DAVID
More early diary:-
DEC. 8th (Monday)
Was raked out of bed this am at 6.30 - to be at office at 7am. ((My office ARP HQ was only about 300 yards away, Chinese messenger brought me handwritten note)). When I got there
Mr Bevan, Deputy Director of ARP , said war had been declared between Britain/America against Japan. Just after 8 o'clock air raid sirens sounded ((sirens activated from our offices)).
About 10.30 all clear went, it was said 1 bomb had been dropped in Shamshuipo (Kowloon) causing many casualties.
At 1.30pm sirens went again; quite alot of AA fire. I saw 3 planes high up, being chased away to Lyemun.
It's hardly worth writing diary because I can't visualise us ever getting out of this, but I want to try to believe in a future.
Kai Tak has been bombed and I'm thinking of Arthur and Sid.
Mabel is at CSO ((Colonial Secretary's Office)). She had first reported this morning to her Army Office, but was told no females allowed in Fortress HQ now, so she went to CSO and offered her typing services there.))
Mum nursing at Jockey Club hospital. I'm home now until 7pm. Scared and gloomy. I'm sure we'll have raids every night and day, and the night much worse than in the day. Tony Cole is coming here ((to our flat)) to eat ((he lived in Kowloon.))
9th DEC
2 false alarms, 1 last night and one early this am, and 6 more throughout the morning. Not much damage, mostly propaganda leaflets dropped, which means I fear tha
t we may expect heavier raids in due course. Tonight misty.
Mabel is at Women's International Club in town ((for wartime billet, not far from CSO. Olive
staying overnight on 4th floor of Gloucester Hotel ((her Food Control Office nearby)).
Japs are said to be at Taipo, according to the London news. Also some Japs were ambushed and mostly annihiliated on Castle Peak Road - where the boys are. Can't properly imagine it.
Wrote to Arthur, though have little hope of his getting the letter, expect they're too busy to see about such things. Topper called at flat but none of us in. Mr Bendall also called, and Mr. Hall came home for a few hours. ((Mr. Hall was a colleague of my Dad's; his wife, evacuated to Australia, had written and asked Mum if he could lodge with us, which he did.
We left a writing pad on the table in our flat, so that any one calling while we were out could leave a message.))
Libya and Moscow news brighter.
Singapore/Malaya news not good, and raids at Manila.
10th DEC
Sid has been wounded. Bullet through shoulder. He told Hospital to phone Mum at the Jockey Club ((we didn't have a phone at home)) and she went to see him.
In afternoon I had a few hours off: went into town; alarm signal on way, I went into Battery Path tunnel -more orderly than I had expected ((despite large numbers of interested rather than frightened Chinese), and quite cool.
I left clothes at International Club for Mabel, where met Virginia Beaumont ((VAD friend of Mabel's)) and we got lifts to Bowen Road Military Hospital and I was able to get in to see Sid. He is very shocked and upset, and didn't look like his old self. He's worried about the 2 men he had with him - no news of them - they went on ahed when he got entangled in a creeper plant and was sniped. He says Arthur is at HQ.
Peaceful last night, but 3 raids in afternoon. News that Japs have sunk 'Prince of Wales' and 'Repulse' by bomb - hard to believe.
Jap seem to be starting well, though here we sunk boats of an attempted landing at Tide Cove.
11th DECEMBER
8.30am. - On duty in office from 7 pm last night till 7 this morning, but actually slept ((fully-dressed, on camp bed behind screen in main office where all ARP staff were)) from 4.30am to 6.45am.
No raids during night, but shells are coming over now, but so far not doing much damage.
Slept some of morning at home, and a little in afternoon, when they dropped about 17 bombs in Wanchai area, one near Football Club (about 200 yards from our flat). Amah took me downstairs to flat below ((where I sat drooping on a chair in the hall among lots of kindly Chinese neighbours)).
Later, to office and worked until about midnight when had chance to doss down. It seemed so queer, me retiring behind screen on camp bed, with Tony Cole on bed nearby, and Gillis (Police), both sleeping. I slept well after 2 am until 7 am Friday
Our office might be moving to CSO tunnel.
12th DEC.
The rumour about Jordan ((Royal Scots Band Leader) was confirmed today - he was shot by one of our own sentries - being deaf, he apparently didn't hear the challenge.
Mum got to Bowen Road to see Sid this morning, he is walking about now and hopes to be back with his unit within a few days.
Mabel has joined the VADs and sleeps below the military hospital in air raid shelter .
We have apparently abandoned Kowloon, and unless a miracle happens, are going to be shelled to bits.
There is talk that Chinese guerillas are coming up behind the Japs and are now at Taipo, but I'm afraid to believe anything so heartening. I can see absolutely no escape, but we didn't have to stay in Hong Kong, and at least this IS something and we are in the war with the folks at home.
ARP HQ moving to CSO Tunnel - I'm to go tomorrow at 7 am and live in Dina House, but if shelling starts I doubt if that will last for long.
Usual raids throughout the day. Peggy Wilson joining our office staff, also Bonnie Penney and Mrs Bird (known as 'Charles') ((both had just come from Kowloon when evacuated.))
((Because my next-day move to Dina House would leave Mum alone in the flat apart from the amahs, I asked her to consider staying at the Jockey Club hosp. in future, or going to a nearby billet with other ANS ladies: our men folk no longer called, most people were becoming marooned at their places of duty through uncertain transport. Mum insisted she felt quite safe with the amahs at night at present. That night Mum and I slept in our lounge, Mum on the settee, I in an armchair. The amah made us laugh because she insisted on putting a layer of cushions beside the settee 'in case Missie fall off.'
13TH DEC (Sat)
Walked from home with Mum just as it was getting light, and went to office ((Mum to Jockey Club hospital.) Much shelling by Happy Valley in night.
Mr Puckle (Director of ARP) gave me a lift to the CSO tunnel ((beneath Government House, we entered by entrance in Lower Albert Road opposite CSO building.)). Peggy Wilson had already arrived. ((We secretaries worked in 2 shifts - Peggy and I, then Bonnie and Charles. Our job was to keep a log of events (mostly messages per phone calls), and also to make out identification cards for ARP people.
Boiling hot in tunnel, I was glad of short-sleeved jumper. Strong smell of raw wood from the props round the earthy walls etc.. Various Govt. departments stationed in the tunnel which had been made with sections at all angles. An alcove just inside the entrance was I think meant to be for toilets, but these were not present - just a few chairs without seats. There may well have been toilets in other sections, but for calls of nature we ran over Lower Albert Road to the ones in the CS0 building.))
Off duty at 3pm, had meal at Parisian Grill ((via identification card)). Bought lemonade as an excuse to stay longer when the siren sounded. Then went to Dina House, 2nd floor, as instructed, to get a billet, but couldn't find any one to help, so I phoned Olive's office and she and Topper came and carried me off. Had dinner with them at Gloucester, where met Eric Kennard ((Govt. clerk)) and he and one other escorted me back to Dina House. Bumped into Mr Murphy there and he took me to a room with Janet Broadbridge and Lillian Hope (both from Kowloon). Camp bed, hardly slept because it was so cold, also had no nightwear as my luggage hadn't arrived.
......
DAVID, I can't vouch for the truth of any of the local 'war news' in the above - I just recorded things I heard at the time.
Barbara
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