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Swedish Government had very early on in the year sent a fund for the use of Swedish nationals, so that they were not in need. Just before I left he told me that he had had word that money was coming for the Irish also. Several thousand of the Portuguese were taken by ship to Macao in april, which relieved the situation in Hong Kong, but aggravated the position in laoso which is reported to be very much overcrowded. Father Joy had
a most interesting document, the report made by twenty seven of the members of his Procurature who had been in and about Hong Kong ever since the outbreak of the war. Being Irish, those of them who were held prisoner, were later on released by the Japanese. As is their custom, an account of what each man had seen and dons was turned in and compiled in a detailed history of Hong Kong from the beginning of the war. There were a number of specially inter sting statements. one in so particular which struck me was a request made to Father Joy, as head of the Procurature for six of his men to be stationed at the Queen Mary Hospital, this was early in December, and the request was made by Dr. Selwyn-Clark. When the latter was asked the purpose of this request, just what they were expected to do, what their duties would be, the reply was "To step up morale", that "the hospital personnel had become demoralized to such an extent that it was feared that in the event of a catastropły such as the shelling of the Hospital, or an unexpectedly heavy casualty intake, that there would be a breakdown in routine. Father Joy's men were "to infiltrate with the staff of the hospital and encourage them." Four men were sent, all the others were occupied with specia. work, most of them were doing transport work. une man left soon after arriving, feeling that he could do bester work in other places, and the report of the three who remained was omitted from Father Joy's recoră, as being too critical. I took issue with him on this,
That
saying tha it was a pity to omit it, as it all formed part of the picture of conditions in the Colony, which was the object of the recoru. Father Joy said that this was so and that he would put it in again. As what I am saying here is private, I can mention it.
The Queen Mary Hospital was fortunate in never being struck by a single shell, nor were there ever any nearer than several hundred yarda. As I said before, the Japanese were careful not to damage it, wishing to use it for their own wounded.
The French Hospital, on the contrary was a battle scarred testimonial to heroic endurance. They had as many as one hun red shells and bombs in one day in their compound. In the top floor of the hospital, there is still a great gaping hole just above the flat which: Dr. Selwyn-Clark has taken for his uge. What a typhoon wind will do with that hole remains for this summer to tell. The roof of the whole building will probably go. There is damage everywhere, the hospital having suffered the most heavily. That whole district was the center of very heavy fighting for a long time, and many buildings el 80 to the French Hospital were destroyed.
as the time came for me to go, four of us were going, Mr. Neprud who had been stationed in Chungking as Commissioner of Customs, r. inter of the 7th Day Adventist Mission, Dr. Henry, of the Methodists mission, and myself, people gave me messages: to take out. 30 many many messages, things to "t11 the world, let them know what is happening to us here." I promised to write to their wives, so many of them had wives in Australia and other places, and to do all I could to help them. As to "telling the world" there will be plenty of people on this ship who will do that I expect, far better than I can perhaps, although they may not have seen as many things as I have. Most, in fact practically all of them were in Stanley. I was fr a to move about. But what I have to tell is for the information of the British Goverment, if they are intersted. I wonder if they will be. No doubt they know it all already.
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