21 Jul 1942, John Charter's wartime journal
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We have had about 10 days of pouring wet hot weather lately, broken by one day with a scorching day of cloudless sky. All day long on that day, all sinks and basins were fully occupied by women feverishly washing arrears of soiled clothes. Yvonne got hers done and out in the sun in time, for the next day down came the rain again. This wet weather is the result of two typhoons which passed within 100 miles or so of HK. We had quite a good blow about a week ago, but nothing approaching typhoon force. However, it convinced the Bidwells that their sleeping pitch on the verandah was no longer tenable and they have moved into the room. This has considerably improved the appearance and amenities of the balcony (when the weather permits us to use it) though we now have hardly enough space in the room in which to turn round. The Bidwells came into our corner as their bed would not fit into the corner beside the fire place, so our bed, which is a little narrower, was moved over. Isa has a camp bed and alternates between the room and the verandah. When all eight of us are in we need only the oil to make us look like a tin of sardines.
Today it has been pouring again. To add to our troubles the electric current throughout the camp has been cut off. Our floor has been without it for the last two nights, but this morning the current failed throughout the whole camp and, I am told, throughout the whole of Stanley. Rumour has it that the HK Electric is out of order (owing to a bomb dropped on it by an American plane!) and the whole of HK is without electricity. At all events, this is adding considerably to our difficulties. No hot water is available at all.
We, in this room, have been lucky enough to get hold of two electric hot-plates and a small electric saucepan (two belong to Isa and the second hotplate to the Fortescues) and it was no difficulty to make a cup of tea or a cup of cocoa, cook porridge or cook up rice with a few raisins and sugar to make raisin rice pudding. This morning I had to revert to the smoky and arduous task of boiling water for the community breakfast tea on a broken chatty! Let us hope the power will soon come on again. Our bakery and some of our cooking too depends on electricity and that is even more important than odd cups of cocoa.
Today, 21st July 1942 is an important date: it is exactly 6 months today since we came to this benighted camp. I never imagined we should be here all this time. Today, also is the eve of my birthday………this is the last day of my ‘twenties’!
About a fortnight ago Minnie had a lovely surprise. She was told to call at Yamashita’s office to collect some money which had been remitted to her by Capt. Min. She came along on the following day, full of excitement, to say that Capt. Min had sent her $500 (pdv £1400)! Almost in her next breath she told Y and me that we were to have $20 each and when we had spent that we could ask her for more. She is kind. We accepted her kind offer very gladly for we were dying to launch out and be a little extravagant. Accordingly, when the canteen was next open we bought 1 lb coffee, 1 lb raisins, 2 lbs sugar, 1 lb rolled oats and ½ lb cheese! We have coffee after lunch now with a cigarette! It really is the height of luxury. It makes me think of the days before the war when I used to toss down my after lunch cup of coffee with hardly a thought. I wonder how long we shall continue to fully appreciate the simple pleasures of life after leaving this camp. We have agreed that this money shall be regarded as a loan; then I shall not mind asking Minnie for some more later should we need it.
I hear that people in the Indian Quarters have again seen a tiger.
About a month ago quite a number of nurses came into camp from St Theresa’s Hospital (next to the Argyle Street British Officers Camp in Kowloon) and Bowen Road Military Hospital. Amongst them were Mrs Pritchard and Pamela. We were very glad to see them again, but not half so glad as Mr Pritchard, who had seen neither of them since war was declared. The last I had seen of Pam was on the Sunday before the war (this local war) at a rehearsal of ‘George and Margaret.’ She brought the sad news that Charles Gilmour (who was taking the part of Mr Garth Bander – ‘Poppet’ - in the same play) had died from the wound on his head. I was so sorry to hear this, especially as news had come in earlier that he was making an amazingly good recovery. Apparently he had a relapse. So both he and Tim Mackinlay out of the cast of 8 were killed. It was funny how I kept accidentally running across Charles during the war……he was in the armoured car division.
Since the re-billeting the Pritchards have managed to get a room to themselves in the Indian Quarters. Pam’s most exciting piece of news was that that she and Denis Poltock had become engaged. He made his proposal in a letter which was smuggled into the hospital in a match box! Real war time romance!
