22 May 1943, Diary of George Gerrard in Stanley Internment Camp Hong Kong

No parcels have come in for a while. On Monday we received each 1/4lb of margarine from the International Welfare which is very welcome indeed as lard in the canteen is soaring to such a price as everything else that it is now nearly impossible to buy unless one has a good wad of Yen. Sugar is now one Yen (4 Hong Kong dollars) per lb., soya sauce one Yen per tin, bean curd 65 sei Wong Tong 240 Yen per lb. and so on. (one Hong Kong dollar = 1s.3d.)

The latest bulletin announces that we are to be no more allowances and the Japs say we are receiving ample food, plenty of rice 8oz per head per day but dear little of anything else. Beef or mutton seldom and in small quantities, tomatoes are in season but the rest of the vegetable is just puree. lep sap, water spinach and yin choi on  alternate days, might be good for rabbits but that is all. Food of course is scarce in town and in any case in the Japanese mind we are only dogs bodies.

J.F. has asked me to be one of sidemen at the church services and it was my turn on Sunday afternoon at 4 o'clock.

The weather has been very typhoony or monsoony all week with rain and strong winds and also we have ad to suffer blackouts and to  make them effective the fuses are drawn so that no lights are possible. In this weather it is uncomfortable unless one goes to bed immediately it is dark. However the blackout was lifted tonight and I'm taking the opportunity of writing this now.

D.B.B. and I were down at J.Fs' tonight and he gave me a wad of money for distribution amongst our staff, 10 Yen per head which is very nice and cheering so I'll be a welcome visitor when I go on my rounds tomorrow. I think this will be the last distribution for a while as it is very difficult to get money into the camp now. The last time we paid out was on the 19th January over four months ago.

Repatriation rumours are still very strong it being said that the camp will be cleared by the end of September. Well my dear it can't come too soon for I'm longing to see you and hope the day is now not so far distant.