Diary relating to the service of Major Charles Patrick Tracey, 1945 - Part 6

Conflict:
Second World War, 1939–45
Subject:
  • Documents and letters
  • Prisoner of War
Status:
Awaiting approval
Accession number:
AWM2019.22.143
Difficulty:

Page 1 / 10

JUNEMN Monday 28 Three aussies have died and ssome more sendud ill from one of our work parties stey servinged a drum of pwes alcohal and bad a party with dis astercus results sames nor publisted though know they are not 2/26B Tuesday 20 destrictions on again. One of the aade laas has made a break and efect thing He wond get far and is risking his reck to no good purpose Bob Kelseyand I doing a bit grevision on Bank prosensure to try and get the beau working on those lines. JUNE.IULY 2603 Wednadoy 20 Canteen prices becoming beyond all neason. lgan in today at 1.40 each Sey were selling at 354 a couple weeks ago. This fine is tifical of all canteen goods new Io looks as dough we want be able to gouy anything in the next month Hhading Thureday British Laspise auctioned 17 yeing drakes tat sold at an avenge faice & $81 indue weighedt 3 lles which quies an average frice of 465 pe to dressed weight and at the present nate of wonowing mmeans 213 per lt. Taf nost so same seale iis, L1pe lt Can't afford to boson at such rates.
JUY 20 SOIM epntes Sunday Peaay2 etatg Parties shill leaving for Sugap sully sold his two ducks today Andthe 1000 have left which fo P150 each. I am going bings this cany aswek to lang on and try and feed 3500 grs Hospital 2000 and them on green stalks and offs 1200. & this batch veay snails ble sewey has been very few are fit even jdd sacked at last and andy by change standartes Offr willm takes one once more taking owe woos tailers to the general satisfaction twice daily to seash rillage the camp. Have hapes of some whd is a long hike restrictions being lefter Je Satumay 3 Terg is on a ved & pain ships expecting tisuble here after getting caught between any time. shei paper is aco. a snaile boay and a wheel fnce transpon for civilians so the casking of suich foos to regii sembulan a Java and our sidday embelid with 1o rather of rice as ment has falled on my nonsations and 8100 shoulders. It is a seed of hanns. Hat will save ten a game shewing ene an from starvation for about open fine in the Trepres tying thee weeks. our souree of to fill some taste in gueens duck swill came to a abmupt Frice with very little to and end tonight with an other kilche closing down
1ULY 2003 redy Today, we vought five sindel fish for s7 aid decided & one lach, to supp, saving the rice from the evening meal th go with them. Their are sim doed, but the nasies don't worry about a little thing like clearing them so have jad cremeved the works. Will hea them in a day pan ten eat heads fails fins and all Heanesday7 shill on this lonsy coohing nacket. Speng all morning beiling up for the beras and then shew and a fine for Ferg & a lelt 9 a life monetony becames greate daily ho swimming a ow side panties and intertan ments aut by 155ee IUIYMS Tursday 8 bay manion has invented a hot plate by reveraing his electin iion in a frame. Though slow it wlorks ad wilh amsome, the wood shortage which becaues greate daily now we can't go awards te smp to same send a lat of tine on plais that pebably wsit nature g Have don a deal and got id o a and for £155 in the sope of buying up sone tapioca chips & white bait as thee is a ruman that our new bass is aganst any amenties for d and is likely to clase down to canseen, It is not mad use new, poices fat to big
JOLY 203 Catrn 10 The new 154 commander is froving to be a new dran ne suncking allowed anynele alte ten in greaters. Gut on a wen thoraugh inxection, Baay and slemnes very poshile apaus electical geas. Hct plates eigaett lighters et. super Ie will love thm SAA biadhs of 22 area has been badly but from a fall out of a cocoannt sel broke both legs and has injured his uping and is not expcted to live He is one of the Ant bad beys Heard Reggu Swartz& farty are woking at Keffle Haboet Nop we get so raids while they are there. a bad shot. Daily rations t head 1ULY 280 Many 10 sea 4gms Sich 12.3 gus salt 41 Roct 278 Cil 19.9 Gueens 262.2 cowr 490 sage 162 Alc 207 Sotal 1sA 611 mare 49:8 Car 537 nad cms. ail 29.2 raughty 2 1/lbs Scli 1744 & all foort Tuesday 18 The above figures are recorded to give an idis & were litte we live a. 134 ssue including gueeas are leas thom 112 lo fe day sewa betral mearg ow aw car povides tot i dnied noot (tap ships) and 19 oit 24 beuth (agagns qveers) we gave ewselves and owis pevide much bat e newsestined
Bet with Fing worelease 10 2003 espor 11 The coin sesirion becomes wore ddity as prices increase and respet orders to the Cortray every ae sells everything encep issue, clothing) that thy can at their haras on Key Gergsent today fulling gold sellings sut of suanathers meuths. Gold is work £50 gram. So as Terg says we eat again for wlile Thursday to speaking of sates the three remaining ducks ar all insulting and if it last long I will accept on offe s £500 for them & erqr I have had a beet of a bushe graspleries & gallow of crean, that we will be in a pesision to eat t in Iamania by next Ganuary I back the affirmative 1UlY 2AS Dale 16 A shot whill ago I was quite sure that age was catching up on swe because I lached they sommes energus I have jus devilofed a bad cold and as a necult can Laraly walk and am deeset imnesly as it is slivious that it is sil our died with a resultant low resistnncly. Hee is Lop Saturday 1260r me ye fat colonel continued his Camp inspection today incending our son garders. aaves all fruit tat had been going to special pspital dliets into the ap iteher presumables for ye Breay guards. Hspital patients lisk like waiting skeletons (dose that can still walk)
JOM Sunday 18 Carteen comodities in add ision to rising steeply in frie are getting tetribly for in quality. The latest it the safe of wash by froducts to the rat starves camp. The saaess from which all the leaf has been stryfed is soed fo tobacco cacant susks from which all the ail has beingdessed is 520 pe lt and is a lict of bulk but nothing in ore. now saya bean suaks are avealable at 816.e pe is we coninue to buy this sublish as it fells up the cracks touge we and expect to gam any nounshment from him Weight 11st 4lbs. JY Fuesday 20 150 unfit of 20 marching out to singapore work parties to take over domestic auties to permit larges number & fit to work on defence yobs. Had to weigh again today 158 las- nstor&lls Oaly & shore unde my foe-ent weight what pen in sone futhing it all b again Heanesday 21 Fergs goes actiities with bay manier seded a nice resurn & £175 today 2o we have againsed a bit o lenying through stare belmen and same of the laas whs as ont an a grass cutting party and doe allowed to buy at the iscal village
1Y 2003 Turdaay 23 Have get hold & five lhs & ail at 810 (22 at preset ponsig rates, Your ls whitebay all dust A $33.50 pe lb and some ead wits& fieces Tho saw 1sn Colanel Laminow oaerg tat the concent tedne in the Gaal and C weve are to be dementled Enday 28 shill not feeling as geod so I telk two lg tea seans & salts that I have been reaing to same sime withou any nohicable result. Somarow will day again Key ane Alling to &as &a forestery Grubbing shimps for camp consumptide 1UlY 2803 Satyrday 24 Isday has been a mile shore in this Pow existance if Only to make me realise new terribly out o state we have became a 36eft, a Duld defermatie officiss who was not put in the bag. until July 43 gave betbut a lecture on the Attantic. Chater which has procks my past was idear cochayed. Sunday 25 Yew most of the day sewing sue what wl have been told & fast was flans and trying to visualise fist how wete will effect my one particular like nitc Thaik Esds will at leas be miting a sew effat with a decent but If capal behind me.
ith mnetice in fape o insenting anl over Morey 1o The grass cuttig party who are bainging in the Good outs out taday sd Gergs I have gatteres it are spray camid grd it out on a gnge yeaser of are & coffe vasited yesteey by a cauple o eavy Combar and rad on fith look at the fmous P3ES (agaate vombers Tuday 2 Grassparty still functioning Hough a a crealieed scay Lerg spen all the affernate an mad of the night boeing a beautiful oury Wy lad soraed Dathie i to self us consume it. He voted it the best fied be has had in the last two years. w 203 Wedestaon 28 Bombers & B38s over again very ligh and in opossion. Gull ngon, lighing up the place lese day. & is quite possible to sit sht side and read a baok by its light. Some bridge ganes sheep going at light pnt. Do wish I could stady its effect a geos it only to see what the last ou lycal have doe Muieday 20 spent te morning surcking coffee with Hum Hyde due hs ream makes discusing te allardie clartes who so giving us so mid food fo ttaught Donald Cathie &aind for a gaies & sessr Cellected 500 bn an ald jackt while seng go nid ofa inlay for 3120
Camp infection by 154 Generas 1ULY 2603 Enay 20 Have not recorded our day adwvities for a long time Onr und team, after a very geos senies & games is know in 2n place. of cousse mest teams an Pamsand thy savd been astenised at the ease will whit the feor bloody betonials ficked of this satioal fast tine Saturday 31 Jock Hum Hyde & John Rafor ove to se to seaith lecture a attanie claster. I is any second go ard I am sael unable to make up my min law much is actually going to be pur int pactice and ha much too uspair for our pantiall devellfed world civilisation. AUOUST 2603 Sunay Have leard a bea Cressrep is going to be allowes visit the anp soon Runon has it that before the visit the 754 are llkely to make a further issue o Redx rations & whit we know & 60,000 parcels being shell in store at Serugson RD. same shill branded for Burna Bories ste not feeling as 200s saned in early Mondoy2 dawn with the bug again. Aumine is becoming every scarce and the treatment io now reduced to give days on had measure. Howeve was greatly cheesed by getting a Decm lette from Jess. Kolidag at Iuggerah- Soas likse a wild life to me.
Salr M Tuesday 3 Had a particularly leusy day with the fews. Ale ducks have taken pihes a my sprecker condited and ale tusring and a cousse of egoa day which Fergana I have done or with great reliah. We have stare evenyting for nearly four yearsne Mneeday Itell laid up in bed cemene dase is now 13 of what it was a eouple o monts ago. We learely get enough to break the awack and a lot of we regulars git relapses aln est as seaw as the treatment (5 days & Esgis) ceases AUOUST 250S Tarodays Rep Off has beg asked it Bou still holding watchy and ete valuables usues be welling to sell them to the 15th in exchange fo a greate foogirition so the camp in geneal: to th decision well be left to the individual. At a beaut iso rached Fayo Since beng laid up I have read Douglas Recas Disgrace, aboundilg & Iusty sa and by good luch Lowe got the fadmixe & his Hird wook a Profler at dane, wel lig the thall when I get our as a paety fair effett of catemparary Kishony for Lynne and Davids) to head lase on when the world is save.

JUNE 2603
T

Monday 28
Three Aussies have died
and some more seriously
ill from one of our
work parties.  They
scrounged a drum
of power alcohol and
had a party with 
disasterous results. Names
NOT published though I
know they are not 2/26 Bn

F

Tuesday 29

Restrictions on again. One 

of the AAOC. lads has made

a break and upset things.

He won't get far and is

risking his neck to no good

purpose.  Bob Kelsey and I

doing a bit of revision on

Bank procedure to try

and get the brain working

on those lines.

JUNE- JULY 2603

S

Wednesday 30

Canteen prices becoming

beyond all reason. Cigars

in today at 1.40 each.  They 

were selling at .35 ¢ a couple

of weeks ago.  This price is

typical of all canteen goods

now.  It looks as though

we won't be able to buy

anything in the next months

trading.

S

Thursday  1

British hospital auctioned

17 young drakes that sold

at an average price of

$81.  None weighed 3 lbs

which gives an average

price of $65 per lb dressed

weight and at the present rate

of borrowing means £13 per

lb. Tap root on same scale

is £1 per lb. Can't afford to

borrow at such rates.

 

JULY 2603

M

Friday 2

Parties still leaving for Singapore

Another 1000 have left which

brings this camp down to

3,500 O/Rs Hospital 2,000 and

Offrs 1200.  Of this batch very,

very few are fit even judged

by Changi standards.  Offrs

taking over wood trailers

twice daily to Bedok village

which is a long hike.

T

Saturday 3

Nips expecting trouble here

any time.  Their paper is adv.

free transport for civilians

to Negri Sembilan or Java

with 10 katties of rice as

iron rations and $100

bonus.  That will save them

from starvation for about

three weeks.  Our source of

duck swill came to an abrupt

end tonight with another kitchen

closing down.

JULY 2603

W

Sunday 4

Yanks celebrating.

Sully sold his two ducks today

for $150 each.  I am going 

to hang on and try and feed

them on green stalks and

snails.  Col Newey has been

sacked at last and Andy

Dillon takes over once more

to the general satisfaction of

the camp.  Have hopes of some

restrictions being lifted.

T

Monday 5

Ferg is on a bed of pain

after getting caught between

a trailer body and a wheel

so the cooking of duck food

and our mid-day embelishment 

has fallen on my

shoulders.  It is a Hell of 

a game stewing over an

open fire in the tropics trying 

to put some taste in greens

& rice with very little to add.

 

JULY 2603

F

Tuesday 6

Today we bought five small

fish for $17 and decided on

one each for supper, saving

the rice from the evening

meal to go with them. They

are sun dried, but the natives

don't worry about a little

thing like cleaning them so have

just removed the works.  Will

heat them in a dry pan then

eat heads, tails, fins and all.

S

Wednesday 7

Still on this lousy cooking

racket.  Spend all morning

boiling up for the birds

and then stew over a fire

for Ferg & I.- a hell of a life.

Monotony becomes greater

daily.  No swimming or outside 

parties and entertainments

 out by 1J.A order.

JULY 2603

S

Thursday 8

Roy Manion has invented

a hot-plate by reversing his

electric iron in a frame.

Though slow it works and

will overcome the wood

shortage which becomes

greater daily now we can't

go outside the camp to scrounge.

Spend a lot of time on plans

that probably won't mature.

M

Friday 9

Have done a deal and got

rid of a duck for $150 in

the hope of buying up some

tapioca chips & white bait

as there is a rumour that

our new boss is against

any amenities for PsOW and

is likely to close down the

canteen.  It is not much

use now, prices far too high.

 

JULY 2603

T

Saturday 10

The new IJA Commander

is proving to be a new

broom.  No smoking allowed

anywhere other than in

quarters.   Put on a very

thorough inspection today

and seemed very  hostile

about electrical gear.  Hotplates, 

cigarette lighters etc.

Suppose we will lose them

W

Sunday 11

Crooks ^J.T of No 2 area has

been badly hurt from a

fall out of a cocoanut tree

broke both legs and has

injured his spine and is

not expected to live.  He is

one of the Unit bad boys.

Heard Reggie Swartz & party are

working at Kepple Harbour.  Hope

we get no raids while they

are there.  A bad spot. 

[*Daily rations per head.*]

JULY 2603

T

Monday 12

Tea  4 gms                            Fish 12.3       gms

Salt 14.1. "                               Root 27.0      "

Oil   19.9 "                               Greens 262.2 "

Pepper 1.   '                                    "  (own) 490 "

Sugar 16.2 "            

Rice 207.    "                                Total IJA     611 "

Maize 49.8 "                                "      CMF   537

                                                                         1148

Cast. oil 29.2                                roughly 2½ lbs

"  Tap  Chips 17.4                           of all foods.

F

Tuesday 13

The above figures are

recorded to give an idea of

what little we live on.  IJA

issue including greens are

less than 1½ lb per day per man

Central messing (our own cash)

provides ½ oz nit dried root

(tap chips) and 1 oz oil.  The

bulk (490 gms greens) we grow

ourselves and don't provide

much bulk or nourishment.

 

[*Bet with Ferg on release*]

JULY 2603

S

Wednesday 14

The coin position becomes

worse daily as prices increase

and despite orders to the contrary

every-one sells everything (except

issue clothing) that then can

get their hands on.  Roy &

Ferg spent today pulling gold

fillings out of one another's

mouths. Gold is worth $150

per gram.  So as Ferg says we

eat again for a while.

S

Thursday 15

Speaking of sales the three

remaining ducks are all

moulting and if it lasts

long I will accept an offer

of $500 for them. Ferg &

I have had a bit of a bucket

of raspberries & 1 gallon of

cream that we will be in

a position to eat them in

Tasmania by next January.

I back the affirmative.

JULY 2603

M

Friday 16

A short while ago I was

quite sure that age was

catching up on me because

I lacked my former energy.

I have just developed a bad

cold and as a result can

hardly walk and am

cheered immensely as it is

obvious that it is only our

poor diet with a resultant

low resistance.  There is hope

for me yet.

T

Saturday 17

Jap Colonel continued his

camp inspection today

including our own gardens.

Ordered all fruit that had

been going to special

hospital diets into the

Jap kitchen presumably for

the Korean guards.  Hospital

patients look like walking

skeletons (those that can

still walk). 

 

JULY 2603

W

Sunday 18

Canteen commodities in addition 

to rising steeply in

price are getting terribly poor

in quality.  The latest is the

sale of waste by-products to

the half - starved camp.  The

stalks from which all the

leaf has been stripped is

sold for tobacco, cocoanut

husks from which all the

T

Monday 19

oil has been pressed is

$20 per lb and is a bit of

bulk but nothing more.

Now soya bean husks are

available at $16.  The joke

is we continue to buy

this rubbish as it fills

up the cracks though we 

don't expect to gain any

nourishment from them. 

[*Weight 11 st 4 lbs.*]

JULY 2603

F

Tuesday 20

150 unfit O/Rs marching out

to Singapore work parties to

take over domestic duties to

permit larger numbers of

fit to work on defence jobs.

Had to weigh again today.

158 lbs - 11 stone 4 lbs!  Only

4 stone under my pre-emb

weight.  What fun in store

putting it all on again.

S

Wednesday 21

Ferg's gold activities (with

Roy Manion) netted a nice

return of $175 today so

we have organised a bit 

of buying through Ernie

Coleman and some of

the lads who are out on

a grass-cutting party and

are allowed to buy at the

local village.

 

JULY 2603

S

Thursday 22

Have got hold of five lbs

of oil at $10 (£2 at present

borrowing rates), four

lbs white bait (half dust)

@ $33.50 per lb. and some

odd bits & pieces.  The new

IJA Colonel has now

ordered that the concert

theatre in the Goal and C.

Grove are to be dismantled.

M

Friday 23

Still not feeling so good

so I took two big tea

spoons of salts that I 

have been hoarding for

some time  - without any

noticable result.  Tomorrow

will try again.  They are

calling for offrs for forestry.

(Grubbing stumps for

camp consumption).

JULY 2603

T

Saturday 24

Today has been a milestone 

in this POW existance

if only to make me realise

how terribly out of date we

have become.  A Dr Croft, a

Dutch diplomatic official who

was not put in the bag

until July 43 gave the hut

a lecture on the Atlantic

Charter which has knocked 

my post-war ideas cockeyed. 

W

Sunday 25

Spent most of the day

chewing over what we have

been told of post-war plans

and trying to visualise just

how it will effect my

own particular little hitch.

Thank God I will at least

be making a new effort

with a decent bit of capital 

behind me. 

 

[*Birth notice in paper.

(one insertion only)*]

JULY 2603

T

Monday 26

The grass-cutting party who

are bringing in the food

cuts out today so Ferg & I

have gathered up our stray

coin and laid it out on

a final splash of oil & coffee.

Visited yesterday by a

couple of heavy bombers and

had our first look at the

famous P38S (4 escorted the

bombers)

F

Tuesday 27

Grass party still functioning

though on a reduced scale.

Ferg spent all the afternoon

and most of the night

brewing a beautiful curry

We had Donald Cathie up

to help us consume it.  He

voted it the best feed he

has had in the last two

years.

JULY 2603

S

Wednesday 28

Bombers & P38s over again very

high and no opposition.  Full

moon, lighting up the place

like day.  It is quite possible

to sit outside and read a

book by its light.  Some bridge

games keep going after lights-out.  

Do wish I could study

its effect on Jess if only to see

what the last four years have 
done.

S

Thursday 29

Spent the morning sucking

coffee with Hum Hyde and

his room-mates discussing

the Atlantic Charter which is

giving us so much food for

thought. Donald Cathie round

for a game of chess.  Collected

$80 on an old jacket while

Ferg go rid of another inlay 

for $120. 

 

[*Camp inspection by IJA General*]

JULY 2603

M

Friday 30

Have not recorded our dart

activities for a long time.

Our unit team, after a very

good series of games is

now in 2nd place.  Of course

most teams are Poms and

they have been astonished

at the ease with which the

poor bloody Colonials picked

up their national past-time.

T

Saturday 31

Took Hum Hyde & John Radford

over to R4 to hear the lecture

on Atlantic charter.  It is

my second go and I am

still unable to make up

my mind how much is

actually going to be put

into practice and how much

too Utopian for our

partially developed world

civilisation.

AUGUST 2603

W

Sunday 1

Have heard a Red Cross rep is

going to e allowed visit the

camp soon.  Rumour has it

that before the visit the IJA

are likely to make a further

issue of Red X rations of which

we know of 60,000 parcels being

still in store at Serangoon Rd. -

Some still branded for Burma!

Borneo etc Not feeling so good.

Turned in early.

T

Monday 2

Down with the bug again.

Quinine is becoming very

scarce and the treatment is

now reduced to five days on

half measure.  However was

greatly cheered by getting a

Dec 44 letter from Jess.  Holidaying

at Tuggerah - Sounds like a

wild life to me. 

 

AUGUST 2603

F

Tuesday 3

Had a particularly lousy 

day with the fever. The 

ducks have taken pity

on my stricken condition

and are turning out a

couple of eggs a day which

Ferg and I have done

over with great relish.  We

have shared everything for

nearly four years now.

S

Wednesday 4

Still laid up in bed.

Quinine dose is now

1/3 of what it was a 

couple of months ago.  We

barely get enough to break

the attack and a lot of

we regular get relapses

almost as soon as the

treatment (5 days x 100 30 gms)

ceases.

AUGUST 2603

S

Thursday 5

Rep Offr has been asked if

PsOW still holding watches

and other valuables would

be willing to sell them

to the IJA in exchange

for a greater food ration

for the camp in general!

A The decision will be

left to the individual.  What 

a beaut IJA racket!

M

Friday 6

Since being laid up I have

read Douglas Reed's "Disgrace

abounding "&" Insanity Fair"

and by good luck have

got the promise of his third

book "A Prophet at Home". Will

buy the three when I get out

as a pretty fair effort of

contemporary history for Lynne

and David (?) to read later

on when the world is sane. 

 

 

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