8 Dec 1941, Barbara Anslow's diary
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Was raked out of bed this am at 6.30 - to be at office at 7am. ((My office, ARP HQ, was only about 300 yards away, a Chinese messenger brought me a handwritten note from my boss asking me to get to the office by 7am. Not know why, but fearing the worst - we'd been on alert for the past few days - I hurried off)). When I got there Mr Bevan, Deputy Director of ARP, said war had been declared between Britain/America against Japan. ((I had charge of a number of files labelled 'Bring up in an emergency' - so I duly brought them up!)) Just after 8 o'clock air raid sirens sounded ((The sirens were activated from our offices)).
About 10.30 all clear went, it was said 1 bomb had been dropped in Shamshuipo (Kowloon) causing many casualties.
At 1.30pm sirens went again; quite a lot of AA fire. I saw 3 planes high up, being chased away to Lyemun.
It's hardly worth writing diary because I can't visualise us ever getting out of this, but I want to try to believe in a future.
Kai Tak has been bombed and I'm thinking of Arthur and Sid.
Mabel is at CSO ((Colonial Secretary's Office)). ((She had first reported this morning to her Army Office, but was told no females allowed in Fortress HQ now, so she went to CSO and offered her typing services there.))
Mum nursing at Jockey Club hospital. I'm home now until 7pm. Scared and gloomy. I'm sure we'll have raids every night and day, and the night much worse than in the day. Tony Cole is coming here ((to our flat)) to eat ((he lived in Kowloon.))
