Notebook of Harry Raymond Green -Sep 1941- Apr - 1943 - Part 4

^10/ We surrendered, For us the wars over
Each man a prisoner to-day
Wondering when we're going to get home
It won't be long we pray.
^11/ But as for the Jap, I'll tell you
He'll never forget the day
When he first met us Chocos at Gemas
And he got the worst of the fray.
The End
Looking Back.
^1/ When the din of war is over
And we're back in civvy life
All the years we've left behind us
All those days of toil & strife
There'll be moments in the silence
When we hear those rifles crack
And in silence we'll remember.
Looking Back.
There'll be noises seem to call us
From those lands across the sea

Scenes of joy and scenes off sorrow
Living in our memory.
True Blue pals we left behind us
Tom and Harry Bill & Jack
And in Silence, we'll remember
Looking Back.
And maybe it should happen
That we'll greet you all once more
For that's a chance we all must take
When duty calls to war.
You'll know we went without regret
From city and bush track
and I know you'll not forget us
Looking Back.
The End.
Safe and Well.
^1/ When your sucking at your pencil
And can't think what to say
When you wish the blooming censor
Hadn't seen the light of day.

^2/ There's always one small item left
That's considered right to tell
It takes very little writing
Dear Mum I'm safe & well
^3/ The water maybe onkus
The tucker mighty crook
We haven't seen a drop of Beer
Since Wavell took Tobruk.
^4/ We've been before the skipper
For being A.W.L.
But we still find time to write it down
Dear Mum, I'm safe & well
^5/ We've marched on rocks & gibbers
And swallowed tons of sand
Till we've wondered why the blooming place
Was called the promised land.
^6/ The nights are cold as charity
The days are hot as hell
Yet we write the old familiar phrase
Dear Mum, I'm safe & well.

^7/ We've heard the cry of Jackalls
And the baying of the Donk
We've bargained with the natives
For their fruit, their eggs & plonk.
^8/ We've heard the Jerry Bombers
Come screaming overhead
And it isn't very pleasant
To be dodging lumps of lead
^8/ Wen When we're sitting in our trenches
Midst the hail of shrapp & shell
We'll always find sometime to write
Dear Mum, I'm safe & well.
^9/ There's a little grey haired lady
Standing by an old bush track
Waiting for the mail-man
And a letter coming back.
^10/ A smile lights up the care worn face
With beauty, no words can tell
As she read the old familiar phrase
Dear Mum, I'm safe & well.

^11/ But the little grey haired lady
Is now waiting there in vain
For her soldier lad has fallen
And will ne'er will come home again
^12/ He is far behind the trenches
And I'm sure if he could tell
He'd still (smill) smile & write it down
Dear Mum, I'm safe & well.
The End
One of the many types of pamphlets dropped
by Japanese planes over Singapore before
capitulation.
Terrible Riot In Singapore!
Secret Evacuated of British Troops!
A terrible riot has broken out in
Singapore!!
British and Australian Soldiers are
being secretly evacuated from Singapore!
Malayan and Indian Soldiers!.
Pack up your troubles in your old kit

bag and co-operate with the Nippon
Army.
British and Australian Soldiers!
Return to your homes at once by
hook or by crook. You may never
get another chance to see your beloved
ones in England and Australia!
WAR.
^1/ (Raf) Rattle splutter crackle stutter
Lewis guns and brens all round
Bojors, mortars, ack ack barrage
Helps to swell this hellish sound.
^2/ Overhead the Nippon Warplanes
Fill the air with angry roar
"Lie down flat, you silly buggers"

"This is what the world calls war".
^3/ Men upon their bellies creeping
Through, the rubber and the palm
Hungry parched bereft of sleep.-
Knowing not a moments calm.

^4/ Wading, on through swamp & marsh
Clothing stiff with mud & gore
On they go these helpless victims
Sacrificed to Gods of War.
^5/ All round brave men are dying
Fathers brothers husbands son
Some are dead & some are dying
Victims all of bombs & guns.
^6/ Gasping groaning crying moaning
Is this nature in the raw
No! it's simply bloody murder!
History books just call it war.
^7/ Blackened bloated stinking corpses
Lie buried all around
Ants & flies & loathsome maggots
Use them as a breeding ground.
^8/ They have died to save the Empire
Don't! for Gods sake ask what for
They were simply slain & butchered
In a democratic War.

^9/ While at home in London club land
See the dicker tapes flash in
"Sharp decline united rubber
Down five points Malayan tin."
^10/ Damn it! I shall lose a packet
"Lucky I've got plenty more
"Waiter! bring me in two more brandies"
"Yes! My master, This is "WAR."
The End.
The Road Builders.
^1/ The A.I.F. are building roads
Through the jungles of Malay
With rice for breakfast lunch & tea
And a measly ten cents per day.
^2/ The time has gone, when we soldiered on
And fought with a fierce delight
For now we do what Nippon say's
Wheither its wrong or right.
^3/ Conditions, they are not so hot
But still things could be worse

One & all still have Aussie pride
Even with an empty purse.
^4/ Our Officers worry us the most
And wonder why we moan
(Would) But some of the things they want us to do
Would make a true Parson groan.
5/ Still the day will come when we'll all be free
And they'll worry us no more
We'll be able to wear civvy clothes again
And forget about "Prisoners of War.
The End.
My Pals who Stayed at Home.
1/ I'm pulling of my colours
I'll fling my webb away
I'm going down to Singapore
To draw my blooming pay.
^x/I'm tired of being a soldier
So help me bob I am
Of chewing mouldy biscuits
And eating biscuits & jam

And fighting dirty Japs
Out here all on my own
When I think of dear old Aussie
And my pals who stayed at home.
^2/ I'll bet they are walking down the street
Their chests puffed out with pride
And skiting to their cobbers
How they saved their worthless hides
While here are men in Malaya
Afraid to show their heads
xFor fear some dirty Jap
Will fill it full of lead
When I told my mother & wife

I had volunteered to fight

They said "God Bless you Son."

And bring you back alright.

^3/ They called me a chocolate soldier

A five bob tourist to

They said you'll never see the front

Or even get a view

They said you'll have a picnic

across the ocean foam

But they weren't game to face it

And so they stayed at home.

^4/ They aren't such bad shots either

When on the rabbit track

But then there is no danger there

Because rabbits can't shoot back.

They shine before the barmaid's

They brag they're full of skite

But at the corner of the street

Is the only place they fight

A billiard cue for their rifle

A bar their fighting zone

And there are no bullets there

For my friends who stayed at home.

^5/ So I'll pick up the old Lee Enfield

And buckle my webb about

Though I'm only a flaming private

I'll see this business out

And if I stop a bullet

I'll die with-out a moan

For they've put the Kybosh on it

My friends who stayed at home.

The End

Leaving Aussie Land.

^1/ As I watched the Harbour vanish

Till the heads were just a speck

With a bumper brightly Glowing

I strolled across the deck.

^2/ All the times I'd frolicked

In Old Sydney "Oh so Gay."

I could vision very clearly

As we glided on our way.

^3/ The girls with whom I'd mingled

And the friends that I had made

Were among my thoughts so varied

As the boat did gently sway.

^4/ All the beaches & theatres

And old Luna Park as well

Got their share of meditation

Till my spirits gently fell.

^5/ One's thoughts seem to linger

On the day I'd said good-bye

To the old folks back home

Where such scenes would make you cry.

^6/ To think of all my people

Of dear mum & dad

Bought a lump, I couldn't swallow

One I never thought I'd have.

^7/ Oh the old home & its comforts

So common looking before

Were appreciated fully

Now I had left the sunny shore.

^8/ And I noticed by the faces

Of the lads round about

That a lot were very lonely

Though so conchalant with-out.

^9/ No matter how you are hardened

Or calloused understand

The hardest heart will soften

When you're leaving Aussie Land.

The End.

Malaya.

^1/ Land of sickness sin & sorrow

An inch of rain to-day maybe two to-morrow

Singapore ear & foot rot to

I wish the God I was home with you

^2/ No girls in Lavender Street

You're lucky if you can keep your feet

But I think myself that I'd be right

Back in Aussie with you to-night

^3/ The rickshaw boys they make your hair curl

All they can say is No 1 girl

Their beautiful figures inviting seduction

Would lead you on to mortal destruction.

^4/ Land of chats & diplomats

Stinking roads & watery beer

China's heaven, Aussies hell

Malaya country fair thee well. The End

Rice.

^1/ When all this strife is over

And we sail across the foam

To return once more to our loved ones

In the land we call our home.

^2/ Our return (once more) ^will be a welcome one

And we'll all forget the past

We'll greet our wives & mothers

And know we're home at last.

^3/ And what about the kiddies

Now let me tell you lad

You'll heave a sigh as you hear the cry

"Hey", hell's there's Dad.

^4/And once again when settled down

To a happy normal life

We'll be looking for excuses

To put over on the wife.

^5/ For just around the corner

Where congregates the mob

You'll see me sipping liquor

With _x Ossie, Don & Bob.

^6/ But getting down to cases

I won't part at any price

From the wife if she doesn't feed me

On Rice & then more Rice.

The End.

The original of this book was

dedicated to "Tojo" "Tozyo"

without whose kind help, friendly

interest and his unfailing (interest)

proximity it would not have been written.

The following poems were written

by various members of "Adele Shelton

Smith's" 8^th Division Glamour Boys.

Some of whom made the Supreme

Sacrifice in Malaya.

Poems written & composed by

members of the 4^th Anti-Tank

Regt. A.I.F. Malaya.

"Furfies."
^1/ Life in a Changi Prison Camp

Is not all Irish stew

We haven't any air-mail

And news, none old or new.

^2/ We hear a lot of furfies

Here are just a few

I will try and memorize them

And write them down for you.

^3/ First there's Gordon-Bennett

With his belly full of meat

We hear he's back in Aussie

Teaching "Choco's" to retreat.
^4/ Next there's General Wavell

Advancing from the top

Doing up the Japs

They say he'll never stop.

^5/ Kingsford-Smith whom we all know

Has turned up once again

Teaching Japs, "Dive Bombing"

In a new type of aero-plane.

^6/ Then we have John Curtin

A clever chap no doubt

He's skiting back in Aussie

On how to get us out.

^7/ The Yankees, they are coming

Tx Ten million men or more

With every type of air-craft

And destroyers by the score.

^8/ Of course there's Mr. Churchill

A major part he plays

He's coming to relieve us

In another sixty days.

^9/ Russia has a leader

The Huns have learnt to know

Their going to surrender

In another day or so.

^10/ Musso's turned it in again

He's made a separate peace

He's given up his Navy

Along with Greece & Crete.

^11/ There's fighting in the desert

General Rommel's on the run

Leaving trucks, guns and ammo

England winning "By Gum."

^12/ There's poor old General Percival

No doubt he's feeling sore

We hear he's a rickshaw pulling

Round the streets of Singapore.

^13/ They're bombing Broome - Wyndham

And Queenslands in revolt

There's martial law in N.S.W.

And not a ship afloat.

^14/ The prize goes to this one

It really is a beaut

Were getting frozen mutton

And wet canteens to boot.

^15/ There's talk of exchanging prisoners

On the barter system we hear

Some say for Jap prisoners

And others say for wool.

^16/ Three (bails) bales for a Pipper

Two bales for a N.C.O.

One bale for a Private

Well, that's how the furfies go.

^17/ We're waiting for to-morrow

For the news they will relay

There's bound to be some beauties

For it's April fools day.

^18/ Those mentioned in our furfies

About us in this land

But as one we are still waiting

But as yet it's not to hand.

^19/ She wrote of us before the war

And glamourized us stiff

Now just what is she doing

Dear Friend, Adele Smith.

^20/ There's a novel in your paper

Who would for your sake

Oh please, please Adele

Have a word with old Mandrake.