U.K., U.S.A. & U.S.S.R. sign Non-Aggression & Mutual Aid Pact. French west coast Ports told to evacuate inland?
R. E. Jones Wartime diary: View pages
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German lesson.
Results of Aleutian & Midway Battles still trickling in. US Navy to throw a blockade line across the Pacific?
Hill up again. ((Probably F. N. Hill))
Heavy showers.
Heavy bombing raids on Germany, Japan, Manila & Burma. German estimate of killed etc 60,000. Russians OK. Japs lost many vessels & about 75 warships.
Finer.
Idea of invading Ind. & Aust. given up by Japs. Withdrawing troops from Burma for defence of Jap. Malaya proving a white elephant to them. Three million Allied troops ready in UK. Kai Tak bombed?
Plenty rumours about. Tobruk in danger?
Lovely weather.
Paid 40cts for postage of letter to Marj.
Sugar.
Dance in Club.
Odd bits of unconfirmed news knocking about. Americans not going yet?
Watched baseball match on tennis court. Win for US.
Re-inforcements [sic] arrived in Alex. OK after battle with Italian fleet. Some losses but It. lost more. Channel mined and shipping warned. (2nd Front?) US s/ms around China and Jap Coasts.
2 AA guns & troops went to Fort this PM.
Jap paper gloomy for us as usual.
Tobruk fallen, per local paper. Makes us feel rather down.
Rained.
Japs carried out AA gun practice from fort.
More rain.
AA gun practice.
Feel awfully sad & lonely today Marj darling, hungry too.
News may not be so bad as it seems re Tobruk.
Asked Hill to pay his 1938-39 debts but he denies them now, What a Pal! Marj dear you sure were right about these “friends” of mine. ((Probably F. N. Hill))
Fine.
10 Jap transports sunk?
Americans receive instr re embarkation.
38 cigs issued $1.52.
Better news.
Showery.
Americans all ready to go. Vaccinated & tested for typhoid & heavy luggage in lighters.
Many rumours re moves for the British.
Welfare parcels arriving.
Re-inforcements arrived for Egypt. Second front opened?
US Red Cross re-presentatives arrived.
2 mls Aberdeen Bay. “Asama Maru” arrived. (National flag & white crosses bow & stern) Americans left PM. (("New York" is written above the text here)).
When do we go? Rumour of 4 ships leaving, 2 to take us all away & 2 to go to Near East.
Showery. “Asama Maru” left at 6PM.
Seems to be some truth in the rumour re our leaving.
Churchill’s 3 points: Aid to Russia, & to China & an intensified anti-s/m campaign in the Atlantic.
Conditions in HK apparently very bad.
Evacuation rumour still up in the air, denied here and semi-confirmed there.
Showery all day.
Heavy showers all day.
Went to Hiscock’s 36 birthday party & very good it was too. ((Probably fellow prison officer A. W. Hircock.))
Alex. in danger?
Much disorder re impending re-billetting.
Hore-Belisha talks of our repatriation?
Sepastopol [sic] fallen. When will the list of our losses stop increasing I wonder. Alex & Cairo will be next it seems. Churchill tells us that the situation is serious but not grave. He knows more about it than we do so maybe he is right.
$75 parcels although reduced to $52.20 in value have at last become realities.
Showery.
Fridge moved from American Kitchen.
