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.

  • 28 Jul 1943, R. E. Jones Wartime diary

    Submitted by Admin on Sun, 2013-06-30 03:57
    Book / Document: 
    R. E. Jones Wartime diary
    Date(s) of events described: 
    Wed, 28 Jul 1943

    Raid on Colony 9.30 AM. 6 planes. “No damage” reported re yesterday’s raid.

    ((G))

    Swim aft.

    Talk with Steve pm.

    Permanent black-out.

    • Log in or register to post comments

  • 28 Jul 1943, Eric MacNider's wartime diary

    Submitted by Old Man on Sat, 2014-08-09 19:47
    Book / Document: 
    Eric MacNider's wartime diary
    Date(s) of events described: 
    Wed, 28 Jul 1943

    9.45 am raid - B.O.

  • 28 Jul 1943, WW2 Air Raids over Hong Kong & South China

    Submitted by ssuni86 on Thu, 2017-09-14 06:42
    Book / Document: 
    WW2 Air Raids over Hong Kong & South China
    Date(s) of events described: 
    Wed, 28 Jul 1943

    OBJECTIVE: Bomb HK & Whampoa dockyard

    TIME OVER TARGET: ~7:15 a.m.

    AMERICAN UNITS AND AIRCRAFT: Six B-25s from the 11th Bomb Squadron (341st Medium Bomb Group) escorted by nine P-40K and P-40Ms from the 74th FS (23rd Fighter Group).  All aircraft belong to the 14th Air Force.

    AMERICAN PILOTS AND AIRCREW:

    • P-40s: Captain Arthur W. Cruikshank; Lt. Anderson; Lt. Dueseler; 1st Lt. Harlyn Vidovich; Lt. Meyer; Lt. Mao; Lt. Martin; Lt. Mauritson; Lt. Laepe; Lt. McKinnon; Lt. Elling; Lt. Sorenson
    • B-25 #41: Captain Lloyd J. Murphy; 2nd Lt. James W. Funk; 1st Lt. William M. Rose; 2nd Lt. William H.C. White; Tech Sgt. Charles H. Patton; Sgt. James M. Ayers; Staff Sgt. George A. Atack
    • B-25 #36: 2nd Lt. Edgar N. Gentry; Flight Officer Richard M. Gramling; 2nd Lt. Ralph Kamhi; Sgt. William H. Johnson; Staff Sgt. Robert D. Shaak
    • B-25 #39: 2nd Lt. Herbert F. Hempe; 2nd Lt. Dow J. Richter; 2nd Lt. Robert D. Guma; Staff Sgt. Loren Morris; Sgt. Golden U. Gallup; Corporal Anthony C. DeLucenay
    • B-25 #68: 1st Lt. Don H. Milam; Flight Officer William R. Monroe; 2nd Lt. C.A. Lutton; Sgt. Rafael C. Arellano; Staff Sgt. William W. Johnson; Sgt. James T. Borgia
    • B-25 #61: 1st Lt. Cleve L. Bingham; 2nd Lt. Richard C. Battle; 2nd Lt. Raymond J. Mazanowski; 2nd Lt. Robert B. Fischborn; Tech Sgt. George W. Gouldthrite; Staff Sgt. Louie L. Lucas; Staff Sgt. R.P. Betts
    • B-25 #55: 2nd Lt. Robert A. Nice; 2nd Lt. William F. Angell; 2nd Lt. Clyde H. Wells; Staff Sgt. Henry M. Ellis; Staff Sgt. Walter J. Schenayder

    ORDNANCE EXPENDED: 36 250-kilogram demolition bombs

    RESULTS: B-25s bomb HK & Whampoa dockyard with undetermined results

    JAPANESE UNITS, AIRCRAFT, AND PILOTS: None

    AIRCRAFT LOSSES: None

    SOURCES: Original mission reports and other documents in the Air Force Historical Research Agency archives at Maxwell Air Force Base in Montgomery, Alabama.

    Information compiled by Steven K. Bailey, author of Bold Venture: The American Bombing of Japanese-Occupied Hong Kong, 1942-1945 (Potomac Books/University of Nebraska Press, 2019).

    Tags: 
    Air Raid
    air raids

  • 28 Jul 1943, Diary of George Gerrard in Stanley Internment Camp Hong Kong

    Submitted by Alison Gerrard on Sat, 2019-02-02 15:07
    Book / Document: 
    Diary of George Gerrard in Stanley Internment Camp Hong Kong
    Date(s) of events described: 
    Wed, 28 Jul 1943

    I completed and typed your letter and dated it Sat 24th July and posted it same day at the C.S. Office and I trust Nell that it arrives at you safely sometime. I am well and tho' down in weight, still I'm in fair condition.

    On Friday we received 70Yen each which was very welcome as funds were low and even the banana comfort looked as if it would have to go west. However I'll now get something from the canteen on Tuesday.

    Well Tuesday the 27th was a big day here when the paper gave us a late news extra to the effect that Mussolini had resigned and the virtual fact that Italy was out of the war. The newspaper comes in with the rations lorry and everyone went really crazy and all were talking at once like an Irish Parliament, bedlam let loose.

    Yamaclita the superintendent took photographs and after two days of stinking fish we got mutton so everyone was happy and it would appear that the photo will be used for propaganda purposes saying how happy the internees are. Yes but it was because of Italy being out. This is the best news we have had yet. Attaboy.

    Then at 5pm over came 6 bombers and 12 fighters belonging to us and oh boy did we get a thrill, the antiaircraft fire was pretty hot but our bombers never broke formation. They passed practically over the camp and then released their bombs over the harbour somewhere. It was jolly thrilling to us and with the Italian news has bucked us up tremendously.

    We had the inevitable blackout at night. Then this morning about 9.30 more bombers went over doing their stuff. Is this the prelude to something of great importance. We hope so. I trust and think that the net is closing and the rope is getting tighter for the Japs and they and the Germans are going to have nasty time very soon, the sooner the better says all of us. We are now gluttons not only for chow but for more and letter news with a few more bombing raids by our lads conditions for us will be a bit more cheerful.


Subscribe: If you'd like to receive future pages by email, just enter your email address below and click the 'subscribe' button:

Enter your email address:

Delivered by FeedBurner

Subscribe to 70 years ago: Hong Kong's wartime diaries