19 Mar 1942, Smuggled in and out of Stanley

We carried on and at daybreak we were not far off Cheung Chow Island. We did try to make for Cheung Chow but just as before, the wind and tide would not let us, so we tried for another island nearby and the same thing happened; by this time the sea had quieted down, so we got out the bamboo pole which was to act as a mast, and the sail which was one of our blankets. Having no place to fix this pole, O’Neil held it between his knees.

No sooner had we got the sail up then the wind dropped. At this time a Japanese patrol boat was sighted about 400 yards away and all thought that it was all up and that we would be fired on by them, we all kept very still, Miss Cholmeley and myself putting dark handkerchiefs over our heads, the remainder keeping low.

To our relief, this launch proceeded on its way to search a fairly large junk in the distance. Having worked for a short time on the launches in the Kowloon District, I told the party that we had to make for the sandy beach which was about 3 miles away and we had to get there before the launch returned. We worked harder than ever to make it, but when about 200 yards from the shore the launch was soon to be returning and it looked as though she was making for us. Again, we did the same thing, kept still and were more than happy to see her steaming past.

Our “Vanda” looked nothing like a fishing boat, what could be seen of her, as I have stated, she was overloaded and there was very little of her showing out of the water, then again the sail as stated was an old blanket, so we looked nothing like anything that does float around those waters (another stroke of luck). After fifteen hours we set foot ashore and how pleased we were!