25 Jan 1943, John Charter's wartime journal

We had brought in one nice big bath towel which we cut in half, keeping one half for future use and making two small towels from the other half. But when we heard Bunny had been given the rank of 1st Lieutenant at the outbreak of hostilities and was in the Argyle St Camp, we decided that he would be much better off for such things than we were, as they have a canteen and regular pay! It seemed rather stingy to send only a card, but really it is rather silly to rob one’s meagre wardrobe and send a precious article that might not be needed at the other end.

The men at Sham Shui Po needed things more, as their pay is much less and most of it is absorbed by what they have to pay back for their food. The HK Volunteers were well catered for as the wives and friends of most of them were in camp and sent them numerous parcels with such home made articles as :- gloves (of the fingerless motoring variety, made from the kahki jerkins sent in by the Red Cross), scarfs, slippers, (all from these useful jerkins). We were not allowed to send food or printed matter of any description and no Red Cross clothing (such as shorts, shirts etc). But I’m afraid the regulars there must have received no Christmas mail or parcels at all as they were known to few of the civilians in this camp, and their wives and families had evacuated to Australia 2 ½ years ago.

We were thrilled to get a card from Barry Deane. He had sent two to Winnie, one with a most romantic sketch of two little people sitting by a moonlit, palm girt sea shore (Winnie says he couldn’t possibly have drawn it himself!) He also sent two cards to other people, as I don’t know how many they were allowed to send.

We had also another very pleasant surprise; this time in the shape of a beautiful Xmas card from Yvonne Ho for Terrance Feltham and ourselves. It arrived on 23rd Dec. It was kind of her, she has been so good to us. She sends parcels to quite a number of people in camp which is generous, as the cost of living must be terribly high.

A lot of cakes came in from the Gloucester Hotel, beautifully iced and decorated, bearing, on the covers of the cardboard boxes, pasted slips with the names of the senders. These were mostly from the prisoners in Argyle Street Camp. They had evidently been allowed to send in orders with the money, but none of them had been allowed to write any note or sign their names.