70 years ago: Hong Kong's wartime diaries

Extract from a letter with today's date from Stanley Camp. The name of the sender is not given. [Later identified as R G Ward]

I have been head baker for about 800 people for just over a year. Our food is as what we can expect, and we collect it in billy-cans. We all received a fine food parcel from the Red Cross and also a sum of money, which went into food and clothes for us. We are extremely lucky to have a small room to ourselves. Camp work is done by those who are fit, that is cooking, sanitation and general.

A layout of things made in camp was held; some articles were vey well made - most of the tools had to be made first.

I miss my radio but we have a Hong Kong paper that gives us news of outside. Douglas gets soya milk from a baby clinic and Francis gets schooling; There are about a dozen doctors, hospital, dental clinic, cemetery and jail in camp and a Social Hall, so we want for little. We even get cigarettes issued for cash.

Source:

The Prisoner of War - Special Monthly Edition, April 1944