70 years ago: Hong Kong's wartime diaries | Gwulo: Old Hong Kong

70 years ago: Hong Kong's wartime diaries

Shows diary entries from seventy-one years ago, using today's date in Hong Kong as the starting point. To see pages from earlier dates (they go back to 1 Dec 1941), choose the date below and click the 'Apply' button.

  • 1 May 1943, R. E. Jones Wartime diary

    Submitted by Admin on Sat, 2013-04-20 20:17
    Book / Document: 
    R. E. Jones Wartime diary
    Date(s) of events described: 
    Sat, 1 May 1943

    Lovely day.

    Cookhouse, beef.

    ((G.))

    5 pkts cigs issued.

    ((G.))

    Walk with Bonnie & Steve.

    Drafting out my 200 word letter.

    ((G.))

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  • 1 May 1943, "Life in a Concentration Camp - The time I'll never forget"

    Submitted by David on Sun, 2013-04-28 21:37
    Book / Document: 
    "Life in a Concentration Camp - The time I'll never forget"
    Date(s) of events described: 
    Sat, 1 May 1943

    ((The original text isn't dated, but suggests the event described happened over an extended period.))

    But I must not conclude without mentioning the service done to the community by a retired sea-captain.

    He managed to obtain some packets of tea that had been sent in by the Red Cross and by collecting twigs from the hillside he was able to boil water to make tea. Every afternoon without fail, at 4 o'clock we would her a stentorian shout "come and get it!", and there would be a rush of people from all over the camp carrying any sort of containers they could find in which to carry the precious tea.

    I think this service was appreciated as much as any: it helped to break into the otherwise monotonous routine of the internees.

    ((Who was the tea-boiling sea-captain?

    I asked Barbara Anslow, but she doesn't recognise the description, writing:

    I didn't know Phyllis Ayrton, but see from Greg Leck's camp list that she was in her fifties in 1945. I have never heard about this distribution of tea by a sea captain, I think it must have been in a different part of the camp than where I lived, as I would surely have been in the queue if I'd known about it!

    Geoffrey Emerson makes a good case:

    My guess is that it's the famous Gingles, former Navy cook not captain.  Somewhere I read he used to shout "Come and get it" and he certainly made people happy with his cooking, so why not his tea?

    ))

  • 01 May 1943, Eric MacNider's wartime diary

    Submitted by Admin on Tue, 2016-05-17 14:04
    Book / Document: 
    Eric MacNider's wartime diary
    Date(s) of events described: 
    Sat, 1 May 1943

    Rice reduced to 8.1oz per day. Flour increse to 4.22 oz. per day

    5 pkts May Blossom

    Issue of 2lbs. sugar

    Classical concert ((see 30 April for details))

    200-word letters allowed.

  • 01 May 1943, Diary of George Gerrard in Stanley Internment Camp Hong Kong

    Submitted by Alison Gerrard on Sun, 2018-12-09 14:02
    Book / Document: 
    Diary of George Gerrard in Stanley Internment Camp Hong Kong
    Date(s) of events described: 
    Sat, 1 May 1943

    Last Saturday evening we were suddenly told that there would be a blackout and we had to make the best arrangement we could which is difficult in hot weather, but even before 10 o'clock the guards came round and made us put out our lights altogether. Then the authorities got nasty with the poor results of the blackout during the next two days until we finally had to put out the lights at sunset, which made conditions rather miserable. However they finally withdrew the ban on Friday and so we are back to normal conditions again.

    One of the rooms had a gramophone and kept us amused and cheered with funny records such as Max Miller etc.

    Last Sunday was Easter Sunday and I went to the 7 o'clock service taken by Sandbeck and at the 10 o'clock service I was a sideman it was a special service taken by five of the ministers. Downie not preaching just now as he has had all his teeth out. ((Possibly James Downie Thomson, though he was a manager at Dairy Farm before the war, not a priest.))

    D.B.B. and I went to the hospital to help H. Smith bring his clothes and bedding up here as he was discharged today. When one goes to hospital you have to take blankets and pillows with you as the hospital is so short, so your mug, spoons and plate, sugar if you have any and any tit bits of your own.

    Last week a coroners inquest was held into the death of a Mrs Evans who died on the operating table due to the lack of oxygen, which the Authorities wont supply to the hospital. Dr H.Talbot has been arrested and put into the prison. It is said that he has received a sentence of 18 months and Grayburn has received 4 years. so Bidweed one of the internees who escaped a year ago and was caught with three others has died in prison. ((That sounds like Kenneth Bidmead, though in fact he survived the war and lived until 2007.))

    On Monday I went to our engineering lecture on Charter Party and it was most interesting. J.F., D.B.B. and I have our usual walk at night and tonight D.B.B. and I went to J.F. for a cup of instant postain and a biscuit and had our usual yarn.

    We have been told that we can write a 200 word letter which will be dated 30th April and it is expected that we will be able to write monthly and by backdating the letter we'll be able to send one for May. This is jolly nice to think about.


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