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.

  • 6 Jul 1942, Chronology of Events Related to Stanley Civilian Internment Camp

    Submitted by brian edgar on Tue, 2012-06-05 20:14
    Book / Document: 
    Chronology of Events Related to Stanley Civilian Internment Camp
    Date(s) of events described: 
    Mon, 6 Jul 1942

    While 2,500 people are wondering how they can follow the Americans out of Stanley, one brave man is trying to get in.

    Daily Mirror, page 8:

    ‘HONG KONG’ BISHOP WANTS TO FLY TO PRISONERS IN CHINA

     

    THE "fighting Bishop" of Hong Kong - the Right Rev. Ronald Hall—is fighting to get back to his diocese, to minister to thousands of Protestants who are prisoners in the hands of the Japanese,

    Bishop Hall, who is in England, was here when Hong Kong fell, and for months has been trying to obtain permission to return.

    He has now been granted facilities for a special priority flight to China. He hopes he will be allowed to visit Hong Kong.

    "The Japanese have permitted the Roman Catholic Bishop of Hong Kong to resume his ministrations, but he is an Italian," Bishop Hall told the ‘Daily Mirror’ yesterday.

     

    One Shamshuipo POW has heard some interesting things about life in Stanley:

     

    Stanley reported to be overcrowded & 'much free love being practised'.

     

    The camp was undeniably overcrowded, although the situation had been somewhat eased by the departure of the Americans. Some sexual relationships had sprung up, although most accounts suggest that Freud was wrong: in conditions of deprivation, the mind turns to thoughts of food not sex. In any case, most people who discussed this topic after the war felt that malnutrition kills libido.

     

    Source:

    Tony Banham, We Shall Suffer There, 2009, Sunday 5 July 1942

     

     

     

    • Log in or register to post comments

  • 6 - 8 Jul 1942, Rev. Buuck's autobiographical notes

    Submitted by Admin on Wed, 2012-06-20 18:15
    Book / Document: 
    Rev. Buuck's autobiographical notes
    Date(s) of events described: 
    Mon, 6 Jul 1942 to Wed, 8 Jul 1942

    ((Dates approximate. Elsewhere a map has the legend "Combined Japanese Army and Navy aerial display on July 8".))

    Now our voyage took us in the direction of Singapore. Anchored about 25 miles out for several days in calm, very hot weather we really felt the lack of water. While here, the Japanese sent over planes in many formations to impress us with their air power.

    While our ship was riding at anchor, the Conte Verde, an Italian liner with the repatriates from the Shanghai and North China areas, joined us. From here to Africa the two ships traveled together, a beautiful sight, especially at night when, according to international agreement the ships were lit from bow to stern so all knew their identity.

  • 6 Jul 1942, R. E. Jones Wartime diary

    Submitted by Admin on Tue, 2012-06-26 16:44
    Book / Document: 
    R. E. Jones Wartime diary
    Date(s) of events described: 
    Mon, 6 Jul 1942

    Settling down & getting kitchen gear together ready for a start within the next day or two. Held a meeting of all occupants. Willcocks elected Chairman. I’m to be a cook.

    C.S. went to town. What for?

  • 6 Jul 1942, Ella Buuck's wartime diary

    Submitted by Admin on Tue, 2012-07-03 16:39
    Book / Document: 
    Ella Buuck's wartime diary
    Date(s) of events described: 
    Mon, 6 Jul 1942

    We anchored this a.m. when we reached the outskirts of Singapore where the Shanghai Conte Verde was anchored. She is also covered with white crosses and it’s exciting to see it so near. We shall make the trip together to Africa. We wonder if we can obtain any information as to whether our folks ((fellow Missionaries)) are on board.

    We had to fill out papers to say who would pay our passage. What a business where one has no choice.

  • 6 Jul 1942, Don Ady's wartime memories

    Submitted by Admin on Fri, 2012-07-20 19:30
    Book / Document: 
    Don Ady's wartime memories
    Date(s) of events described: 
    Mon, 6 Jul 1942

    I recall parking with an anchor out of sight of land, which Ella seems to confirm.  At the time I did not know Singapore was over the horizon somewhere.  Mr. Buuch's diary recently quoted said 25 miles offshore.

  • 06 Jul 1942, Eric MacNider's wartime diary

    Submitted by Admin on Mon, 2016-06-27 13:42
    Book / Document: 
    Eric MacNider's wartime diary
    Date(s) of events described: 
    Mon, 6 Jul 1942

    Meeting to form club for children 6 to 11 years

  • 06 Jul 1942, WW2 Air Raids over Hong Kong & South China

    Submitted by ssuni86 on Sat, 2017-07-08 22:37
    Book / Document: 
    WW2 Air Raids over Hong Kong & South China
    Date(s) of events described: 
    Mon, 6 Jul 1942

    OBJECTIVE: Bomb docks, godowns, and gasoline storage facilities in Canton

    TIME OVER TARGET: ~12:45 p.m.

    AMERICAN UNITS AND AIRCRAFT: Five B-25s from the 11th Bomb Squadron (341st Medium Bomb Group) and four P-40s from the 23rd Fighter Group.  All aircraft are from the China Air Task Force (10th Air Force).

    AMERICAN PILOTS AND AIRCREW: Major William E. Bayse (B-25s); Major David “Tex” Hill, John Petach (P-40s)

    ORDNANCE EXPENDED: American M-30 100-pound bombs and Chinese 17-kg fragmentation bombs

    RESULTS: Bombs strike docks, godowns, gasoline storage facilities, and a 100-foot riverboat

    JAPANESE UNITS, AIRCRAFT, AND PILOTS: Ki-27 fighters, likely from the 54th Sentai

    AIRCRAFT LOSSES: American P-40 pilots claim two Ki-27 shot down

    SOURCES: Original 11th Bomb Squadron mission report in the Air Force Historical Research Agency archives at Maxwell Air Force Base in Montgomery, Alabama.  I do not, however, have the mission report for the P-40s.

    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 Raid

Subscribe: If you'd like to receive future pages by email, just enter your email address below and click the 'subscribe' button:

Enter your email address:

Delivered by FeedBurner

Subscribe to 70 years ago: Hong Kong's wartime diaries