70 years ago: Hong Kong's wartime diaries

In addition they were able to take in what money they had – they were still able to draw on their banking accounts – and could make arrangements for the monthly dispatch of parcels to camp through third nationals. They were allowed only one parcel per month, but this could contain goods up to 20 lbs in weight! Of course, the Shanghai region is a big food producing district and food, especially fresh foods like fruit and eggs, were still fairly plentiful. They, like us, received 2 pounds sterling per month from the Home Government through the IRC and this amounted to about $640 Shanghai currency. In HK, we get about Y25 of our Y32 or Y34, Zindel keeping the balance with which to purchase camp necessities such as medical supplies, soya beans etc.  In the Shanghai camp each person hands over $300 per month to the catering committee and in return they all have breakfast each day, a cereal of some kind and an egg! Eggs cost 15 sen each as against our Y1.50,  only 1/10th of what we now pay. They have a canteen, like us, at which they can spend the balance of their monthly allowances. Their daily rations appear to be about the same as ours: they used to get the anti beri-beri red rice which we have asked for continually. Incidentally a quota of this rice has just been received in camp here.

When the Shanghai internees entered camp they had Chinese coolies to carry out the manual labour for them. The cooking was done for them by the Chinese cooks for a couple of months until they had learned the art of cooking this Chinese food in large quantities. They can send all their laundry out of camp and all shoe repairs go outside too though, of course, they have to pay for these services. Their fuel is coal in liberal supplies, so they have no wood chopping. This means a good supply of hot water.They can have as much boiling water as they want, providing they bring to the boilers their receptacles full of cold water to exchange for the hot – evidently there is no adjacent tap. Everyone can have one hot shower per day! And workers have an extra shower after their labours.

Living accommodation is about as crowded as ours here, though they have two big dining rooms in which all meals are eaten. The entrance hall of the school which they occupy has, in addition, been converted into a lounge. The Japanese officer in charge was attached to the Japanese Embassy in London before the war and is well acquainted with the European customs and habits and looks after the internees well. He himself was interned, with the rest of the Japanese Embassy, while waiting repatriation, in the Ritz Hotel in London! So he has something to try and live up to.

Well, it’s a good thing to know our Shanghai friends are so comparatively well off. Harold and Elsie now wish they had made up their minds and gone when they had the chance.

Last Monday we had quite a cheering circular. The chief item of news was about repatriation. It stated that Maejima had seen the C.S. and informed him, with regard to repatriation that, “Further details will be shortly available”. He added that,“The list of people to be repatriated will vary from the original list”.

This has set the whole camp buzzing with rumours and speculation. It really is extraordinary how the news was received by different people. For those like Y and me, who hitherto expected to be separated, it was most exciting, for now there is the first possibility that we both may go! For those like Maudie, who have nothing to make them want to remain and who were certainly going in the first scheme, the news came as rather a nasty shock, as for them there is now the possibility of some of them having to remain behind.

The rumours are legion: men of military age and technicians and women who will be useful for the British war effort are being exchanged for similar Japanese internees; all the police and mercantile men are going, plus women with children; all Government Servants are going because the Government is having to pay their salaries in any case! But most people seem to think that a large proportion of men are going. I wonder if architects would be classed as technicians? Well, I wonder when they will let us know.

The other items on the bulletin were: Zindle had procured another five days supply of soya beans, thus ensuring our daily quota to the end of this month; we were each to receive ¼ lb lard (that arrived today) – ¼ lb peanuts (these will not be issued until the beans are finished); the Japanese have made a free issue of soap (about the first on record!) and we have each received a 4” or 5” bar of washing soap. So that (for us at any rate) was a cheering bulletin.