It Won't Be Long Now: The Diary of a Hong Kong Prisoner of War [Paperback]

Graham Heywoods diary paints a rich picture of life in a Hong Kong POW camp. In his diary, written on prison-camp paper, Heywood describes how he came out of the magnetic station to see his friend being captured by two Japanese soldiers. After briefly contemplating fleeing, he raised his hands. It Wont Be Long Now is Heywoods account of those years of incarceration. The book tackles the internment thematically, talking of the slave labourers used to expand Kai Tak airport  the men would set off at 4am; the malnutrition and illnesses; how they tried to entertain themselves; and the former British Army barracks in which they were housed.Japanmarched into Hong Kong on December 8, 1941. On the same day, GrahamHeywood was captured near the border while carrying out duties forthe Royal Observatory. He was transported to a militaryPrisoner-of-War camp in Kowloon. Heywood's illustrated diary recordshis three-and-a-half years of internment, telling a story of hardshipbut also of hope. As he awaits liberation, his reflections uponfreedom and imprisonment bring realisations about life and how tolive it.Japanmarched into the British colony of Hong Kong at the outbreak of thePacific War on December 8, 1941. On the same day, Graham Heywood wascaptured by the invading Japanese near the border while carrying outduties for the Royal Observatory. He was held at various places inthe New Territories before being transported to the militaryPrisoner-of-War camp in Sham Shui Po, Kowloon. The Japanese refusedto allow Heywood and his colleague Leonard Starbuck to join thecivilians at the Stanley internment camp.Heywoodsillustrated diary records his three-and-a-half years of internment,telling a story of hardship, adversity, and survival of malnutritionand disease; as well as repeated hopes of liberation anddisappointment. As he awaits the end of the war, his reflections uponfreedom and imprisonment bring realisations about life and how tolive it.Accountsof life in the internment camlĂ2