Diary relating to service of Major Charles Patrick Tracey, 1943 - Part 2

JANUARY 2603

Friday 15

Wet and green it does

not quite give us enough

to cook the tea and rice

that form the staple diet.

Next as salt is very

scarce if non existant

Salt water parties are

allowed over to the sea to

draw salt water that is

then carried some miles

back to the cook houses.

Saturday 16

Plain rice with very

little vegetable, that does 

not tast so good at any

time, boiled in seawater
does not make

a very appetising meal

for an European.

However our weather man

predicts that it can't

last for ever.

JANUARY 2603

Sunday 17

A great number of men

are employed in the

gardens for both IJA

and ourselves and

despite every conceivable

handy cap are coaxing

some crops out of the

extremely poor soil.

Tapioca is very popular

as it grows fairly

fast and we cook the

Monday 18

leaves and eat them 

then dig up the roots

and pretend they are

potatoes. Actually

they taste like a poor

grade yam. Some

chinese beans are

grown though mostly

for the benefit of all

types of Malayan grubs

JANUARY 2603

Tuesday 19

Lynne's birthday (4^th 5?)

One present I owe.

SPORT

All sports are run with

make-shift equipment.

Some was found here

twelve months ago while

other was brought out

Wednesday 20

by working parties from

Singapore. Football has

been banned so that

no medical supplies need

be exhausted needlessly.

Cricket, Baseball and

hockey are played as

and AIF Competition but

shortage of balls will

soon put a stop to

JANUARY 2603

Thursday 21

all three. Circles and

basket ball will then

be the only form of sport

available. One boxing

tournament was held

and brought to a most

successful conclusion

with the 2/26 Bn winning

welter middle, light-heavy

and heavy. Bob Hardy

Friday 22

won the welter and Alf

Lulham the other three

One unopposed. We also

were runners-up in the

baseball comp and if

the cricket finishes should

be very well placed.

Some baseball was

played against the

Americans though they

JANUARY 2603

Saturday 23

did not prove a match

for the AIF side.

Linked with sport on

the amusement side is

a grand concert party

who have built their

own theatre, with props

and lighting effect and

stage a new show

roughly fortnightly.

Sunday 24

They have an excellent

orchestra. Compose a

lot of new music and

generally do a grand

job. In addition the

British 18 Div put on a

celebrity concert with

four of Londons foremost

musicians. Denis East

Sir Thos Beauchamps No 1

JANUARY 2603

Monday 25

Wedding Anniversary (6^th)

Another present I owe but have

violin, Reginald Denison

pianist and two singers

Padre Foster-Haig being

one with a voice like

Richard Tauber.

Australia Tuesday 26 Day.

In a POW camp we actually

put on a ceremonial Parade

by 27 Bde. Despite their poor

dress the lads put up a

remarkable show. Voted by

some regular army officers as

being up to the standard

of regular British troops.

Col Gallaghan to salute.

JANUARY 2603

Wednesday 27

The three Bns were drawn

up in column of Coys in

line. Opened out and

inspected by L Col Gallaghan,

then moved in column

of route to a point at the

extreme end of the square

and then marched past

in Coys in line. Beyond

the base turned into col

Thursday 28

of route and resumed

their original position. 

Then after the advance

and General Salute

marched off. The three

Bn Comds were invited

to Bde HQ where we

received the congratulations

of Cols Gallaghan & Kappé

and we all stayed on

JANUARY 2603

Friday 29

to enjoy a very pleasant

meal. This parade did

a great deal to buck the

lads up and restore

to a large extent the espirite

de Corps that was naturally

slipping under these very

trying conditions.

Saturday 30

IJA allowing messages

to Australia by wireless,

only to next of kin and 

of a personal nature.

The restrictions are such

that I intend to simply

make it sound as

cheering as possible hoping

that Jess is keeping in

good heart and spirits

JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2603

Sunday 31

Played AASC in Baseball

semi-finals. Won 9-4 but

doubt whether we will give

the MG Bn a very good

game in finals to be played

next Sunday. Rained all

day so much so Japs

called off deck parade.

Monday 1

Just taken delivery of diary.

Will use last months to take

notes and summarise last

years activity.

Attended first of Col Kappe's

lectures of the battle of the

Island. 2/26 Bn get honourable

mention as well as anyone

could with such a mess-up

Judge at AIF Boxing Tourney.

FEBRUARY 2603

Tuesday 2

The great night. Boxing finals

Place packed out at Concert

Hall. Men on rafters and

everywhere it was possible

to get a view. The standard

very high and just finished

on lights out. Probably

the most successful show

since we have been POWs.

Wednesday 3

Afternoon at Col Kappe's

second last lecture. Celebrity

concert at night. Denis East

Sir Thomas Beauchamps No 1

violin, Reginald Denison one of

London's best pianists, Foster

Haig (Tenor) and a very good

baritone. The pianist played

Moonlight Sonata. The whole

show very lifting in spirit.

Second dysentery injections.

FEBRUARY 2603

Thursday 4

Not too bright just had

a double dose of anti-dysentery

serum that

affects one like a bad

fever.

Trying to give thought

to the subject of a 26 Bn

Association for the

welfare of dead-beats and

dependents of men killed.

Friday 5

Final lecture by Col Kappe.

From start to finish it 

shows that while the

average Digger fought well

the shortage of planes &

troops made the task an

impossibility and the

putrid staff work of

higher formations put

the seal on it.

FEBRUARY 2603

Saturday 6

Reading a great book by

Terry Longhurst "It was

good while it lasted".

Correspondent to Daily Mail

and has had a varied

career as a sports writer,

suffered some agony from

Jim Phinemore getting a

filling in a tooth wrote

and account of observed

Arty fire for 2/15 Fd Regt

Sunday 7

Played in AIF Baseball

Finals 2/26 Bn & 2/4 MG Bn

We lost 6-3 after a bad

breakdown of 4 runs in

second dig. Balls are

becoming very scarce and

soon will hold up all

sports. Boxing - football

have been banned owing

to the shortage of med stores 

to patch the injured.

FEBRUARY 2603

Monday 8

Very ordinary day with

a great lecture by Capt

Watson of Suffolk Regt

late Grenadier Guards

on his experiences in

France this war and

evacuation through St

Marlo to England. Has

a pub at Yarmouth.

Must look him up on

my holiday trip with Jess.

Tuesday 9

Bde conference then down

to Reg Wilkinson for a

tooth filling. A remarkably

good lecture by Capt

Stevens of 10 Gurkha Regt

(Regular 15 years service)

Took some to Coronation.

Asked what impressed

them most of all sights.

Referred to the bull at Notts.

FEBRUARY 2603

Wednesday 10

Jap gloat parade ordered

but by the time every one

was wringing wet they

called it off and sent us

home again. Then we

had the first of a series

of T.A.B. and anti dysentery

injections finishing up

the day with the box seat

at the AIF concert which

was up to usual good form

Thursday 11

roused at 0630 in the

pitch dark to have an

early breakfast then to

AGH Padang for what

we suspect will be one

of these gloat parades.

At 0800 parade time it

rained like Hell and after

moving off to Div HQ the

parade was cancelled.

FEBRUARY 2603

Friday 12

Once more rose in the

dim dark hours for the

much talked of parade

About 7000 of both Brit

and A.I.F. Just got

properly s[[?]]abed and

parade called off. Had

a sleep in afternoon

and a couple of good

chess battles with Bob

Meldrum.

Saturday 13

Once again we prepared

for the early parade only to

have it cancelled then at

1000 hrs off we went.

Paraded on AGH Padang

until nearly 1700 hrs just to

let a couple of movie-men

take a few minutes of pictures

to be used in the super-film

"Surrender of Singapore".

FEBRUARY 2603

Sunday 14

Thinking of forming a Bn

association that may be of

some value after the war

in helping lads to settle

down and investigate

claims through the Repat

Dept. Possibly with a H.O.

in Brisbane and Sub-branches

in the larger towns.

Monday 15

Have been POWs one year

today. Looking back it

seems like a century a

full year that may have

been enough to have

given young David a

chance. However I suppose

a man will learn

enough to make him

appreciate home & family. May

have even learnt some of Allan

Nott's wisdom.

FEBRUARY 2603

Tuesday 16

Further TAB injections so

now if we dodge starvation

we should be pretty well

proof against dysentry and

typhoid. Am writing some

narratives to be read in

conjunction with the war

diaries on our main

battles. Fred Anderson 2/15

Fd Regt who was with us at 

Mawai over at night.

Wednesday 17

Still slugging at these

narratives that will

use my spare time up

for a while. We are all

due for the glass rod

tomorrow to check the

incidence of dysentry.

Have had a worrying

number of cases in the

Bn recently.

FEBRUARY 2603

Thursday 18

Am worried about a little

growth on my right eye, 

it seem to be getting quite

healthy. Saw the eye

specialist who will not

touch it unless it grows

fairly fast on to persevere

with drops in the meantime.

Should be a good job done

with a Weal anesthetic.

Friday 19

Spent the afternoon

playing baseball with

the Bn team. Were beaten

by 2/30 Bn 11-10. We are

getting spoilt here. Tonight

the shower water was off &

we have all been crying for

hours about it. Of course

we are a bit smelly. Does

the fly or the train stop &

if so why.

FEBRUARY 2603

Saturday 20

First night of Bde concert party

last night. An excellent show

dispite the lack of material for

effects and battery lighting.

New past-time - Picking bugs from

the navel. - Big day with Jap

dysentry tests. A most

embarassing experience though

rather amusing to the onlooker.

Pete Hendry established an all

time record - 203 in 19 mins

Sunday 21

Beat 2/10 Fd Regt at

Baseball. After Church service

had a meeting of Offrs & NCOs

to discuss the formation of

a 2/26 Bn Association. Chief

aims to place men in

employment and help the

dependents of members and

dependents of men killed.

FEBRUARY 2603

Monday 22

Started on a show for

Senior Offrs. Col Leggett

CO 2/40 Bn who were taken

in Timor, Capt Morgan 2/C BM

27 Bde, Staff Corps late 2/29

Bn and Maj Snieder - Arty.

Saw a new AIF concert

from the box seat after a

wonderful, fresh paw paw.

How we will appreciate a good

civilised feed.

Tuesday 23

Japanese have again

issued cards for delivery

to Australia, though I

think the war will be

over before Jess gets her

little note.

Have Cpl Field & O'Rourke

up for selling our scanty

clothing to the Japanese.

ORourke L-5 & 28 days

Field reduced to the ranks