25 Apr 1945, Diary of George Gerrard in Stanley Internment Camp Hong Kong

This is the day of the famous San Francisco conference and now that we have the news of the Russian entry into Berlin (reported in Hong Kong on Tuesday 24th April, message dated 22nd April) it will be a momentous meeting big consequences. Japan must see the writing on the wall and the Lord help them. We must wait and see what their reaction is to all this.

On the strength of the entry into Berlin I opened my last tin of meat (steak and tomato) and it was the most glorious meat I've had in ages. Meat of any kind is simply delicious to us who haven't tasted meat for 18 months and as well we haven't had fish for 4 months so actually we are strict vegetarians and poor ones at that. Full credit must be given to the kitchen for their efforts to make the soup or stew or dish (any name you like to give it), as tasty as possible but when one only gets lettuce or cucumber well I ask you.

However now that Europe is being over run by our folks surely it can't be long before our release comes. We are having a change of Japs in the camp. Hera and Walaiche are going away (back home) and Kadowcki and Kodie are taking their place. Every change made in the administration of this camp has always been the worse for us, not with standing their good? promises.

I still go to Dr Grooga with regard to beri beri pellagra and other malnutrition troubles and also to Dr Talbot about my eyes. I have been getting thiamine injections for the last few weeks but the dose is so small. I sometimes wonder if it does me any good, at any rate I'm not worse. I manage to keep my weight (154lbs) although I don't get extra rations. 

Since writing the above I have received your two loving and wonderful letters of 21/3/43 and 2/5/43, old ones but very nice and newsy. What the Japs have done with the letters all this time fair takes the biscuit. We haven't been allowed to send postcards for last month and this (March and April), but they still give us instructions that we mustn't mention release or reunion and so on, and no postcards to send anything at all. The Japs are well just trash and treat us like pigs.