05 Jan 1942, P. O. W. and ESCAPE DIARY.

Rice for bkfst but before that Lt Sawamoto arrived with some med supplies and a lorry;  he took a fatigue party to CBS for camp beds.  I went along and had a look over the school.  It was about ½ full of patients (soldiers) malaria dysentery and other medical cases.  The Physics and Chem labs were in use as diagnostic labs.  We loaded 47 camp beds and while the party was taking them back to Sham Shui Po I asked Lt Sawamoto to take me over to Argyle St.  Conditions were very bad there.  They have about 1100 in there under care of Capt Banfill RCAMC, Dr Hargreaves and Eddy Gosano.  Drs Newton and Uttley have gone sick with dysentery.  There are 69 Indians and 13 Brit dysentery cases there and they have 43 Brit and 12 Indians in hospital – wounds and malaria etc.  They have had 6 deaths – 5 Brit (2dy hge and toxaemia – three and dysentery 2) and 1 Indian (dysentery).  They have 6 cases urgently in need of surgical attention and 12 other cases which they cannot nurse there.  They have no nursing orderlies.  Surg and med eqpt very meagre, some has been supplied from Kuong Wah but that is nearly exhausted.  Sanitation very bad.  Saw Flippance, Tamworth, RR Davies, Blaker, JF Paterson, Eric Bryden, Strellet, Sorby, Reggie Walker, etc.  Made arrangements to remove Sorby, and one other – both c [with] 2nd Hge to Kowloon Hosp – for operation at 1500.  Was not able to get nominal roll.  Banfill said Osler Thomas was shot at Shau Ki Wan.  Back to our camp.

Had Bkfst – rice – on return about 1130.  Brigadier Peffers inspected hospital.  Started the hospital with the camp beds and put up bags over the windows.  Orderlies organised.  Issue of $5 per head for amenities.  Still large amount of trading going on over the fence.  Roads well lined with wire and troops.  Cool cloudy night with moon up about 2045.  Lt Sawamoto did not turn up this afternoon so unable to go over and help the others in Argyle St Camp. 

All sorts of rumours in the camp about outside affairs, Manila fallen, S’pore surrounded, Wavell pushing on into Siam, British sub engaged Jap destroyer to south of H.K. etc.  Jap band coming tomorrow morning, and their sentries trying their propaganda on our men.  Their chief argument seems to be that they have already won and cannot understand why we do not realise we are beaten.