Harry Ching's wartime diary: View pages

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Latter half of month almost nightly alerts, but nix. Kept us awake.

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No food at Rosary Hill by month end for Portuguese refuse go. Enemy nationals can't go Macao. 

Downstairs Jap family suddenly move to Robinson Road. Replaced by single man. Upstairs now also Jap family. Naughty kids. Putting grilles on doors.

Night alerts continue despite rain. But no planes heard. Three alerts at night on 18th May. No bombs or firing

Quiet broken by daylight raid. Jelly bombs. Hit Wanchai coffin shop, mah jong school and Happy Life Clinic. People pick up for vaseline. Jelly bursts into flame after few minutes. Next day three B24s brought down. Total 59 raiders. Central hit. Hospitals short of bandages, gauze and other requirements.

Cut two pumpkins. A little green though look ripe and vines dried. More coming on. Also had couple foo kwar first time in three years. Flies usually ruin them. White rabbit surprisingly gives birth to incestuous four. Kids all excited.

Stanley bombed by lone plane ((See diaries for 25th July)). Seven injured. No other raids in moonlight beginning of month. Why so quiet? Several nights hear planes but no bombs. 

Early a.m. alert. Planes but nix. Next day plane scare while walking to town.  Hurry past Naval Yard.

To town alone. No news. Rumour some Stanleyites out. Bull. Walking home conscious grim activity. Some thirty Jap or Formosan prisoners in white uniforms and chains outside Naval Yard. Tanks on cricket ground. Low flying plane. Explosions. All hint peace scare over and war to go on. Pastor Neilsen calls. Rumour American demands delayed 24 hours by Swiss and only just received by Tokyo.

Up and down all night listening to radio. Early broadcasts said Jap reply not received. At 5 a.m. San Francisco said reply received in Switzerland decoded, but did not contain the reply for which world was hoping. Meanwhile Japan being heavily raided all day from noon.

Rumour that B.B.C. announced Japs accepted demands. Went to town with Maurice Fung, by tram. Told kids stay in lest crazy ones show excesses in behaviour. To Ken Chaun's. Say all over. But red flag goes up for air raid! Example of sturdy independence of departments which has characterised the administration throughout.

With Charlie ((Wong)) and Henry Ahwee to hear important announcement. Gloucester corner big crowd mostly Japs looking grim. Seem to know what's coming. Tokyo relay, much static. Emperor's voice deeper boom than expected. Long spiel. Japs look sad, but no outburst. Women near tears.

Ask Lum arrange meeting for me with Japs in office. No excuse not transferring soon as can. But Lum says they addressed staff, said worked together long time, friends, but soon going; meanwhile carry on as before. ((Harry Ching had been the editor of the SCMP before the war. The SCMP office had been used by the Japanese during the occupation, now Harry is keen to get it back.))

Sleepless night. Brain active writing leader. To town. Aeroplane causes rush. Pamphlets. Merely repeats surrender stuff. No interference with people reading. That night no mention Hongkong on radio. Gendarmerie has decided form special squads to keep order. Also large number gendarmes to guard rice and other shops selling daily necessities.

Gendarmes order Chinese flags removed.

Passes being issued to people visiting Stanley. Big crowd going. I climb aboard truck in wretched condition. Repulse Bay area devastated.

At camp gate Hongkong Police. Recognise Inspector, says O.K. but skinny and hungry. Big crowd awaits. Some silent and snooty. Wylie awaits. Getting more food. Offer us rice. Meet many terribly changed, can't place them.

Home for tea.

Downstairs Jap moved out yesterday. We souvenired some stuff. Using phone. Tonight pinched phone and brought upstairs.