Barbara Anslow's diary: View pages | Gwulo: Old Hong Kong

Barbara Anslow's diary: View pages

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13 Jan 1945, Barbara Anslow's diary

Mum's 50th birthday. Mabel gave her a brooch from somewhere.  Margery Fortescue gave her some potatoes and carrots, and lard to fry them in.

Eleven or twelve destroyers came in and out of bay.

Rumour that electric current will come on again - tomorrow the day.

To Confession standing by the railings opposite Block A3.

To party with St Agnes girls in quarry/grotto.  ((St Agnes was a little club of teenage RC girls I helped with.   The quarry or grotto was a rocky piece of waste ground opposite the American Block where sometimes meetings and services were held.  A few 'mimi lau' bricks provided seating accommodation.)) The girls did very well Mary Rogers (14) sang and payed guitar; the eats were wonderful and plenty.  ((Everyone usually brought a little bit of food for these occasions)) Banging – perhaps blasting – going on.

Fried meal in evening.

Various Christmas and New Year greetings from different countries.

Parcels - NIL.

Walked round with Gladys in evening.
14 Jan 1945, Barbara Anslow's diary

Yesterday's paper says that another Maru (ship) left Moji on 8th for Shanghai with U.S. parcels, not yet guaranteed safe passage.   No one in camp knows what's happened to the Nissei Maru.

Benediction in afternoon, then Catholic Action Section Meeting; Brother Bonnici (Louis) gave a talk on Malta.  ((He was one of two Catholic Brothers in camp))
15 Jan 1945, Barbara Anslow's diary

Morning roll call late, and had hardly finished when air raid happened.  The longest and noisiest we've had yet.  Much ack-ack fire.   Some say there were 12-14 planes, I only saw 3, flying very low.  They came back again for a short time just after lovely tiffin of potato and beans.

Worked in afternoon, visited Fleur still in hospital, rather listless.

Mum had 2 letters from Auntie Lil, Dec. 1943.
16 Jan 1945, Barbara Anslow's diary

Heard planes coming over just when I went to get congee, and arrived back in room just before kyushu (air raid alarm) went.  A long time after, planes came round our area, and dive-bombed Waglan.

Bright and sunny.

I flew down to hospital bout 12.15; during tiffin planes came round again. They came in waves.  I saw 2 planes crash, one collided with the other; the first one had flames coming out of the tail and fell pretty quickly, fairly high up on this side of the Peak.  The other fell very slowly; one pilot baled out, another airman had his parachute out but couldn't get free of the plane.  One piece of wing was slowly turning over and over in the air for a long time.
 
There was a rumour that leaflets were dropped, but turned out only to be packing from ack-ack shells.  Spent alot of time up in Ward 4 with Fleur (Cheape, aged 4); she was frightened but kept her self control very well.  ((We crouched together under a small table in the ward. I knew her as she lived with her mother on the landing near us in Block 3, Married Quarters.))
 
Apparently the planes were after a machine gun on the end of the gaol.  A couple of bombs (or shells) landed on the rocks beside the gaol about 200 yards away from us at the hospital.  Pom-pom guns, mahine guns, blast - terrifying.  Mum says it was like that in the Jockey Club hospital during the battle.
 
The Operating Theatre window blew in, and some windows in Ward 6.   Some one said they thought Jap HQ (on a knoll in the camp) had been hit, then Watanabe came to the hospital, saying 2 people in Bungalow C had been hurt, one 'on the point of death'; he asked for help.  Volunteers went off with stretchers etc., and about ten minutes later, Mr Owen Evans came tearing down and said that nearly every one in Bungalow C had been killed.

Then 14 were reported dead:

Didn't get up from hospital till almost 6pm, when Clifton had come down with Mr Blake on a stretcher - who'd got shrapnel in leg while rice-grinding. Clifton raced Olive and I up the slope to the Married Q., and more planes were coming over. Clifton had been up at the bungalow to help dig, and to take Father Hessler.  The bomb fell in courtyard between Tony's ex-room and garage. ((Tony Cole of ARP Dept., who had only recently moved out from Bunglow C.))

We slept in our clothes.

((The remains of one of the American planes that crashed on this day were located in 2011. See: http://gwulo.com/node/15925))

((Barbara's future brother-in-law, Clifton Large, picked up one of the American bullets from that raid, and it is still in the family's possession today:

Bullet from Jan 1945 raid on Stanley
Bullet from Jan 1945 raid on Stanley, by jhayesTucson

 
17 Jan 1945, Barbara Anslow's diary

Two alarms but we heard no raids, we've all been very jumpy.

To work in afternoon.

Mr Bailey is all right ((he was in Bungalow C)) but a bit shaken, his face all little scratches from the blast, and his clothes sort of shaggy. Gave him cigarettes.

Haven't seen newspaper, but it's supposed to say 300 planes were over yesterday and 25 shot down; rumour that 3 pilots who came down by parachute were installed in the prison, and that a guarantee has been given that there'll be no more shooting from the camp. (Doesn't apply to the Prison, though.)

The funerals were at 4pm, only relatives and personal friends allowed to go.

Rice increase to 16 ozs. from 1st Feb. Olive and I will probably have to come off hospital rations.
18 Jan 1945, Barbara Anslow's diary

Several rather long alarms today, but no raids to our knowledge, probably reconnaissance planes.

Rice rissole for tiffin.

To plays rehearsal, we have decided to call off more rehearals till the air raid situation stabilizes itself.

Got sweet potatoes for cigarettes.

German lesson in aftrnoon.
19 Jan 1945, Barbara Anslow's diary

Yesterday's paper says (re 16th) that 'over 10 bombs' were released at Stanley and killed 15 internees and wounded 34. (Who are the 34 no one knows!)

Paper also says 'there have been painted white crosses, an international symbol representing 'no attack' on the roofs of the buildings.'  -  We are all looking for the white crosses!

Mr. C. F. Livesey died.

Mrs. K. Martin (wife of Rev. Martin) died about tiffin time.

Air raid alarm  but no planes, though we heard one heavy one come over in the night.
20 Jan 1945, Barbara Anslow's diary

No alarms today.

To Mass in am., and to Confession.

Last night went to Block 4 Concert on their stairway, good and spontaneous.

Red Cross letter to Olive from Topper's sister ((Topper was Olive's fiance, pow in Japan; sister in UK)).

Children's quiz in our room  in evening.
21 Jan 1945, Barbara Anslow's diary

Clifton collapsed in cookhouse this afternoon, now in hospital. Probably will be operated on tomorrow for appendicitis.

Played bridge in Mezger's room, with Betty Drown, Dick Cloake and Mez. ((W.J. Mezger;  Richard Cloake - journalist)).  Nice cake.

Air raid this afternoon - heard no bombs, but planes and a.a. fire.

Last night about 9pm alarm sounded, and a large low plane circled around.
22 Jan 1945, Barbara Anslow's diary

On holiday this week.

Margery Fortescue, Victor Cross (6), Stewart Valentine (13), Peter Hall (10) and Kenny Macleod (8) have chickenpox, they're not in hospital.

Clifton says he's dying of hunger - maybe appendicitis, perhaps gall-bladder; they're not sure about operation.

Newspaper says the Japs are eager to meet the enemy in Manila.  Parcels rumour afloat again.

Quiz in evening, men v. women; men won 14-12. I only managed 2 out of my 6 questions.

Air raid alarm about 9.15, heard planes but no bombs.
23 Jan 1945, Barbara Anslow's diary

Apologetics class in morning. No raids. Rumour that parcels are in town and will come in with next consignment of rice.

Spoke to Wright-Nooth who was in Clifton's room when I went there; he suddenly became serious when I gave my pessimistic view of the relief of here; he said he agreed, but one didn't talk about it unless someone mentioned it first.  ((I was anticipating bloody mayhem if the Allies attacked Stanley Fort just above the camp. Can't now think why my old shoes have been in Clifton's room.. maybe he had mended them?))

Walk with Annie, (Van Der Lely); we looked at Bungalow C which isn't nearly as wrecked as I had imagined.

I saw Concannon about the plays.

To History lecture in evening.
24 Jan 1945, Barbara Anslow's diary

Our room's turn to sweep the passage.

Water-carrying day; spent a long time at water hydrant, then went down to well.  ((strangely, now I can't remember where that well was!)).  There's a pump now.  Met Concannon there, he carried water up for me. Got most of my washing done, and hair.

Newspaper supposedly suppressed.  Rumours of Canton being surrounded.

Clifton still on fluid diet (at hospital).

Lovely stew - carroty and oniony - for tiffin.
25 Jan 1945, Barbara Anslow's diary

Annie insisted on my going home with her after Mass, and I had coffee with sugar!! ((Annie was Dutch; her parents and brother & sisters also in camp;  somehow her family had access to food from outside sources, and were always very generous.  Many of the non-British internees had been brought to Stanley some time after the British, so had had more time to prepare for internment.))

Visited Doreen (Leonard), am going to teach her shorthand.

Went to see Concannon in afternoon, he was most useful, then to rehearsal in club.

Olive not well.

Had peas (in rations) today.

Yvonne Blackmore (17), Leo Barton (17) and Billy Dudman (16) all got through Matric.

Sunday's raid was on Wanchai, newspaper claims 4,000 casualties.

Rev. A. Rose gave talk on Dreams in evening.
26 Jan 1945, Barbara Anslow's diary

Clifton came out of hospital.

Outside roll call this morning.

Rehearsal in our room in afternoon, quiz for children in evening.

Canteen in morning - got demarara sugar, rice flour, and noodles.

Men went into town to load rice.

Doreen came, first shorthand lesson.
27 Jan 1945, Barbara Anslow's diary

Some internees arrested for liquor selling, and one found - so rumour says - in Stanley Village at 1am.

Requiem Mass for air raid victims.

Rumour that Russians are 90 miles from Berlin.

Eggs selling at 38 yen each.
28 Jan 1945, Barbara Anslow's diary

Air raid alarm at tiffin-time, but heard no noise.

My voice gave out at choir today – hopeless.

Hardly any rations - just beans and greens for both meals.

While I worked in afternoon, gramophone recital in office. ((Sunday))

Planted N.Z. spinach - given by Mr. A. R. Cox.
29 Jan 1945, Barbara Anslow's diary

Mary Rogers in hospital with appendicitis. Ivy Batley (26) and Mrs Lena Edgar also in hospital.

Went to see Annie, she made rice pancakes with sugar rolled in.

Got hot water for Fortescues.  Worked in morning. ((Boiled hot water was served from 8 am, when you queued with your container for your share to make tea if you had any left.  The Fortescues and the Redwoods took turns to collect each others))

Catholic Action meeting outside.

Newspaper says Americans pushing forward to Clarke Airfield (Philippines); going ahead in Burma.

Water on in taps - first time for ages.
30 Jan 1945, Barbara Anslow's diary

Doreen had shorthand lesson.

Newspaper says Philippines waiting for enemy; also suggests an attempted landing at Bias Bay.
31 Jan 1945, Barbara Anslow's diary

Bulletin (via newspaper) gives Goebell's speech re if German armies of East give way there will be a world's workers' war. Rumour that German HQ has removed to Nuremburg.

Mrs G. Goddard asked me about shorthand, we're going to do it often

Rumours that Japs have said we will get parcels but they are not here yet; that bulk stuff is in HKong and will be sent in as and when we need it.
1 Feb 1945, Barbara Anslow's diary

After work, to beach with Clifton & Mabel to get salt water, then German lesson, and rehearsal, then shorthand with Mrs. G. Goddard.

My watch went ((for valuation and sale through Black Market)) - marker received.

To lecture on 'Murder'.

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