Diary relating to service of Major Charles Patrick Tracey, 1943 - Part 1

Conflict:
Second World War, 1939–45
Subject:
  • Documents and letters
  • Prisoner of War
Status:
Open to contributions
Accession number:
AWM2019.22.140
Difficulty:

Page 1 / 10

THE POCKET DIARY 102 2603 OeO3469
WEICHTS A MEISIRES WolebE AVOIRDUPOIS WEIOHT ione Oaoe 18 Ovrco Poade 14 Powode Sto0e 8 Stone Hoodredrelgh 200m 1700 ontdira 1 TeAH 1113 or 18 PabIlL -1 Rati 111311 100 Ka1H -1 Pitnl 108113100 40 Pitot D1 Rogeo -5,333 113 160 OOLDSMITHS WEIOHT 128090 T I Mayan - Se Graim 10 Mayan IBongt - Se Oraim CookteE IK T OAS GnI (118 0 18 0m) OPIUM WEIGHT 125 1a 10 Ho00 10e0 1 TeBI 10 Over Solld or Cable Measare. 1 Cabie Foot 1,128 Cabie Loches T 1Cabio Ford 27 Cobi0 Fect A Load of Roagh Timber - A Cabie Rst a lad 0 Abto rest A Ton of Sippine - s0 Cablo Poot Mereheadin) A Po of SppEE A A G Ee EE Si Par 1 Poto or Pent Poles or Perche E T Furtong 1Nilo Brlonge SUPERFIGIAL MEASURE Seare Lachos DI Squero F 1 Sonero Per nar Foot 1 Squere Pole var Fards 1Ro Pol IACN Sover Po 1 a0 Corectt. DRY NEASURE 1PAD or G. Chopst 0 1 Piot or Hall Cavent F oart or Coopet Callon or Guciaag & Oune 2Oa1o 1 Poet 1Peto 1 Busld IOnre seve LIOUID MEASURE 1 Pad or Or Cooont 10 Bot or HoH Coupat 2 Paa Oart or Coupat 8 Bow Callon or Anolang & Qvare 1 Hogrbord as Callor 1Pipe 2 Hooc 1 T00 a PiPe
PERSONAL NSHCRANSR Name Address Telephone No Hotor No Bioycto No Bant Pass Boot No Size in Stockings Sieo in Rats Sige in Boots Weight6 Date HeightI8 Dete Trovranco Palls dao Or To Forn (FromTom Train Service 1 sy 1323 1n102 Occber ro san 51 sn 112 11 115 11 im 43 sum
m - 1 10 333 Oxobe 43 E 2 CaronUn rene 13 opD nme anc 2113 4570 s 3 11 - 5101 Orcbe 13 Capt B2 Walker Qveno Notel woneds Eleham Richings was NANEIver Buching dustion liar Onkley Countrey Ede Tourish guide- By Jun yexley EG Sullivan samest 197 Campbell St rea surnie Saewomba Ias S.S. Robarks Bed ri service tn Sibson 2Cleare Leres Scacomba Glen Osmong acclaide B3on 2 meldur WJ Grose & Bakyaswales maj D bathie Sydney. little raott branager sussex GoKidland BaKugh $$7½ Lody tesa 4) MIGME2 Iaay stesa (om CON TSOONE TS cando) $25
MMORADE a new year startng with a deplited Change Cary sustly all working parties are bag show songeson a t aggescutat ress tus Capies that save give & Gafan induding all of fieens pull coesrels and senes sepes to lass the sagn fincheers bett under excal 25 adag DSC.ED He show is ogains as ly Bac10 920 Ros 2/4 N4 Bn) 87 Bae 120 2930 R of greate sneugth than a Bd D9C BoxGcast, ordyan and odd staws) seouce sac (sigs, Cgo Anty) and Rositsa 3ld and recods shink I will deaa you pager to a putty actempted cdition etc aust consumptive JANUAEY DDS Friday F00D Due io a shortage food of all sorts, i Isingapone cusirations are neal peor. Rice is still the Haple diet and this with a ssevegitables (tafisco raghs and a sype & sweet notate and an sceasional issue of frest? fish comprises the Jat issul the men tt get esd Saturday 2 flain bsilesnice and two with a watery y shew that even lastes sufficiet salt. The sae and only Red caegs ship to came here helped the rations along for some time sust like all good things the supply came to an end of course the Jas got some nice fickings acct of these suplies
JANUARy 2503 Senday 3 Linked ciosly with tood is ITAPMy Hall dranks all fit men who are employes in cam are Laid &to pe day and or get a slat 230 hs monts 307 4 meas pay is deducts and 5070 of officers Ie mens lay gres is the Ort to punder extor food (SEE GANTEEN) whill 2159 te ofien gois ugadas to Command my office to keek the hospitals going in bott faod and medical supplies give o wees are supplied by 15A. In my Br the officers lave 10 t the remaind orderted for medngw actually officers have the equival 9 5/10 pe month to by suithes and serece requirenats (asap ate JANUNNN Tuegday 5 a carkeer is CANTEEN at up and sen by soard who are detewed to and sailers out seyne cam wore to bey wade thy am from hatue caiings of gause paices are steay sigh and they must take whas sy can gct swon inersuce I know could go a a thuc to uggees would be Calned Htawrsy that is a powelee only allowed s warkig parties The pasussions are allocated to sinch on a fro rata hasis and unit AM pay cash fo same. some fresh frent and vegetables soya beause sauce, Java thaces and cccasinall duck expmly bad
JANUARY 20S D e furshavs comprise adweve they improve th meals from unhearable just eatable and seep t some ste majonety sine ago te beacrow &t was alile to arrange creacte insingapore and baught i a lst of tonned ford, milh manate that all a t Kesilals Friday & MEDICAL Here are practically n was casnalties in resital new Here is a convalesnt seep of for the limbless and so the respitals finction as fa as pessilie inal easomal condtions no comginet was aaed ov by gaps and so many JANUARY 2603 Saturday 9 ot caish essential a no guinine, at aboin ale and all digs entausted oeary so the last of retamen o causes a numbe o complaints previously unknaon and are being mealed will nia petisting and manite when the namile sens out king are going to be asech po Sang there for der some of whom are partially farered and other gong blind unit RAPS are even worry of ten hospitals and mine Eleers and the like get liker more than a sympatteti look from a badly lrasses io who is usng attle mere sta his wite
JANUARY 2603 Monday 11 CEMETERY as a natural sequence to Rockidals shitesss ansd have ther own. The percasage of deaths aust to Britest is very low largely I think t sill lads belng less subjed to dysento which is again due to us mainaiing a fat highe standard of rggune He cometery to beautifully Tueeday laid out wen grase arveeg maids and substantial cement crosses with a little wais flate enlayed with to dead may particulars slowering staubs and placts with if a most pleaser spot is be im if one mush he planted in metayar JANUARY 2003 Nedresday 13 DUTIES tho casses on teets encin as waiters are used as te only means o tansport of o sheres atc and usually have a & 20630 men as the party onedus & bocamstion we rature is Olick at arty square are cas daythate u refere. food areas &f old rubber have bee allised as fin waod areas and a plenanent party woans cutting has and Goubbey out shey then lincts send out an araw this ration of thee b we maw be day when most of this soad is

Diary
1943

 

 

PR03469
THE
POCKET
DIARY
FOR
2603 

Weights & measures - see original document

PERSONAL MEMORANDA - see original document
CALENDAR, 2602 - see original document

 

CALENDAR, 2604 - see original document
Japanese characters  - see original document

Capt BH Walker Queens Hotel
(1) Great Yarmouth

(2) "Elsham" Richings Way

Iver. Buckinghamshire.

Ashley Courtney.  English

Tourist guide - "Bystander"
E.G. Sullivan                    Jim Yaxley
197 Campbell St             Somerset
Toowoomba.                   via Burnie          
                                           Tas.

S.S. Roberts                       Capt
Red Lion Service Stn      HM Gibson
Toowoomba.                     2 Eleanor Terrace                    
                                             Glen Osmond.
                                              Adelaide
N F Grose                           (Box 12 Mildura)
c/o Bank of NSWales      
Sydney.                              Maj D Cathie
(Manager)                         Little Denspott
c/o Midland Bank            Leigh. Sussex.

                                              Tracey Shesa (Jap)
                                              Tracey Shesa (Korean)
Japanese symbols - see original document

Korean symbols - see original document
GJS   CUN TA SOONG

(Ando)
Japanese symbols - see original document

 

A new year starting with
a depleted Changi Camp.
Firstly all working parties
are back from Singapore, so
the AIF is complete less
two parties that have gone
to Japan including all
officers full Colonels and
Senior Despite their loss
the SROW functions better
under Lt Col F G Gallagan
DSO. ED. The Show is organised
22 Inf Bde (18. 19. 20 Bns &
2/4 MG Bns) 27 Bde (26. 29. 30 Bns)
of greater strength than 22
Bde. L of C Bde (AASC Ordnance
and odd shows) Technical
Bde (Sigs, Engs & Arty) and
HQ (Div HQ 2 Ech and records)
Think I will devote Jan
pages to a fuller description
of conditions. etc. for Austn
consumption.
FOOD  Due to a shortage
of food of all sorts, in
Singapore our rations are
very poor. Rice is still
the staple diet and this with
a little vegetables (tapioca
roots, and a type of sweet
potato) and an occasional
issue of fresh? fish comprises
the Jap issue. The men
therefore get one meal of
plain boiled rice and
two with a watery veg
stew that even lacks
sufficient salt. The one
and only Red Cross ship
to come here helped the
rations along for some
time but like all good
things the supply came to
an end. Of course the Japs
got some nice pickings
out of these supplies

 

PAY  Linked closely with
food is I J A PAY to all
ranks. All fit men who
are employed in camp are
paid ₡10 per day and Offrs
get a flat $30 per month.
30% of mens pay is deducted
and 50% of Officers. The mens
pay goes to the QM to purchase
extra food (SEE CANTEEN)
while $15 of the Officers goes
to Command Pay Office to keep
the hospitals going in both
food and medical supplies
none of which are supplied
by I J A. In my Bn the
Officers have 10 of the remainder
deducted for messing. So
actually officers have the
equivalent of 5/10 per month
to by smokes, and personal
requirements (soap etc)
CANTEEN A canteen is
set up and run by a 
board who are allowed
to send trailers out beyond
camp wire to buy what
they can from Native
Kampongs. Of course prices
are very high and they
must take what they can
get. From experience I know
that if a truck could go
to Singapore prices would
be halved. However that
is a privilege only allowed
to working parties.
The provisions are
allocated to units on a pro
rata basis and unit QMs
pay cash for same. Some
fresh fruit and vegetables,
Soya beans & sauce, Java
tobacco and occasionally
duck eggs (mostly bad)

 

comprise the chief purchases.
However they improve the
meals from unbearable to
just eatable and keep
the majority fit. Some
time ago the Red Cross rep
was able to arrange credits
in Singapore and bought
up a lot of tinned food,
milk, marmite that all
went to Hospitals.
MEDICAL
There are practically no war
casualties in hospital now.
There is a Convalescent Depot
for the limbless and so
the hospitals function as
far as possible under
normal conditions. No
equipment was handed over
by Japs and so many
essentials do not exist.
No quinine, atabrin, etc
and all drugs exhausted
or nearly so. The lack of
Vitamin B causes a number
of complaints previously
unknown and are being
treated with rice polishings
and Marmite. When the
Marmite runs out things
are going to be desparate for
these poor devils some of whom
are partially paralised and
others going blind.
Unit RAP's are even worse
off than hospitals and mere
ulcers and the like get
little more than a sympathetic
look from a badly harrassed
M.O. who is using little
more than his wits.

 

CEMETERY  As a natural
sequence to hospitals.
British & Aust have their
own. The percentage of deaths
Aust to British is very low
largely I think to our lads
being less subject to dysentry
which is again due to
us maintaining a far higher
standard of hygeine.
The cemetery is beautifully
laid out with grass-covered 
mounds and
substantial cement crosses
with a little brass plate
inlayed with the dead mans
particulars. Flowering
shrubs and plants make
it a most pleasant spot
to lie in if one must
be planted in Malaya.
DUTIES.
Car chassis on wheels
known as trailers are
used as the only means
of transport for stores etc
and usually have a
party of 20-30 men as the
means of locomotion.
Japs issue rations in
bulk at Arty Square
and each day trailers
report there for food.
Areas of old rubber have
been allotted as fire-wood
areas and a permanent
party works cutting trees
and grubbing out stumps
then units send out and
draw their ration of three lbs
per man per day. When
most of this wood is

 

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