70 years ago: Hong Kong's wartime diaries

Perhaps it is a good thing that a few of the parcels were pilfered, for it certainly expedited their delivery. I see, in yesterday’s paper that the Jap Govt of HK has initiated a system of harbour guards and patrols for the purpose of stopping the thefts which are taking place in the harbour.

The launch, which towed the lighter here, arrived at about 6 p.m. on Wednesday and the labour parties in camp, which had been instructed to stand by, went into action. There were 70 men at the pier unloading the lighter and loading the lorries, and about 50 unloading and stacking the goods in the godown. To begin with, there were over 1700 sacks of rice each weighing 100 kilos or 220 lbs, making a total of about 150 tons. Then there were drums of oil and (pleasant surprise) some cases of tea. These were Japanese rations and it is a comforting thought to think that the stuff is safely there in the godown. We don’t know that it is all for us, but we hope and presume it is. I don’t know the exact amount of rice this camp consumes each day, it must be nearly 1 ton; in which case we have 4 or 5 months supply in the godown. This is a much bigger reserve than they have ever kept before in camp; previously they have sent in dry rations by the month.

We read in the paper, some time ago, that a new consignment of rice had arrived in the Colony from Canton. It would appear that the food question in HK is becoming so difficult and uncertain, that the Jap army authorities have taken in big stocks now they are available for their own needs and for the needs of their prisoners for whose food they are responsible. Well, in addition to the Japanese rations, and the individual parcels, I hear there were cases of medical supplies, and nurses uniforms, of fruit juice, orange juice, cream, infants food and the other supplies formerly promised and, in addition, a case containing ‘soft ball’ playing gear and some books and indoor games. No doubt we shall get the details of the full supplies in due course.

The working parties had an awful time of it. The Japanese sergeant in charge would not allow two men to carry a sack of rice – each man had to carry one 220 lb sack. Lance Searle was on the working party and he said it was simply gruelling (and he is no weakling for he was President of the Boxing Society (or Club) in his last year at Cambridge). He said the Jap sergeant had armed himself with a soft ball bat (which is like a baseball bat) and when some of the weaker or more elderly men found the weight too much for them and stumbled and fell, the sergeant just stood and laughed and then prodded them with his bat and ordered them to get up and get on with it. Lance said he was a sadist and was just revelling in his task of European coolie driver. The first batch worked fom 6.30 p.m. till 2 a.m. They were then relieved by the second squad who worked from 2 a.m. until 9.30 a.m. All they had during this time was half a mug of congee. Lance said he thought a mug of tea would have been more sustaining. A lot of the men in these two squads came from the gardening squads, and of course, they received their double rations next day and did not have to turn out for gardening. They were absolutely whacked out poor chaps. It would have been tiring work on a normal diet, but everyone here is well below par. The weather just now is simply stifling too. I was not asked to turn out; I presume, because I was doing a block job which could not be put off for a day, as could gardening. Anyway, I am thankful I escaped!