70 years ago: Hong Kong's wartime diaries
26 Oct 1945, Barbara Anslow's diary
Submitted by Barbara Anslow on Mon, 2012-06-11 15:44Book / Document:Date(s) of events described:Fri, 26 Oct 1945Gale still in progress so we had to stay anchored. Wrote poem 'Homecoming' ((see 28th Oct)).
Dock strike still on.
Tombola in evening.
26 Oct 1945, Chronology of Events Related to Stanley Civilian Internment Camp
Submitted by brian edgar on Sun, 2014-02-23 20:54Book / Document:Date(s) of events described:Fri, 26 Oct 1945In an article noting Charles Boxer's departure for New York, which took place yesterday, the China Mail (page 2) refers to Emily Hahn's 'now sensational China To Me'. The same paper on September 20 mentioned her only as the author of a book on the Soong sisters, so her memoir must have arrived in Hong Kong some time between that date and yesterday (or probably a little earlier unless there are some very quick readers in the Colony).
The book contains frank portraits of her friends Selwyn and Hilda Selwyn-Clarke and other Hong Kong notables. Boxer himself is enigmatic about his future wife's memoir, saying that 'it opened a new line in literature that had unlimited possibilities that would in turn provide its exact limitations.' This seems to mean roughly 'she made a lot of things up so it's good reading, but I wouldn't trust it too much'. It's hard to be sure though.
On the same page the paper reports yesterday's transfer of 500 more Japanese civilian internees, under commando escort, from Whitfield Barracks to Stanley Camp.
Notes:
1) For a discussion of Hahn's portrayal of Hilda Selwyn-Clarke, see https://brianedgar.wordpress.com/2013/01/10/emily-hahn-as-source-3-the-a...
2) Other reports make it clear that the Camp for Japanese was at Stanley Fort, not at the site of the former Stanley Civilian Internent Camp.
26 Oct 1945, R. E. Jones Wartime diary
Submitted by Admin on Wed, 2015-10-21 14:48Book / Document:Date(s) of events described:Fri, 26 Oct 1945At anchor all day due to bad weather. Very disappointing.
“Reina de Pacifico” & “Antenor” anchored close by.