70 years ago: Hong Kong's wartime diaries

No Date has yet been announced for the repatriation. The reaction of various people to the published list of probable repatriates was really quite remarkable. Of course it was easy enough for people like Y and me to read the list quite dispassionately; I, because I had never expected to go, and Y because she had not wanted to go by herself in any case. But it came as a bitter blow to many women who had been led to expect repatriation for themselves before the end of the year and many (especially the more elderly ones) have given a display of jealousy and acrimony which is quite disgusting, though really very understandable. I feel sorry for them as they had built all their hopes and had planned their camp lives and economies on the expectation of going soon: “Before the end of the summer,” first and then, “probably some time in November”. 

Heavens above! This camp is teaching us patience if nothing else. Meanwhile we still fervently hope that this is the first move only towards complete repatriation of the camp.

Poor old Maudie has been conscious of much jealousy and hostility at her inclusion on the list. She has always been cheerful in camp and in any case she hates the idea of being ill and will never stay in bed, let alone the hospital, one moment longer than she considers necessary (whether the doctor likes it or not!) and consequently I think very few people realised that she had been threatened with quite serious internal trouble. It seems to me that people here are very small minded, but I daresay it would be the same the whole world over. Vera Murrel, one of the disappointed people, has been really marvellous and is so pleased for Maudie that she is going.

After the repatriation Yvonne and I hope that we shall be able to secure a small amah’s room to ourselves or, preferably, one of the converted kitchens in the old American blocks, A1, 2 or 3. As yet the billeting committee is not making any plans for re-billeting people as they do not know yet which rooms will definitely be vacated, neither do they know if the Japanese will take it into their heads to shut off part of the camp (say, the bungalows and St Stephens) and push us all into a smaller number of buildings at our present rate of overcrowding. Some people seem to think these married quarters blocks may be closed as they overlook the gaol. However, we are taking what steps we can and are giving our names to the block chairmen in question pending the preparation of re-billeting lists.

We have got on very well with the Bidwells, Mr Lammert and Isa, but a little privacy would be marvellous after two years of this communal existence. If we get a room we really intend to make something of it. I am trying to devise a method of cutting our double bed in two and fixing two bunks, one above the other, in such a way that the top bunk will swing down during the day time and form a back to the other bunk, so we shall have a comfortable seat – rather like a railway carriage seat! These rooms are very small – about 6’ x 10’ or 11’ (amah’s rooms) or about 8’ square kitchens, so conservation of space is most important. Maudie is bequeathing a lot of her gear to us (including a most important hot plate) and Olive Burt is also giving us one or two things; so we hope to feather our nest quite nicely (if we are successful in securing a nest).