilised.
HKVDC have been mobilised since this morning. ((Mabel and Sid were having lunch at Dairy Farm in town when some one called for silence and said that Army & Navy personnel should return to their barracks immediately.))
Lots of people think there will not be things happening here (HK) at first.
Mum, Olive and I played tennis with Mr Bendall in afternoon, then to his house for dinner.
Methodist minister Joseph Sandbach is conducting a service in the middle of the defence line in the New Territories. He notices the continual activity of runners carrying messages and realises something's about to happen.
The new Colonial Secretary, Franklin Gimson, arrives. He finds a Colony preparing to be attacked.
A State of Emergency is announced. Troops are ordered into position, and the Volunteers are called up.
((Note: Staff-Sergeant Sheridan's task if war breaks out will be to evacuate the Queen's Rd. Bakery and set up a Field Bakery on the Deepwater Bay Golf Course - hence his interest!))
[...] other members of the foreign staff were called up for A.R.P. duties on December 8th, and Mr. Leung Fat, the Chinese Number One, was mobilised as a Police Reservist. This left me very much understaffed, but I fortunately received the assistance and co-operation of the guests living in the Hotel, who were all most anxious to help in any way possible. I would particularly mention in that connection the invaluable assistance of Mr. J.H. Marsman, Mr. G.C. Dankworth and Mr. R.
((There appear to be 10 pages missing from the original document.))
…..Emotions varied from a certain not unpleasant excitement to a sober realisation that HK was now being invested ((invaded?)) and, looking back now, I personally, am thankful that I did not then realise how futile were our expectations of weeks and months of warfare.
| ((Original text)) | ((Jill Fell's translation)) |
|
La nouvelle se répand le matin que « c ‘est la guerre » c’est-à-dire que le Japon aurait déclaré la guerre à l’Angleterre. Mais le journal d’hier soir était plutôt rassurant. Aussi, j’ai peine à y croire. |
At 5:30am on Monday, the 8th December, my husband, who was the Hong Kong Airport Manager at that time, was 'phoned informing him that war with Japan was imminent, and that he was to go to the airport at once.
The enemy attacked at dawn. I was awakened by the sharp ringing of the telephone, and on answering heard the familiar voice of the duty officer, telling me to report to base at earliest opportunity.
About 6:00am on Monday 8th I was woken up, called to the telephone and told that war was imminent with Japan. By the time I got to H.Q. we were at war. About 8:00am the first Japanese bombers came over. They did a lot of damage at the Aerodrome, destroying 7 C.N.A.C. planes, The Clipper, most of the RAF planes and the two Walruses. They were unopposed. The volunteer A.A. platoon had drawn no ammunition, I suppose because the day before was a Sunday. The gunboat supposed to be in the seaplane anchorage was being used for something else.
In December 1938 I arrived in Hong Kong to join the floating staff of the China Navigation Co as Second Engineer Officer and was employed on the general China Coast trade going to Tientsin in the North and as far as Bangkok in the South. On the Northern runs we were frequently harassed by the Japanese Army and Navy for it must be remembered that there was a state of war between China and Japan since 1937.
Darling,
What a day I’ve had- my back’s broken! And my feet ache but I have got things going.
At 2.15 a.m. on the 8th December (Hong Kong time) a message was received that war was imminent. Battle plans were at once put into operation, troops deployed, while Government Emergency Laws called up civilians for air raid precautions and other essential work. Hong Kong was now on a definite wartime footing. At 3.1 5 a.m. on the 8th December 1941 the message came through: "WE ARE AT WAR WITH JAPAN".
