Fall of Singapore - papers of Sergeant Jack Warren Corey part 5

Wed Sept 30th 
[*Well camoflaged.] 
Steamed rice ground & mixed  
with coconut.] 
Tonight our meal was Roast Lamb & Baked veges.  
with Kaffir meal gravy, steam pudding and Rasp.  
Coconut sauce followed. First  *non-rice * meal since  
starting on rice a few days after capitulation 
Thursday was day off due to rain all day. I also had  
Friday off. Debugged chair & bed (preventative)  
& painted chair with acquired paint. P.O.W. conditions  
much better than I visualized they would be.  
We see plenty of life and can even contact civilians 
easily. Took 2 loads of shavings (wood) to Farrer Park 
last week. Kiddies & people scramble for wood amongst 
it. Saw large Buddha in Temple on Race Course Rd 
56ft High & made of some very colorful & shiny 
substance. Yahmer a good Jap to work with. 
very considerate & reasonable. 
Rations now issued from Changi. Very noticeable 
improvement. 
Concert held Sunday night, Good effort considering 
only 2 days preparation. This week I have been 
in detailing parties at Fords. This means rest all  
day for me. We sleep the time away comfortably 
 

Tommies loaded 1 train & 3 ships with Oil & 
Petrol last Saturday night. Rush Job. Planes very 
active lately with practice. They mock fight for 
hours on end. Good show ponies. One day they 
they might find it a bit more difficult. Matches 
very scarce. Food position amongst civilians reported 
to be not very comfortable! 
          Thursday Oct 8th 
Camp under Japanese officer "Yamata" & Korean personnel 
Indian guards are still with us. This week one man was 
severely "bashed" by a Jap guard for having in his 
possession bananas when searched at the gate. 
Guard alleged prisoner stole them as he would have no 
money to buy. Incorrect as we all have money most 
of the time. The Indians also bash for no apparent 
reason. This act will not help Indians any when 
show turns. Indian units march past occasionally 
armed & organised. Their transport units are also 
being organised & we see them in the parks etc. 
"Independance Army Officers are now on rates of pay 
set down by convention.  35-40 $^o deducted for 
lodgings. Very humorous. The lodgings are the

same as ours "Būng" Huts. They get no extra ration and 
yet more money is deducted for food & clothing. 
Guard accomodation readjusted. Our M.P.^s do not operate. 
Main gate now on Serangoon Rd. High fence being 
erected round Camp Area. More huts being erected 
for provision of another 1500 men. Disposal of waste done 
by S.M.C. This solves Hygiene position. Fresh fish on 
issue. Small sharks (2ft long) included. Looked as if 
there was a fish party & some one netted the lot, such was 
the assortment. Mens issue went bad but our cook 
steamed it at night then allowed it to dry. Made 
excellent patties. Last Saturday no work owing to 
big wrestling bouts. Much aircraft activity. 32 in 
one flight the other day. Fighters continuously on 
practice. Troops from Fordo works out regularly in  
field manoeuvers. We feel the tide is well turned 
everywhere. Boat load of comforts in. Our issue 
expected tonight. Some camps already have part 
issue. Rumoured Boots & clothing also to come. Badly 
needed. - Three Malays killed by truck conveying 
A Coy to work. Many close shaves by every one at 
sometime or other. Japs have no "Road Manners"

Excellent concert Sunday night by Tommies 
using our platform. Norfolk C.O. gave heartening 
talk at conclusion of concert. This morning I have 
occupied mending boots & clothing. A few moments work 
at the right time lengthens life of my goods. Japs 
held inspection of our kits last week. Very cursoyury 
24 hr. warning. Roy Lindquist returned to Changi with 
badly cut fingers. Jack Coulter laid up with Tinea on  
feet. Tom Miller in 3rd week of "no work" badly aching 
legs. Buying position now "on the nose." Once a week 
we are to put in orders & the Guard Commander purchases. 
              Sunday 11th 
First instalment of Red Cross issue. 50 Cigarettes & 2 tins 
of Condensed milk & 1 tin of Meat & Vegetables. Other 
issues in QM store. Much jubilation amongst Troops 
over articles. "Hurries" party back on "engine carrying" 
This time its either Chinese High School to Race course or 
crated and uncrated engines to Reed & Cane factory 
for storage. My hands very sore from handling crates. 
English side again beat ours 125 & 2 wickets to 123. 
More P.O.W.s sent Nth. by train. 2 lots this week. 
500 left by boat one day and were returned the next day?

Another Roast tea tonight. Steam pudding made from Rice. 
We get a great number of Rice & "Swamp water" stew. Appreciate 
a good meal. Grated coconut baked is a good flavor 
for Rice. I have a tin of [Polimalt?] at present for flavoring 
90^c per tin. 
                  Sunday 18th 
Lunch today. Fried fish & veg. Pineapple & cond. milk. 
Heavy rains this week. Yesterday no party for Fordo. 
I went on X Fatigue. Carted building timber till late to [[*vd]] 
Hospital and a School off Bukitt Timah Rd. 
More comforts issue. Sugar, Cocoa, M & V, Bully, 
biscuits & caramels. Hear of Sub /K. members being 
at River Valley Rd with part of 1000 AIF in from Changi. 
Tom Miller returned to Changi Hospital for eye & leg 
treatment. Lionel Ryan loosing condition. Im afraid he 
is in for a bad time. Developed a cold early this week 
these are prevalent at present. As a rule colds are 
not on the list at all. Fish has been on issue 
lately but its mood! is not always good. 
Jim [[*Shlmeyer]] received letter from Cook. L. (Changi) 
who witnesses Christ. Glory Be. This man was not  
very high with morals previously.

Sunday 25th Oct. 
Rain everyday. Wet season has set in. Issue of  
boots all round which puts every body into good boots. 
Hats for those who needed them. Singlet (very small) & a 
flannel pullover each. Evidently Nip has little to  
riess reissue as they offer us money for singlets & socks. 
Chinese pay 2$ for 1 singlet. Nug has been in RAP this  
week. Fever & no tinea under the arm pits. Air Raid 
Precaution practise begins again. Very intensified 
this time. We've been carting engines this week & now 
differentials. Thought we saw the last of these some 
time ago. Aieral Aerial activity practically nil. Large 
Chinese procession& celebration Wed. night. We were  
called out of bed for roll check. Rumored some one was  
seen to be getting though wire. Syonan Times prints an 
article in which mention is made of POWs are allowed  
freedom of leave as long as they return for Roll call. 
Definitely not our camp. More huts being erected  
in area. Tommy's have quite a collection of ducks  
& chickens.  

Saturday 31st 
Shifted camp yesterday. Now in No 2 camp Adam  
Road & Sime Road. (Adam Park). Air Force Camp. Good 
site. Similar to Changi buildings are on sides of 
gulleys. consequently well drained. Worst night I've 
put in. Mosquitoes & bugs. Today I was in on camp duty 
fixing lights and rebuilding & debugging my quarters. 
The whole area is alive with bugs. More so than Serangoon 
Very heavy rains this week.  Bukit Timah road flooded 
yesterday. Some of Fordo party working at Racecourse 
shifting Diffs to Rubber factory. English & AIF troops  
being shifted Nth per train almost every day. 
New boots I have drawn should last a while. 
Enough steel studs in them to rivet a ship. 
Garden left by preceding tenants will be a good  
stand-by for vegetables. We've been back on meat  
ration for a week or so (mutton). Norfolk Sgts. 
were at our Mess Thursday night for send off. 
Good fellows the Norfolks and other English Non Coms 
in Serangoon Camp.