R. E. Jones Wartime diary: View pages
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Dry, cloudy, cooler.
Executions down by pier.
Choir practice 6-7.30 in a field W of Prison.
Canteen buyer.
Windy & drizzle, colder.
3 Pkts cigs.
Painted name of B.Gs case ((Who is B.G.? Possibly Mrs Billie Gill?)) & needles for M.
With Steve pm. E there.
More pris’s arrived from town knelt down in bottom of Jap army lorry.
Dull, drizzly, cold.
Needles for E.
Today’s crop of rumours. Germans routed on Russian front. We have advanced 150 mls inside Burma. Revolution in Germany & peace talks in progress.
With Steve pm.
Russia has given us an air-base N of Vladivostock.
Camage ? manager of Chartered Bank arrested.
Chinese being ill-treated (tortured) in gaol am.
Fine & warmer. Aired bedding.
Nothing happened noteworthy.
Hattori in ?
Information re pris’s very bad but very good re repatriation?
Drew map for use in “positioning” future fires.
((R E Jones' daughter Rae has this drawing among her father's papers:
After reading the diary she realised that it was the "positioning" map described in today's diary entry. The strip along the bottom shows the skyline as seen looking north from Stanley Camp, so if you saw smoke or the glow of fire above the hills, you could use this drawing to estimate what the American bombers had attacked that day.))
Sentences imposed and carried out 29th. Oct for “Conduct predudice [sic] to the good order in Jap. Occupied Territory”. Fraser, Scott, Waterton, Reece, Hall, Bradley & Hyde, shot, Anderson, Roberts & Anderson 15yrs penal servitude.
700 women & children under 15yrs & the aged & infirm to leave sometime in Dec. Drs. Valentine & Ashton ((Is that F R Ashton?)) & Messrs. Wylie & Jolly under the C.S. are the appointed committee to select the persons going.
Much disappointment evident. General warning issued by C.S. re future conduct of Internees. Japs will not allow any demonstration of any sort, religious or otherwise to take place in connection with the 7 deaths.
Japs getting it hot in Burma. Local Indians have to pay Y300 deposit to join their newly formed National Army. They are joining with the hope of going to Burma & deserting to the British.
Wrote music all day “The Inchcape Rock”.
Fine.
Nothing happened.
((Barbara Anslow: Mr Jones' mention of the music of 'Inchcape Rock' immediately reminded me of hearing this sung by a fantastic men's choir in the 'Prison officers' Club' alias Recreation Hall, a truly professional performance by a large number of half-starved men.))
Fine.
No news.
Japs report attempted air-raid on N.Ts. by 20 & then 40 planes.
Bungalows being searched?
Fine, windy.
Y25 paid out.
Hattori came in & gave list of categories for next repatriation.
1.Children under 15 without parents.
2.A. Persons whose retention will result in grave consequences
B. Persons over 70.
3.Women with children under 15.
4.Women.
No hopes whatever for men.
No war news. Choir practice in Kitchen at St Stephens.
Fine.
Nothing doing.
Plenty of rumours in connection with Dec. exchange.
With Steve pm.
Fine.
Ground rice for Richards. ((I'm not sure who Richards was))
Choir practice at Social Hall 5-6pm.
Steve to dress rehearsal.
With M & E. Committee having fun selecting the 700.
Rome & Odessa captured. Strong force collected in Ceylon for out attack on Burma. Turkey has allowed passage of our troops & has opened the Dards.? ((Dave Kohl: "Dards" would be The Dardenelles, probably, the gateway opposite the Bosphorus.))
Fine, colder.
More fanatical claims in Jap paper. 2 A.Cs ((Aircraft Carriers)) 3 battleships 17 Cruisers 472 planes 7 transports, 10,000 men & 5 destroyers sunk, downed & drowned for their loss of 33 planes (Oh Yeh!).
With Steve pm.
Much colder.
Japs add to & re-affirm results of Bourgainville battles.
3 ½ oz. peanut butter issued free.
Mary’s birthday. gave her talc & tigerbalm. Steve to Concert.
List of people leaving next month nearing completion.
Made up Canteen lists.
Shopping. Tab 6/b [either a small ‘b’ or a 6]
Fine, cool.
List of names of those selected for repatriation displayed. Much happiness & sadness, disappointment etc about in consequence. ? of the day now is “Are you going?”
I rec. letter from Marj dated 27th Sept 1942. She was happy & well then & Rae too bless’em. (Although you seldom appear in this diary darling I think of you both just the same, daily & nightly, hoping, wishing & planning)
Fine, cloudy.
Bathrooms.
Stores arrived.
Nothing fresh re news or repatriation.
Fine, did some washing.
Restless day, inferior rice full of husks.
With Steve pm.
Turkey in the War?
Mail to neutral Euro. countries suspended. Why?
Fine, warm.
Hill fire on Is. S of HK out by early am.
Sound of gunfire from N.Ts all day.
With Steve pm.
Ground rice & mended straps am.
Fed up.
Raid on Kowloon 11pm & some very heavy stuff dropped. No opposition from Japs except a little useless, belated AA fire & one plane flying around low after our chaps had gone. (Quite in keeping with their invincibility & indomitable fighting spirit, & their unfailing qualities that enable them to knock down our chaps at least 8 to 1 Ha Ha!!
Ground rice for Eve.
Another raid at 12.45pm.
Choir practice 5-6pm.
With Steve pm.
Black-out, dusk to dawn.
