Barbara Anslow's diary: View pages

Anchored Singapore about half past 12. Passed a convoy of small naval craft convoying a large 3-funnelled transport. In harbour were many naval ships, including the aircraft carrier 'Trumpeter' which is a sister ship to us, and the flagship 'Nelson'.  We stayed for about 3 hours.  We left about 4pm.  The little islands around are bristling with trees and bushes sprouting  thick and green out of the sea.
 
Dance on Flight Deck at night.  The deck was  lit up, the band came up on the lift; 2 very nice singers, and we learned some of the latest (to us) songs.  Flags were arrayed on the ropes round the band group.  The officers looked very nice, some in black, some in white, and lovely smart cummerbunds.  The MC kept saying 'Come along, ladies and gentlemen' because most of the seamen were very bashful.

The Captain looked like a film version of a bandit chief, in white silky shirt which billowed in the breeze, black cummerbund and trousers.  He made a little speech, said this was probably a unique occasion.  Clifton gave a turn which went down very well.  ((Clifton and friend Eric MacNider often appeared on Stanley stage together))

Wakey Wakey earlier this morning.  We had stopped at Sabang, on the northern tip of Sumatra. Water looked very deep - we were anchored quite close to land, and took on about 100 Marines who had only been there ten days ago from Penang. Low lying hills, luxuriant in trees, could see absolutely no sign of habitation at all. Stayed about a couple of hours.

Pitching and rolling rather upsetting.

The ginger steward said Empress of Australia had dumped her passengers in Madras.

Out on deck early to see hazy coastline of Ceylon, lots of small catamarans bobbing up and down. The harbour choc-a-block with ships.  We're anchored rather far out.

Clifton got one of officers to signal Block House re 'Empress of Australia', to find it is due here tonight or tomorrow - but whether or not the original passengers from HK (including Mum and Mabel) have been dumped elsewhere we don't know.

At 2pm we were standing by. Fyffe ((believed to be David Robert Fyffe Canadian, repatriated from Stanley in 1943 though wife Dorothy (British) and baby daughter stayed in camp)), turned up on board.

We went ashore in landing barge, thence into Red Cross buses, taken to Echelon Barracks, to a sort of marquee and sat down in comfortable chairs drinking tea or lemonade and eating biscuits.  Red Cross workers, very smart in uniform, were buzzing round doing all they could.  There were magazines, books etc.  Red, white and blue bunting draped the ceilings.  There was a corner roped off, made like a toyshop for the kids, and they had a wonderful time. ((This was probably the creche mentioned in link with IWM))

At different venues in Echelon, we received toilet things, underclothes, shoes, secondhand summer dress and skirt and blouse.   We had HOT BATHS (with bath salts) and some folk had hairsets and face massage!  Everything was taken care of.  ((Heaps of released pow's around, looking pale and ill, hair in tufts.  We found we people had a name, RAPWI, I think it stands for Returned Allied Prisoners of War and Internees.))
 
((There were no billets for us at Echelon, we were siphoned off to various places to sleep.)) Olive and I learned that a Mr & Mrs Best had invited us to stay with them.  ((We had met the Bests in 1938 as they travelled on the 'Kaisar-I-Hind' to Ceylon when we were aboard on our way to Hong Kong.)) She and I were put in a bus driven by an Indian, with among others the Mills family, the Buddens, Mr Megarry, Mr. J. Pennefather-Evans (Commissioner of Police, HK), and a Wren who was in charge of us.

Some were dropped at Kent House, we were taken to the Bests' house, Mrs. B came out to receive us. ((Although the Bests are asked just for Olive and I, we airily took with us our best friend Nan Grady, who was happily welcomed too.)) They gave us a lovely bedroom, they are so very very kind, and have 3 other lodgers. We want to stay here for a while – it's all so grand – and I hope we never forget to thank God for it.

Am aboard the Empress!

Up at crack of dawn (to find officials who would give me Mabel's berth); set off Jawattea Road, a lorry stopped and Indian driver offered me a lift and dropped me at 'Slave Island'.  Saw very few Europeans, but Indians were helpful.  Found 'Sub-Area HQ, junction of Parsons Road and Malay Street'; a Col. Johnston proved helpful, and said OK.

Another lorry gave me a lift to Echelon Barracks.  Busloads of internees from E. of Australia coming in (to get their clothing); met up with Mum, and Olive and Nan, and also the Bests.  We lost Mum for hours - even broadcast for her - she eventually re-appeared, having had to go elsewhere to get her glasses fixed.

Colombo is lovely.  The town is busy, the traffic alarming; their rickshaws are higher than Hong Kong's.  Petrol and whisky are rationed, and clothing is going to be.  Mrs Best told us the services are still mobilised, but gradually being demobbed.  The place is teeming with WRNS and FANY, in plain but very snappy uniforms, cute hats.  Loads of Europeans cycle all over the place, which seems very clean. Straight roads and many avenues.  Houses nearly all bungalows, with big grounds; beautiful big open spaces, gorgeous flowers and trees and lake.  They only had one air raid – Whitsun 1942.

I left Echelon in a taxi at 3pm to pick up my belongings from Bests, then take me to Melbourne Jetty (but taxi not allowed into Naval area, so transferred to a rickshaw as a long hot walk to the jetty.)  W. Kinlock (Police) also waiting on jetty and some Nursing Sisters I knew, all for the Empress. We were taken by launch to the Empress.

((I was delighted with Mabel's berth, a top bunk with porthole beside it.  There were about 7 of us in the cabin which was reported to have been part of the accommodation the King and Queen had occupied on their pre-war trip to Canada.)) All the other passengers were ex Stanley.

Shocked to learn that Norman Hellevick died on board a few days out of Hong Kong ((a Dutch diabetic from Stanley, he was 15 years old.))

Arrived Aden about 10.45am.  Rocky, the colour of used plasticine, a few trees in evidence.  New  jetties, one with 4 submarines alongside. Lots of hawks circling around.

Mrs E. Barron disembarked as result of a cable from her husband who is stationed not far off.. what a thrill!  The Governor's wife is aboard sitting in the lounge.

Local paper has news of 'longer queues, shorter rations' at Home.

Edward Frith (a school friend at the Garrison School, Hong Kong in 1928/9) came aboard to see his sister Iris Prew who was in Stanley.

Played bridge with Tony Sanh and Mr and Mrs Rosselet.

Arrived at Suez, for Adibaya, at 10am, ship lay very far out. ((We were told we would be supplied with clothes here.))  The first 'clothing parties' went ashore soon after.

Entertainers came aboard: a crack RAF band, and 3 shows, the 'Fiddlededees' with Eileen Lawson, a Mr. Edge on piano with Suzette Odell singing, and a Shakespearean actor.

I had a cigarette!

Left Suez early and entered Suez Canal.  Mainly desert wastes on Arabian side, and a very good road on British side. Troops swimming in canal & sitting on embankment. They waved and yelled at us 'You're going the wrong way!' 

Was told the Turks tried to cross the Canal in 1915, only one barge got across - they carried barges on their shoulders, having carried them for miles over the desert.

Passed remains of ships sunk by Germans in war - mass of rusty twisted metal parked on  the side of the canal.  Tannoy announcer gave details: it's about  40 feet deep where we entered.  The Italians didn't bomb the canal much in this war.

In 1968 it reverts to the Egyptian Govt. but apparently we are building another canal in this part of the world.  The Pharaohs started on the canal in BC.  It now costs 8/4d per person to come through the canal.

Arrived Port Said in evening.  Some mail came on board, but none for us. Men were given different forms to fill in, reporting war casualties, details of escapes etc.

Passed land on African coast; a mine spotted about 100 yards away, which a corvette came and exploded.

Confession.  

Then to dance with Tony etc.  Later, he, Kay and Charles Rosselet and I sat on stairs and ate rolls with meat.