Ben came across with 23.50. ((Who is Ben?))
An absolute negative day, no energy for anything.
Russian news good.
With Steve pm.
Food & eating dominate thought these days.
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Fine, cool, dry.
Good news re Russians in paper also of retirement of Jap troops in Solomons.
Repatriation stronger.
Bowl of fish head congy [sic] with Steve.
Home with Eve.
No celebration for Double 10th in town.
Fine, cooler, dry.
Choir practice 5-6pm.
With Steve pm.
Meijima tells us that list of names selected for repatriation will be available shortly but that it is different to what was first contemplated. Much speculation in consequence.
Official rubbish emptier.
Choir practice at St Stephen’s 11-noon.
With Steve pm.
Home with E.
Plenty of Jap air activity.
Fine, cool & dry.
Boring day, no news.
Sang at Concert at St Stephens pm.
We are all waiting anxiously now for the expected list of those to be repatriated to arrive. Any day now.
Full moon.
Fine & dry.
Canteen for Stone/Store [?]
Concert at St Stephen’s pm well received.
¼ lb lard issued free. Very welcome, so was the mutton pasty.
Plenty people going sick from St Stephens.
A Mrs Potts came in from town, said Hatori told her of repatriation at beginning of Dec. also that Jap paper news is at least 2 wks old.
((Brian Edgar: This was Suzie Potts, wife of A. H. Potts.
She claimed French nationality through her mother at start of war, but decided to go into Camp because her son was sent to Stanley from Shanghai (he'd been at school in Qingdao but ended up interned in Shanghai with a man called Hawkins who was looking after him.)
Emily Hahn writes about the family in China To Me.
Source: RTHK interview with Alex Potts.))
No cigs arrived.
Nothing further re repatriation.
Final night of Concert. Everyone very pleased with our effort.
Chinese tobacco now 5/- per ounce.
Electricity allowance totally inadequate.
Touch of Beri-beri.
Fine & dry.
Paper news very late.
Japs seem to be getting it hot in Solomons & Burma. Paper still full of Phil. Independence. What is Portugal doing re Azores etc?
With Steve pm. Home with E.
Still no cigs.
Dull, no smokes.
Rations by launch.
Crete recaptured. Germans surrounded in Pripetares [?], & Burma campaign coming our way.
Talk with Steve pm. Wrote music for him.
4oz inferior peanuts issued. Food poor, inferior dirty semi-red rice. No Jap paper today.
Allson to hosp 10pm. ((Not sure who this is. Possibly Mr Allison?))
Showery.
No cigs. Rations by lighter. Picking up cig ends for a smoke.
Choir practice 5-6pm.
With Steve pm. Home with E.
Good news re German Army getting it hot? via New Delhi. Local Indians optimistic.
Fine, dry.
Uneventful day. Wrote out parts for “Drink to me only with Thine eyes”.
With Steve pm. Home with E.
Dry, fine, meatless day.
No paper.
Teia-Maru to be back here on 29th with food?
Daily average of cals & prots for the month 15-77 & 41-86.
With Steve pm.
Show at St Stephens “Private Lives”.
Showery, warm, cloudy.
Zindel arrived & among other things checked Canteen prices.
Cigs arrived at last, 25sen per pkt, 1½ d per cig.
Repair camp bed canvas for Steve. With Steve pm.
Chinese in town having their rice ration made up with beans due to lack of rice. Speaks well for the Co-prosperity Sphere.
Cloudy but dry & fresh wind.
Poor food.
Bulletin rather cloudy again, Teia-Maru not to call on her way to Japan, & the food is destined to Canadians only.
With Steve pm.
Fine & dry.
No news. Just an empty useless day.
Lorry load of Chinese to gaol all knelt in bottom so that they were hidden from public gaze.
Fine, dry, cloudy.
Ground rice for D.M. ((Who/what is D.M.?)) & made needles for Mary.
No news, just another empty day.
Steve to practice. Choir practice 5-6pm.
At Steves pm. E there. Syb called. ((Who is "Syb"? Possibly Sybil Swift / Leiper?))
