24 Apr 1944, Chronology of Events Related to Stanley Civilian Internment Camp

As a seemingly endless occupation drags on, half a dozen Hong Kong miles divide families and friends as effectively as the Atlantic. Mrs Agnes Hopwar writes to her daughter, Florence Robinson (Block 4, Room 4), from Rosary Hill Red Cross Home at 44, Stubbs Road:

Received letter. Glad all well.

Entered Hospital March 3rd., left April 15th. Nearly better. Foot septic. Aim very kind. ((These three words are written clearly but I don't know what they mean.))  Hard up. No money. Miserable. When shall I see you all again? Extremely hard to write you. Don't get anxious.

Love to all. God keep you safe.

At least the message seems to have moved reasonably fast by wartime standards: a note on the card suggests it was received on May 15th.

The Regal Cinema in the north Devon town of Barnstaple is packed. People have come to hear a talk by Gwen Priestwood, an escaper 'from the notorious Camp Stanley'. Priestwood tells the audience she's grieved to hear the false story that Hong Kong was surrendered without a fight, and goes on to give 'intimate' details of camp life:

If anyone tells you that you can get used to sleeping on a hard floor don't you believe it. As I grew thinner and thinner the floor seemed to grow harder and harder.

The talk is organised by the Ministry of Information.

Sources:

Robinson: Peter Hall, In the Web, 2012, 37

Priestwood: North Devon Journal, 27 April 1944, 6

Note:

This is one of a number of reports of Gwen Priestwood giving talks in the west country under the auspices of the Ministry of Information. At various times in 1944-1945 she was in Plymouth, St. Mary's in the Scilly Isles and different places in Cornwall including Truro. She was also reported talking in Berwickshire, Dundee and Selkirk so she obviously toured Scotland too, and perhaps the north as she was in Morpeth, Northumberland in September 1944.