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.

  • 29 Jul 1944, R. E. Jones Wartime diary

    Submitted by Admin on Thu, 2014-06-05 10:28
    Book / Document: 
    R. E. Jones Wartime diary
    Date(s) of events described: 
    Sat, 29 Jul 1944

    Fine up to 7pm then heavy rain squall.

    Bit of sunbathing aft.

    Drew back tea order for Steve and self.

    Godown & H.Qs emptied of private effects, soap etc.

    Y12.50 issued.

    Russians captured Lublin. US 300 plane raid on Palau Isles 26th. News of Biak indicates preparation of report of its loss to us.

    Mary in Hosp so Steve having hell of a time with the kids.

    Black-out ordered.

    Salt ration to be doubled 1st Aug. & children under 6 10.5oz rice. Children over six to rec. full ration.

    Dreamt of searching for Bondi Beach & Marj, crossing an awful looking structure representing Sydney bridge, walking around part of Sydney with nothing on, telling Blumenthal to pinch the wrist-watch from a pilot killed when his plane crashed & hung up in some wire cables.

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  • 29 Jul 1944, Eric MacNider's wartime diary

    Submitted by Admin on Sun, 2016-07-03 12:48
    Book / Document: 
    Eric MacNider's wartime diary
    Date(s) of events described: 
    Sat, 29 Jul 1944

    Classical concert

    [Issue of Y12.50]

  • 29 Jul 1944, WW2 Air Raids over Hong Kong & South China

    Submitted by ssuni86 on Mon, 2019-05-13 20:48
    Book / Document: 
    WW2 Air Raids over Hong Kong & South China
    Date(s) of events described: 
    Sat, 29 Jul 1944

    OBJECTIVE: Single-aircraft night raid to harass Canton airfields and prevent JAAF from flying night bombing missions

    RESULTS: Bombs are dropped on Tien Ho, Tien Ho satellite, and White Cloud fields, but damage is unknown.

    TIME OVER TARGET: ~7:40-8:40 p.m.

    AMERICAN UNITS AND AIRCRAFT: One B-25J from 11th Bomb Squadron (341st Medium Bomb Group)

    AMERICAN PILOTS AND AIRCREW: 1st Lt. Kenneth N. Martindale; 2nd Lt. Leander L. Smith; 2nd Lt. Walter F. Howell; Sgt. Lester W. Helrigle; Staff Sgt. Bazil E. Murray; Sgt. James A Bartshe; Captain Hotz

    ORDNANCE EXPENDED: 17 x 100-pound bombs

    JAPANESE UNITS, AIRCRAFT, AND PILOTS: One night-fighter from an unknown unit pursues the B-25, but does not close to within firing range.

    AIRCRAFT LOSSES: One B-25J runs out of fuel during the return flight when it is unable to find Lingling or Kweilin airbases.  The crew (listed above) bails out safely over friendly territory.

    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 raids

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