Diary relating to service of Major Charles Patrick Tracey, 1943 - Part 4

APRIL  2603

Monday 5

Spent most of the day preparing

a lecture for tonight. Only

diversion was having

a tooth filled by Reg

Wilkinson. Have heard

from the Postal Sgt that

there was one letter for me

from Miss M Tracey and

now the Jap says that all

letters have been delivered.

Tuesday 6

After a quiet day went to

Southern Area (Brit) to a 

concert in the old Paladium

Picture Theatre. The show was

first class with wonderful

stage effects and a very

good orchestra. The Poms

have everything they require

in that area.

APRIL 2603

Wednesday 7

Word is out of a large

force to go North. All

fit men in 27 Bde will

go. I take the first Bn

of 825 to move. We go

to a new area and

have to build our own

camp on arrival, Japs

will supply tools etc if

they are procurable.

Thursday 8

and we will have to

sleep in the open in the

meantime. Still most

of us are sick of Changi

and wont mind the

discomfort. Only taking

24 of 37 offrs in Bn which

suits ME fine being

able to chuck out the

duds.

APRIL  2603

Friday 9

Have succeeded in raising

the offr quota to 32.

excluding Geo Polain

and Frank Cahill our

new M.O. who by the way

fits in very well. Leaving

Harnam, Abel who are

no good!  Jock Lake and

Doug Turnbull who are

not fit for the trip.

Sunday 10

A day of conferences and

medical boarding of all

the men to try and

raise the figures required

by the Japs with all fit

men. About 1/3 of the

force suffers with

complaints of some sort

or other.

APRIL 2603

Sunday 11

I am detailed to put on

a dinner for the GOC by

the Senr Bde Offrs and

of course have been flat

out on menus, catering

and the task of procuring

the necessary supply of

food-stuff plus a bottle

of locally brewed fire-water
at great expense.

Monday 12

Dinner a great success.

Col Galleghan made a

most moving and

inspiring speech that

made me feel a bit

proud and at the
same time desolate.

However, I hope I can

take his good advice

in some respects.

APRIL 2603

Tuesday 13

Another day of conferences

Looks as though we

will be organised into

three Bns of 1000 each

on arrival. The getting

to our destinations is another

problem. Invited to dinner

with Bn Comds and Col

Kappe to Div H.Q. sort of

farewell party.

Wednesday 14

Great show last night.

Col. G. made some very

complimentary remarks re

self & 8/86. Food first-rate by

present standards. Had a

cholera vacc, Small pox

injection and Malarial test.

Maj Gunther says that

none of them are worth

a spit in Hell.

APRIL 2603

Thursday 15

More prodding and jabs

for trains 5 & 6. Will be 

full to the ears of bugs

by the time we finish.

Rumours gather daily 

of our ultimate destination

which very from both

Malaya to Indo-China and

Siam. Possibly be in

comd of a camp of 1000 odd

Friday 16

Medical tests have now

become a frantic daily

job. Each man gets five

goes and 3000 odd to be

done. Bde is sending train

loads off made up of all

units. My tip is that the

Jap will fill up camps as

parties arrive - Good-bye

unit organisation. Col

Oakes to mess.

APRIL 2603

Saturday 17

Warning order 1^st party

leaves 0400 tomorrow

morning. Great fun

checking rolls in the dark.

2/26 Bn travels on trains

3 & 4 so we have until

Tuesday morning. Col

Galleghan over for mess

and final farewell to

the offrs.

Sunday 18

First party off at 0400 hrs

after a Hell of a mess.

Rained heavily and everyone

drenched for a start. Pitch

dark and rolls to be called

in the rain by torch-light.

Spent the day getting

ready my first show that

leaves Tuesday morning

APRIL 2603

Monday 19

Intense activity leave

tomorrow at 0400. Packing

checking rolls, visiting a

few cobbers and receiving

the multitude.

No chance of a sleep.

Move from Changi very

orderly though trucks very

crowded.

Tuesday 20

Left Singapore in last 

trucks with 27 men in each.

When the sun got up

conditions were pretty

tough. Am writing these

notes against side of truck

at K.L. Am in a truck

with the Nip boss and his

four off siders with Ferg

& Geo Polain.

APRIL 2603

Wednesday 21

Breakfast K.L 0400 hrs

rice & a decent Changi show,

and finished day at Tampin.

Conditions are bloody

awful with 27 per truck

which is steel and the

sun does things to it.

The Nip guards are a

decent lot. No bashings

so far.

Thursday 22

Reached Thailand border

1400 hrs and the lads

given an 1½ hr spell. We

did a bit of P.T. Thank

God we have been able

to buy fresh fruit. Frank

Cahill has had about 20

customers already. Fruit

has upset most I think.

APRIL 2603

Friday 23

Now we are in Thailand the

stations have us beaten and

have no idea where we are.

Have been warned that we

arrive tomorrow early morn.

After being allowed to bring

tons of stuff nice tinned

food it has all been left

at railway and we have

no access to it.

BANPONG

Saturday 24

Arrived staging camp. Thought

to be BANPONG. Bare shelters

and after bringing all our

gear have to dump all that

we cannot carry. no sanitary

arrangements, flys thick. One well

to do whole camp. One water

point of foul water - which

has to be boiled - very little

cooking gear.

APRIL 2603

Sunday 25

After further reduction in gear

prepared for all night march

which will continue until

we have covered 150 miles.

March conditions appalling.

Some men far from well

will never see the distance.

This first march about 25

Kilometres (am having a bad

time with a touch of fever.

[*TARO - 25 KILOS*]

Monday 26

Arrived staging camp. No

decent arrangements for food.

Most men sleeping in odd

bits of shade with the

Medical crowd wkg flat

out. Number of sick carried

on stretchers and helped along

as best we could. This march

will be remembered. Had no

sleep and off we go again.

APRIL 2603

[*Stage 25 KLS.  TOTAL 50Ks  KANBURI*]

Tuesday 27

Next stop worse than

the last. Sanitary arrangements

NIL. Water so scarce we

have to sell clothing to the

Thais and pay 10 cents for

water. The march a positive

nightmare despite being able 

to hire a boong truck to

carry most of the gear and ferry

about 50 of the worst sick cases.

Staying here tonight go on tomorrow.

Wednesday 28

Boarded by Jap Meds

again no rest. Heat

almost unbearable. Water

filthy and ¢5 per bucket.

My feet are so badly 

blistered I have got a

pair of flying boots and

cut the backs out. Doubt

being able to see tonight

out.

APRIL 2603

[*ONEYA 20 Ks TOTAL 70KS.*]

Thursday 29

What a night.  The new boots

simply made new blisters.

New camp site right on a 

decent river where we were

able to clean up. Hired 10 yak-drawn

drays to lift sick men

and gear and at last lap men

not permitted to ride. Started

to march in rubber slippers. Had

a Hell of a night.

WAMPO 20KS   TOTAL 90KS
[*BRIDGE CAMP*]

Friday 30

Caught up with Col Kappé again.

Camp site rather good. 36 hrs

rest then on thru mountains.

Had a swim and

cleaned up a bit. Slept

13 hrs and feel better.

Feet in a very poor

state. One bad blister

has become infected so

I dont think I will

get much further.

MAY 2603

Saturday 1

Rested as much as Jap

and heat would

permit and am now

packing for another all-night

march.

Rest of Bn caught up

under Reg Swartz after

a bad march in rain.

Very late in. I thought the

previous marches were tough.

25kms TOTAL 115   TAHSO

Sunday 2

but this one wins hands down

to date, about 7 miles in pitch

dark through mud ankle-deep.

Did not arrive here till 0900

(Total usual 16-17 miles). Food

lousy. Camped under trees and

go on again tonight. My feet

almost unbearably sore. Had

a visit from Reg Newton who

has been here for some time.

(D Force base camp)

Passed through TONSHAN 5KS

MAY 2603

KANYU  18KS TOTAL 133

Monday 3

Another stinker through mud

and slush for miles over

very hilly country. Japs

overcome this by starting us

off earlier. Destination putrid,

Food getting worse and my

poor old feet almost at the end

of their tether. The promised rest

not on we are off again. Had

only two hrs sleep.

KINS KINSIOK 24KS TOTAL 157

7  DUTCH CAMP

Tuesday 4

During march passed camps

occupied by D Force. Saw Maj

Quirk & Col McEcherin. Despite

an early start the Japs insisted

on a fairly fast pace and

then pulled up for two hrs.

Nights get a cool here and

I have lost all ideas of

throwing away my blanket.

Camped in open again. Still

only two lousy meals

MAY 2603

Wednesday 5

Had a days rest and a 

good night sleep. Still

on two meals consisting

of plain rice and a very

watery stew. Although we

have picked up a number 

of 1 & 2 trains my 600 is

now 490 and many men

really unfit for travel. Steve

heard only few more hops.

WOPING  26KS   TOTAL 183

Thursday 6

Down to river for a swim

Two miles but I think it

was worth it as this camp

has no water. All carted

by lorry. Had half a cup of

unsweetened coffee that was

a real luxury. How our

standards have altered.

Off again tonight. Frank

Cahill collapsed.

[*BRENKARI   22KS.   TOTAL 205K*]

MAY 2603

9 HITLER CAMP

Friday 7

Last night worst march to

date. Raining heavily, pitch

black and a very hilly

muddy rd. On arrival were

pushed round by a semi-efficient

Jap staff. Camped in

open, ground wet and everyone
a bit low. First meal

plain rice. All ranks line up

for their issue.

Saturday 8

Days rest and on tonight.

We are all growing quite

callous and indifferent to

human misery. Lads are

getting bad ulcers, sores

dysentery etc and the

MOS have practically

nothing to treat them with.

We are to work on a rly

joing Rangoon & Bangkok.

Slowly getting local bearings.

[*TAKANUN 17KS TOTAL  222*]
MAY 2603

[*10 SPUR CAMP  (HINDATO)*]

Sunday 9

Shortest march to date tho a

very hilly and dirty track.

Arrived about 0430 and got

in a few hours sleep before

daylight. A big camp here with

Tommies building a wooden

Rly bridge with the help of

three elephants. Work said to

be very hard, hours long and

food very bad - prospect no so

hot.

[*22 KS    TOTAL 244*]
[*11 TAMERAPAR  CAMP
(PLUNKURY*]

Monday 10

A bad start last night in

drenching rain. Packs heavy

and roads slippy. At water

point was entertained by

the Jap guards and their pals

at the point. Food worse than

ever. Plain rice with a 

frightful form of stew.

We hear only two more hops

[*KONKOITA    23KS  TOTAL 267Ks*]

MAY 2603

12

Tuesday 11

Hell of a night march. This

makes three in a row. 25

Kilometres and we have to

go on again tonight. This

hop is definitely the last.

Will finish just short of

the Burma border. The huts

at this camp are just being

thatched. If only we could get

a sleep during the day it

would help a lot.

Wednesday 12

[*13  SHIMONIEKIE  27K  TOTAL 294*]

Not at final destination

after all. The camp looked very

depressing after 25 Kilos with

no roofs on the huts and no

kitchens. However the Japs here

are most helpful and we

have knocked the show into

shape with the help of an 18

Div cooking gear dump. Scrouged

a sheet, singlet and pairs upants.

MAY 2603

Thursday 13

Feel great after a nights rest.

Train 4 arrived and I have

been told to make up a party

of 1000 to take a further 20 kilos

to what will be our final halt.

The camp there being completed.

Doubling up on cooking for both

parties. Have had a conference

with two Japanese doctors and

looks as though the medical side

will be pretty right.

Friday 14

Full days rest with the

knowledge we move on 0200 hrs

tomorrow. 2/30 Bn caught up

with Maj. Johnston [[mooted?]].

Sent Fergie on with few cooks

on a lorry with cooking gear to

our destination that ultimately 

house 2500 A.I.F. From now we

come under British Changi Jap command

wich is a good move