16 Jun 1943, Diary of George Gerrard in Stanley Internment Camp Hong Kong

Blackout are the order of the day still and it is rather boring and tiring however D.B.B. and I after our wee bit supper sit out and yarn on all subjects. We get to bed about 10 o'clock and I get up early just after six or so. Sometimes I get a wee cup of tea by getting hot water from the water boiler. To make it tasty I add a leaf of mint which gives it a nice flavour.

I played bowls On Friday evening for the Trojans, got four leads played when the rain came down in buckets. We left off all square against the Police Whites. On Saturday afternoon Jack Hayward and I played Raymond and Ferguson in the pairs and beat them 26-13.

At the service on Sunday forenoon I was on duty as sideman with John Scott and at 4 o'clock J.F. and I went to church. On Saturday night D.B.B. and I were at J.Fs' for tea and a biscuit and our usual yarn.

The rations are very poor just now and most people are losing weight, fortunately I am keeping fairly steady at about 165lbs.

Repatriation news is still floating around, but nothing official has been given out, tho' we still have our hopes. The news is excellent, even the Japs paper giving heaps away. I hope dearest that peace will come our way, that is of course after all our enemies have been brought to hell.

The weather generally is very poor and broken with heavy thunder squalls. J.F. had a letter from Bertie Bell from Amoy and there they were all busy packing up their goods and chattels preparatory to being transferred to Shanghai and their final hope of course is repatriation. They might be better off in Shanghai but will of course still be interned, the change of course in Shanghai is that Wang Ching Wei's government is in control there and repatriation on that score might not be easy, however like everyone else we wish them well and good luck. I still keep busy and always have plenty to occupy my time with rations, cooking and washing or rather drying up dishes, washing clothes and so on. Soap is becoming a problem.