Unit diaries relating to service of Geoffrey W. Fennell - Wallet 2 - Part 19

3. 5 Field Regimental Property and Silver
2 boxes stored Lloyds Bank, Lahore, India
1 box stored Lloyds Bank Rawalpindi
2 Years storage fees paid from October 1941.
4. Investments and Deposits - NIL.
5. Find out if remaining outstanding items in Depot A/C have been cleared up.    
6. Any details regarding 5 Field Regt RA are with BRA Northern Command.
7. Get in touch with FCMA* Wanowrie, Poona to see if any queries about allotments
for officers and BORs. Show Casualty Lists.
8. Find out if promotions of Major McEwan, Capt Ratcliffe or Capt Archer have been
reported by Malaya Command to War Office or AHQ.
*or RA Pay Section, Manchester if there is no Imperial Pay Representative in Poona.
9. Find out if promotions of Capt Pearson, Lt Godman and L/Capt Hogshaw can now be
recognised.
10. If in Singapore get photo taken of Birdwood Camp War Memorial and the British
Military Cemetery Changi Road and check up any additional officers or men buried
there. Write to relations and send copy of photo. Ditto Taihoku.
11. Get photo of Square at Selarang Barracks, Changi.
12. Get any Regimental Records or Documents from O/C  Details left in Changi - if he
is there!
13. Get Officers, NCOs and Men located against Nominal Roll.
14. Get account from Senior NCO Kinkasaki for War Diary.
15.   “         “          “     Sgt Archer or Senior NCO, 135 Up Country Party.
16.   “         “          “     O/C Details, Changi.
17. Start getting machinery ready for Regimental Reunion. Padre Pugh offered to
organise the first one and local Secretaries would have to be appointed for
areas in UK. The Queen’s Hotel, Harrogate was suggested for the first one.
Padre Pugh’s Address: Acton Vicarage, Sudbury, Suffolk.
18. The following units and individuals should be kept in touch with after the War:
HQ RA (th Australian Division
CRA  Major General Callahan. BMRA Major Hunt
CRA  Lt Col McEachern SCRA Capt Johnston
2/10 and 2/15 Field Regts Royal Australian Artillery (4 A/T Regt RA)
Major General Key DSO MC commanding 11 Ind Div & formerly 8 Ind Inf Bde
Brigadier Goodman DSO MC CRA 9 Indian Division
Major Nelson RA                   BMRA  “     “         “
Capt Howard RA                   SCRA.  “     “         “
Brigadier Rusher MC RA.     CRA 11 Indian Division
323 5354
222 

63/81 Field Battery RA
1. Imprest. Balance handed to Base Paymaster and Receipt obtained.
2. Battery Funds
a. Balance credit at Hong Kong and Shanghai Branch IPOH branch approximately $400
including cheque from O/C Depot which was paid into the Account.
b. Cash. Manuscript cheque on Chartered Bank of India, China and Australia for
Rs 50 from Lt Reid. Cheque in Cash Book. Remaining Cash had been transferred to
Hong Kong and Shanghai Branch, Singapore (Ipoh Branch) by Capt R A R B Pearson RA.
3. Silver. Deposited at Lloyds Bank Lahore.
4. Investments and Deposits. Investments totalling Rs 1900 held by Lloyds Bank, Rawalpindi
Deposit Account Rs 1000 held at Lloyds Bank, Rawalpindi
5. Office Records. Burnt Tanglin Singapore the day after Capitulation.
6. Heavy Baggage. Officers andMen stored at Muttra, c/o RA Records Muttra, UP India
7. Battery History Digest, Records, etc. Stored at Muttra, c/o RA Records.
8. Indian General Service Medal 1937-39. List was submitted before leaving India. These
medals should be claimed through RA Records from AHQ Simla.
9 Ahmedzai Salient operations Jan-June 1940. Inquiry should be made as to whether a clasp
to the Indian General Service Medal was issued. It was a certified operation under SPP.
The Battery were a part of AZI FORCE. A list of officers and men entitled to it was
prepared in June 1940 and will be found in the Battery Records in Muttra. Mehr Dils
Standard taken by Sgt Mondahl on 12/2/40 was also sent there.
73 Field Battery RA
1. Imprest. At Capitulation, the Battery were u/c 182 Fd Regt. Balance of $530 was
burnt by Major P M McEwen under the orders of O/C 123 Fd Regt
2. Battery Funds. As a result of a Court of Inquiry held on May 25th 1942, the Battery
Funds consisted of the following:
a. Battery Funds $105
b. Canteen Funds 101
c. Officers Mess 140
Cheques to value of $102.87 to credit of Battery Funds held in Cash Book.
3. Battery Silver. Deposited Lloyds Bank, Lahore.
4. Deposits and Investments. Details in possession of BRA Northern Command. Documents
in hands of Public Trustee. Copy of letter to Public Trustee is with BRA Northern Command.
5. Account with O/C Depot. Rs 1937/8 held by Imperial Bank, Nowshera. Cheque No 02/12 10017
in Cash Book.
6. Heavy Baggage at Muttra.
7. Office Records Burnt at Tanglin.
325 335 

VARIOUS LOOSE NOTES INSIDE DIARY BY LT COL G  W P FENNELL, 5 FD REGT HISTORY 1939-1945

1. F and H Force arrived Bamkong(?) Thailand in May and early June 43 and were told
they were going to Rest Camps so could take all comforts, pianos etc. On arrival
they were told to stack it on Station and then March 294 kms. The first party missed the monsoon, 2nd Party had to go through monsoon and could not stop at established
Camps as not under Thailand administration. They got to Niki-niki just on Thai side of
Burma border and were split up into various camps to do the last section on the Burma
side of the line. On the march those who dropped out were sent up later or evacuated
to Chungkai. They eventually went back to Changi with them.
They left Niki-niki November '43 leaving about 50% dead.
H Force consisted of practically all units left in Changi.
The main cause of death was beri-beri and dysentery.
Some days they only got 1 pint of Rice and a little water.
Those who were too ill to move were left with some Doctors.
Every day about 10 men died in the Steel goods trucks on the journey back. The Japanese
refused to let them be buried as the bodies were required for Tenko. Sgt Archer's MT
Party who went up earlier with 135 Fd Regt were all well. *
(Details gained at Mukden from an officer who was there)
2. 30 days Solitary.
3. Toss up Copper Mine or agricultural work.
4. Food - fried in fat with a little flour
Boiled with sauce
   "      "    vinegar
Just boiled
Fried in batter
Sugar cane - why never came up
Sweet Potatoes, Soya Beans, Pineapple for Birthdays, Bridge for a Bone
Commandants Horse
5. 1944. Egg 1, Bread 0, Cake 0, Milk 6 bottles, Buns 50, Jam 1½ ozs, Razor Blades 6
Meat 6 pieces, Newspaper 1 every 4 months, Soap 4 cakes, Red Cross Parcels 1½,
Letters 10, Days hungry, 366 . Leap year. Smokes - Pipe lighting 
6. Bun Currency
Chocolates Square 10 -15            Wrist Watch 100 upwards
Red X Cigs              50- 60            Fountain pen  10
Warm Clothing       100 upwards
7. Camp Fire Brigade. The man who sawed himself off. Pigs at Mukden.
8. Release, Looting Brewery, Hosp ship, Pearl Harbour
 

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336 

9. Religious Services every 10 days.
8. Release and Looting Brewery. Hosp Ship. Pearl Harbour. 
10. Jap Character, Damme Damme
11. DAI KOO HAN KIOTSKE   9 Squad Shun
      JIKO YON MAI                   Absent 4
      GENZAI YONJO MAI         Present 40
      BANGO                              Number
     RETSIGAI ICHI MAI           1 out of rank
     NUSHITSU NEE MAI         2 Hospital
     SHUSHITO NEE MAI         2 Bedded down
     H JO ARIMASEN
12. Queen Mary
13. Telephone call. 
14. Map showing the Burma Road.
15. Hunt ) MC Kuantan Chua Chu Lang
McEwen ) MC Singapore
Howe MM Kuantan
Blackham MM Kluang
Scriven MM Kluang
Mallone DCM Adam Road
Maynard MM Hospital
Beaverstock MM Singapore
Darcy MM Kluang
16. Postcard sent to Mrs V D Fennell, 10 Kahurr Road, Poona , India from POW Camp. received at Poona 7 or 8 August 1943:
"Darling Violet, What a treat to be able to send you a postcard. I do miss your
letters. I am quite well so do not worry. Give my love to all not forgetting 

the dogs. I got the books you all sent. Many thanks for them. I do love you so
and am missing you so much. All my love darling, your own Geoffrey,
Maj G W P  Fennell  RA, 18th June 1942
Lessons learnt: "1. No Matter how badly off yourself, you can always find somebody
worse off.
2. Patience and tolerance.
3. Should we forgive the Japs?
327
337 

 - 328 -
No attempt has been made to correct whatever errors there
may have neen in the original narrative, or which may have
arisen in the course of having it typed.
Harry Blackham added his observations and these
appear on pages 329, 330 & 331.