Thursday, August 11, 2016

72 years ago: Hong Kong's wartime diaries

72 years ago: Hong Kong's wartime diaries

12 Aug 1944, Chronology of Events Related to Stanley Civilian Internment Camp

Posted: 21 Dec 2012 01:37 AM PST

Book / Document: 
Chronology of Events Related to Stanley Civilian Internment Camp
Date(s) of events described: 
Sat, 12 Aug 1944

Mrs. E. A. Koodiaroff (Block 5, Room 33) sends a card to Mrs. N. Smirnoff, Russian, French Hospital R. 33, Causeway Bay, Hong Kong:

Dear Nina,

Hope you are well all together, Little Sasha will be a big boy since. We are well and healthy, Michael is big boy and attending his school. Wishing you and family everything best.

Best Regards,

God Bless you all

Yours E. Koodiaroff

 

Arthur May has been kept uninterned to work as an emergency engineer. He's been attached to the Health Department and has played an important role in Selwyn-Clarke's network of illegal relief workers, acting as the link with pharmacist Arthur Rowan, who's the main supplier of the drugs that are smuggled into Stanley and the POW camps. He's also acquired wire and cables for electricity, cookers, cement for drains and so on for sending in camp. A hidden radio has also been the source of smuggled news.

 

He's also attached to the Dairy Farm (where there are also uninterned British civilians) and lives in a flat in Sassoon Road, close to the farm.

In July 1944 he was arrested and interrogated by the Japanese for two weeks and today he's sent (along with two currently unidentified health inspectors) to Ma Tau-chung Camp where he will remain until the end of the war, when he has an important role to play in the restoration of British rule. ((See http://gwulo.com/node/14312 and following.))

No later than today  the Indian POWs at Ma Tau-chung Camp in Kowloon have been moved to the nearby Argyle Street Camp. This will open the way for the camp to be re-opened for Third Nationals (neutrals). For reasons not yet entirely clear, many of the men (and a few of the women) who have been 'guaranteed out' of Stanley will also be re-interned there.

Sources:

Card: David Tett, Captives in Cathay, 2007, 170

May:

date of transfer: Arthur May Papers, HKU Special Collections; 

materials and news for Stanley, two weeks interrogation, health workers: 'A. F. May' in HK PRO, HKMS 100-1-6

Ma Tau-chung: Tony Banham, We Shall Suffer There, Kindle Edition, Location 2475

Note: There is a discrepancy between the date given by Arthur May for his transfer to Ma Tau-wai and the BAAG's report that it wasn't opened until tomorrow and then at first for Third Nationals. I am keeping the contradiction in the sources for the moment but hope to resolve the question in the future.

12 Aug 1944, R. E. Jones Wartime diary

Posted: 07 Jun 2014 10:17 PM PDT

Book / Document: 
R. E. Jones Wartime diary
Date(s) of events described: 
Sat, 12 Aug 1944

Squally early am but cleared up later. E wind.

I.Qs outside roll-call only.

Paper has better atmosphere today. St. Malo being attacked from all sides (9th) & our penetration was extended S of Caen. Kyushu & Honshu bombed (11th) US Pres. had conference with Pac big nobs at Honolulu (26th July). Lots of Jap tripe re mincing of Jap bodies & of hanging corpses up for target practice, sending Jap skulls home & presenting Roosevelt with a paper knife made from a human bone.

With Steve pm.

Lights off 9.45pm & on again about 10.30.

Our planes flew over S to N at about midn't but dropped nothing.

Some AA fire from the Japs & they used [s/its slits? s/lts?] for the 1st time.. ((Probably s/lts=searchlights, though surprising to find they hadn't used searchlights until now.))

12 Aug 1944, Eric MacNider's wartime diary

Posted: 01 Jul 2014 09:40 PM PDT

Book / Document: 
Eric MacNider's wartime diary
Date(s) of events described: 
Sat, 12 Aug 1944

"Peter Pan" (p. by Barbara Redwood)

Sugar issue

Betty Hyde-Lay, John Luke, Betty Drown

night raid 9.45
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