70 years ago: Hong Kong's wartime diaries

Uninterned French escaper Raoul de Sercey will give a long interview to the British Army Aid Group in the spring of 1944. The BAAG summary of his account of Stanley includes the following:

Parcels

Latest regulations dated 13 Jan 44 allow one parcel per head weekly. ((See comment from Barbara Anslow below.)) This is limited to 5 lbs weight. Clothing can be sent. The Red Cross can send in bulk, and does so regularly in accordance with requests made by the internee supply committee headed by Mr NEWBIGGIN.

De Sercey also comments on the general state of health of the camp:

Source stated that the general health conditions were satisfactory until the beginning of 1944. Then the bread ration was cancelled. Source said that as the general health ofthe camp had improved with the issue of bread in 42, he presumes it will lower from now onwards. Red Cross reported an increasing number of T. B. cases, and several cases of blindness.

Technically it was a flour ration that began in April/May 1942 and ended in early 1944, but de Sercey may well be right to stress the importance of wheat bread. The bakers continued to bake after the ration ended, but now using rice.

Sources:

De Sercey: Ride Papers, KWIZ 51/1, sheet 5 (kindly sent me by Elizabeth Ride).

Note:

Gaston Marie Raoul de Sercey, the younger brother of a count, remained free in Hong Kong because the French were counted as neutrals. From the start he took great risks to send parcels to colleauges and friends, and he was one of the courageous people who continued to organise relief after the arrest of Dr Selwyn-Clarke and members of his network on May 2, 1943. More information:

http://brianedgar.wordpress.com/2012/08/27/the-free-french-in-hong-kong-2-raoul-de-sercey/