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.
  • 3 Aug 1942, Barbara Anslow's diary

    Book / Document: 
    Date(s) of events described: 
    Mon, 3 Aug 1942

    Last night we ate our last tin - it was of sausages - and this afteroon, our parcels arrived!  Grand, tins of corned beef, salmon; bovril, cod liver oil and malt, chocolate, cheese, crystallised ginger, oats, biscuits, oxo, and toilet paper and soap.

    In morning Mrs. K, Olive, Mabel and I went swimming.  Dr Loan was there, looking after the kids - he is 'Uncle John' to them, such a grand, earnest man and wonderful with children.

    My legs are tired, I've been up the slope about 5 times ((between Married Quarters and hospital, and along the catwalk round the boundary of Stanley Gaol to the beach and back.))

    Repatriation rumours have died down and every one talks about when we will be back in Hong Kong.

    Russian news still very grave.

    Had my hair cut short today - fed up with it being straggly and hot; so will let it lie fallow for a few months, then turn it under, in preparation for a perm later on. ((i.e. when we get out of camp!!))

  • 3 Aug 1942, R. E. Jones Wartime diary

    Book / Document: 
    Date(s) of events described: 
    Mon, 3 Aug 1942

    Rained.

    No news beyond a re-hash of that received last week.

    Jap civilians preparing to leave HK?

    Heard that two or three married women with husbands away are pregnant. Human nature being what it is, several of us debated on & wondered how lucky we shall be in that direction.

  • 3 Aug 1942, Ella Buuck's wartime diary

    Book / Document: 
    Date(s) of events described: 
    Mon, 3 Aug 1942

    Another rough and cold day.

    Lorenz is busy writing up his report on the past 8 months. Also we must get mail ready for Rio as we hope to go ashore there.

    We sat out on aft deck last night after the children were asleep. We found a warm corner and after covering with the robe were quite warm.

  • 3 Aug 1942, Chronology of Events Related to Stanley Civilian Internment Camp

    Date(s) of events described: 
    Mon, 3 Aug 1942

    Birth of Jonathan Goforth Nance to Elizabeth and Ancil Nance, an American missionary couple who chose not to be repatriated:

    On August 3, 1942, we welcomed Jonathan Goforth Nance. He was 14 months younger than his brother, Ancil. Jonathan was a happy little boy, named after Rev. Jonathan Goforth, whose story Ancil and I had read on the way across the ocean to China. Dr. Loan used to call our Jonathan the “family ambassador,” because he was so friendly.

    Jonathan was born in the “hospital” at Camp Stanley. At that time, if you had an escort, you could leave your building and go down the short road to the hospital building after dark. When I realized the birth was imminent, and I was wise enough this time to know it was probably going to be faster than the last one, I made it down with the approved escort of Chinese employees, to the hospital. We were fortunate because it was a very quick birth.

    Jonathan Nance died in a canoeing accident in 1961.

    Source:

    http://bethnance.com/

     

  • 3 Aug 1942, Eric MacNider's wartime diary

    Date(s) of events described: 
    Mon, 3 Aug 1942

    More $75 parcels collected

    To Mr. & Mrs. A.B.W. Nance, a son

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