70 years ago: Hong Kong's wartime diaries
25 Aug 1945, Barbara Anslow's diary
Submitted by Barbara Anslow on Thu, 2012-05-31 22:05Book / Document:Date(s) of events described:Sat, 25 Aug 1945Typhoony and rain. No POWs from Shamshuipo could come.
Olive in bed with colic. I worked for her in afternoon.
Tomorrow a large Govt. party, including Miss Connie Murray and Nancy Grady (stenographer colleagues) are going into town to start administration in French Mission.
In evening to dance with Peggy and Wendy one of her sisters.
Mrs Hailstone's (Carmen?) wedding anniversary, she gave us some lovely cake.
25 Aug 1945, Chronology of Events Related to Stanley Civilian Internment Camp
Submitted by brian edgar on Sat, 2012-11-24 16:57Book / Document:Date(s) of events described:Sat, 25 Aug 1945Death of Muriel Hassard, the former matron of the Diocesan Boys' School, aged 59.
During the hostilities she had looked after the younger boys with the help of an old boy of the school, P. A. Waller. She and her charges were evacuated from Kowloon on December 11, and some of the boys were interned with her in Stanley.
Readers back home are given re-assuring news of the Japanese Camps as a whole - 'Prison-Camp gates have been thrown open, Tokyo announced last night' - and learn a little about Hong Kong:
In Hongkong the 3,000 British prisoners have been told of the surrender and have agreed to stay put until the Allies arrive. They are allowed to use buses and ferries to go into the city and to nearby Kowloon.
Sources:
Report: Daily Express, August 25, 1945, page 1
Notes:
1) The source cited misdates the death to August 26 when Mrs Hassard was buried - see Barbara Anslow's diary for that date.
2) I'm not sure of the source of this report. The general point - prisoners staying put - is accurate, but the estimate of numbers and the claim (which was repeated in a sub-headline) that buses were running should be treated with suspicion.
25 Aug 1945, Eric MacNider's wartime diary
Submitted by alexis on Wed, 2014-07-23 19:21Book / Document:Date(s) of events described:Sat, 25 Aug 1945((Not clear if following text belongs on 25th or 26th)) Deaths - Mrs. M Hassard (59) / Hubert Overy (60)
Pigs sent into camp
25 Aug 1945, Harry Ching's wartime diary
Submitted by Admin on Sat, 2015-05-16 15:55Book / Document:Date(s) of events described:Sat, 25 Aug 194525 Aug 1945, R. E. Jones Wartime diary
Submitted by Admin on Tue, 2015-06-30 17:51Book / Document:Date(s) of events described:Sat, 25 Aug 1945Overcast, much rain. W wind.
G bridge lesson.
4oz & Workers sugar issued. Real bread & butter to G & V & myself.
Visitors as usual but no P of Ws again due to poor weather.
Am feeling very well fed at present. The days of hunger, rice & stew are over forever I guess. Live pigs brought in for rations.
Walk with G. SW corner of Prison till 9pm ∴
Conflicting reports re time of arrival of Harcourt & his Fleet.
