70 years ago: Hong Kong's wartime diaries

Pam ((Pritchard)) told me that later, after the surrender they were suddenly given notice to clear out of the hospital. I am not sure what happened to the patients; I suppose they were sent to Bowen Road Military Hospital. At all events, they were whisked off in open lorries which were driven down Magazine Gap Road and around the tortuous corners at such a pace that several of them were nearly flung over the side. They were taken to one of the piers and put on an open barge where they waited for some time. Finally they were towed across the harbour and landed near the vehicular ferry pier where they were guarded by sentries. They stood there for ages and were then told (to their great relief) that they were going to hospital No. 4. They had no idea of what was to happen to them, and not unnaturally were more than slightly worried. They did not know where hospital 4 was, but finally lorries arrived and conveyed them to St Theresa’s. The entrance gates were thrown open and in they trooped, some 60 of them, and the gates clanged shut behind them! And there they remained for the next six months with nothing more than a courtyard about the size of half a tennis court in which to take exercise. But they all kept pretty well, and having the officers from the Argyle Street Camp to nurse, and occasionally regulars and volunteers from the Sham Shui Po Camp to nurse, they felt they were doing a useful bit of work - which indeed they were.

They were just able to see the officers (Naval and Military) from the hospital and surreptitiously to wave to them. St Theresa’s is a new hospital run by the nuns of some convent, so they had, at least, a nice and well equipped place in which to work. Anne said that the hospital for the rankers at Sham Shui Po was staffed by military and naval orderlies. The troops and officers, being prisoners of war, were being paid a certain amount by the Japanese (according to international law) but apparently these orderlies were excluded from this as the Japanese said they were not fighting men. This evidently caused some bitterness amongst the orderlies (not unnaturally) but as a result the care they took of their patients was noticeable only by its absence - which doesn’t say much for the orderlies.

Anne said that when occasionally serious cases came in to St Theresa’s from Sham Shui Po, the men were simply filthy with neglect (it generally took three soakings in a bath before they were really clean) and their moral was very low. She said it was amazing how they improved and cheered up when they were nursed and taken care of by the European nurses. Now the V.A.D.’s have gone, all the hospitals for prisoners of war will be staffed by orderlies. I hope the officers will not fare badly as a result.

Surgeon Lt Comdr Jackson, who was the doctor on HMS Lama, (the Commodore’s headquarters and winter residence) was RNVR and junior to Surgeon Lt Comdr Page. However, the Japanese elected to put him in charge of St Theresa’s over Page. Surgeon Comdr Cleeve, who was in charge of the Naval Hospital (at Wanchai), went to Argyle Street Camp with the other officers. So now these two naval doctors will be left with a staff of orderlies - the usual arrangement in Naval or Military Hospitals except that there is usually a matron and some sisters.