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.

  • 2 Sep 1945, Barbara Anslow's diary

    Submitted by Barbara Anslow on Mon, 2012-06-04 18:31
    Book / Document: 
    Barbara Anslow's diary
    Date(s) of events described: 
    Sun, 2 Sep 1945

    (Sunday) Got up early and went to St Joseph's Church (Garden Road) but it appeared to be closed, not even any handles on the doors.  Went round back to Grotto, Our Lady's statue still there and OK.

    Knelt on the marble prie-dieu but there were mosquitoes and ants so couldn't concentrate.  There met a man in military uniform, Mr. Sherry (I didn't know him), he said Mass would be at 8.30am but I coudn't stay as due in office.

    Very busy in office, even though Norah Witchell from camp is also helping. The phones ringing continuously and one is forever dashing up and downstairs trying to find people.

    Bottle of milk each at tiffin and dinner.

    Mary Taylor arrived last night and working with Police Dept.

    Eric Himsworth is Food Controller and dashed in to get someone (me) to type something, just as I received a note from Olive pleading 'try to get me out of this dump.'  I asked Himsworth if he had a steno, and he hadn't, so he dictated to me a note to Stanley requesting Olive to come and work for him.

    Hospital ship 'Oxfordshire' is at Kowloon.

    Was given a tablet of soap today.

    Our office is moving to Hong Kong Bank building tomorrow.

    Surrender signed in Japan today.

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  • 2 Sep 1945, Chronology of Events Related to Stanley Civilian Internment Camp

    Submitted by David on Thu, 2013-01-17 16:03
    Book / Document: 
    Chronology of Events Related to Stanley Civilian Internment Camp
    Date(s) of events described: 
    Sun, 2 Sep 1945

    The formal surrender of Japan takes place aboard the USS Missouri (thanks to Laura Ziegler Darnell for the link):

  • 02 Sep 1945, R. E. Jones Wartime diary

    Submitted by Admin on Wed, 2015-08-26 16:59
    Book / Document: 
    R. E. Jones Wartime diary
    Date(s) of events described: 
    Sun, 2 Sep 1945

    Fine, hot.

    Bowls etc to G & V.

    Airmail letter to Marj.

    Poor issue of M & V, chocolate etc ex US. Had to draw for odds & ends of it. 11 oz meat ration – 3,  3 cigs – 2, mixed supper ration – 2.

    Navy man had accident with Jap. pistol & is in T.B. Hosp in serious condition. G & V N.Duty on him. [I wonder if G & V are nurses?]

    R.N. took over Camp Guard & hoisted White Ensign.

    Marine Band of “Euralue” [Euryalus?] played on bowling green from 5-7pm.

    Mary brought me tinned food from town & after duty 3-6pm had bottle H.B. & Hamburger with Steve.

    Supper & little walk with G 9.15pm then took her to Hosp. 

    ∴ Cooked porridge. 2 tins Milk from Prison Store.

  • 02 Sep 1945, Additional notes

    Submitted by Admin on Thu, 2017-05-04 20:52
    Book / Document: 
    Additional notes
    Date(s) of events described: 
    Sun, 2 Sep 1945

    A photo from George Cautherley showing "my father with myself and my mother taken in Stanley Internment Camp on 2nd September 1945, my third birthday.":

    Stanley Camp 1945
    Stanley Camp 1945, by gcautherley

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