Diary relating to service of Major Charles Patrick Tracey, 1943 - Part 7

AUGUST 2603

Tuesday 3

Cols Harris & Dillon arrived to

take over & parties moving in

continually. Some to go on others

staying. I have been told I will

command about 1000 AIF here. The

Brit admin here is unbelievably

shocking. Recd a note from Fergie

saying he will be up today with

300 more! mostly drawn from the

hospital. Accomodation is 16 to a bay

and the old tale of collapsing floors.

Wednesday 4

Fergie & Party arrived which has 

relived the work position a little.

Jap C/O has given orders for camp

work which includes building

huts & kitchens without any roofing

material, water reticulation up

hill - and all without tools. The

show is enough to break the heart

of a lion. Shortage of labour is

going to be the major problem.

11 British deaths today.

AUGUST 2603

Thursday 5

A thorough check of camp with

Col Dillon & Jap boss. Got nothing

from him at all. Of course the

camp is 90% unfit & yet must

provide 300 workmen. However

our lads are 100% better than

the Poms. 30 from No1 went  through

to No3 the remainder to move tomorrow.

Eighteen of the new boongs who took

our place have died from cholera 

already. Ferg & I had our annual

celebration of Margarets birthday.

Friday 6

So much for our work programme

Tools available in small quantity

at 11.30 hrs. Check parade at 1700

and tools returned. Bamboo cut

for kitchen & stacked - Japs lift

the lot for a job of their own.

Our Aussie energy tried out

thoroughly. The Japs ranch lasitude

is hopeless. Even the hospital is

shocking. men there living like 

animals.

AUGUST 2603

Saturday 7

Walked a mile with Col Hingston

to a funeral service over the 

road. One cemetery is full &

the new one only has a few graves.

Beside general untidiness a

body was brought in while

we were there by four bearers

who had the body in a mat roll

at each stride the head bumped

pitfully in the mud. Two other

bodies, stark naked lay out in

the rain & mud eyes open and

Sunday 8

quite unattended. Nobody saw

anything wrong in this scheme

of things. Dead here total

400 and the above is typical

of the general camp Admin.

The Japs are a very bad lot

and the men are half-starved

and badly treated at work.

Rations rice & a few beans

in water. Estimated 170 have

from starvation.
AUGUST 2603

Monday 9

Very strong letter of protest has

been submitted though I 

doubt if it will ever reach

a source that will help us.

Jap demands for men gets

heavier. Hospital patients are

now made work. Jap say if

men are not produced they

will turn us out into the

jungle and employ coolies.

One man tortured for threatening

a Jap. Forced to kneel over a

Tuesday 10

fire for hours, beaten to a 

pulp & made to kneel on

sharp edged logs. Protest

would not be listened to.

Some canteen supplies in.

1 Egg each @ .25. Milk $3. Oil

4 ozs .50 Local tobacco 1 lb $3.

Ferg & I had a fried egg mixed

through rice! decided on a rice

pudding but the belly could 

not stand the wait.

AUGUST 2603

Wednesday 11

With so many British Offrs

& celebrities here I am trying 

to tee up some lectures

for these poor devils of ours

who are permanant hospital

cases and not likely to

ever get off their backs. The

food is so shockingly

poor that they will not

recover unless it improves

out of sight.

Thursday 12

First of new cookhouses done

and swinging into action

a good clean site a great 

pity they have nothing but

rice and weavil-ridden 

beans of great age. The

cavary functions daily now

and a stationary truck is

serviced daily to keep the

seed up. A great morale

helper.

[*Had a cholera injection boost*]

AUGUST 2603

Friday 13

Worked all morning on the

closing down of  the old latrine

and in the afternoon attended

another funeral. British still

dying at the rate of eight per

day. Last night the score

rose to 12. Heard from John

Taylor from No1. Only 500 Burma

party & 8O Camp maintenance 

left. Plenty of boongs dying

there from cholera and they 

have been warned burma is

Saturday 14 

off & that they may go south.

Ration parties come up

from No1 Daily and I can

still communicate with Russ

& the team. Am trying to

get Russ up here. The Offrs

mess kitchen started today

and gave us a lousily

cooked rice despite the services

of a so-called chef. Second 

kitchen opens tomorrow. Work

figures at 400 which is a

AUGUST 2603

Sunday 15

great strain.

Treatment of the lads on work

parties is shocking. Men on the

bridge have been knocked off the

scaffolding and the Japs use

whips made of strands of

heavy wire. Sen Jap Eng Offrs

round. natives moving in. We

have been told to empty some huts

for them and put 800 men in huts

already holding 600 at 14 to a bay.

An utter impossibility even if

Monday 16

we attempted double-bunking.

Received a report that a party 

of 20 mos & 200 med ords were

sent from Changi under Bruce

Anderson to help quell the cholera

epidemic and on arrival at

Banpong were impressed and

put to work on the roads.

Another party of Offrs sent up

with a written a order that they

were for Admin work were

also sent out on the road.
AUGUST 2603

Tuesday 17

Work parties are dropping off in

number daily though the British

maintain theirs by sending out

men who we keep in camp.

It is pitiful to see lads

sent out to work on the road

up to their knees in mud

with feet so swollen with

tinea & berri-berri that they

can only move at a snails

pace with the aid of a stick.

Wednesday 18

The death-rate of the camp

continues to hold firm at

eight per day. From reports

from various camps it seems

certain that by now  the

original total of 7,000 in "F"

force is down to 6,000 and

that only after three months 

in Thailand. Have appealed to

the Jap to give us a few 

days respite from work to

AUGUST 2603

Thursday 19

try and doctor them a bit.

Medical stores are so scarce

that men are dying who could be

cured in a week with some

atebrin & Sematine. Did a tour

of our hospital area and it is

heart breaking. Jack Lang and

Joe Pusch who are a good pair

of NCOs are both very low and

don't look like seeing many

more days out.

Friday 20

The blasted bridge was finished

today and we hope that the Jap

may ease up a bit. Col

Banno called and after some

bitter complaints issued an

order once more against the

continual ill-treatment of 

the lads at work. Had a

lousy night last night. The

old squitters back in force.
AUGUST 2603

Saturday 21

The rain has been practically

unceasing. Roofs leak, mud

 everywhere and latrines fill,

Kitchen fires are put out and

the wood is always wet.

Conditions are practically un-bearable.
Japs have agreed to us

reducing work parties to 270 per

five days to give some men who

have worked continually for up to

50 days a chance to wash themselves

& their clothes.

Sunday 22

After much agitation the Jap broke

down wkg party from 400 to 200 for

four days to permit men two days

rest, to wash themselves & clothes &

provided a drum for boiling. After

the party moved out we had to

use all the resting party on various

duties including a tiger fence

now the hospital has to be moved

o 1/4 mile to a canvas area. Move to be

completed in 4 days - Goodbye rest.

AUGUST 2603

Monday 23

Second day of the rest scheme

and duties  poured in thick

and fast. However the lads

got more rest than during a

normal day's work on the

road. At night each one got

a beaut big doover. At night

we were able to tee up a

cornet & guitar pair. On the whole

the day was quite successful.

Have a dose of fever again.

Tuesday 24

Switched the second half of

the work party without a hitch

though I had to use hospital

dischargees. The railway bank 

runs right through the camp

and our lads are sent far

afield while hundreds of boongs 

are working within ten yards

of the huts. They finish at 1900

hrs & our lads are still out.

AUGUST  2603

Wednesday 25

Had a nasty show today. Young

Dick was one of a party detailed

by Japs to carry a big log, that

when it was dropped fell on 

the lads head & back. He died

pretty nastily some hours later.

Got some supplies in for the lads

from Niki. Guala, tobacco & oil.

Think I have balanced my

nominal roll at last though a

couple of bodies doubtfull.

Thursday 26

Have lost 17 lads since we

arrived here from a total of

870 odd. The English with 1100

are losing 12 per day! Funeral 

services conducted every

other day and the burials in

common graves. Generally three

to a grave and identification

very poor. Still that is only

up to their general standard

20 off to Burma hospital with

sacks for blankets

AUGUST 2603

Friday 27

30 to Burma yesterday by truck.

Tommy sick left under shocking

conditions. All 25 to a truck. 3 M/I

from Neeki (ORS) 150 to work some

with bad feet 2 34 sent back by

Japs. Developed a few nice sores from

constant lying on hard floors as I 

had me a bed made of bamboo & a

ground sheet. Still suffering with

the squitters. Men home early. (1900hr)

Able to eat in daylight for once.

Saturday 28

Have completed nominal roll by

units & ranks. I command 871 of which

about 300 are of 2/26 the rest are made

up of about 10 different units. 2/29 has

a fair batch. Constant worry keeping

a few of 26 Offrs fit. Sent Des Duffy

off with the Burma party as he

proved quite useless & I don't think

he was as sick as he was lazy.
AUGUST 2603

Sunday 29

Japs put on a very thorough

search and landed quite a bit of

gear from the Tommy Offrs. Our

crowd played well and were not

caught with anything worse than a 

tin of gula malacca.

The Tommies produced several

compasses revolver amm, field -

glasses etc. Poor Bert lost his

sexant made out of a 25 par dial

sight. Well it added some interest

to an otherwise dull day.

Monday 30

8 more to Burma.

Working pay arrived for period

21 July  - 20 Aug. This covers two Neeki

parties, one of which has no records

and the No 1 parties who were paid

under a different scheme. Have

decided to pay according to records

that were kept from 5 Aug, capitalise

the rest and make an even distribution.

Other than that date to non-card holders

(AAMC) Rates Heavy   WO    40 N.C.O.  30  Ptes  25.

                            Light        “      35      “        15      “      10

                       Specialists  “      45      “       35.     “      30

[*Sent $19.60 Burma Wkg pay.*]

AUGUST-SEPTEMBER 2603

Tuesday 31

WAKA BYASHI increased the Burma

party by 80 off his own bat and we 

had an allotment of 21. Our hospital

figures have now been reduced by

60 to Burma  (who were not allowed

for when the draft was made up 

at No1.) Have taken over two huts

that were occupied by English sick.

Now spread workmen to 9 to a bay

and the hospital to 8. Have also been

able to classify sick for different huts.

Wednesday 1

30 M/O to Burma Hospital. The

scheme now is to leave only

 700 in this camp as a

working party under my Comd

while the balance will be

sent on to a rest camp 50

kilos North. Col Hingston will

go up to Comd. Rup Beirne

taking charge of the Aussies.
[*2 offrs

43 ORs to Burma Rest Camp Hosp.*]
SEPTEMBER 2603

[*$25 pay.   Pay $43.80*] 
Thursday 2                ↑              

2/38 ORs M/O to Burma Rest

Camp. Decrease of 90 for the

day so far. To add to my

worries I have a Court Martial

of Pte Nancarrow. 2/29 caught

with a stack of stolen property.

Lowry & 19 O/Rs sent to Neeki

for 10 days to unload what

we hear are red cross comforts.

Cigarettes, milk, Bully, m&v, etc.

Gave him $50 to do a trade.

Friday 3

Pte Nancarrow up for F.G. CM.

and sentence suspended until

it can be carried out. (12 months HARD)

Goods admitted to he looted

from Singapore sold and

proceeds credited to Camp Fund.

Balance of kit bag handed

back. Just made 150 duties

incl 20 at Neeki. All tps

concentrated in top row of huts

back to 14 to a bay.

[*52 Walking - Pay

40 Truck . - Pay*]

SEPTEMBER 2603

Saturday 4

Another 92 off to Burma.

Sent pay with Lt. Cameron

incl $1 each for every old No1 

camp man who has left.

Which brings Burma

pay up to date. (Aug 5 - 20

+ $1 from Camp 1) a further

flat rate will be sent for 

the period 21 July - 5 Aug. Till

it can be sent credited to

camp Fund.

Sunday 5

63. by truck to Burma

incl Card & Non-Card

holders. One Nip who has

returned - reported 15 deaths

en route but that the rest

camp is near the hospital

and that they are getting all

the fresh meat & vegetables

(plus fruit) they require.

Pte Nancarrow died.
SEPTEMBER 2603

Monday 6

Feeling bloody with another

attack of fever. Now we have

thinned down so much we

are pushed to get out our 250

daily. Have a turn-over of

at least 30 per day and our

pool is not what it used to be.

All the hospital moved to the

isolation centre. Bert Sabin an

excellent word-master

Tuesday 7

Cholera broken out again in the

boongs over the river from us.

Got a note from Lowry at Neeki.

His stay looks like being longer

than anticipated. Temp 102.8 had

the morning in bed but staggered

out in afternoon the hard bed

is not so attractive. Re-captured

offrs at No 3 will possibly dodge

execution. Col Banno called says

probably "long stay Changi Gaol"

SEPTEMBER 2603

Wednesday 8

The fever is just about at its

worst. Temp high, no food, no

sleep. Have had a long and

very interesting yarn with

Padre Foster-Haig on his many

tours in British Isles & the

continent singing under the name

of John Foster. He was booked

for Australia when war broke out

and is coming out when this

show is over. Some comforts

issued late at night.

Thursday 9

Still pretty lousy. Got up but

had three quick black-outs and

went down again. Comforts

consisted of fifteen pkts of 10 cigs,

1 Tin of milk to 5 1 Tin margerine to 10

and about an oz of tea & 2oz black

sugar. Bob Howells up from 

No 1 where they are living like lords

despite some cholera (1 dead, 7

patients 7 carriers)
SEPTEMBER 2603

Friday 10

Inspected kitchen. Rice sour, Yak

(boxed rotten & alive with maggots

which we scrape off before cooking)

and the beans full of weavils.

We got a box of prawns but they

were too tough, even the shells were

falling apart. ANDO seems every

concerned about my health. Landed

in with 2 mess tins of fresh meat 

& maccaroni or vermicili & two

of beautifully cooked rice. Later

came back with a few creosote pills.

Saturday 11

wont Peter be joyful.

Col Dillon made a speech to the

tps to steady them a bit.

1000 Dutch tps arrived and

occupied a lot of our old

huts. They look in good

nick and have no trouble

in humping a 220 lb rice

sack. (It takes four of ours).

Lowry back from Neeki - No

Red  X food.