10 Dec 1941, A. H. Potts' wartime diary

By this time it was necessary for civilians to have a pass to cross the harbour and many found themselves stranded on the wrong side according to where they lived.

I had a Studebaker “Champion” at my disposal and as I was free to move around provided I saw the stores safely delivered, I got the chance to pop home for a quick tiffin with Susie on the 10th, who was working (far too hard because of her bad legs) at the Queen Mary Hospital.  They all say she did splendid work as almoner which meant she stood in the reception hall all day taking people’s valuables and recording them;  casualties were flowing in by this time and she was hard at it all day, but it was too much of a strain and she had to go into the hospital as a patient herself after the surrender.

I found Uncle Pat at my house very sorry he had not taken my advice, for he has nothing but a suitcase, but he was in good spirits.

On 10th Kowloon was being evacuated of all European civilians and many who were already over in Hongkong were unable to get back to their homes and collect any clothes or other belongings.  Consequently there were many when the time came to be interned who had practically nothing more than what they stood in.

I was over at Kowloon again on the 10th clearing the same stores for Stanley.  Many sampan folk were making a fortune taking wealthy Chinese across the harbour who were unable to get a pass to travel on the ferry.  The atmosphere in Kowloon was tense and there was the most appalling stench which came from the sewers for the Japanese had cut the water off from Shingmun reservoir.

Major Manners, manager of the HK and Kowloon Wharf Co, told me the Japs were already up to Tsun Wan and the advance units had reached Laicheekok;  he expected they would be in Kowloon the next day (11th).

Whilst I was over at the godowns, Sir Mark Young, our recently appointed governor, arrived on a tour of inspection.  We worked late to clear the stores as we didn’t expect to get across to Kowloon again and arrived back in Hongkong after nightfall which made us realize for the first time what a complete blackout was like.  The streets were deserted as we drove to Happy Valley through the usually crowded Wanchai district, and I was particularly impressed that the war was really on when we passed our bowling alleys and saw they were quiet as the grave in comparison with the usual noise and bustle going on there at that time of day.