R. E. Jones Wartime diary: View pages

Rained & temp. dropped remarkably am.

Get awfully pessimistic at times, promoted & assisted by hunger, lack of soap & other things no doubt. Hope springs in the heart eternal, optimism is ever with us & so life is more or less balanced. Circumstances such as these prove that patience is a virtue, & virtue of value to the possessor thereof. The sense of humour too is a great thing to have. Human nature is the most finely balanced product in existence, for every dent there comes a bump & thank heaven our feelings are not subject to the forces of earthly gravity. 

Jap paper admits more landings & more area under our control in France. The fall of Imphal again imminent.

Ground rice for bread.

With Steve pm.

Final congee issue pm wong tong & ginger. 

(Theory has it that 2nd. front commenced before date of report) (Russians advancing & 20,000 Jap troops landed locally & moved up to Canton)?

Planes over 3.20am.

Rained heavily 7am.

Saving on cigs, we have no means of lighting them. Demonstrates in a small way how efficiently the Japs are managing the production in all their captured territory. Typhoons, earthquakes, plagues, loqusts [sic] & Japs are all in the same category for their destructive qualities.

Brightened somewhat during the forenoon. Wood-chopping, rice grinding & food carrying.

Some plane activity during the day.

German evacuated (9th) Tarquinia 55mls. N. of Rome. Sketchy report re French front. Imphal still falling. Nothing in paper to support Camp news. Public warned re possibility of air-raids & reminded how inhuman & cruel we’ll be when our planes come over. Have the Japs forgotten their own ruthlessness so soon?

Tea & sugar 20 days  & oil 10 days issued also Y2.50 more of last month’s allowance. Total allowance received = Y12.50 or 11 boxes of matches & 40 sen change, or ¾ lb of soap if one added 10 sen, or 7 razor blades by adding 52 sen.

Clouds lifted again during the evening.

With Steve pm.

Black-out off.

Main switches in HK pulled at mnt.[Midnight?]

Planes over at 2am.

Heavy rain storm 4am. Overcast all day.

Switch pulling at mnt. to continue & all shops, cafes etc to be vacated by 11pm by order of Chief of Gendarmerie. Leads one to think that our radio news is too good & true for the Japs to allow the public to listen to. Our progress is obviously good.

Anglo U.S. now 80 mls N. of Rome.

Pris. Ind. escaped from Gaol.

With Steve pm.

4 razor blades, curry.

Dull, overcast, raining.

Got canteen gear.

Ground rice for bread.

Chopped wood.

Jap paper quite as usual, we’re losing everything, sez them!

With Steve pm.

Cherbourg captured?

Drizzly & dull again.

Ground rice.

Information re Camp conditions, health & rations dispatched to Swiss Minister in Tokyo.

With Steve pm.

No paper today, no news or rumours.

Continual wet weather spoiling gardens. Clothing etc. damp & muggy & cockroaches having a wonderful time.

From Ponting through Form. guard, we’ve some good news to come.

Rain & more rain. Very depressing weather.

Ground rice.

German “new weapon” causing much havoc in SE England according to the Jap paper. Elba attacked 16th. Japs stress futility of all our efforts & even make “gains” out of our raid on Kyushu also they deny the “rumours” circulated by Chungking that Tokyo was bombed at the same time.  

Four pris’. discharged after serving 2yrs & 2 mths for escape, Bidmead, Morisson [sic], Fay & Randall, and are now under treatment for malnutrition in hospital (treatment consists of bran & soy beans, the only stuff available containing Vit.B1.)

Steve to dress rehearsal.

Made out Canteen chit for Mary & span yarn re future.

(Turkey in the war 16th?)

10 day P.N.oil issued.

Rain, heavy low cloud.

Roll-call 8am.

Longest day.

No rations arrived.

Paper playing up the German “new weapon”. Elba evacuated & four more places in Finnland. Obvious progress being made in France with Germans saying Cherbourg & peninsula not really worth much strategically. Total absence of Pacific or Burma news.

Ground rice, chopped wood.

Saw Steve after concert.

(Shall I be seeing you two soon Marj darling?)

Showery, much warmer.

Ground rice & chopped wood.

Finns retreating rapidly. (Cabinet have had emergency meeting) Installations at Cherbourg being demolished by Germans. We are advancing in Italy (N of Perugia) Naval action W of Marianas (how near to Formosa?) Churchill has said war will be over this Summer. Everything on the up & up for us.

Locally not so good re food. Firewood difficulties in town, among other things of course.

With Steve pm.

Neilson & wood for coffin. Mrs Flaherty offered Y500 for a coffin. Neilson procures the wood on false pretenses & takes the money.

(Camp. Japs surrendering in Burma)

Overcast & showery all day.

Ground rice & chopped wood.

Some canteen gear arrived but no veg for tomorrow, sprats only.

No paper today. Chinese paper arrived & is in the course of translation.

With Steve pm.

Air-raid warning 9pm, for practice it seems.

Rocket release gear captured at Cherbourg. It is suggested by Stockholm report that Japs must retire west if Saipan is captured as their position strategically would be untenable. If such is the case, and the Japs do retire west, clear of the Phillipines & Formosa as suggested, then we can look forward to early release.

Much talk & conjecture about what we will do when release does come, how we will appreciate the small things of life, hot water, soap, clean clothing, a good bed & privacy, things that used to seem of no account. We will look back on these days with mixed feelings, some good, some bad. Food, accommodation & medical treatment will be remembered as bad, & the general life, books, lectures, concerts, talks & companionship as good. Things generally could be much worse.

I look forward to the time when my forced separation from my wife & baby is at an end & my sense of appreciation of the amenities of life is in full swing. Plain & plenty, cleanliness & comfort will = Happiness.