11.8.45. Usual meals of porridge & a spoon of oil for breakfast, rice & greens for tiffin, & rice & a pot of grated water chestnuts, beans & curry for tea & our “cake” for supper. Issue of 4oz of oil per head today. About tea time we began to get news of the greatest importance. A sentry told Pinna “War – No”. I had just returned from a quite bright concert put on by McAlister, a sort of “Co-optimists” show. Harry Odell made a big hit in it as a very happy & optimistic Jew & we had original turns from some Canadians. Well we got news from the other camp that the outside working parties had today had shouted to them the fact that the war was over. There is no doubt about this, but of course it may be a false rumour in town. All the same many of the circumstances give faith in the story – & obviously it is not impossible. The camp took it quite soberly. During the evening various sentries said the same thing to people in this camp. Many yarns got round – such as that the British fleet would arrive tomorrow, but disregarding stories of that sort I think we all felt that even if the war is not actually over at this moment, then it will be in a very few days. Hobbs⁶ & I sat out as usual (in fine weather) clear of the huts & looking towards Cheung Hue & talked of many things. For instance if when the relieving force arrived we got a chance to get a letter home and only a few minutes to write it. What would I say – but then I think the moment would supply the inspiration. It all seems too good to be true. Got £5 from Galpin's fund at a rate of 65Yen to the pound – & bought some cigarettes.  That is £20 total I have now had from the fund, the first £10 of which was through Hammy⁷. The other ten is on my own pay book. Hammy's £10 is in process of being transferred to my pay book in which case I shall not owe it to him – but probably that business will not be completed in time if the war collapses immediately. What a grand state of mind we are in. Sgt Major Honda, for the first time in a long while took the parade this evening & was very dignified & military about it. We wondered if he had anything to tell us, but no. I believe I forgot to say that about 150 pairs of shorts & about 100 shirts of S.African make came in a day or so ago. I expect they have been lying in store since 1942 & we have been walking about in rags the whole while. Still I am glad they are playing ball at this stage of the game – they might have got very nasty. Air raid alarm 5.30 this morning.

            ^6.K.W.Hobbs, fellow batman.               ^7.Capt K.C.Hamilton