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.
  • 15 May 1943, Harry Ching's wartime diary

    Book / Document: 
    Date(s) of events described: 
    Sat, 15 May 1943

    ((Following text not dated:))

    Later Preston Wong in, and K.C.Yeo((ie They were taken in for questioning by the Japanese.))

    Everyone scared. Wai Po Cheung arrested. Learn Arthur Woo held at French Hospital, with Dorothy Lee, Helen Ho and Connie Lum. Pat Brown questioned. Early in month Luigi Souza called, jittery, and days later arrested. Pasco and Deodorant also in. Arrests make me nervous again.

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

    Book / Document: 
    Date(s) of events described: 
    Sat, 15 May 1943

    Fine, hot.

    Took Bonnie to beach am.

    ((G))

    To concert with Steve pm.

  • 15 May 1943, Eric MacNider's wartime diary

    Date(s) of events described: 
    Sat, 15 May 1943

    "HK Hotel" concert ((see 13th for details))

    5 pkts. May Blossom, 75 sen

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

    Date(s) of events described: 
    Sat, 15 May 1943

    After several more days of blackouts they have again been called off for which we are thankful, it would appear that Canton has been bombed two nights in succession and so the Japs are jittery.

    On Monday I received 10 Yen from Lam Cho Chaw, so also did J.F. and J. Watson. This is a good sign and shows that Lam is not 'feart'. I have the feeling somehow that is working for Hoo Cheong Wo in his place. We had a canteen tab this week and so I was able to get some things such as sugar, shoe laces, bean curd etc. and so long as we have enough money to buy eggs and bananas this helps to supplement our chow.

    Well the great news of the great victory in North Africa is very fine and with the knowledge that Winston C. is over in Washington with a retinue of experts gives us an idea that things will moving soon on all fronts. Time is passing on and we are all getting very tired of this life of restriction. We try to do the best we can but it all gets very boring.

    We have started a bowls team composed of Q.M.S. staff (that is W.J.Anderson) and the rations parties and Andy suggested the name of 'Trojans' and this we are known by. We lost our first game last Tuesday against the Police Green, most of our team are purely novices, my side being A.Wyllie, C. Rowcliffe, H.T. Smith and myself as skip, we lost 16-12 we got one point.

    The lectures go on on Mondays and Fridays, other talks were on Radio and Mining.

    D.B.B. and J.F. and I go our usual walk round the camp on Sundays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays. On Friday J.F. usually has a meeting and then on Saturdays D.B.B. and I go to J.Fs' for our cup and yarn.

    My thoughts are always so much of you dear and I try to visualise how things are going with you, how you are keeping and I always trust that you are fit and well, how you are off financially, are you still at 1050 Chiles Street, did you get the money I sent you over HI, Line Services sent you both word and money and so on.

    I do wish that repatriation would come along soon so that within the next few months or even the end of the year we could be reunited again. Here's hoping. At church at 10am for a little while and again at 4pm.

  • 15 May 1943, W J Carrie's wartime diary

    Book / Document: 
    Date(s) of events described: 
    Sat, 15 May 1943

    I missed last Sunday - we had a P.S.A. meeting in the afternoon and then a sudden renewal of the blackout so I slipped up.  I've no news however.  I had a frightful fit of the blues for two days but I'm getting over it.  But what can one do? - poor chow and no money to supplement  it with.  I've borrowed HK$100 from Fisher - a HK$100 note he had.  He's not prepared to cash it when you only get 25 Yen for it.  I had another one last year in June - I've given him my cheque for £12.10/- for the two.  He does well out of it - gets the full prewar value of his dollars and I get a quarter only back!

    Blood count again today - O.K.  H.G. 77% good but count is only 3,800,000 - but that's all right.

    It has hotted up now and we have blazing days but the nights are still fairly cool.  

    Cheero Darling      B.

  • 15 May 1943, John Charter's wartime journal

    Date(s) of events described: 
    Sat, 15 May 1943

    The ‘HK News’ the other day complained that the British Government had declared the HK dollar valueless. This was instanced as another way in which Britain abandoned to their fate it’s former allies and subjects. Actually, I wonder why the British Government took so long to call in the HK Dollar and declare it valueless. I believe it had a wide circulation throughout the East and perhaps its early recall would have upset credit in other British centres.

    There is still no sign of any further allowances. Last night, alas, we finished our last spoonful of IRC cocoa, so we shall now have to content ourselves with milkless tea or cold water for supper. Still, it was very nice to have it during the cold months of winter and we made it last quite well (considering we had thought we should be out of here by the end of March!)

    I hear again that all arrangements for repatriation are complete; that we are to go on neutral ships with a Japanese and British representative on board each ship: and that the Australians are to be the first to go, the date being the middle of next month. I wonder!

    The paper today is interesting. It admits the cessation of fighting in the North African campaign, claiming that the German and Italian troops had gained their objective, namely to tie up large American and British forces while the fortifications in Germany and Italy were completed. The paper now proudly boasts that (to use their words) “…the entire Europe is now one solid mass of fortifications”. Such a statement is really laughable for it is testament to an admission that Germany and it’s allies are feverishly preparing themselves to fight a defensive war – and that is a thing that Germany cannot afford to do.

    The paper also announces that fierce fighting has again broken out in New Guinea between American and Japanese troops; that a strong American force has landed in Ottu (or Cisea) Island in the Aleution group; that Canton was bombed on May 8th (we heard, unofficially, by 100 planes and that much damage and many casualties were sustained by the Japanese military establishments and personnel). Also that Admiral Halsey and General MacArthur, Chiefs of the S. Pacific Land and Sea forces had met in Australia to confer on the condition of affairs in the Pacific. All this seems to be indicative of the outbreak or the pending outbreak of fresh offensives out here.

    Recently two black-outs were ordered here and I presume, in town too. The first was on April 24th and lasted 4 nights, and the second was on Saturday May 8th and lasted another 4 nights. During the days of the first black-out there were considerable shipping movements: a large ship carrying navigation lights came in past the Lammas at about 10 p.m.  We presumed that as it was carrying lights it must be a hospital ship. Quite a number of hospital ships come in and out of here; why, I do not know, for there is no fighting going on in this neighborhood as far as we know. Another day a convoy of 6 tramps went out (going south) escorted by a destroyer.

    The second black-out I imagine was because of the bombing of Canton. The Japanese are very much stricter about the black-out now and we must not show the least chink of light: so we have to hang heavy blankets over the windows, as well as shading the light, and this makes the room terribly hot and stuffy. Many people prefer to have the windows open and sit in the dark. It will be impossible to black-out the windows in the really hot weather.

    Recently there have been two tragic deaths in camp. The first, which occurred in the second week of April, was that of the Puisne Judge, Justice P.E.F. Cressal. He died of paralysis which started in his leg one day when he was leaning over the balcony to hang up a shirt he had washed. He was taken to the hospital where it attacked his spine. He was critically ill for a week or so but the medical people thought he would pull through. However, one night the paralysis spread up his neck to his head and it killed him. I heard first that the paralysis was due to some virus and then that it was due to alcoholic poisoning. This second cause was refuted later, though Cressal was a heavy drinker. However, I don’t know how he could have got hold of so much alcohol in this camp, though I know some of the inferior local stuff does come in by devious ways. Poor Cressal, he was intensely unhappy here because he felt he was very unpopular and was ignored by most people. He certainly hated Hong Kong and to end his life in this way in this miserable camp was very tragic.  I must say I was no admirer of his and avoided him as much as did anyone else, but I must say I wish his life had ended more happily. How sad for his wife and family too. They never reached Hong Kong.

    The other death was even more tragic. It occurred a week or two later and the victim was Mrs Teddy Evans.

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