13 Mar 1943, Diary of George Gerrard in Stanley Internment Camp Hong Kong

D.B.B. and I went to J.F's on Saturday night for our yarn and a cup of coffee and biscuits. On Sunday I went to church at 10 o'clock for a wee while and then pushed off for the rations and at 4 o'clock J.F. and I went to church together.

Home and Australian letters have been received in the camp this week mostly written in July and August last year. Jim Johnson, Davie Bone's son-in-law got one from Betty in Australia and all were well also two telegrams from Canada were received by some chaps in this block but no date of sending was given. Then yesterday Norman Meffan got a letter from Elma from Bannockburn and Craig got one from his sister in Fairlie and all fine.

So those of us who have been unlucky so far are hoping that our turn to hear of our loved ones will come very soon. Actually we know that there are piles of letters still in town but the Jap is a slow customer when dealing with mails and why we can't be allowed to write to you well it just fair takes the biscuit.

On Tuesday forenoon I went down to the Tweed Bay Hospital for an  appointment with Prof Digby and Dr Talbot who both gave my throat and vocal cords a thorough overhaul. I'm glad to say that my throat is now showing a decided improvement and there is only a slight ulceration on the valve of the vocal cord. I have been given some medicine to take as an inhalation.

Repatriation looms very strongly in the limelight and may occur if all that is being said is true, it may not be very long before I'm on the way to you. It can't come too soon for me. In View of this we are all very busy getting records put on paper to take home and fares on to London.

I issued 3/8lb tea to the block on Thursday morning which was very welcome to the single person who uses more tea than we are as a crowd do. I got a parcel today from Ah Lein 133 Des Voeux Rd. containing 1 tin Quaker Oats, 1 tin jam, 1 tin grapefruit, 1 bag mixed cocoa, 1 bag sugar, and a piece of bacon 2 3/4lbs all of which is most welcome to our wee larder.

Also last weekend I got a parcel from Cheung Chai Sze of the Mei Lee Ironworks 25 Pine Street Tai Kok Tsai containing 1 tin margarine, 1 tin sardines, 1 tin corned mutton, and 1 packet of sugar and very nice too.

D.B.B. and I were at J.F's tonight and had our usual coffee and a crack on things in general and he gave us a packet of cigarettes as we came away just before eight o'clock.