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.

  • 16 Oct 1945, Barbara Anslow's diary

    Submitted by Barbara Anslow on Mon, 2012-06-11 15:41
    Book / Document: 
    Barbara Anslow's diary
    Date(s) of events described: 
    Tue, 16 Oct 1945

    Left Suez early and entered Suez Canal.  Mainly desert wastes on Arabian side, and a very good road on British side. Troops swimming in canal & sitting on embankment. They waved and yelled at us 'You're going the wrong way!' 

    Was told the Turks tried to cross the Canal in 1915, only one barge got across - they carried barges on their shoulders, having carried them for miles over the desert.

    Passed remains of ships sunk by Germans in war - mass of rusty twisted metal parked on  the side of the canal.  Tannoy announcer gave details: it's about  40 feet deep where we entered.  The Italians didn't bomb the canal much in this war.

    In 1968 it reverts to the Egyptian Govt. but apparently we are building another canal in this part of the world.  The Pharaohs started on the canal in BC.  It now costs 8/4d per person to come through the canal.

    Arrived Port Said in evening.  Some mail came on board, but none for us. Men were given different forms to fill in, reporting war casualties, details of escapes etc.

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  • 16 Oct 1945, R. E. Jones Wartime diary

    Submitted by Admin on Wed, 2015-10-21 14:42
    Book / Document: 
    R. E. Jones Wartime diary
    Date(s) of events described: 
    Tue, 16 Oct 1945

    Fine.

    Weighed & proceed into Canal 9.15am. Wreck 144th.Kilm. of bombed ship. 97 kil. N. end Bitter Lakes. Kantars 5.15pm. Port Said 8.30pm & fueled.

    1 qt. beer per head 1/2d. Drank mine to G.


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