Diary relating to service of Hector Alexander McIntyre - Part 9
9.5.43
SUNDAY
Arrived at our New Area at 4 AM & had a few hours
good rest near a small Stream. Food better but
very watery. Building a railway Bridge very near
& have an elephant snigging the Heavy Timber. Had
a good rest & now have a touch of Diarhea. Before
moving out got wet through but afterwards proved to
be a fine night. Nip Truck turned over a bridge but
no one hurt. Climbing plenty of Hills & very
tiresome.
10.5.43
MONDAY
In a new camp where we get allotted to different
Jobs & may stay here 12 or 36 hours. No buying
about this place at all. Meals poor but may
improve. River 150 yds away & good swimming.
From what I hear a boat of Fruit comes up the creek
but so far haven't seen it. Bridges are very
weak & I doubt if a train will go over them
safely and all the ground has to be built up
even in the valleys. we have been travelling along.
The food we have here Rice & Onion Beef Tea Extract &
pretty poor at that. Some of the lads bought Fresh Yack Meat
at 3lbs $1. Off again & struck Wet Weather.
11.5.43
TUESDAY
Arrived at New Camp 15 miles away & a new but
very filthy Camp as the Bhongs from Penang & Ipoh are
there & are messing all over the ground. A certain outbreak
of Dysentery will occur if they are not careful. All water
has to be boiled. Cigs $2 50 for 200 no buying about the
place at all. Stayed there 12 hours. Food Rice & Onion
Soup. Plenty of onions & nothing else. Some of the
lads got into Nips Gula & pinched nearly all of it.
In the last camp Stuart Lloyd got full of Sarki drinking
with the Nips & eating bananas, but he made the trip.
12.5.43
WEDNESDAY
Arrived at our New Camp & may have 2 nights rest
before moving on. A good march over flat ground &
only 13 mile. Meals here Towgay & Onion Stew & Fish &
not a bad first meal. The best for days. Kicked my toe & is now bleeding. Very hot days
12.5.43
WEDNESDAY
contd.
A small creek 20 yds away & very cool but our Roofless
Bamboo Hut is very Hot. The lads are very weary & have
stood the march good. Treatment Worst I've seen but their
own boys get something Similar. A good nights rest & feel
much better. The next march is 12 mile making a total
of 192 Miles in 17 days to our Main Camp.
13.5.43
THURSDAY
Meals again very good - No 4 Party came in &
Eric [[Roselt?]] fell over & broke his leg. Nothing to do all
day & just rested. Boiled 5 glns water for our Supply
as Cholera is about the Area. [[Coruns?]] are in Charge of us at present & we most probably keep them.
14.5.43
FRIDAY
The Gentleman of [[G?]] came in which made meals
& every thing late. Meals light on. Have been advised
we move out some time in the morning to our Permanent 10 PM Camp. 10 pm All men on Check Parade as the
lads went through on the Nips Sugar & we have threatened
with no [[Muckun?]] for 2 days & are Kicking up a hell of
a Row. Lt. Livingstone pinched a Bike & used it for Conveying Men∧ as our ambulance
15.5.43
SATURDAY
Revielle 3 AM On the road 3.30 am for our 16 mile march
to our new camp & permanent one. No Roof on the Huts. A
Small creek & dirty. A Filthy camp littered with Flies
from the rice on the gound ground & the Thais living close
with their Carts & Elephants. Will take a lot of Work to
get the place free from Flies. Only 2 meals today &
a little light on Rice & Towgay & Fish & all supposed to get
2 days spell. 5 PM Jap Check Parade
16.5.43
SUNDAY
Meals light on & are giving us white beans. Duty Coy &
we are cleaning up the Area. Rained in the evening &
our blankets got a bit damp. Very tiring days & fairly Hot.
A party of 10 marched out for the night & went to our next
Camp on the River
17.5.43
MONDAY
150 men for the Road Job & 300 for building the Tiger Fence &
I have to work on it. The lads are so hungry that they are even
drinking Rice water. We may move to the Next Camp yet. 2/30 Bn
Moved in today & have a few suspects of Cholera. Convoys have been
coming past every day Full of Japs.
18.5.43
TUESDAY
One Death in our camp with Cholera & he was
from the 2/30 Bn & was cremated here. Now we
cannot bath for 3 days & we are building a
dysentery & Cholera Hospital as there are a few suspects.
Our Second Cholera Needle was given us & as on
no work for the day read a book
19.5.43
WEDNESDAY
Our Jap Railway job clearing Bamboo & Scrub & had
a tiring day from 9 AM till 6.30 pm. Food
has not improved as we are still getting Beans
& occasional piece of Dried fish but on the whole
very poor meals & will not improve until we buy
our own Yack. Malaria Test again tonight &
also a Quinine Tablet.
20.5.43
THURSDAY
Meals are still crook. Out on Railway Construction
& worked till 9. PM As [[he?]] would not knock us off
So we started the Slow Work Policy & won in the end.
Building up all the old Padi Fields. Wet all Night & had no sleep.
21.5.43
FRIDAY
One of our Best Mates Jim Bazzo passed away
with Cholera early this morning & Cpl Bill Lawson
was taken away at Breakfast Time & he passed
away at 11 A.M. They never had time enough
to diagnose near his Case but is thought to be the
Same. On Road Bridge Filling & had a
good day as they were easy Nips to get on
with & finished early. A Fairly Fine night
22.5.43
SATURDAY
Out on Railway Constructing & rained
nearly all evening & at 5.30 the Nip knocked
us off as it was too Wet & very cold. Repaired
our Roof - is much better & keeps out most of the
Rain. Bob Genthorpe has been crook lately
with dysentry also Toby Montiet one of the Mates
I noticed Yacks coming into camp & they may be
the $15 ones for our consumption. Very poor Animals.
The floors of these building have been collapsing
as they are badly put up & have to be all rebuilt.
23.5.43
SUNDAY
Started raining & rained all day & very miserable.
One of our Cobbers Harry White passed away with
Cholera & Lorry Lloyd (Ravenshoe) a Suspect. Worked
till 9.30pm & got in very late. Meals same
Quality & poor. Plenty of Rice. Cpl Jim
Comerford has been taken away also a Suspect
24.5.43
MONDAY
Started off & rained majority of the day digging
a Trench on each side of the Road. Road being
vey Sloppy. No Deaths today thank Goodness
Home 7.30 pm & rained has cleared up Have
Belly ache but is from Wet Weather
25.5.43
TUESDAY
No Rations arrived & all there was for B'fast &
Lunch Rice & Rice Water & a few Onions. A chap
Moseley 2/20 Bn passed away today with
Cholera. Gen Maddison passed through here
to a camp 5 miles away. Also Eric Sutton.
Capt Dyer scrounged some Yack Bones from
the Nip & flavoured the Soup with Beans
Killed 2 Yacks & will have them tomorrow.
4 passed away during the night & Cpl Jim
Comerford passed away. Ray O'Connor & Ted Denham
& Pte Long went in as Suspects.
26.5.43
WEDNESDAY
Meals today have improved but now a shortage
of Rice as they took a bag off us. Have a Job on the
road scraping the mud off it. Mess Orderly
& came home early. Yack Meat & Soup tonight
& it should be a change. They have been
carrying men over to the Cholera Wards all
day which isn't so hot.
27.5.43
THURSDAY
Owing to cholera being very bad Mjr Johnston & Hunt has
the camp on 3 days cleaning up Digging Latrines etc. I
worked on the Cholera Rice carting wood in the morning &
putting a floor in one of the tents & finished late. Yack
was good for 1 day only & then back on the old Beans &
Rice Water. Pte Long & Ray O'Connor Passed away
28.5.43
FRIDAY
Went on Sick Parade as I have a fever & was given No
DUTIES & rested on my spine all day. In the evening I
started Vomiting &reported it & was taken to the Cholera Hill
with Cholera. I passed away the first night in our tent. A
crook night plenty of vomiting. Brightened up
29.5.43
SATURDAY
Brightened up during the day & allowed to drink Coffee
& Pte E Sands passed away. He was very crook in it.
Moved up to Con Tent. Tent is much cleaner
30.5.43
SUNDAY
Had some Mutton & was very good (milk Gula & Baby's food)
Resting all day & feeling much better. Rained
all day & with a leaky tent makes things uncomfortable
31.5.43
MONDAY
Still in Con depot & feeling much better Mjr
Hunt wrote a Letter to the Red Cross Society explaining
treatment on the way up & also the conditions of the
March up and the food & also the crook conditions of
the Camp. 5 pages he wasted if he gets 1/10 of what he
asked for we will be better off by far.
1.6.43
TUESDAY
Yack Meat on again & had a pretty fair
issue. Food has improved slightly & looks
as it things may change a bit.
2.6.43
WEDNESDAY
Pretty Well today & have been moved from
the Hill to the Hospital to get a bit of Strength
back as it sure takes it out of it you. I am
nearly Skin & Bone now.
3.6.43
THURSDAY
Up for my breakfast. Rice & Towgay Soup &
had a fair Meal. In the Hospital there are
950 sick out of 1820 which doesn't leave many for
Work. Still very weak on it. Frank Gibbs passed away
with Cholera & also Darky McLeod.
4.6.43
FRIDAY
Meals here haven't improved but they pulled
Buff [[?]]ters out of Hospital to go & knock a Yack with
Pte McFadgen. Passed away with Cholera. Mjr Hunt
was summoned to Jap Headquarters last night & we have
been told since that 2 of the Nips have got cholera as
it was expected as they have been Washing in the Creek & cleaning
their teeth there.
5.6.43
SATURDAY
Had a fever last night but it has now worn off. Pte Jack Richards passed
away with cholera very suddenly. Mjr Hunt has gone to the forward Aussie camp
where they have cholera at present. No Yack in the B'fast but will be in dinner &
Tea [[?]]. Yack in the tea but very light on.
6.6.43
SUNDAY
Very little breakfast as not too good. Very nearly collapsed at
lunch Time. Got my Temp taken at Tea Time 104° &
not feeling so good. T Montiet came up & Sam Mc. 2 more
of the mates passed away earlier Ted Beaham & Hollyman.
7.6.43
MONDAY
Still crook & not eating my meals as not The Best
In the evening moved to the Fever Ward so may have
Denghue or Malaria. Very weak on it.
8.6.43
TUESDAY
Meals light on & don't feel so hot as malaria Treatment
is shaking it out of me. S/M Hec Wilson from
Cairns passed away with Cholera after a long fight.
Raining all the time here & very little Sunshine.
9.6.43
WEDNESDAY
Getting a variety of meals. Am very weak on
it from Diarhea & Malaria & cannot get about
very much. Lucky if I get to the Latrines & back.
10.6.43
THURSDAY
Very weak on it & my meals are being brought to me by
Harry Biggs. Has rained all day & makes everything uncomfortable
11.6.43
FRIDAY
Still on Quinine Tablets & are tuning me up a bit while
they are working. Rumours are pretty good about
this peace may be 3 more months. A Dry day Today
12.6.43
SATURDAY
Another part fine day which makes everything
pleasant. Only 16 cases left up on the Hill Now.
This is the 5th day for the Course & only 3 more to do.
Getting stronger & will be able to get my own meals
in a few days.
13.6.43
SUNDAY
Still very weak on it & taking plenty Quinine Pills.
Today Montiet has gone to the Cholera Wards. Food has
started to brighten up. Yack for Tea & fair Issue
14.6.43
MONDAY
Rations very light on & our men have gone back with
Yack Carts to get some more. Only 9ozs Rice for the
day with hope to get more tomorrow. Yack on for Tea
& a Pretty fair Issue. Toby Montiet still OK.
15.6.43
TUESDAY
Still very weak on it & now being a Cholera Patient
I receive a Backup every meal. They have here in this
Camp a new trouble. Tropical Malaria which when you get
it leaves you with cramps & you may be dead in 2 Hrs.
Food ration is light on 9ozs Rice per man & at present we would
not be getting 5ozs as rations have to be humped 10 mile
through mud & Slush owing to bad road not allowing
transport getting through. Yack on for Tea and very Nice.
16.6.43
WEDNESDAY
Still recovering from sickness & feel a little better.
A Bhong is selling Tobacco Bananas Pines & Gula & I ran
out & could not get any as he was hunted by the Nip
So far we have had 104 deaths in the camp with Cholera
Malaria Dysentry etc. More Yack on for Tea tonight
17.6.43
THURSDAY
Have changed to 20 Bn Cookhouse & meals are
better. Rice is light on 9ozs per man. Malaria
seems very popular as 1/2 the Hospital has it Yack Mince for Tea
18.6.43
FRIDAY
Offrs are on no Rice Ration today because they
Nips claim they are not working in with The
Administration & if they are caught eating Rice they go
without it for 3 days. Our lads went up for more Rations.
19.6.43
SATURDAY
Rations are down to 6oz Rice for sick Patients but with
the Backup it isn't bad for me. Moved to Con Ward 2
& may be there a while. Feeling very weak on it. Yack for Tea
20.6.43
SUNDAY
Had a shave & a hot Bath in a BIlly & feel much
better. Strong Rumours are still about the Camp re
moving up 40-60 mile but the Head appear to know
very little about it. George Kerr passed away in the
ward this morning. More Yack minced in the Stew
for Tea. There are Quite a number of Cholera convos here
& all they get is 6oz Rice - which is very poor
21.6.43
MONDAY
Rice at present is very light on & may improve. Our truck
has been out of order & now is going again 100%. Yack is minced
in the 2/26 Bn Cook House & everyone gets a taste. Jim Blackwell
passed away today Berry Berry& the Deaths are over 110 We have 1 case
Typhus / Pneumonia. a few Berry Berry. Dysentry Cholera Malaria ([[?]])
Cholera Carriers 27 & majority of the camp is in Hospital. Nips are going about
the Ward making everyone lay down.
22.6.43
TUESDAY
Jack Carrol 2/30 passed away with Cholera. Dried fish on today
& no Yack. This fish is in Salted Slabs & very tasty. When
we get home Keith Campbell - Wilson Ford and I are going
to have a Fish meal with Oysters Crabs etc in Brisbane. Have
had fairly dry weather the last 5 days & with walking about
I feel much stronger. The Nips are going the bash on the lads asking
5 men to carry ^logs what a elephant used to pull. They are [[?]] & laying the
roads & have abandoned the Railway Temporarily.
23.6.43
WEDNESDAY
Food is still light on although they are still killing Yacks
which give good body to the Stew. Our Ration Truck went up
today & wasn't back by Check Parade & no rations had been drawn
as the Jap QM was on the Truck. [[?]] Rod was given to
Cholera Carriers & Convalescents & it may give the Convers a chance
to be discharged as they are being held here by the Japs. Have a very
heavy cold in the chest at present. No Yacks
killed today
24.6.43
THURSDAY
Coughed all night & made me very miserable. Salt Water
Soup with a few chillies on for B'fast. The Medics seem to have
overcome Cholera as no new cases have gone up to the hill
for a week or so. More Rations came in 10 Bags Rice & Towgary &
Beans & Whitebait. Dried Fish, Onions & Cucumbers. Rained nearly all
evening & will effect the road for traffic. 2 Yacks killed.
25.6.43
FRIDAY
A heavy cold effected my sleep as I did a fair bit of coughing.
B'fast Rice & Onion Water but hope for a better lunch & Tea.
The officers went up 6 mile to the next camp & brought 7 Bags Rice
Tea was very tasty Big Fish Yacks Towgay & Onions Capt Dyer has been
put out of QM Job & Lt Norm White has the Job (Rumoured Selling Rice)
Rained all evenin & had a headache, No Yacks killed
26.6.43
SATURDAY
Breakfast Rice (Gritty) & Big Fish & Onion Soup Killed 3 Yacks
& of fair condition. The Yacks have been very poor. 9 more Yacks
came in & in good condition. A Surprise for Lunch Time a
special of Tongue Liver Kidney Tail & Brain Stew from a
Yack killed by the lads on the Road. Expect extra Rations
Meals today are very tasty with Towgay & Onions.
27.6.43
SUNDAY
A Poor B'fast Rice & Onion Water. They brought another yack in
killed by the Party & it went to the Cookhouse. Lads went up for
rations & brought back a good load. 1 offr CHORI killed in the east and
by British Bombers at [[A?]] Camp. The lads are buying & selling Yack
in $1 lots & very xxx lousy buy. Extra Rice for tomorrow
28.6.43
MONDAY Breakfast Rice & Rice Water (Tasteless) Quite a nice
lunch Rice & Yack Stew (kidneys & Liver Brains Heart Tongue & [[?]]
The ration party went up 6 mile & brought back 10 bags
Rice in [[?]] Haversack or Kit Bags. Killed 3 yacks & the
lads brought another home. Meat was cooked all through\
the huts today as they bought it for $1 lots (Dear Buy) Tea Fish
Soup (weak) The Typhus Case passed away.
29.6.43
TUESDAY B had Rice & Fish Oil. They are starting to make
answers for the Berry Berry cases & heart cases & there are
a few of them. Lunch & Tea Rice & Yack & Taragon
minced up & very tasty. Went up for more rations
& brought back a good load. Things are looking bright.
30.6.43
WEDNESDAY B'fast Rice & Fish Soup Oil/ Very tasty. Have aching
feet this morning & am going to see the M.O.
reclassification of everyone & am indeed down & may
have to go up north 80 kilos to the Base Hospital as they are
shifting all cases up there. A doovie for Tea last
night & was very tasty (No 1). Killed 4 Yacks today
which should improve the meals a little tomorrow.
1.7.43
THURSDAY B'fast Rice & R Yack Soup & very tasty, Feeling much
stronger but my ankles are still aching. Trouble
in the Court. Some lads from the Hospital (Convalescing)
went out & were caught killing a Yack & then another case
a lad knocked a Chong down & took $30 off him < & we
don't know what will come on of it. Yack stews (minced)
not too bad. Tobacco is hard to get & what you buy in the camp
for $1 Ned Kelly is a gentleman.
2.7.43
FRIDAY 3 yrs today I joined the A.I.F. B'fast Rice & Fish Oil & tasty. Lads
were caught cooking Yack this morning & have to front the C.O.
A pick was lost from Camp HQ & the Nip are kicking up a fuss about
it. 12 Midnight all Ward Commdrs were summoned for a CO's
Conference & if the Pick is not found, all men in camp to get [[?]]
tomorrow. 3 Yacks were killed today & the Work Party brought
one in. They may even go back. Have had a fever the last few
days & may have malaria again
3.7.43
SATURDAY B'fast came along for sick men only. An light issue & may be the
only meal in the camp for the day. Majority of the camp get a
meal. Getting even with the robbing of the Bhong of $30 & the killing of
the yacks. The pick has not been found as yet. We cannot leave our Bay
today only for urgent deeds. A meal for Cholera (Convalescents
only in our ward & it fed the whole ward. The pick turned up & a Sergeant
went [[?]] & said he had it Malie). 5.30PM a meal for the whole camp
& at 5pm another meal. Recd my first Malaria Tablets (3)
4.7.43
SUNDAY B'fast Rice & whitebait soup. Feeling better this morning. The fever lifted. Now Ive had cholera malaria & 3 relapses. They are trying to
run a canteen here on equal issue of tobacco, Eula, Rice Polishings Salt etc
Our camp has been cleaned up (empty) & a Pommy Camp up north
had 860 personnel & of them 100 have died from cholera. The camp
is in a filthy state. Killed 3 Yacks today. Work Party came in
10.45PM from the road, Expect increase Ration & improved in the next
48 hours or so. The Work Party came in 11PM & nearly all got a bashing on the
road.
5.7.43
MONDAY B'fast Rice Salt Dates. A thorough Jap chick Parade on this morning
at 9am. Classification by Mgr Hun with regards to movement
of certain sick personnel to the Base Hospital. I am on that list
Yack soups with little flavour on today. A y rumour runs about
that from the next camp Lt Col Holmes 1. MO & 5 Cptns went through with
2 [[?]] "I wonder) The Nip is very worried about men who may
go through & now at Night we have a Picquet on each end of the
hut for 12 hrs.
6.7.43
TUESDAY B'fast Rice Whitebait (Tasteless) Soup. All the rest of the Offrs in the
Camp where the offr escaped from are in close confinement & on as
meals for 5 days. We have to complete our Tiger fence in 3 days or we
may suffer also. A [[?]] mans parade to Jap Head Off & we may get
exhalations. The main reason is to try & get more men than 200 away
to the Base Hospital. Lunch & Tea Tasty with Fish (Big) & Torgay. Killed
more Yacks.
7.7.43
WEDNESDAY B'fast Rice & Yack Water. The MOs have been xxx busy classifing
classifying all men for the move. Food as issue is un very light on
it. Have not been feeling well. The lads have been busy making
stretchers & I was presume they are for the sick men. Meals tasty
8.7.43
THURSDAY B'fast Rice & Fish Soup (Tasty) The classification for the move has
come out. I am listed to be transferred to the Burma Camp
Hospital. The lads are still busy engraving [[cwas?]] for the
cemetry. Have not been feeling too well. Tasty meals all
day Dried Fish. Killed more yacks. Lads working
on the roads till 11-12.
8.7.43
FRIDAY B'fast Rice & Yack Soup (Fair) Everyone is on the same
ration from today as there are no cholera convalescents
now as far as the Nip is concerned. I Change of Guards from
Korean to Nips. Hospital move is postponed & may be cancelled
& if cancelled assured the Camp better rations. a/c a/c Guns passed through
here on trucks, using Dried Yak for Lunch & Tea OK
also Bamboo shutes.
10.7.43
SATURDAY Breakfast Rice & Salted Onion Water. On my last day of
Quinine Tablets, Rations today were very tasty we xx dried
fish & Torgay. [[? ?]] passed away today in his
sleep with Dysenty. He had a long [?] on his head last week
that may have been the main cause. Had a game of Bridge
today but couldn't sit up for long. Received a [[?]] on the leg & had
a sore groin for a while Killed [[Yactoo]] today.
11.7.43
SUNDAY B'fast Rice & Onion Water. Rained all day today & looks as
if the wet weather is going to settle in. They have a Tiger Fence
all around the front of the Camp now & the New Guards are getting
efficient & say that if anyone tries to escape the whole camp will suffer
They are ending the railway to a point 37 miles from here & rations up
North are the same as here only larger quantity. The road has been
pretty busy with transport here the last few days [[Guns/MeN)]] & troops
[[meals]] here Yack & Towgay are very tasty but would like more rice
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