Diary relating to service of Hector Alexander McIntyre - Part 4
[*12.6.42
Friday
(continued)*]
Aircraft Carriers Enterprise & Hornet 19,900 tons
were sunk & another sistership, The Lexington sunk 12.1.42 & a Yorktown
type & says USA has only 2 Carriers left, Allies
are desperately short of tin. Lunch Rice (Pln)
Played Crib with Ernie Maddison, Bought
Bread & Wafer Biscuits. Tea was in our
hut Rice & (Tm Meat) Soup & Ricecake. There
was 2 Rice cakes over & we cut cards. Pte Stackman
& Pte Bob Cainthorpe from Casino (Coon Bell) were the lucky
ones. Fried bread for supper & it went well.
[*13.6.42
Saturday.*]
Breakfast, Rice & Veg Soup. Out to work to
the Quarry & had a busy day Lunch Rice
(Pln) Put out a record of 401 trucks to the
crusher & left the job 5.30 pm Marched very
fast going home & went from last in the
Column to the lead & Kept it. Tea. Rice
Veg Soup & 1 Veg Pasty & 1 slice of pineapple.
Cigarette issue 13 Wild Woodbine Cigarettes
The [[?]] offer you 2 pkts (20) for 1 Pkt of
English Cigarettes as our cigarettes are worth
[[?]] in Singapore. Rumour Japs lost 20,000
troops at Midway Island & the Allies landed
at Timor Island.
[*14.6.42
Sunday*]
Breakfast Rice & (T Meat) soup Out to work at
the Quarry & our job was loading Monumental
Stones. Rain made them cancel the job & they called
us out at 10.am to go to work again. Lunch Rice
& a Fish Cake (very nice) On trucks in evening
& noticed Japs taking Pines from the chinese &
not paying for them. Arrived home 5.30 pm
in trucks while the rest of the Quarry have
to march home 3½ Mile Approx Ernie
Maddison has gone across the back
to buy Sawyer Bean Sauce as salt is
unprocurable in the villages &
[*14.6.42
Sunday
(continued)*]
very hard to be in Singapore. Saw
the Chinese & Malays picking flour up from
the side of the road as the Japs are throwing
it out. (weavelled flour) Tea. Rice & Soup (Tn Meat)
& a Rice Cake, Having been playing
Cards with Ernie Maddison (THE BONDI TERROR)
He has a girlfriend NORMA WARNE at BONDI
who he is engaged to & I Cam always chucking
off at him. Rumour Kings olours awarded to MALAYA FIGHTERS
[*15.6.42
Monday*]
Breakfast Rice & Veg Soup. Out to work
to the Quarry & had an easy job Had no
rice for dinner as I took the risk & went up &
received a few small Pineapples & got Sid
Fuller to take my haversack home in the
Tucker Truck. Put 400 trucks into the
crusher by 4.45pm & had to march
home. Tea Rice & Veg Soup 1 Rice Cake
& a few PRAWNS 7 were very nice. Received
20 cents pay - (10 cents Canteen refund & 10 cents
bonus from last pay) & Signed for 20 cents.
Our Sargeant Eric Sutton leads us a
bad example by going up to the
Pineapple Patel which is out of bounds
& guarded by the Japs, Rumours to day
that Germany is expected to fall in 12 days
as they started a 7 day push a few day
ago & the first day of their thrust the Russians
gave them a lacing. Also they are
going to call us the Royal Australian 8th Div.
Giving us the Kings Colours for bravery
over in Malaya while allowing The
6th 7th & 9th [[?]] was to get home
to defend Australia. Japan has
asked Britian Russia America &
China to come to peace terms but they wont
have any of it.
[*16.6.42
Tuesday*]
Breakfast. Rice & (Tn Meat) Soup. Out on No 2
job to the Halfway House Had a job
putting up a ceiling which took most
of the day. Lunch Rice (Pln) with a Scounged
Pineapple. The Jap gave us some meat &
Roasted Vegetable also gave me a meat Fritter.
Finished job & dug a drain & scrounged
a Sweet Potato which will be boiled
later on. Tea Rice & (Tn M) Soup & bought
bread. Date Cake which went
well. Fried some Bacon Fat which was
given me by Roy (D.R.) Craig of Mackay &
was very tasty. The Japs have a repair service
going for Boots Shirts Shorts to Long Trousers.
[*17.6.42
Wednesday*]
Breakfast Rice & (TM) Soup. Out to work at the
Quarry. & worked in the centre carting
Rocks to the Trolleys. Rained at 12 on & stopped
work till after 2.0 pm Lunch Rice (plain)
Saw a Jap Guard hitting a couple of
Chinese women sellers also kids & gave
an elderly Chinaman a hiding finally
using the butt of his rifle sending the
Chink to his knees. Chinese are still
taking away the rice that we do not
eat. Put 350 trucks through the crusher
& had to march home & was caught in
the rain, Tea (in the Hut) Rice & (TM) Stew
& a Meat Pasty which was very tasty.
Pay today from the 5th to 14th & received
$1-35 cents Ernie is Frying the spud &
making chips & are pretty good.
[*18.6.42
Thursday*]
Breakfast. Rice & Veg Soup. Out to work
to the Quarry. On the trucks in the
morning carting gravel to the Golf Links.
& had to get off & walk from the road.
[*18.6.42
Thursday
(continued)*]
Lunch, Rice (plain) & bought slices of
pineapples 1ct each. Worked in the
centre carting stones to the Hoppers. Finished
at 4.30 pm & had to march home.
Tea Rice & Veg soup & a Rice cake. Rumours
Japs lost 90 ships in 2 sea battles to
our 30 or so, Russians say that they will
ananailate the Germans by Winter. Wood
carting fatigue tonight & everyone in
the company had to carry 1 Stick of
wood. A Gordon soldier passed away
today from dissentry. He hasn't eaten
any rice since being P.O.W. & has only lived
on fluid (soups).
[*19.6.42.
Friday*]
Breakfast Rice & Veg Soup (FM) Church Parade
& nothing to do all day. Read & slept in
the morning. Lunch. Rice & soup (Fish Fresh & Veg)
Read in the evening & played cards Rained
in evening. Tea. Rice & Soup (FM) a meat pasty
& a Ginger Scone which was very nice. We
are called "Don" Battalian No 4 Company.
They are building a canteen for the A.I.F
& Gordons which should open in the
next few days. Rumours. Russians are
holding the German Drive. Italians lost
or damaged 9 of their ships in the battle
off Malta RAA Planes are patrolling
1700 miles off Australia.
[*20.6.42
Saturday*]
Breakfast Rice & Veg Soup. Went on road
to go to Quarry but was called off &
20 from each Group went in the evening
Lunch Rice (pln). Had a sleep in
the evening & also played cards. Tea Rice
& Veg Soup & 1 Rice Cake. Thunder Storm out.
Explosion towards the Naval Docks which
[*20.6.42
Saturday
(continued)*]
started a fire. We have now in our
Camp a Tamil Milk man who delivers
Goats Milk at 5cts a milk jar & soon
sold out. Syonan Times of yesterday says
in the Headlines "INDIA WILL FIGHT BRITAIN"
but it is only what an Indian Head in
Germany says. Good news came out
in Yesterdays Routine Orders. That in
a few days we will be able to write home
1 Postcard to the effect that we are all
well & OK so it looks as if the Casuality
list has reached Australia. Our AIF
Canteen will be opening tomorrow
night at 7.0 pm.
[*21.6.42
Sunday*]
Breakfast. Rice & Veg Soup (FM) Out on Battn
Wood Cutting & marched out & cut
down a few rubber trees & finished 12 on
Lunch Rice (pln) Cooked Fritters which
made an enjoyable lunch. Bought a
Syanon Times which says Churchill wwent
to USA because of the danger the Allies
are in from Germanny. They are also
shooting down the planes without
any loss to their own. Tea Rice & Veg ^(FM) Soup
& 1 meat & fritter, A.I.F Canteen opened tonight.
& sold out of Dates 30ct lb & Tobacco Java.
H.Boston works at the Canteen
[*22.6.42
Monday*]
Breakfast. Rice & Veg Soup. Out to the
Garage Job & had a job sandbagging
a Baracade opposite the Sentry Post.
Lunch Rice (pln) Noticed Jap wounded
& sick in Ambulances who came from
The Red Cross ship. Some of the lads went
to the wharf & loaded on the truck cases
of Printed money which was taken
to the Bank. Noticed a Aeroplane Engine
[* 232.6.42
Monday
(continued)*]
on the back of a truck going to the wharves.
A Jap threw me a Pineapple today from
a truck which was loaded full of them.
Three of the Cobbers (Tom Smith, Harry Couchlan & Snow Theodore)
had a pleasant job. They had to use dippers
into a 45 gln of Lavatory Refuse & fill 4 GenTins
& carry them away & bury it. Snow couldn't
stop laughing & Tom Smith who was using
the dipper said "This is no joke to laugh at"
Infact if anyone would of mentioned
it at Tea Time the three of them would
have went without tea. An English
Civvy passed today in a car as
if .he was not interned. Tea rice &
Veg Soup & a Veg Pasty. Rumours that
the Chinese are doing well driving a
wedge into the German line. Two
unidentified planes flew over Singapore
yesterday & 3 Jap Fighters took after
them
[*243.6.42
Tuesday*]
Breakfast. Rice & (FM) Soup On Quarry Party
& went out to the Road & only 20 went &
I had the day off. Rained all morning
Lunch Rice Boiled Pineapple. Cigarette
Issue of 11 Wild Woodbine Cigarettes also a
small soap issue. The Japs are not giving
us any rice for 2 days so we will have to
tighten our belts. The lads have gone out
to the Indian Quarry (8 miles away) and ^may have to
march home. Tea Rice & soup (Fm) & a
Rice Cake. Fortunately there were
small trucks out there & they got a lift from
the Quarry. There is a complete Blackout
all over Singapore for 1 week.
[*254.6.42
Wednesday*]
Breakfast Rice & (TM) Soup Out to work to
the Quarry & as I ricked my neck early in
the morning I did nothing all day. Ernie
went up & got Pines for dinner. Lunch Rice &
small fish. Rumour Britain made 3
landings into France 2 Successful & 1 Repulsed
& have gone as far as Luxenberg. Carried Pines
home & Lt Sullivan bunged on a turn & made
us open our haversacks & had a few of
us out with Pines & Ernie has to face Mgr Tracey
We got out of it. Tea Rice & (FM) Soup & Rice Cake
Our guard tonight & will have day off
tomorrow
[*265.6.42
Thursday*]
Breakfast Rice & Soup Veg) Have just come
off Guard & feel pretty tired. Neck still pretty
sore & stiff. Rumours Russians have
reinforced the Sebastapol Area & have reverted
the Position. The Chinese are doing well
in Burma with the assistance of Yankee
& British Planes. British Submariners
are patroling the Malacca Straits. Lunch
Rice (pln) Played cards in evening
& went to Canteen & bought Pepper ^biscuits opened
the Bottle of Curry Tea Rice - Veg Soup & a
Rice Pineapple Pasty. I wonder when we
will get "Freedom News." Dutch xxxxxx submarines
sunk 3 ships (Jap) in the Malacca Straits
[*26.6.42
Friday*]
Breakfast Rice & Soup (FM). Church Parade
& Holiday & still have a sore neck. Lunch
Rice (plain) Bathing my neck every hour & has
made it much better Tea Rice & (FM) Soup &
a Rice Cake. Bill Vereitz went out with
the Padre yesterday & located Cpl George Millers
Grave & they are going to put a proper Cross
on it. 1000 yds behind the Chinese ^HIgh School on
the Bukit Timah Road (ERM tired & brought 50cts
[*27.6.42
Saturday*]
Breakfast Rice & Veg Soup. Home today
resting with a stiff neck & have just
done odd running messages & also played
cards. Lunch Rice (pln) Rumours.
Sebastapol has been reinforced by the
Russians & expect the fall any day
Germans are fighting 60 mile inside
the Egyptian border. The Chinese are
giving the Japs a hiding North of Burma
Tea Rice & Veg Soup & 1 Rock (rice) Cake & 1 Fritter
[*28.6.42
Sunday*]
Breakfast. Rice & (FM) Soup. Out to work to
the Quarry. Marched ½ way & conooyed
the rest. Working in centre of quarry
Lunch Rice (pln) On Trolleys in
evening Had to march home
Tea. Rice & (TM) Soup & a Veg Meat Pasty.
Rumours Japs landed 10,000 reinforcements
on Singapore. No sign of Pay
yet. Going out to the Road job & pulled
up at the Half Way House & a Boong
truck was going into the yard &
Ken Taylor-[[?]] & the Jap Sentry
sprung to attention to 2 Boongs in
a truck. He had a good look at
us & could not pick the right one.
The Japs had 2 Malays tied up &
were released in the evening
[*29.6.42
Monday*]
Breakfast Rice & (Veg Soup) Out to work
to the Indian Quarry & had an
easy day. Bought Pineapples which
we had to our Lunch Rice (pln) Finished
work & home 5 pm. Noticed lads taking
heads off the Hoes to take them back to camp
& sell them to the Boongs. Tea. Rice & (Veg)
Soup & Rice Cakes. Had haircut & shave
[*30.6.42
Tuesday.*]
Breakfast Rice & (FM) Soup. Out to the Quarry
Had to walk to the Half Way House also
marched home. Lunch Rice (pln) Bought
Pineapple slices 3 - 2cts Went up to the
Patch & got some ripe ones. As we may
be searched again I planted the
pines out there. Tea Rice & (FM) Soup & a
Rice Rock Cake. WIll have to watch
Haversacks as Dingo Bill lost his as
someone took a lend of it from the
Quarry. Rumour that we are going
to Bancock for 2 yrs. Chinese here
are rationed 27 lbs Rice per Person for
the month of July (approx 12 [[?]] per day). SYANON
TIMES HEADLINE "SPAIN TO JOIN THE AXIS"
[*1.7.42
Wednesday*]
Breakfast. Rice & VegSoup. Out to the new job
Today Building a Shrine Road past Bukit
Timah, & we are finished with the Quarry.
Carrying sand in baskets. Lunch. Rice (pln)
& bought Pineapple Slices, Kept going & finished
work 1 pm & were convoyed home. Noticed
Jap wounded come in from Naval Base
off the Hospital Ship. Yesterday 5 light
tanks came from Johore. Like our Bren
but covered over. Tea Rice & Veg Soup & 1
Veg Pasty. Pay day today for 10 days &
30 cts Canteen Bonus. I received $1.70 cts
Bought more Soya Bean Sauce.
[*2.7.42
Thursday*]
Breakfast. Rice & Veg Soup Out to work
to the Road Job & had a busy day.
Lunch. Rice (pln) Finished the job
at 3.45 & got a lift home. Letter cards
to home have arrived & I wrote to Alice &
home on one card. SYANON TIMES, says
Gibraltar & Alexandria Doomed
[*2.7.42
Thursday
(continued)*]
Also shot 268 planes down off Pt Moresby.
Bought 21 [[?]] Salt 25 cts [[?]] Tea Rice &
(Veg) Soup & 1 xxxx rice cake. This Yankee Jap is
a hard case. In the truck the boys were
going home in One remarked, "I hope
the Yellow B—, pulls up. The Jap
remarked "Not so much of the Yellow
B— Buddy? I'll pull up.
[*3.7.42
Friday*]
Breakfasts. Rice & (FM) Soup. Out to the
Road job again & had a busy day
Lunch Rice (pln) Worked pretty solid
all day & finished 3-55 pm. & were
convoyed home. SYANON TIMES HEADLINE
Sevestapol has Fallen, yet Rumours
say the Russians have advanced to
Kurtz. Tea Rice & (FM) mea Soup.
[*4.7.42
Saturday*]
Breakfast Rice & Veg Soup Out to the road
job again & had a job repairing a road.
Lunch Rice (pln) Lt Sullivan appeared to
lose his block Hitting & kicking one of the
lads in front of the Japs Tea Rice & Veg Soup
& 1 Rice Pasty. SYANON TIMES says Britain
is doomed. Germans 50 miles from Alexandria
& Rumours say British drove the Huns back
100 mile. Chinese say if they don't get
more food they we'll be better & brighter fires
[*5.7.42
Sunday*]
Breakfast Rice & (FM) Soup Out to the Road Job
today & had an easy day with the Pick
& Shovel in the morning Lunch Rice (pln)
On the Basket in the evening & finished
work 4. pm. noticed 4 Jap light tanks
on the road today which appeared to
have come from Johore. Tea Rice (FM) Soup
& a Rice Meat Pasty. SYANON TIMES says Britain
to cut Suez Canal to cover retreat through the
Red Sea. Alexandria will fall any hour
& Russians admit the fall of Sebastapol.
[*6.7.42
Monday*]
Breakfast Rice & Veg Soup. Home today & am
Battalion Runner. Very quiet in the
morning. Pay arrived Lunch Rice
(pln) An easy evening Rumour
Jap cut Chinese head off & put it on a
Post in Bukit Timah Villiage
Tea Rice & Veg Soup & Rice Cake & 1 Rock Cake
Finished duty 9.0pm Rumour USA aircraft
Carrier sunk off Malta Pay day
& received $1-35 &5ct of that went to
the Hospital to buy Medical Stores.
[*7.7.42
Tuesday*]
Breakfast Rice & (FM) Soup. Home today &
raked grass around the hut. Went out
with the Lunch to the job & noticed the
Chinese head on a stand with 5 notices
in different languages under it. The
head had started to swell & went black.
Lunch Rice & Soup & 1 Rice Cake. Bought
Pineapples on way back 4 for 8ct.
Rested in evening Tea Rice & (FM) Soup &
a Pasty. Today is the 5th Anniversary
of the Jap-Chinese War, Three Flares
were in the air last night.Beheaded at Bona Vista. on a
hill where AIF were [[?ing]] trucks
to piecces. Were not blinded.
[*8.7.42
Wednesday*]
Breakfast Rice & (FM) Soup. Out to the
road job. On the way out a/c a/c or
Naval Gun fire could be heard towards
Singapore As soon as we arrived at the
job 61 Jap Bombers came over patolling
the Sky Lunch Rice (pln) with bought
Pineapple. A Malay woman comes
around selling Date 20cts & sugar blocks 3 cts
which taste like molasses. XXX They
gave us pretty solid task & we
knocked off work 6 pm. The
head on the stand was still there
[*8.7.42
Wednesday
(continued)*]
in the morning but was taken down
by mid-day. They say it was a
Malay who broke into a storeroon &
killed the Jap Guard which seems nonsense
as there are 8 heads all over Singapore one
being in front of the Catha Buildings Tea
Rice & (FM) Soup & a Rice Cake. SYANON TIMES
says nothing of Alexandria so things seem
to be OK. Rumour Jap & USA naval
Battle is now on progress. British troops
surrounded Germans & captured 10,000 troops
including Rommel & Tanks & Guns.
[*9.7.42
Thursday*]
Breakfast Rice & Veg Soup. Out to the
Road job while undermining the
ridge on the edge of the road it
collapsed covering Pte Adams &
pinning Blue Poulsen to the ground
by the foot. Adams was sent to Hospital
with a broken bone in his foot. Poulsen
is OK only shock. Lunch Rice (pln)
with bought cocoanut. SYANON TIMES
gives Germans 6 weeks for the fall
of Alexandria which was going to
fall in 2 hours or more. Finished
work 4.15 pm. & had to wait for trucks.
Out on the job they get Pte Roy Craig going
by getting him biting & throwing off at
him as he worked for the SUNBEAM TAX
SERVICE. Tea Rice & Veg Soup & a Cocoanut
Rice Pasty. Noticed a Platoon of Jap
Machine Gunners going along the road
with full Kits on Tripod & Boxes of
Ammunition strapped to their backs.
Rumours They have Rommels army
surrounded & are plastering it wilth
Artillery & Mortors.
[*10.7.42
Friday*]
Breakfast. Rice & (FM) Soup. Out again to
the road job. Had an fairly easy day
Lunch Rice & Pineapple Finished the job at
4.0 pm & had to wait for trucks & waited
till 6 pm. Tea Rice & Minced Meat Soup & a
Rock Cake with nut coating. Bill Peters
cut his leg with an axe. Rumour 1400 Planes
over Japan. Battn Parade on & talk of
a shift nearer the job. Also we are going
to receive Pay for the spell in May & I voted
to give it to the Hospital.
[11.7.42
Saturday*]
Breakfast. Rice & Veg Soup. Out to work on
the job again & had to parade for a few
Jap Heads. Lunch. Rice & Fish Bought a
SYANON TIMES & says Germans maintain drive
to Caucasus. Had an easy day Tea Rice &
Veg Soup & a Veg Pasty. Rumours. Chinese
are doing well taking 50,000 Prisoners &
British are driving Germans in Lybia.
Rumour Talk of moving camp to 2nd Avenue
near Half Way House.
[*12.7.42
Sunday*]
Breakfast. Rice & FM Soup Out to job on
Road & had an easy day. Some
of the men have started to erect
our Tents. Lunch Rice & Pineapple juice
Bought Syanon Times - Headline. "Gigantic
Battle in Don River Basin. Tea. Rice &
FM Soup & Rock Cake. Rumours
Yugo Slavian people rebelled & are inside
the Italian Border. Russians & Chinese
are doing well. Japanese are massing
men on Indian Border.
[*13.7.42
Monday*]
Breakfast. Rice & Veg Soup Out again
to road job & had an esay day
Lunch & Rice (pln) Had a cigarette
[*13.7.42
Monday
(continued)*]
thrown out of a bus. Some of the lads
pineapples thrown out of trucks.
Building trucks up at Ford Motors also
Crashed Aero Engines were carted in trucks
Tea Rice & Veg Soup & a Pasty.
[*14.7.42
Tuesday*]
Breakfast. Rice & (FM) Soup Out to the road
job again & had a fair day Lunch
Rice (pln) Home first to day & am
fixing my bed for a move in a few
days time. Tea Rice & (FM) SOup &
a Rock Cake.
[*15.7.42
Wednesday*]
Breakfast Rice & Veg Soup. Out to work
at our New Camp fixing up Tents &
built shelves at the Cookhouse Lunch
Rice (pln). Finishing pulling down a
platform. Tea Rice & Veg Soup 1 Banana
& a Pineapple, Cocoanut Tart which was
very tasty. News of our shift tomorrow.
[*16.7.42
Thursday*]
Breakfast. Rice & (FM) Soup. Advance Guard
to the new Camp & have a new home
& have to live in a Tent. Lunch Rice
(pln) Fixed the tent up with 2
tables & chairs Tea Rice & Veg Soup
& a Rice Rock Cake. Rumour that
we may have another Holiday
tomorrow.
[*17.7.42
Friday*]
Breakfast. Rice & Veg Soup. Volunteered for a
working Part to Singapore & had to
cart Bitumen Lunch Rice (pln) Had
a busy day & was given Cigs & Salt & Pineapple
Tea wasn't kept for me & the Veg Stew
was finished so I just had 2 scones. Bought
a Syanon TImes says RedForces in Very Grave
Situation. Recived $1-40 pay due for
14./7./42
[*18.7.42
Saturday*]
Breakfast. Rice & (FM() Soup. Out to the road
job today digging drains. We had to dig
drains with Picks & Hoes as the tool shed
was burnt to the ground. Was said that the
Chinese did the Burning. Lunch Rice (pln) &
bought Pineapple. Had to march to the job
& march home & looks to be an every day
custom in the future. Scounged Electric
Wire & Nails which will come in handy
Tea Rice & (FM) Soup. A beautiful evening here
in our tent as a gentle breeze is blowing which
brings my mind again to home & the loved
ones. Reported that the Japs brought 18 AIF men
to changi & appears that they been {{?}}
or kept Prisoners on the Mainland. One of
the lads had 8 Bayonet wounds on him.
A funny incident happened yesterday while
in Singapore. Ken Taylor & Snow Theodore
were sitting on the side of the road in the
maintenance area & a Jap was going to urinate &
Ken more for a joke grabbed Snows hat
& held it up to the Jap upside down & the
Jap smiled & went to a nearby shop & asked
where the Lavatory was. Syanon TImes
said a Jap plane went up after 3 American
planes & shot 2 down & the other went to flight.
Syanon Times Headline. Germans Swift Advance Continues
[*19.7.42
Sunday*]
Breakfast. Rice & Veg Soup Home today
& have been on several duties. Lunch
Rice (pln) Musty & couldn't eat it. Am going
to the Canteen to buy Pineapples & sauce.
(Soya Bean) Rained fairly heavy last
night & our tent is OK. Carted rubbish &
had the rest of the day offf. Rumours.
Russians getting pushed back. British
[*19.7.42
Sunday
(continued)*]
doing well in Lybia front. Chinese have
taken Haynan Island & in the Chinese
front advancing to Nanking. Syanon
Times. Ship with ^1,000 Australian prisoners
was sunk by an USA submarine
Tea Rice & Veg Soup & 1 Pasty & 1 Fritter. Have
to be an escort for Bill Veritz who was
caught out of bounds by the Japs &
they gave him 2 days jail. & now has to
go before our Officers. They have an
6 a/c a/c (MG) on top of the work & have
spotters watching every plane. Escort
for 3 men Blue Poulsen & Dick Preston
for being away from the job ½ & ¾ hrs respectively
Poulsen was fines 20cts Preston 35cts Bill
Veritz was fined $1 & may be sent to Changi
& put an officer in for sending his
Batman to the Village.
[*20.7.42
Monday*]
Breakfast. Rice (FM) Soup Out to the road
job & cemented an edge on the supposed
new road Lunch Rice (pln) Had an easy
day & was home early. Talking to a
Pommey at lunch time & he was a
hard case telling us of his girl in Belgium
Tea Rice & FM Soup & a Pasty.
[*21.7.42
Tuesday*]
Breakfast. Rice & Veg Soup. Out to the wood
job & had an easy day. Bought a
Syanon Times & says that British Allies has
lost 2,000,000 tons of shipping by the Japs
Lunch Rice (pln) & bought Pineapples.
Finished work early & rode home
Tea Rice & Veg Soup & a Rock Cake.
Mjr Tracy told the Japs that he would
not defend any more AIF Caught out of bounds
& that the Japs could do what they liked with the
accused.
[*22.7.42
Wednesday*}
Breakfast. Rice & (FM) Soup. Out to the road
job & had an easy day. Lunch Rice & 1
Tea Spoon Sugar. Syanon Times Says Outer defences
of Rostof Pierced. Huge Tank Battle on.
Finished work early Tea Rice & (FM) Soup & a Veg &
Meat Pasty. Rumours Russians
have re-crossed the Don River. Carted
wood home for the Cookhouse. Snow
Theodore is racking his Brain with
xxxxxx Arthmetric books freshing
his memory.
[*23.7.42
Thursday*]
Breakfast Rice & Veg Soup. Out to work to the
Road & had an easy day. Lunch
Rice (Musty) & bought some pineapple. Syanon
Times Headline Russians feverishly reinforcing
the Rostof Area. Brought a load of wood
home in the truck. Tea Rice & Veg Soup
& a rock cake. Had about 300 troops up
looking at the Shrine today.
[*24.7.42
Friday*]
Breakfast. Rice & FM Soup Out to the
road job & was cementing Lunch
Rice Pln. Went to the [[A?]] & got nails
for the Cookhouse & finished the job
early Tea Rice & FM Soup & a Pasty
Syanon Times Headline Germans Reach Gates of
Rostov. The Padre Went out & got Pines
which are being sold at 3cts each
very cheap.
[*25.7.42
Friday*]
Breakfast. Rice & Veg Soup. Out to work at
the Golf Links finishing a Bridge
Lunch Rice (pln) Had a easy day
today with the Japs. Finished work
at 6 pm Tea Rice & Veg Soup & a Veg Pasty
Rumours. Chinese have Nanking Province
& an important Coastal Town in Shanghai. Russians
are advancing on all fronts.
[*26.7.42
Sunday*]
Breakfast Rice & FM Soup. Out to the road
job & had a cement job. Had to
hold up work because few heads
had a look at the job. Lunch Rice Pln
Finished work 4.30 & rode home
Pay day 15/7/42 - 24/7/42 $1-40. A Chinese
lad of 10 was killed by a Pommey
driver. Tea Rice & FM Soup & 1 Pasty & 1
Rock Cake. Syanon Times Headline. Germqn
Forces occupy Rostov. Australian Air Force
virtually annihilated shooting down xdown
434 Planes since 2/2/42 till 3.30 yesterday
evening. A funny incident happened last
night. Stumpy Waters & Fred Paul were having
a bath at lights out & had soaped up
nicely & the water was turned off & they were
around all the tents after water to wash the
soap off. Rumours a certain portion
of the German line capitulated to the Russians
capturing thousands of Tanks Guns etc.
Chinese expect Nanking Province to fall in
their favour any time
[*27.7.42
Monday*]
xxx Breakfast. Rice & Veg Soup. Home to day
& am going to do some washing. Dug
a drain Lunch Rice Pln Was
called on a job working Party &
had to cart furniture & got a
Bonus. Rumoured Jpas bombed
Townsville & Darwin but no damage
to Townsville. Tea Rice & Veg Soup
& a Tart. IN the 22nd Brigade Camp
Area Adan Rd. The Marine (Japs) are
going to shift into it. Rumour
The Japanese are only 7 mile off
Shanghai ½ Jap at H 3 Group wearing Pips
& Australias was in charge of Troop movements
in Malayan command.
[*28.7.42
Tuesday*]
Breakfast. Rice & Veg Soup Out to the road job
but as my back was sore I didnt do
much work. Lunch Rice Pln with sliced
Pineapples I bought. Rumours Chinese have
retaken Shanghai with Jap Prisoners?
More told on the road. Japs landed at Cape York
British opened Second Front between Norway & France.
Aat Allied Prisoners revolted in Burma
Tea Rice & Veg Soup & a Meat Pasty.
[*29.7.42
Wednesday*]
Breakfast Rice & FM Soup On No Duty Caused
from Work & still get 10cts. Have to get Rice Poultice
on my back 3 times a day. Lunch Rice (pln) with
bought Pineapple. When Snow Theodore was
putting the Poutice on my back he let the
end slip & rice went all over my bunk
& back. Tea Rice & FM Soup & a Rock Cake.
Rumours Shanghai has fallen. That we are
called the 8th Royal 8th Div & are going to tour England
& USA. Syanon Times says USA to put 31,000,000
on the field between the ages of 18 - 61 yrs old & the
Japs say they cannot equip the men
[*30.7.42
Thursday*]
Breakfast Rice & Veg Soup. Home today on No
Duty but receive 10cts. Syanon Times Yesterday
said Australia is short of Beef & also
Carrots. Lunch Rice & Fish Cake. Had a rest
reading a book all evening & had a Dental
test & teeth were OK. Tea Rice & Veg Soup & a
Rice Rock Cake. Sick Parade again tonight.
[*31.7.42
Friday*]
Rice & FM Soup. Out to work today had an
easy day Lunch Rice & Fish & bought
Sliced Pineapple. Finished work 5.30 pm &
convoyed home Tea Rice & FM SOup & a
Cocoanut iced Bun. Rumours British are
going to build 70 ton Freighter Planes & cut out
so many ships. 40% may go back to Changi
[*1.8.42
Saturday*]
Breakfast. Rice & Veg Soup. Home today &
have nothing to do. Ken Taylor was fined
50cts for going home on the wood truck on
30/7/42. Lunch Rice (Pln) Have been reading all
day & now have a light fitted in our
tent but we are short of a bulb. Tea Rice
& Veg Soup & a Pasty. Maybe able to pinch
a bulb tonight. I was succcessful in
getting a Bulb
{*2.8.42
Sunday*]
Breakfast. Rice & FM SOu[ Out to work to the road
& was carting rocks from Bukit Pangang.
Lunch Rice (Pln) Had a laugh at the
Jap throwing off at him. Telling him
Yanks Boom! Boom! here & Japs Hands up
Home early. The Jap could talk Malayan
a bit & had a yarn to him. Tea Rice & (FM)
Soup & a Rice Rock Cake. Off to
Church tonight. Tent bought 1
pack of Cards. 55cts No 2 Group on
Night Shift.
[*3.8.42
Monday
Pay Day
Due*]
Breakfast. Rice & Veg Soup. Out to work on
the road & 2 busses Gesha Girls passed
& naturally the boys stopped work
Rained all day & held up work for
awhile Lunch Rice (Pln & bought
pineapples. As trucks of Pineapples
were passing we got a few of them
Had to march home getting home
6-20 pm. Tea Rice & Veg Soup & a Rock Cake
Rumours Aircraft Carrier sunk 5 mile of
Syanonto. Russians doing well,
& New Guinea completely retaken.
A few of the lads were Hearing about
getting ready for the Contests later on
Alf Lulham & a few Poms were the artists
Cigarette Issue 12 Black Horse from Indo China.
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