27 Aug 1945, Harry Ching's wartime diary

To town and then Stanley. Two loaves bread which Giffen says all they want. Japanese at office agree let fitter in to overhaul machinery. Allow me to take old Hongkong files. Two left out of six.

Truck to Stanley. Bumpy ride. No one meets us. Wylie can't come out. Doctor's orders. Going home on first ship. Giffen power of attorney as Franklin may not be demobbed. People less cordial.

Government servants been in town some days at French Mission building.

Telegraph and Post to merge.

At office Lum says Japs will be moving in few days. Arrange meeting Shum, Chan Kai, Lum, Giffen and self for tomorrow.

((Henry Ching:

Shum, Chan Kai and Lum were employed by the SCMP, but I am not sure what their jobs were precisely.   I think Shum was Shum Wai-yau - he left the SCMP in 1933 to work for the Wah Kiu Yat Po of which he eventually became managing director.  He is, I think, mentioned in my father’s diary after the war because the SCMP had to rely on the Wah Kiu Yat Po’s help in printing the newspaper.  Chan Kai was, at one time, Chief Cashier of the SCMP, Ltd. – not sure when he left.  Lam was, I think, Lam Yung-fai  - not sure of his job, but I think it had something to do with the printing department. His father was employed by the company from its very beginning.  Lam Yung-fai was one of the group of SCMP employees that remained and worked for the Hong Kong News during the occupation, to keep an eye on SCMP property and the files.))