& R
The hospital was packed with patients, wounded officers being on our floor, various civilians, and the Chinese warda being filled with casualties from bombings of rice cues as well as other disasters. The bombs around the Central Karket brought in 165 casualties in one d, the Chinese packed all the hospitals. How the Government of
kong expected to hold it's Island Fortress with two million native population milling about in it's streets needing food, water and shelte: is a question only they can answer. It certainly did not take the Japanese long to cut vital sources of supply such as water and electricity.
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They of course commandeered all supplies of food as soon as they took over control in Hongkong, and the question of feeding the hospital became acute at times. A group of volunteers ran a transport system for food supplies, bringing in flour and rice. The bread was very uncertain because the bakers had been carried off and put into prison. They were finally released and made bread for some time in a bakery in Janchai. We were 'never without”bread or scones' of some sort although the supply was limited. When the bread gave out, the hospital kitchen, not knowing how to make bread, or rather yeast, got Bome .N.5. volunteers to make scones. They were pretty stodgy, but at least they were something to eat. I had neter been hungry, unable to get food before in my life, but we certainly knew what it was then, until I started making the daily trip to Fokfulam. It meant a walk of four or five miles every day, running the gauntlet of Japanese there and back, but it wad Sworth it to get the food.
I walked into town too, a jaunt of about four miles each way. But had to give that up as the Japanese rounded up all motor cars at once, and issued orders that everybody except Chinese and Indians obtain a pase stating their nationality. To enforce this they stationed sentries along the roads, and as everybody had to walk, those without passes were caught and sent to Chinese Hotels. This was after they had begun collecting British and Americans for internment.
My husband applied through Dr. Selwyn-Clark, and later through the Colonial Secretary, Mr. Gimson, for a pass for me, as it was imperative that I was able to go about and get food for him. am nothing happened he wrote direct to the Japanese Jemel making his good offices in the matter. The following day a Japanese Vice-consul called at the hospital, and filled out forms and took photographs and I was asked to call the next day to see Mr. Kimura to obtain the pass. Į was given a special card of Mr. Kimura requesting the sentries to allow me to pass.
Arriving at Mr. Kimura's office the following morning, I wae kept waiting about three quarters of an hour. Mr. Kimura scemed to be having a rather irate conversation with two military officers, the door being open between the two rooms. He finally came in and inquired very solicit pusly about my husband, asking a number of questions about his condition and the reasons for our being in Hongkong. He told me that he had been able to obtain a pass good for ten days from Army, for my use. I thanked him for this but asked if it wouldn't be possible to hawa a permanent pass under the circumstances. He returned to his office and had another animated argument with the two officers finally retur ing to say that I must report to him every ten days to have the pass rem red, and that he had given his personal guarantee for it, and that would do everything in his power to help us, but' that he was in a most Amlioste and difficult position,' the Consulate General being abolished or about to be, since the Army was in entire control, and he being in Hongkong merely on sufferance.
Having obtained the one thing that was vitally important to us at the moment, I had had foresight enough to draw all our money out of the bank a few days before the capitulation, a matter of 3500 as we kept a checking account in Hongkong only, I went out and had some lunch to celebrate, the first decent meal I had had for weeks, and it wasn't very good at that as food was very scarce and very bad at that time in Mongkong. I then bought some tins of food, and started to walk back to the Hospital; a very long walk indeed. Fortunately I saw the Bread Lorry on ueen's Road, run by Owen Evans end Dr. Henry, who said they would take me back after they had done their rounds; which was a life Baver. I doubt if I could have walked it.
Having the pass, and a little money, the next thing was to try and get necessary medicines and liver injections. My husband had enough to eat but we had to have his digestive, and the liver to fight the
anaemia
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