21.8.45. Another hot fine day. No exciting events. Porridge with milk & sugar in it for breakfast. Rice bananas & sugar for tiffin, no tea but a meal fried up in Hammy’s workshop at 6.30. Consisted of two fried eggs & a slice of fresh white wheat bread fried. Then a chow fan of liver & rice. This meal was rendered possible by receipt of a parcel from Wing Tack¹⁶. I was called to the wire with Garland¹⁷ & we got five parcels for our two selves, Hammy, Dick & Loyd Jones. Each had about a lb of lovely white soft wheaten bread, six eggs, six bananas, some lychees, eight packets Ruby Queen cigs (the best now obtainable) & two boxes of matches. I recognised Wing Tack immediately, & we said we would pay when we got settled & asked him to bring the same in three days time which he promised to do. It was good to see one of the old faces. Then some liver found its way into camp from a contractor Abbas Khan with whom we are trying to deal. I got three slices & shared them in the chow fan with Hammy Pete & Charley Matthews. From the parcel I gave Jumbo & Hobby two eggs & half the bread. How good it was to strike a match again – & feel you could afford to do so. After supper we burned a big wood fire in the workshop & had a comfortable pow-wow over a cup of tea. Concert on again. Our short wave set came in & the news is that landing at Naval Bases & Airfields will commence in Japan on 25th, & that steps are being taken to take the surrender in Hong Kong & release the prisoners. This is a happy life. More people went to Stanley today, & came back with stories similar to yesterday. I got a long chit from John – was hoping he had some more up to date news from home, but no luck. I was very glad to have his note. Ann Rogers he tells me is not the woman she was – gone very old, & Ann Senior had a bad burning accident a year ago. Looks like, as far as the Japs are concerned, Stanley had much the same treatment as we did. Similar rackets went on, & many have made fortunes on trading & cheque changing. No European food has come into this camp yet – in spite of their promises. Veg do come in & are of better quality & include many onions & sweet potatoes. That is something. The best that can be said for them is that they are leaving us more or less alone & not doing us any dirt. No sentries about – entirely withdrawn. Dick much better. Am enjoying these few days. Chinese are at the wire begging the whole while & there is trading with them for fish from the sampans.

            ^16.Harbour Office colleague                ^17.Major Neill Garland, Harbour Office colleague