20 Dec 1941, Colin McEwan Diary

A queer jumble of a morning. We began by accompanying A.S.P. Searle, one of the police who went out and did things, on an anti-sniping raid at Happy Valley. All this proving another rumour we returned and almost at once set off on an anti-looting expedition. This was taking place at the French Store in Queen’s Road but the shooting of one and arrest of another, a member of the A.P.S. who, in company with the Police, were having as much as anyone under the guise of escorting it into lorries stowed that. Apart from this the Western District seemed quiet and there was nothing to support the stories at P.H.Q. of looting in Western Central; the streets being deserted practically in the Des Voeux Road area and, in Queen’s Road, far from busy.

After tiffin where I met Gray Dalziel, thoroughly disgusted and properly so at his job of superior nurse to ratings’ wives, we got orders which seemd to point to something good at last. A P.B. of the Middlesex had been cut off at Causeway Bay by a few Japs. Who were allegedly sniping from roof tops and side streets. The news, coming as it did from G.H.Q., was authentic and as no volunteers were allowed from the police, the three of us with Petro, a good enough fellow but who talked like bloody hell proceeded to the area in question. Arrived there I did a reconnaissance over Jardine’s hill but even with the help of the headmaster of the school there I could see no signs of activity. Proceeding further there were still no signs of Japs. Anywhere nor for that matter of our troops either. The P.B. certainly seemed deserted but at the distance 3-400 yds. it was difficult to be sure. Dusk was setting in and we had to be moving quickly if anything was to be done so Mike moved us back while he went to see if any change in the situation had been reported. There certainly had – the P.B. had been evacuated some hours before and we had been playing at soldiers in no man’s land.

In addition, orders now came to move to Aberdeen the following morning ready to move to Shatuakok. The evening was spent in feeding and argument – we, having contacted Betty’s roommates at the Gloucester, (indecipherable name/s written by hand above this: Lynn Harmond(?) Mrs….Cantas(?)) and after a fairly lively evening, culminated in Tai and and I heaving our bedding all over the hotel which was crammed even more to the corridors and finally going to sleep in Police quarters again.