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

The weather has now improved and is very warm and sunny. J.L. Anderson had a letter from his wife and he was very bucked with it. Mrs A. mentions you in her letter and says you are all right and well and at the time of writing which was a year ago you were all now reconciled to the state of affairs and not nearly so worried as you had been previously.

I am still hoping that one of your letters to me will turn up and so I'll get all your news. However dear it is very cheering to me to know that at that time you were well and cheery and keeping your pecker up. Stout fella. Also she had said that you were all busy sending us parcels which is ever so kind of you, but it is such a shame that we haven't received them, because I know that mine would have been a beezer.

The high light news this week is repatriation which is now about to become a reality for the 'gallant'. Women who stayed behind, all women and  children under 18 years of age together with a number of men who are sick and aged, some of whom should never have been in here in the first place. The women include the Chi Chi ones as well who because of their dual nationality had the option of remaining but they have decided to go.

All men had to go before the Medical Officers for examination, but Dr Pringle who examined me but said nought, didn't even ask if I was all right. Just mentioned my name which he knew and asked for my room number and that was all. Others of course who have some complaint had to go before a Medical Board comprising of Prof Digby, Drs Dean Smith, Valentine, Uttley and Newton and examined by them very thoroughly. It is not yet known who will get away until Myina comes back from Japan on 1st June.

J.F. who has a thyroid gland swelling in his throat was before the board and might get away. We of course want some of our staff away, someone of substance who could tell London the full story and J.F. would of course fill the bill in that respect, leaving D.B.B. and I to carry on. Chalmers is also likely to get away as he has had a lot of sickness, in and out of hospital.

The B.C.C. Bulletin says that the Jap Authorities will sympathetically consider requests for enquiries for close relatives in Canada and the Phiippinoes to be made through' the I.R.C. so I hope to be able to find out about you dear through' this source. We grasp at every opportunity to hear about our loved ones. Always hoping dearest.

On Tuesday afternoon the Trojans played the Hi attached A at bowls and we beat them on all rinks. My rink was the same as before and we won 10-8 which was pretty close. We received five points in all, we should have played the Police 'White' this evening but the rain came down in buckets.

D.B.B. and I during a dry spell went down to J.Fs' and had our usual cup and yarn. I made the distribution to the staff last Sunday forenoon and all were mighty pleased. This payment of 10 Yen each was made possible because we had been able to get in some dollar notes of high denomination and owing to the end of this month being the finishing date for using dollars in payment of goods bought in Hong Kong only military Yen being the legal and only currency now, the Authorities changed these notes into Yen at the exchange rate of four dollars equals one Yen.

When George Rodger and I were having a game of darts in the room today I spotted a large centipede crawling along the floor at the rate of knots, it was about 9 inches long, a nasty brute, we got fixed and G.S.R. despatched him with his wooden clog. Then outside our room another one was crawling, it must have been its mate and as it was high up I brought it down with a pole and G.S.R. again put the monster to its account. So we have some excitement with our live stock, bed bugs are of course the worst and the bane of our existence.

Churchill has now concluded his talks with Roosevelt in Washington and we sincerely  hope to hear of the big things happening soon both in Europe and out East.

J.F. and I were at church together last Sunday afternoon. This week we have had mutton twice and beef (buffalo) once the rest of the days fish.