70 years ago: Hong Kong's wartime diaries

But the biggest raid came on the third day. It had been a fiendishly hot day and Y and I had taken our tea outside and were having it in the shade of the building, at a spot where there was a faint breeze blowing. Our room is completely airless in this weather and as our fan has been disconnected the room is often unbearably hot and stuffy. While we were sipping our tea and perspiring copiously we heard the (by now almost familiar) drone of many planes and again I dashed round to Block 2, from where one can get a good view of the proceedings. Soon there came the puffs of AA shells bursting in clusters high up in the sky over the harbour and town area, followed by the staccato crackle of explosions. Then came the heavy crumps which must have been the detonations of the exploding bombs. But I couldn’t see the planes although one or two people could. The weather was clear, with some big clouds floating about – ideal for attacking planes – and these bombers were making use of the clouds. The sky was simply filled with puffs of AA shells – the Japs must have many more AA guns than we ever had. Presently I heard a louder drone, more overhead, and looking up almost into the sun I saw a formation of six big bombers, wheeling slowly and making off in a westerly direction. Then, skirting round them I caught sight of three little planes that looked like white gnats as they caught the sun, a fighter escort.  Still the shells kept bursting in the sky over the harbour area and presently I saw a flight of three big bombers coming towards us and then wheeling slowly in the same westerly direction.

Then there was a roar of planes behind and, looking back, I saw another flight of 6 coming over the end of our peninsula. For a few exciting moments we thought they were going to bomb the fort and we expected AA guns at the fort to open fire: but nothing happened. They flew on, going west, and presently joined formation with the other three and flew off. The shell fire, as far as I could see, was bursting nowhere near the planes. Well, I saw 15 big bombers and 3 fighters.  Some say they saw 18 bombers. It is significant that not a single Jap plane went up to attack. One presumes the Japs haven’t sufficient planes to spare any for the defence of HK just now and that the Japanese are relying solely on AA defences. That seems to be HK’s perpetual fate! I wonder why there was no challenge from this fort. We have seen AA guns being hauled along the road and over the brow of the hill towards the fort, so there must be an AA battery there.

About a week ago, the Japanese authorities asked for a list of materials necessary to make the buildings in this camp habitable! In the early days here a thorough survey had been made and a full list of materials required to put the damaged parts in order was submitted to the Japanese. I was detailed to make the survey for these blocks B2, 3, 4 and 5. Amongst other things, I asked for between 300 and 400 panes of glass for shattered windows! None of this material has ever been sent in. The Japs have sent in a few bags of cement and a few tools, but no attempt has been made by them to supply the other necessary materials. Why this sudden solicitude now, after 18 months?