70 years ago: Hong Kong's wartime diaries

The PWD was again asked to make the survey, and I again sent in the list for these blocks. This time my list was very short. By now, most of the broken windows have been filled with squares of cardboard, or wood, and I was concerned only with such things as leaking roofs, leaking drain pipes, missing windows – in fact, only essential items. It will be doubly or trebly more difficult now for the Japanese to supply materials than it would have been 18 months ago, and I am sure that if any repairs are carried out here it will be for a reason other than pure solicitude for our well being. My guess is that the Japanese anticipate intensified air attacks on this Colony in the approaching struggle and they wish to establish a safety zone here into which they can transfer Japanese women and children if need arises. If that guess is correct it might explain why there was no AA fire from the fort – they would not wish to attract enemy attention to the safety zone – and it also means that hopes of our repatriation are not yet dead.

I have a feeling that the men in this camp may be removed to Japan with the other Prisoners of War. We hear that the 9 senior officers in Argyle Street Camp (including Capt. Min.) have either left or are due to leave very soon and that the rest are to go within the next two months. This seems to be in line with the Japanese policy for this Colony, for they have been urging all who possibly can (Chinese) to leave and they admit the increasing difficulties of obtaining adequate food supplies. Maudie feels quite resigned to Capt. Mins departure. She feels he will at least be properly fed in Japan.

This camp has been notified by Mr Maejima that we are now to have one meatless and one fishless day per week. We shall have meat on four days per week and fish on the other days. On the meat days we are to get 400 catties for the camp (2,400 people) which is about 3 ½ oz per person, about 1/3 of the weight being bone. On fish days we are to get 675 catties. On the seventh day the weight of vegetables is to be increased from the usual 800 to 1000 catties. This new system was to begin on August 1st.

Well, the Japs were evidently anxious to get started, for they gave us a meatless day on 31st July. Today our 675 catties of fish has dwindled to 250 catties and tomorrow we have our next fishless and meatless day – perhaps they have 5 day weeks in Japan. Also, on the meatless days they have not increased vegetables at all. Why do they make these promises which they will not or cannot keep? I am not sure that I would not rather go to Japan myself than stay here; for the counter offensive against Japan has yet, hardly begun and I think conditions here are going to be pretty grim before this issue is settled.

There is one rather curious thing I might mention. When certain people came into camp some months ago, we heard that when HK was first bombed by American planes, nine months ago, the Japanese authorities that morning, had warning of the raid which took place in the afternoon and they recalled to the works, a European of the Gas Co. who had been given the morning off. The warning must have been supplied by the Japanese Secret Service. On Monday, 26th July, the day before the bombing began this time, a special article appeared in the HK News warning people of the possibility of air raids and enjoining the public to take every care to ensure 100% blackouts. It warned that failure in this respect might mean that electricity throughout the whole Colony might be cut off at the mains. So it seems they had warning this time: (The actual hour of the raid was mentioned last time). Which goes to show how competent is the Japanese espionage service in China.

Rather an amusing thing happened after the announcement of Mussolini’s resignation. Mr Gimson was summoned up the hill where he was met, much to his surprise, by the chief of the Stanley Gendarmerie. After some polite conversation the officer came to the purpose of his visit and asked the Colonial Secretary to tell him what Mussolini’s resignation meant! Did it mean that Italy would now become a neutral country etc. etc.  Gimson explained (no doubt with relish but, also with considerable caution) that it was not at all likely that Italy would remain just a neutral! He had to be careful for he was afraid of having the paper supply to camp stopped. But how naïve of the little man! I suppose he thought he would never get the real low down from his own forces, so he had better consult an authority. He was very polite and friendly and presented Gimson with (I believe) 6000 cigarettes and some soap for the needy in camp. At all events, all the men in camp today, were issued with 5 cigarettes each free, and that means 5 or 6 thousand. Well, let’s hope Hitler resigns next!

We have been having a full scale bug hunt today. Poor deluded creatures, when the cold weather arrived at the end of last summer we all imagined we had successfully exterminated the pests. It appears that they merely hibernated! And now whole squadrons of them have come to life. Every day you see someone or other carefully pouring boiling water over their beds – most camp beds. Our particular bed is much more cumbersome and owing to the electricity difficulty we cannot get enough hot water to make that method effective. So I spent this morning burning out all cracks and crevices and wire springs with the aid of a small piece of candle. I fear it is a forlorn hope to think they are all dead, but at any rate they have received a severe set back!