Diary relating to service of Major Charles Patrick Tracey, 1944 - Part 7

Conflict:
Second World War, 1939–45
Subject:
  • Documents and letters
  • Prisoner of War
Status:
Open for review
Accession number:
AWM2019.22.142
Difficulty:

Page 1 / 10

WOUSIM Tuesday 3 Today a great move & in tps lines new con gauping the adm SL. Frastel Cary sl &fr togetter. Prackically all Ofpes involved Last oss and sation & now save Ferg, Kon magainy, mas swadating in the reon blaving itf he senionty Hednesday 4 anecedarpiete appeared in the shenber or the self sufficiency canar in Malaya Pigst be eve sublic neto they always wve to thatt valuable fig swill would so availabe to the avitions seets make sig manuse AUOUST 20S Tharedays so pebent that calps grew ubice as fast and tereore ieauce much more every one This was accually the leading asticl said shimber giaes me great lepes y Cg Muchan so Christinas Fineste neaswas senedrely list for the su beng without y Eaday 6 Rebbie & Russ well rettees in Son syes mavng to bgs Ep to take clarge also laas on road beg spent mest & day syting out AAD instructions are so constuted that the can be fractially no disfersion. di now full & sand att at Ruche
sorner m satenday reven pades instituted on a neay limited ocale hat bad whn the sixe in night scoals gevery sual wolite bait a avialy saght out by all se leigry Po Ow rets busets ete in great obmand, a mornings catth might yeils & tt Baid txast in th Coesanat Grave. Suntar 8 Last night the bard plages Th Rady Bears Pilnie and made me very home sick never hear that heere without remenbering the sight jeas I became engaged serg feet on a party of dooters boffee las milt sugat Left Gentl thee years today. AUGUST 2803 Mantor Recd a sn word note from Mum dated Nov 43159 have issued us our 5ra letter eard to send home winder wo will get tere first- me or the card! Have the emborssment of Jommes Plunkett peanting a ledge out the fiont if our caste ees has show in Grave Tuesday 10 Cempleted and the card for some. Willing to bet get thery first rice ford cnow. Golt a couple o sea bugs in the stew today Ihely saske much better ta te rice maggets & weavils. Jess cesking b better be well up to serateh mad yoou Kraige
AUOUST 2603 Wedmooday 11 benstand ais activity manly from new asame which has now advanced sufficiestly to allow lighters to use it though the end of our wait on it is not in sigl Building a road down thee inde our owr Ing ofs with the sip only acting as guards. Thureday 12 assended a oad show in the Cacoannt Gneve. Ste steatie io being built in the Gaol (will take another 7 weeks to complete) and in the meanting we have built tws ofer air stages. one in affer liness sore in the mens. bemtines antichs beg and amerisan Maa A 15 bal heevey new camp sands is restrictng contact between off & men sp (a7say allowed 3a axa each Be At the end of ths month it is to be reauced to 3 ps lef sud 9 pept compleh agnegation of offer His is more his edg than the hips whole caup furious at this stange is very juneor cal Coalmtar) evine11 Has little time for offic as a whole and no regard for Regs &q Coutermander BTs order sc ops dressing for meats and spaked that Lergo so darves sn quite good orough His catisiims usually ament to shass moe the way we ao it in the past office.
vralaga to day 3 year in AUOUST 20S sige went sut with a volunties oppss traile to the sew word aned and picked ip 45 cut of wood Had & act i sust and carry a fair way to waile. bellevaber and dird year in ma laga at night wwith someI doees hon said up wth aeati on his behed Monday 16 Playes with NiF & England in first crecket match in twelve ments. Had a son. Aphe yistedays straile effat sid not feee so hah and my bowling suffered in cancegulic Sah two widich for 17 bo rims AUOUST 2603 Facsany 17 Morked off my shiffness on a crass out seew on one of the logs we brought in on Tuesday. The rasions are becoming a wobrry. The avealastig sece and bad fish are becoming almost umbearable and we have the greatest trouble forcing a shuff down Accuero 18 ave another asse of malaria to inforie mattes te faves at the AAP gave me double aases o lewe ed quinine which have up set the little belly bee sakes hald and the meeting on lis pepased gand tous by deceased anect 3kn.
nomerms Thursday 19 still foetly lousy. Set wnd of a move by hes Leay & bracks to make a Creak. Put on a saf search but foid nothing Put them both under dase arrest after srying to talk some sense into teir silly reads Har dancs not 1000 Anday 20 Cal Gallighan &I aid a aboll roind the iit area and apen all the maming young to th lass Gus staffe up to beel oe & solly's actisity to my and establish uimself as co sees the and in sign and is feeling out of trings a bet AUOUST EOOS Saturday 21 asked to put & a vsAs AIF Baseball match on Wext Have no gear so we will be a bit uptill though we are tying hara get seme done in time ray manio roud at night for a yarr Sunday 22 Mckinstry & Moore lodging objections to Conald Dfert Captainay John Rabenks has been ineniewing Go6s list ho gaid quereed sonala's comparative finio rank. Will have to repould the objections in veew & sons very short was record.
AUOUST 250S Mndoy 25 Played the Yanks and goh & good seding 14-4 te verg did not treat me to kindly and my fetching was tretty lowsy ome will o ous your runs soad show in coccannt sadoe at night. Lood-show still fy sore between lego Mesdoy 21 Had an air said sease at righ sivens went and the 1A guards were all doubled lroud the were. However nothing sappered though Lt TAxANASN: said it was a gineune alarn said low wit a lt missing star or a hende ap AUOUST BOS Fanstoy 25 Being flanged by Dyo abeut the objection of the lads. Dont tik be will retain & rank- has as I think that wyou else will get it eetter Ferg carrying or with to seen which is sunn very smoottl tho eggs for weeks Coup arde that s0 auch food e braught from wade Thureday 20 fending my line on my hade aixing t expected past. The latese cure is a grass estract that it is tought conans a percurage 7 81 sea will be able & live or frest air and water Kay manion was able to get in a dret of crase which help.
woverms Py teals getting to flain rill. Greatfast rice pap and a rice doeve with a same 9 greens & peppes Ap o tea sunch Fried gluaynice green shew of greens owe gard Dinner regehable water soup three deaves, rice pastry with tewgay or stontng fixt fillings. a rea sweet s is not weet. sn2 Canteen poices now have orea mest tngs out 7s Jaa Chales 81.80 o7 Eacoanets a4 6.70 sugas peancets 4.90 2.50 cigars 23 04 590 gula 6.00 slad baules 7.50 1.20 only anticles onvilabe now cigar coconnect. Very little faint and the only far hoskitas patilnts AUOUST 2603 Sunday 29 AJ T Military Band give a shew last night but the lack gshen daave we hewe early. Iish is now down to 93 erday. Dood is temible bont self therkay of all the good shuff I will be able to cxam daid wh get back to yeas costng seconing an absersia Mene D max Swadaling and I paying a senied cheas games We are as everly matched as sonald bathie & I. Ro nagarry is giving up the mssong, jel &I fear the worsh. 24 ammies do so like this plain bsited rice - grass shows. Hhe new bloke was chief shewad a a boat.
AUGUST-SEPTEMEER 2603 Falelay 3 At 2100 his tomight I a raced from the Re Onby Arce ops allowed to each Ths bat sewey ruled the they weuld be a sh Court aajs ar Saweas bol Talleghan said to cary & as ilsual and keep csad with the Be. Had a finl 72 on is evil does Heanesday sold I am to take over from Aplit Pin toright in coud of a bet of ys was are manly y sn so I will reve seeping the in order speet He day setting the finishing toukes on a stary of who camp fo the a17 memerid, $004 ve Mudray srffin SEPTEMRER 2608 Marsdoy Very quict day sfen next of it on imy back taying to grow same steen where I deed it mast ray manon is sere a let and is ore of the lads I would like to see sonething o alte the was after lights out sat ont in a blantiful full mean thilng the wsuce taught is always things to rind: Frad and so we eser our sixth year of was. another coupts o manths and I will have completed your years in the AvS. What a blow aug 21/ a P.0.w Swadaling cowncluches a hin ycusnes chickin for our insom to celebrate this senth year o wat - as good on Excuse as any
SEPTEMBER 2603 Saturay Very shong sheries & a parky for apain round the camp. Of cousse these rumours fly thisk and gast all the sime thaugh his one isvery persuata, second moht we have been able & send $150 to each of the Brs sids at Crange Royial Sunday 5 Have an idea Pedro is catching me with the ducks almest sure mere get none of the snails I go em salves in seended to sell a couple and take over the sin remaining ones myself save enough sim son to lock after them. Srrrmerk m Monday 6 a nasty wet day with litle to do. Playld a bit of cless and banke and had George, Douald Cathie and Bary walks up for a yar. Rons I did a vettling of the ducks that fooold a very sad story of underferding and ls aduton resdo Fortysever bags of mail have arrived in the Gasl. will have to wait 10 day for the firsh o it to be censored. Easing a bet of stin on the effected parto Roblin off 6 hospital with a jomary asse of malarea. Rg swart in too.
SEPTEMBER 260S Wednesday & siscovered a son of Geo whitbes rom Kenudky in the Ber Sct him up for t yaon though lis family hall left, 3om te ASJ Torestey bnt and t had bee wouded Could give me no sews of Laducky hes Pelain & I pution te day on Unchnecoras I burial grauds afraid 2 Ect a long wy from up to date Thureday Taking over my ducks to see if I can do better than Tede n eg production. at least I know the that they get thit fair share of food Ferg has fad finested thel days on the oad jot. Robbic, reg, Russ Cooklie in lospital with malaria, sergs I paid them a vit hessage Lone N/ SEPTEMRER 280S Jay 16 ous Mess accored 54/7 messages home. I had to conduch to draw and came sut first. Grahan Beuake, Mate Abel Bill te healf (who has not yet had a lette since capehulesion ant yes aase at) A34 Road spow at the grove. Bill Welliams an outsbanding mean Sotay 11 Put it te day with Ray Boste on 26l records. Have te rall as good now as we will eve get it intil we gethone even tracked dawe the blokes evacuated to australia. Heard Reapath on S Forcyireleasein N9

AUGUST 2603
T
Tuesday 3
Today a great move on
in Offrs lines. New comd
grouping the Adm GL.
Forestry & Camp HQ Offrs
together.. Practically all
Offrs involved. Lost Russ
and Sabin & now have
Ferg, Ron Magarry, Max
Swaddling in the room.
Cleaning up nco seniority.
F
Wednesday 4
A recent article appeared
in the Shimbun on the
self-sufficiency campaign
in Malaya. Pigs to be
fed on rubber-nuts (they
always were ) so that the
valuable pig swill would
be available to the civilians.
nuts to make pig manure
AUGUST 2603
S
Thursday 5
so potent that crops grow
twice as fast and therefore
produce much more for
every-one! This was
actually the leading article
Said Shimbun gives me
great hopes of "big muckan
for Christmas? Finished
ncos & wos Seniority list
for the Bn being without Offrs.
S
Friday 6
Robbie & Russ well settled
in. Don Dyer moving to
Engs Gp to take charge of
our lads on road blg.
Spent most of day typing
out ARP instructions.
Are so constricted that there
can be practically no
dispersion. - Rice now full
of sand - what huckes!
 

 

AUGUST 2603
M
Saturday 7
Swim parades instituted
on a very limited scale.
Not bad when the tide is
right. Shoals of very small
white-bait are avidly
sought out by all the
hungry PsOW. Nets, buckets
etc in great demand. A
mornings catch might
yeild ½ lb! Band concert
in the Cocoanut Grove.
T
Sunday 8
Last night the band played
"The Teddy Bears Picnic"
and made me very
home-sick. Never hear that
tune without remembering
the night Jess & I became
engaged. Ferg put on a
party of doovers & coffee -
less milk & sugar. Left Perth
three years today.
AUGUST 2603
W
Monday 9
Recd a 24 word note from
Mum dated Nov 43. IJA
have issued us our 3rd
letter card to send home.
Wonder who will get there
first- me or the card? Have
the embarrassment of Jimmy
Plunkett planting a hedge
out the front of our coolie
lines. Road show in Grove.|
T
Tuesday 10
Completed another card
for home. Willing to bet I
get there first. Nice food
now. Got a couple of sea-bugs
in the stew today.
They taste much better
than the rice maggots or
weavils. Jess' cooking had
better be well up to
scratch.
Mail from Kranji

 

AUGUST 2603
F
Wednesday 11
Constant air activity mainly
from new drome which has
now advanced sufficiently
to allow fighters to use it
though the end of our
work on it is not in sight.
Building a road down
there under our own Eng Offrs
with the Nip only acting as
guards.
S
Thursday 12
Attended a road show in
the Cocoanut Grove. The
Theatre is being built in
the Gaol (will take another 7
weeks to complete!) and in
the meantime we have built
two open-air stages. One in
Offrs lines & One in the mens.
Combined artists Eng, Aust
American
AUGUST 2603
SUN

Friday 13
Col Newey .. new camp Comdt
is restricting contact between
Offrs & men. Gp (27 Bar)    
allowed 3 on HQ & 2 each Bn.
At the end of this month it           
is to be reduced to 3 per Gp.
End of Sept complete segregation
of Offrs This is more his
idea than the Nips. Whole camp
furious at this change. He is
very junior Col (volunteers).
M
Saturday 14
Has little time for Offrs as
a whole and no regard
for Regs. Eg. Countermanded
BJs order re Offrs dressing
for meals and stated that
sarongs and sandshoes were
quite good enough. His
critisisms usually amount
to "Thats not the way we
do it in the post office.

 

[*3 years in Malaya today.*]
AUGUST 2603
T
Sunday 15
Went out with a volunteer
offrs trailer to the new road
area and picked up 45
cwt of wood. Had to cut
it first and carry a fair
way to trailer. Celebrated
our third year in Malaya
at night with some
doovers. Ron laid up with
operation on his behind.
W
Monday 16
Played with AIF & England
in first cricket match
in twelve months. Had
a win. After yesterdays
trailer effort did not
feel so hot and my
bowling suffered in
consequence. Got two
wickets for 17. No runs.
AUGUST 2603
T
Tuesday 17
Worked off my stiffness
on a cross-cut saw on
one of the logs we brought
in on Tuesday. The rations
are becoming a worry. The
everlasting rice and bad
fish are becoming almost
unbearable and we have
the greatest trouble forcing
the stuff down.
F
Wednesday 18
Have another dose of malaria.
To improve matters the
fools at the RAP gave
me double doses of powdered
quinine which have
upset the little belly.
Col Oakes held another
meeting on his proposed
grand tour of deceased
next-of-kin.

 

AUGUST 2603
S
Thursday 19
Still pretty lousy. Got
wind of a move by Geo
Lloyd & Crooks to make
a break. Put on a snap
search but found nothing.
Put them both under
close arrest after trying
to talk some sense into
their silly heads. Their
chances not 1 in 1.000
S
Friday 20
Col Galleghan & I did a
stroll round the unit
area and spent all the
morning yarning to the lads.
Gus Shappe up to tell me
of Rolly's activity to try
and establish himself
as C.O. Sees the end in
sight and is feeling out of
things a bit.
AUGUST 2603
M
Saturday 21
Asked to put on a USA v AIF
Baseball match on Wed.
Have no gear so we will
be a bit uphill though
we are tying hard to
get some done in time.
Roy Manion round at
night for a yarn.
T
Sunday 22
McKinstry & Moore lodging
objections to Donald Dyer's
Captaincy. John Roberts has
been reviewing GOC's
list No 9 and queried
Donald's comparative junior
rank.. Will have to uphold
the objections in view of Dons
very short War record.

 

AUGUST 2603
W
Monday 23
Played the Yanks and got
& good hiding 14 - 4 The
bug did not treat me
too kindly and my
pitching was pretty lousy.
Got home twice on our
four runs. Road show
in cocoanut Grove at
night. Good-show. Still
pretty sore between legs.
T
Tuesday 24
Had an air-raid scare
at night. Sirens went and
the IJA guards were all
doubled round the wire.
However nothing happened
though Lt TAKAHASHI said
it was a genuine alarm.
Laid low with a lot of
missing skin on a tender
spot.
AUGUST 2603
F
Wednesday 25
Being plauged by Dyer about this
objection of the lads. Don't
think he will retain his
rank - nor as I think that
anyone else will get it
either. Ferg carrying on with
the show which is running
very smoothly. No eggs for weeks.
Camp order that NO duck food
can be brought in from outside

S
Thursday 26
Spending my time on my
back airing the effected
parts. The latest cure
is a grass extract that
it is thought contains a
percentage if B1. Soon
will be able to live on
fresh air and water. Roy
Manion was able to get me
a drop of usol which helps.

 

AUGUST 2603
S
Friday 27
Meals getting to plain rice.
Breakfast rice pap and a
rice doover with a sauce
of greens & pepper. Cup of tea.
Lunch Fried gluey rice &
green stew (greens own yard)
Dinner vegetable water soup
three doovers, rice pastry
with tougay or stinking fish
fillings. A rice sweet that
is not sweet.
M
Saturday 28
Canteen prices now have
most things out of reach
                              NOW.        JANUARY
Java tobacco       $1.80 oz          .65
Cocoanuts               .80                .15
Sugar                      6.70              1.6540

peanuts                  4.90             2.50 
Cigars                       -.23                .04
gula                         6.00              3.90
Tooth brushes       7.50               1.20
Only articles available now cigars,
cocoanuts. Very little fruit and
then only for hospital patients
 AUGUST 2603
T
Sunday 29
AIF Military Band gave a
show last night but the lack
of skin drove me home early.
Fish is now down to .9 oz
per day. Food is terrible.
Cant help thinking of all
the good stuff I will be
able to cram down when I
get back to Jess' cooking.
Becoming an obsession.
W
Monday 30
Max Swaddling and I
playing a series of chess games
We are as evenly matched as
Donald Cathie & I. Ron Magarry
is giving up the messing Offrs
job & I fear the worst. The
Pommies do so like their
plain boiled rice & grass stews.
The new bloke was chief
steward on a boat.

 

AUGUST-SEPTEMBER 2603
T
Tuesday 31
At 2100 hrs tonight I am
sacked from the Bn. Only
three Offrs allowed to each
Gp & Col Newey ruled that
they would be a Gp Comd,
adj & QM. However Col
Galleghan said to carry on
as usual and keep contact
with the Bn. Had a final
O/R on 10 evil - doers.
F
Wednesday 1
Told I am to take
over from "Split Pin"
Wright in Comd of a hut
of Offrs who are mainly
2/26 Bn so I will revert
to keeping them in Order.
Spent the day putting the
finishing touches on a
story of wkg camps for
the AIF Memorial. Book run
by Murray Griffin.
SEPTEMBER 2603
S
Thursday 2
Very quiet day. Spent most
of it on my back trying
to grow some skin where
I need it most. Roy
Manion is here a lot and
is one of the lads I would
like to see something of after
the war. After lights out I
sat out in a beautiful full
moon thinking the usual thoughts
it always brings to mind.
S
Friday 3
And so we enter our
sixth year of war. Another
couple of months and I will
have completed four years
in the AIF. What a blow
doing 2½ a P.O.W. Swaddling
contributed a tin of curried
chicken for our room to
celebrate this sixth year
of war. - as good an excuse
as any.
 

 

SEPTEMBER 2603
M
Saturday 4
Very strong stories of a
party for Japan round
the camp. Of course
these rumours fly thick
and fast all the time
though this one is very
persistant. Second month
we have been able to
send $1.50 to each of the Bn
sick at Kranji Hospital.
T
Sunday 5
Have an idea Pedro is
catching me with the
ducks. Almost sure mine
get none of the snails
I go him halves in.
Decided to sell a couple
and take over the six
remaining ones myself.
Have enough time now
to look after them.
SEPTEMBER 2603
W

Monday 6
A nasty wet day with
little to do. Played a bit
of chess and banker and
had George, Donald Cathie
and Barry Walker up
for a yarn. Ron & I did
a vetting of the ducks
that proved a very sad
story of under feeding
and no attention.
T
Tuesday 7
Forty-seven bags of mail
have arrived in the Gaol.
Will have to wait 10 days
for the first of it to be
censored. Growing a bit
of skin on the effected
parts. Robbie off to
hospital with a primary
dose of malaria. Reg
Swartz in too.

 

SEPTEMBER 2603
F
Wednesday 8
Discovered a son of Geo Whitby
from Kentucky in the Bn. Got
him up for a yarn though
his family had left, Geo in
the AIF Forestry Unit and
he had been wounded. Could
give me no news of Kentucky.
Geo Polain & I put in the
day on Unit records of
burial grounds. Afraid 2 bch
a long way from up-to-date
S
Thursday 9
Taking over my ducks to see
if I can do better than Pede
on egg production. At least
I know then that they get their
fair share of food. Ferg has
just finished three days on the
road job. Robbie, Reg, Russ
& Cookie in hospital with
malaria, Ferg & I paid them a
visit.
[*Message home W/T.*]
SEPTEMRER 2603
S
Friday 10
Our Mess allotted 5 W/T
messages home. I had to
conduct the draw - and
came out first. Graham
Bourke, Marion Abel, Bill
Metcalf (who has not yet had
a letter since capitulation)
Aub Yeo (AASC Att) AIF Road
show at the grove. Bill
Williams an outstanding
success.
M
Saturday 11
Put in the day with Ray
Baxter on 2 bch records.
Have the roll as good
now as we will ever
get it until we get home.
Even tracked down the
blokes evacuated to
Australia. Heard Redpath
(on J Force) released in NG

 


 

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