2 years today since Dad died.
9 bombers flew over, and one ship towing another.
Elec. off on our floor.
Nothing in the way of meat.
Shanghai people standing by.
In evening Mabel and I walked to St Stephens in the hope that Elizabeth Drown would be playing, but no. We went to cemetery, and saw body on rocks and bundles on the beach.
The bottom fell out of the HK dollar - now worth only half as much as before.
Madame Le Bon visited camp and was in a great state about it. ((I think she made trusses etc. for hernia cases))
Worried lest the value of our $75 parcels drops ((only a few internees had so far received their parcels.))
People haven't left for Shanghai.
Grand concert on Bowling Green. Good new song - 'We're going to sail away, sail away etc
((
'We know internment here will end one day; we want to go; we've got to go, for we're longing to see the land that we love so....
There'll be happy hearts and free, when we're going out to sea, Afloat on a boat on the way to Lourenco Marques.'
- rumoured to be our destination for exchange if ever we were repatriated))
I had a row with a man over my programme (I one of the lucky ones who had one.)
Mrs Drown (piano) in white pierrot dress with black bobbles, white collar coiffe and frills round her wrists. Ian Heath played piano too. June Winkelman and another child did a good acrobatic turn. Eve Gray (a teacher I think) was good, even when forgetting her lines.
Olive met Paddy Gill's wife Billie, she has asked us to go to tea next Friday. ((Paddy Gill was an Army friend of our family up to early 1940 when he was sent to UK. We knew he married her before his departure, but we had never met her; she had a baby boy later that year.))
Launches came for the Shanghailanders, but departure postponed again.
In morning we went to cemetery, saw launches come for the Shanghailanders, but they were postponed again.
The Shanghailanders really left this afternoon.
I'm still getting fatter, 120 and a half lbs.
Paper says the Americans have arrived at Lourenco Marques, transhipped and are on their way to America.
Part-typhoon, white billows and great foam and spray breaking against the rocks beside the hospital and the little island beyond.
Dr Selwyn-Clarke came in, said No.9 signal is up.
Miss Hill has stopped shorthand lessons for a while.
Swim in morning. I wore Welfare shorts (khaki, unisex, and hanky front.)
Olive's 26th birthday. She made a currant bread loaf, and had 'party'' in Joan Walkden's corridor. Ginger (H.Angus, Govt. clerk), also Bill Kerr. Also there Lorraine Money, of 'Courtlands' Kennedy Road, Bicky (B.I. Bickford) and Nielson.
Bill Kerr told how he had milked the cows at Pokfulam during the war, and pinched piglets!
Mrs Ross died and was buried. ((She was a late middle-aged lady, on her own in camp, lived in a room 2 doors away from ours. She just gave up trying to live. Felt dreadful for her, when listing her poor little collection of personal effects at the hospital.))
Row with Olive about buns. I threw one at her. ((At this time there was still a flour ration, and we each had a bread bun every day. Of course they weren't exactly of uniform size, so we used to take it in turns having first choice from our room's supply. On this day, I thought it was my turn to choose, so took the best one; but Olive insisted it was HER turn, so we had a fierce argument, then I threw my bun at her - it hit her on the face... I felt so ashamed afterwards, and we all wept.))
Baby Elizabeth Mary born to Mrs Dorothy Fyffe.
Little boy McLeod blew himself up - he's all right so far ((He must have picked up some small war explosive lying around; he recovered quickly.))
Mr Watson (Police) started giving me Cantonese lessons.
Olive and I went to see Mrs Billie Gill and Brian who was 2 years old yesterday, in Bungalow B. Brian looks mostly like his mother, but he has Paddy's mouth and teeth. Very big and talkative for his age. Paddy went through Dunkirk.
Olive and I went to tea with Mary and Peggy Taylor and Sheila Bruce. ((Peggy's husband Alex Taylor - not in Stanley - being Mary's brother)). Jim Johnson (Police) there too. He thinks, another 2 years of this - he isn't usually wrong about politics etc.
My weight about 122 now. Started having thyroid tablets as well as oil (treatment for K). An old lady, Mrs Mary Williamson died this afternoon.
Mrs G says she expects to be moving ((from our room)) within a day or two.
Last night we ate our last tin - it was of sausages - and this afteroon, our parcels arrived! Grand, tins of corned beef, salmon; bovril, cod liver oil and malt, chocolate, cheese, crystallised ginger, oats, biscuits, oxo, and toilet paper and soap.
In morning Mrs. K, Olive, Mabel and I went swimming. Dr Loan was there, looking after the kids - he is 'Uncle John' to them, such a grand, earnest man and wonderful with children.
My legs are tired, I've been up the slope about 5 times ((between Married Quarters and hospital, and along the catwalk round the boundary of Stanley Gaol to the beach and back.))
Repatriation rumours have died down and every one talks about when we will be back in Hong Kong.
Russian news still very grave.
Had my hair cut short today - fed up with it being straggly and hot; so will let it lie fallow for a few months, then turn it under, in preparation for a perm later on. ((i.e. when we get out of camp!!))
Rumours that Kai Tak was bombed and working party of our men killed or wounded (down to the name of the officer in charge! - later discounted.)
News came in today, and discounted, that the troops, and/or folk at St Theresa's Hospital Kowloon had been sent over to Hong Kong. Kowloon said to have been bombed, and that public hadn't been allowed to go to Kowloon on Monday because Japs said there was bombing.
First rain for about 2 months.
Paper says Prof. Robertson, who has been working in Bacteriological Institute in city all along, has died.
James Mason died in Indian Quarters this afternoon; according to rumour, he has Chinese family outside and had been trying to get them in here.
Tiger marks opposite hospital path!
This morning a large gray ship came rushing across the sea, and a launch followed it, tooting loudly and continuously.
Mabel and I and Mrs K went swimming in morning. The ginger we got in the parcel is absolutely delicious.
Selwyn-Clarke came in, and brought false teeth, which aren't Mum's. ((Just before the Jap attack, Dr Chawn in town was making a denture for Mum, so in camp she asked if there was any chance of getting it. In retrospect, what a fantastic person Selwyn-Clarke was to take time, under difficult circumstances i.e. the Japs, to try to ferret out someone's denture!))
Wonderful news - all the VADs are due here on Monday, so glad for Mabel's sake.
'Amateur Nite' concert. Gimson made good speech at the end. Danny Wilson (Peggy's husband) amazingly good in impressions. People lying back on the grass in the darkness, smoking. Lightning sometimes. Hottest day we've had.
Swimming, I wore new yellow bathing costume made this afternoon from Welfare shirt. Olive and Mabel have blue ones. Mum's old Jantzen bathing costume is in camp. ((Mum saw it hanging on the clothes line in the courtyard, and recognised it by its large size and the huge button she had sewn on it as the original one was too small)). Mrs Fisher has it, she got it from Mrs Greenberg who died early on in camp, who apparently got it from the matshed at Repulse Bay ((where we kept our swimming gear pre-war))
Row with Mrs G about space in room.
Mabel and I went for a swim this wonderful morning – Brian and Billie Gill there.
Notice that we're not allowed beyond gate tomorrow when VADs come.
Mabel is happy. 'Mara' (Tamara Jex), 'Nan' (Nan Grady), and 'Gin' (Virginia Beaumont) are here. Mabel and I sat in boiling sun on grass above the Indian Quarters and waited patiently. VADs arrived in 3 buses, their luggage came by sea. Rosaleen (Millar) was hanging out of the first bus. Nan spotted Mabel and called her, and Mabel called 'Nanny' and it made me want to cry. Mabel careered over to them on Bowling Green where luggage was being sorted, - much embracing.
Muriel McCaw came as a stretcher case and is in hospital now.
Colossal row over bedspace in room this morning during washing floor operations. ((There were now 6 of us in a very small room))
Mum and I to lecture on Philosophy by Rev. Short - on bank by hospital.
Little Brian and Mrs Gill came to tea in afternoon. Brian so sweet. ((Our family had known Billie Gill's husband Paddy before they were married. Paddy was in the Army and was drafted to UK before Jap attack.))
To St Stephens, heard A.T. Lay playing ((piano)).
Mrs G moved out today, we have changed beds around.
We stenos at hospital are to have holidays. ((i.e. not just days off)).
Muriel McCaw has been in hospital (Military) for 2 months, has had all her hair cut off, lost a lot of weight, weak voice.
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