Cape Breton's Magazine

daily, caring for their needs and necessities, building lean-to's for them to sleep in, orga? nizing these Chinese in? to working squads so they could help us in our work for them. "Hectic days those! Rush? ing to and from Hong Kong with truckloads of rice, peanut oil, dried fish, and salted meats, through air raids, past huge bomb craters eaten out of the roads, by overturned or damaged lorries and cars. Into the heart of Hong Kong and back again by scenic Repulse Bay, under cloudless skies which were dotted with silver- winged bombers glisten? ing in the tropical sun. Many times just passing by a spot before a land? slide from the mountains would start rolling onto the road over which I was passing. "It wasn't long before Kowloon was overrun by Japanese soldiers.... Daily, and several times daily, it would be nec? essary to take shelter during the bombings and shellings. "Fire broke out, water supplies were broken, telephone wires tapped, and our doctors and nurses ordered to stick to their posts on the mainland.... "On the night of the 18th the Japanese crossed over from Kowloon on launches and rafts...and finally had a firm hold on Hong Kong. They arrived at the Tytan reser? voir .. .killed the guard, and took over--and that was when our water supply was cut.... "From that time on I was running the gauntlet continuously, for every time I'd go to Hong Kong or come back, it was just a question of whether my car was fast enough to offset the effectiveness of their aim. Then, too, the curves of the road helped because it didn't take long to get around them. At any rate, neither I nor my truck or my car were touched. "Came Christmas Eve. and for the past two days it was not possible to go to Hong Kong.... We at Stanley were isolated, but I drew on my reserve of rice and supplies, and we were managing. I had 50 blind or- NEW AND/OR EXISTING BUSINESS We Offer Financial & Technical Assistance. Oceanside Assistance Group Limited GLACE BAY, N. S. BIA 3B9 For further assistance, call Don Tobin, Development Officer PHONE 849-0544 • FAX 849-0549