Fall of Singapore - papers of Sergeant Jack Warren Corey part 8

ward. He was with A section for period. Lack of Vits
taking toll now. Unfortunately it is affecting eyes badly. 
I.J.A. has made available opportunity for broadcasting of
individual mesages home.

Friday 5th. Feeling much better. Am on 7 days No Duty.
Bore holes closed. Now on sewer system. This is to eliminate
chances of Dysentry spreading. Dutch died death rate was
high from this cause for a while They have no fighting spirit
Many who have had contact with them say this is general.
We've been warned that we are all to be examined by IJA
looks like a move. Java parties have been moved on.
[[Jap.]] official inspected area last week (everyone had to be inside
& out of sight). Wed. night attended a Celebrity Concert
excellent items. Prior to performance a disturbance caused
by one man in rafters. Officer tried to get him down, result
much barracking by audience. Black Jack denounces incident.
Yesterday we were all on mat over it. Instance of some-one  
starting something & couldn't control it.  Eye complaints
prevalent, several men blind; happy feet another trouble.
Unit has been receiving injections recently. Mine are yet to
come. General dumping of beds yesterday: cause - bugs -
These houses are full of them. I'm keeping my bed
though it seems a constant war.

Sat 13th. Wed. morning we arose at 5.30 to be on parade for
Jap inspection by 10.00. Cancelled at about 0800 owing to rain.
Friday morning reveille at 6.40 and this time we were formed
up in lading. Inspection cancelled. This morning reveille at 7.30
Inspection cancelled at 08.15. Heavy rain every day since Tuesday
and still heavy downpours. Major Glasgow admitted to Hosp.
Complaint unknown. T.A.O. & Dysentry needles.

Sat 20th. Mothers birthday. Hope to be home for next one.
Major returned from Hospital after 2 or 3 days. Nug goes
down with Dengue & Colic. Jap. inspection turned out to
be film location as the Nips were parading in front
of it camera as war torn troops and we were filmed in block
from the rear.  Looked like Victors & vanquished.
Several deaths from dysentry. Cause doubtfull.
Some say old cases affected by needles others say
all affected have worked in gardens and suspect
water. They dy die quickly when taken so. Several
concert parties in operation. AIF has advantage of hall
whereas units are at disadvantage by lack of props.
Rumors of Red Cross ship. Lets hope they are correct
as many VIT.D complaints. Also rumors of shifting.
Memorial stone unveiled and dedicated at Chapel.

Sunday 28th 
Order of glass rod this week. Also more needles. Rice issue  
light on account of readjustment of Jap issues & new ration  
scale. We've been on about 9.10oz and it's very light. Veg.  
issue fair. Fish issue very light. The correct rice ration which we  
should soon be on is 13-14oz. A lot of private cooking. Sweet pot. 
at 10 cents a lb. The problem is wood. Wood ration now 2Lb. per man  
per day. (cut from 3 to 2 in one hit). Drill competition yesterday. Won  
by AASC, HQ. Sub 1K last only 15pts between top & bottom. No disgrace  
Feb 21st cards sent home, only 24 words allowed. Church parades  
cause much disagreement. Everyone must attend C.Parade once  
on Sunday and from a compulsory full evening parade it has  
developed into a choice of service. A few more deaths from  
dysentry. Many cases in the square where troops are rather in 
cramped quarters. Big bug hunt by Sgts. Houses are absolutely  
(louzy). [[?]] Road party arrived. Had given up all hope of this. 
 Factory ship, floating dock & a couple of small W.ships in channel.  
Much wind & some rain. Nights fairly cool. Health ok now. Pains  
in stomach completely gone. 

Sunday March 7th Some months ago we had news  
about letters arriving for POWs. They are now at I.J.A.  
HQs being sorted by our own postal men. The point  
now is, will we get them delivered before the move  
scheduled for 18th ... 2500 Aus & 2500 Tommies for an unknown.

destination & future. I have the sore mouth & throat complaint  
very uncomfortable. This complaint is prevalent. Received last 
needle Friday. No ill effects. Guard on Friday Sat. Boomerang 
notice over gate with Latin. CUM  GAUDIO  HAUE HAEL OMNIA 
RECORDIAMUS. Translated. "We will later remember these 
things with pleasure". Preparations for moving. Bill & Frank 
are restoring socks to original formation filling huge hole 
& sewing in patches. The ducks went into the pots. Lack of 
food for them. Rice issues has now adjusted itself to about 
14 ozs. 5 Srg officers taken away under escort. Raining everyday 
same this time last year; as long as it rains in evening it serves 
a purpose namely elimination of check parade at 1900 hrs 

Monday 15th. Last Monday 97 personnel named for overland party. 
Rates reduced to 74 and now to 40. Syd, Cass & Bill are  
on it. Various stories as to destination. Appears to be 
Bangkok. Men holding Red Cross certificates have been 
recognised by I.J.A. as non-combatants and they receive  
pay accordingly $9 per month out of their own pay books. 
A couple more deaths of Aust. from dysentry. All dysentry 
and diptheria cases now being cremated. Reseated trousers, 
almost completely rebuilt now.  Secured a good shirt by  
exchange of a small one. Series of lectures by Lt Col Cappy on camping. 
reason: to enable us to form our own opinions and also 
appreciate position as it stood.

Lectures by Flight Sgt McCabe (air force) Major Schneider (middle 
East.) Letters being censored and only a couple hundred coming in 
daily. Large factory (whaling) ship in & out lately. Looks a good 
base ship for subs & float aircraft. Visited Tommies in Southern Area 
they are booked for trip. 

Wed. 24th. Party left Thursday morning loaded up with 
food for 5 meals. Yesterday last of Tommies left here. 
Some mail in today but out of 5 letters I missed 
out but should get some next issue. Since Friday  
we've been supplying a wood carrying party for the 
Forestry, means 5 mile walk a day. Many a humorous 
tale is being told from the letters. Girls marrying Yanks 
which is not surprising but the "wiped. off "! supplies the 
humor. Skits at the concerts are using many of the 
incidents. 4 more cases of (dysentry or worms) not yet 
identified which at present. Spen. working on plans for 
gas producer. Heard lectures on Timor, Battle for Britain, Stage 
& screen (Mrs Bradshaw). House seems quite empty with 
40 out. 

Wed. 31st .. 
Last Sat. out on Forestry job we heard of a party of 500 men 
to go away. On arriving home 25 of our unit packing up 
for early departure Sunday. About first time a rumor has been true.

Lieut. Potter  Jack Coulter & Frank Reid were amongst teams. 
Story has it they were destined for a new site and 1/2 of them 
were unfit men. 500 also went from Tommies. 
Bugs extra bad in house. They stir me up. last night I  
hardly slept till 6 oclock. Rice Ration again reduced & Vegs. 
not so plentiful. Not a letter yet. Wood carrying party 
for forestry has cut out for us as I have only 10 fit in my 
list. We do minor jobs such as wood grubbing & blocking 
up other parties. Three Java party personnel missing. Hear of 
people visiting Singapore. LT Col Byrnes now in command 
of area. A.S.C service units. Parade quite small of an evening. 
Sgt Burnes USA gave interesting talk on his experiences in 
Egypt etc. This chap picked up by a raider in 

Tues. 6th Received 7 letters last Thursday. All mail has now 
been delivered and IJA Commander sent in a card 
with a poem of R. Brookes about the did dead & dying & hopes 
for a speedy end of the war. I take a turn on T Parties & 
S.W. to vary the life. A wood Trailer entails about 5 miles of 
walking & pushing. Pulling a trailer turns ones thoughts to 
a team of horses pulling. The good pullers, the poor ones, the 
lead swingers etc. The internees work an area close to 
where we get wood. Garden area extending every day. 
There is a special Garden party as is the Forestry. 

Attended a play in 11th DW area last night. One of G. Bernard Shaws 
cynical contraptions. "Androphlebes & the Lion".  L of I concert & A.J.F. 
22 of 4th RMT down with dysentry in 2 days. Bugs are extra bad 
they've forced me to sleep outside on the roof. Lieut Smith 
now at House 34. All surplus officers in a house of their own. 
Only a set quota allowed to each house. Singlets being issued 
for use as towels. Trousers repaired by sticking on patches with 
rubber. Ive extended two pairs of socks by using one pair as 
extensions. The feet were about 4 inches long. Inserted a V 
in a pair of trousers and practically relined another pair. 

Sat 10th. Weather beautiful & fine. Getting accustomed to the 
hard floor sleeping out. No worry from bugs outside which 
is nearly all. 7000 troops to go [[slch.?]] Southern area started 
to move yesterday. 3500 to go from this area and remainder 
of 18th Div & No 5 area to move into Selarang area. Inform - 
to effect that party go to form a new camp (old) by train. 
Two men injured Thurs by falling off a trailer on last bend 
to wood area. Trailers do about 30MPH at this spot. Yesterday 
a guard crashed on his skull at same spot. Lectures by Mjr Hunt 
on Greece & a Tommy on India. Flame trees & Frangapanny make 
a grand sight out in flower. Many flowering trees & shrubs 
in this area and they been flowering well. Food 
issue poor lately. Very little veg. Fish poor & unusable sometimes.