70 years ago: Hong Kong's wartime diaries

During the last three days there have been extensive and intensive activities. Y, bless her, objected to going and said she would rather stay, but we discussed the matter and agreed that it would be most unwise for any woman to stay on here. From statements by the Americans and British and by the actions of the Soviets regarding Japan reported in the local rag, it seems that the long awaited counter offensive in the Pacific will be launched in the summer. In that event it is probable that we are in for a very thin time here – not only in this camp but in the whole of Hong Kong where, as the Japanese have stated, supplies are running very low. It is also evident, from the reported American and British statements, that this counter offensive will include the heavy bombing of Japanese industrial centres – as in Europe – and the inevitable slaughter of many civilians. This will undoubtably harden the attitude of the Japanese towards British and allied internees, for both those reasons it is best for all women to be away.

In the meantime all men are being medically examined with a view to seeing who must go first and who must stay if necessary. For this purpose two lists are being prepared, the first the urgent cases: men with TB; 36 (I am told) with this defective eyesight and partial blindness due to malnutrition; evidently cases of hernia, which cannot be treated properly and may become serious, and many other types of serious complaints. The second is for not so urgent cases: men with weak hearts etc. and the older but fairly healthy men. Old Octavious Smith, aged 70 has no hope of getting away, he says he is too healthy.

Tim is, apparently, on the second list as his heart has been rather dicky of late. He recently spent a month in the hospital on his back. I was prodded, listened in to, and had my blood pressure taken and was declared perfectly fit. Well, that is reassuring even though it does mean I have to stay. Harold was the same though his blood pressure was higher than the average. He used to be about 165/85, which was much too high for a young man, and is now 140/80 which is fairly right. I used to be 125/80, which is normal for a young man, and am now 108/72 which is rather low but which, Deane-Smith told me, is about the average in camp at present. My weight is down to 141 lbs, only 3 lbs more than my lowest during last year’s starvation period. Y is now only 114 ½ lbs.

Yvonne has been dashing about collecting all kinds of things for me. She has bespoken a pair of warm flannel pyjamas for me that Anne Muir says she will leave here. She worried Mrs Penny (the Welfare representative for our block) for some flour sacks with which to make me some underpants. Mrs Penny said flour sacks have now to be returned to the Japanese and so none are available, but instead she gave Y a chit for me which enabled me to get two pairs of cotton pants and a singlet from the Welfare. Underclothes are my chief shortage and Y is considering which of her few dresses she can cut up – she asked me if I would prefer a pink shirt with flowers or a blue one with white spots! However, I don’t want her to do that, for we have two double sheets (a green and a white) and when she has gone I can cut them down and turn needlewoman myself. In addition she has been making discrete enquiries as to the price she could get for a gold bracelet left her by her grandmother. I really hope she cannot sell it as it grieves me to think of her parting with her few precious pieces of jewelry, especially these old pieces (I haven’t been able to give her any new pieces yet!)