3.9.45.
Fine day, but I think typhoon in the offing. Porridge breakfast, more meat stew
tiffin. For tea we had our stock of chickens & ducks killed & fried,
and our first real veg stew of dehydrated cabbage potato & carrots.
Oh boy. Wrote letter to Mother. More fags & trifles from the ships.
Volunteers to go to Hong Kong tomorrow. Hurrah! – but it is very short notice
even with the little gear we have. Jones & Hammy called to Harbour Office
to assist in collection of Government launches etc.
He is referred to Frank Evans book "He was quite musical and managed to assemble a small harp from all sorts of bits and pieces" (Frank Evans - Roll Call at Oeyama).
ReplyDeleteHe was listed as being crew of No 3 Car of No 2 Section of A/Car Platoon in Dec. 1941. I believe he was injured in an air raid at 1100 on 18th Dec 41 in Government House area. A building being used as Section HQ took a direct hit while William Sprague and others were sheltering in basement injuring CSM Collings, L/Cpl Patridge and Pte Sprague all three being taken to hospital.
Thank you for this comment and apologies for not replying at the time. We are, sadly, pretty incompetent on the internet – and certainly so on the blogging lark, which we have enjoyed but are unlikely to repeat.
DeleteYour comment about Frank Evans is appreciated. He appears in the diary when they were in Argyle Street – mostly to do with a St David’s Day concert but also some preaching – did he ever become a minister?
You have reminded us to get a copy of his book, which is coming from a Carmarthen bookseller. His was one of a few addresses that WS noted in the back of the diary but we have no idea if they ever met up again after the war.