Diary of Alexander Roland Campbell Johnstone, 1942-1943 - Part 2

Conflict:

Second World War, 1939–45

Subject:

Documents and letters

Status:

Open for review

Accession number:

AWM2019.22.189

Difficulty:

General Intermediate notes

When each night I say so fervently

all my prayers (see back of this

diary), I pour out my heart

and soul.

Oh mine own the days drag on

and one should try not to

complain, but we are shut

up here, rice three times a day

and all day each and every

day my thoughts are of you,

every minute, I spent counting

the days to when I can give

you all the happiness you

so richly deserve.

I am feeling reasonably fit

and well noodle, very brown

but only weigh 8.12, can you

imagine it.

Cec Farley and self spend all

our time together and I

thank God each day that I

have the privilege of his

friendship, he is certainly

100%, and we are great

cobbers.

We are hearing all sorts of

good news (where from, who

knows) so we are all hoping

it is true.

27. 4. 42 71st day POW Monday

Reveille 8.00am

Foot, still inflammed, so no walk

to the showers this morning.

Raining cats and dogs. Breakfast

0930. Rice, milk, tea and biscuit

Again to R.aP 1000 hrs with my foot

am to do another day on my back

and continue bathing with hot

water. Oh mine own each and every

minute you are on my mind, all

my thoughts are of you and I am

always wondering where you are,

how you are and just what you

are doing. The day we are released,

relieved of fighting again will be

a godsend from this place

Dinner 1330 rice, stew, tea and

biscuit (very small quantity of rice

so the tummy is doing a suffer.

Spent the afternoon re writing some

Italian notes, sleeping and reading

(trying to read, I cannot concentrate).

A perfect day, cool and sunny

and the Straits of Johore are blue

Tea 1830 rice, tea, milk and

a big pasty (mostly rice). The chap

looking after the sick brings my

meals, Cec does the washing up

Nothing else to relate my prayers

for you as usual mine own

then shut eye.

28. 4. 42 Tuesday 72nd day POW

Reveille 8.00am.

Foot is on the mend. Showered

and breakfasted 0930 Rice, tea, milk

scone (first one). R.A.P 1030. Still

to lay up but foot is definitely

on the mend. Spent morning

writing out my Italian notes

then dinner 1330. Rice (a morsel)

stew, tea and one biscuit. Spent

the afternoon mainly resting the

tootsie. In my mind I am

formulating an ode to you Peg.

Am going to assist a Capt. Packham

in preparing an Accountancy

Farm Costing Scheme for Returned

Soldiers. A particularly hot afternoon

Tea consisted of rice, pasty (meat)

(find the meat if you can), tea, and

milk. After tea Cec and I went for

a slow stroll. Announced

after tea, that tomorrow being

the Emperor of Japan's birthday,

we are to have a holiday, but

it will be the same as every other

day. There is a strong rumour

that negotiations are in progress

for peace, oh Peg how I wish it were

true. Nothing else to relate. Mine

prayers as usual for you mine

own then shut eye

General Intermediate Notes

Odd days I am going to jot down

a few heartfelt feelings and longing

outside my diaried days

Mine own I ask God each and

every night in my prayers for you,

to grant me the opportunity of

taking you on a holiday just

as soon as it can be arranged

on my return to Australia

I want to have you all to myself

each minute, each hour, each day

each week for three or four months

without ever having to be away

from you for a day. I have it

all planned out, I assume that

when we do return to Australia

it might be months before we are

discharged (if we are on rice much

longer it might be months before

we can eat decent meals again)

and in view of that we both

might have to be patient and

when the holiday (our long past

grand honeymoon) eventuates,

you and I are going to lose

ourselves to the rest of the world

for a few months. Oh mine own

we will love and worship

each other as want to all the

time just you and I.

29. 4. 42 Wednesday 73rd day POW

Reveille 8.00 am.

A particularly windy and cold night

last night. Shaved and showered

this morning, my foot is practically

OK again. Breakfast 930 rice,

milk, tea and one biscuit.

Holiday today so no fatigues

Reported to dr re my foot,

now OK.

Dinner 1330 rice, stew, tea

and one tin of pineapple

between two men (must have

been on account of the Emperor's

holiday).

Spent the afternoon lazing

around, Cec got a coconut

given to him, so had a

drink of coconut milk and

a fair sized piece of coconut

whacko.

Tea consisted of rice, milk, tea

and two biscuits (again due to the

Emperor I guess). After tea Cec, Jack

and I sold Cigarettes in Paddy's

Market (too funny to relate), made

$4.15 cash and 37 cigarettes.

Nothing else to relate my prayers

as usual for you mine own

then shut eye.

30. 4. 42 Thursday 74th day POW

Reveille 8 00am.

Fit and well this morning, showered

and tidied up. I am to spend the

morning with a Capt. Packham

perusing a Farming Scheme for

Returned Soldiers (The Accounting

side of it, I mentioned it previously).

Breakfast 930. Rice, milk, tea and

biscuit, also small amount of

peanut meal (fowl food)

Spent the morning with Capt

Packham. Dinner 1330 Rice,

gravy and tea.

Attended Italian lecture, am

afraid my mind is all of you

and our future doings mine

own, so I guess that accounts

for my lack of concentration.

Oh Peg when I get back, I am

getting a job that will enable

us to spend a tremendous

amount of my time with you,

I have one or two in mind

Tea consisted of rice, milk,

tea and two fish cakes (find

the fish). Concert after tea, a good

show, after that Cec, Jack and I went

for a stroll, a full moon and palm trees

what was I thinking? Nothing else to

relate my prayers as usual for

you mine own then shut eye.

1. 5. 42 Friday 75th day POW

1st of May. Reveille 8.00am

Shaved and showered, a very warm morning,

speaks well for a very hot day.

Breakfast 0930 hrs. Rice, tea, milk, and one

biscuit

Finished my book" San Michele" and am

now reading "The Jade of Destiny" Jeffery

Farnol.

RAP to have tinea treated, then spent

the rest of the morning trying to

make a pair of clogs (wooden slippers)

Dinner 1300 Rice, milk (very much

water, 1 tin of condensed milk to 80 men),

tea, one biscuit and one tin of

pineapple between two men.

Cec and I got twelve cubes each,

cubes as big as a shilling. GOC

in addressing troops interred that

we should be proud of being members

of 8th Div.?

With Captain Packham in afternoon

on Farming project.

Yass meeting tonight. Stan, Tony, Winkel

Harry, Bill, Eric, Reg and self. Stan

as usual turned up trumps with

supper. Cec gave me his issue of packet

cigarettes today, so am a millionaire

in cigs I now have. Tea consisted of rice

stew (a good one) tea & biscuit. Nothing else

to relate. My prayers for you as

usual mine own then shut eye.

2. 5. 42 Saturday 76th day POW

Reveille 8 00am

Showered and then breakfast at

0930. Am feeling fit and well

but must be very light in weight

about 8 stone. The disease berri-berri

seems to be increasing, our

authorities are trying to combat it

with a yeast preparation, one

spoon per day (yeast is supposed

to have the necessary vitamin B1 in it

Breakfast consisted of rice, milk,

ground wheat (flour), tea and one biscuit

plus desertspoonful of yeast (stale

champagne). RAP to have tinea painted

with iodine, made myself a pair

of clogs. Tony gave me a pair of

L H boots whacko.

Dinner consisted of rice, tea, stew,

two pieces of bread and we voted it

a good meal. Latest furphy is that

we are going to a neutral island.

Attended education centre for my

Italian class, guess I am too homesick

mine own. I want you ever so much

God alone knows Peg, the sacrifice you

are making will be repaid a

thousandfold. Tea consisted of rice,

milk, tea and one biscuit. After

tea I guess I am feeling a wee bit

miserable. All my thoughts are of

you mine own. Nothing else to relate

my prayers for you as usual mine

own then shut eye.

3. 5. 42 Sunday 77th day POW

Reveille 8.00 am

Shaved and showered.

Breakfast 0930 rice, peanut meal,

milk, tea and biscuit.

RAP with tinea for treatment.

Spent morning washing 1 shirt,

2 shorts, spare sox & towels,

handkerchief and our tea towel.

Saw Capt. Packham again.

Exceptionally hot day. Latest

rumour is that the A. I. F. is

going to a neutral island, I

wonder if there is any truth

in it. Dinner 1330 Rice, stew,

tea, two pieces of bread. Spent the

afternoon reading, then walked

around to watch the cricket match.

Saw Bill Nicholas and Stan W'by

Cec procured some straw and

between us manufactured a pillow

for myself. Tea 1830 rice, milk

tea and a rice pasty (excellent, gee

it is a break noodle to get even

a small amount of pastry). There

was a play tonight, two short plays,

quite good. After the plays Cec, Jack

and self went for a stroll. Nothing

else to relate. My prayers for you as

usual mineown. Then shut eye.

4. 5. 42 Monday 78th day POW

Reveille 8.00 am the start of another

week, oh mine own your birthday

week see 6. 5. 42 and I wonder

just how many more weeks we are

to go through. Showered and then

breakfast at 0930. Rice (watery), milk

tea, biscuit and pea meal,

RAP with tinea treatment. Then

to Capt Packham re Rural Costing

Scheme. Saw Bill Nicholas, no luck

with foodstuff. Waltzed into a blue

with our OC (Ava), still never was

popular. Dinner held during

approaching storm 1330 rice, stew,

tea, two pieces of bread.

Attended Italian class in afternoon.

Tea consisted of rice, milk, tea and

one biscuit. After tea went over

to 2nd Div HQ saw Capt Packham,

he is going into S'pore on a

working party and I am

to finish The Rural Costing

scheme. Cec and I went down

to see Stan W'by and found Vince

and Tony there, Stan gave us a

cup of tea and two respectable biscuits
(whacko). Nothing else to relate

My prayers for you as usual

mine own, then shut eye.

5. 5. 42 Tuesday 79th day POW

Reveille 8.00 am

Shaved and showered and

breakfast at 9.00am (half an hour

earlier from now on, dinner remains

at 1330 but tea becomes 1800). Rice

meal, milk, tea and one biscuit.

Spent the morning with Capt

Packham on Rural Costing

Scheme after visiting RAP for

tinea treatment.

Dinner 1330 Rice, stew (a watery

soup) tea and two pieces of bread

(saved till afternoon tea, then popped

some jam on it Apricot). Cec and

I still manage to get an odd tin

of jam or condensed milk occasionally

even though they cost from 4/6 to

9/- per tin, but it is a godsend

Peg.

Spent the afternoon getting wood

(cut and sawn rubber trees) and

like convicts of old dragging it

to our barbed wire. (3 lots about

12' wide) (under a Jap flag outside

the wire). Showered and then

tea 1800 hrs. extremely hot afternoon.

Tea consisted of rice, milk, tea and a

meat pasty. A stroll after tea. Nothing

else to relate, the hottest night I have

ever experienced. My prayers for you

as usual mine own. Then shut eye

6. 5. 42 Wednesday 80th day POW

Your birthday mine own. Oh Peg I can

only wish you in my own mind

the happiest of birthdays, but how

can it be a happy one, when we

are separated. All my thoughts are

of you noodle. I do hope Bill

Fellingham remembers a favour

I asked him to do, just before

the surrender, I wrote him and

asked would he arrange for you

to receive a box of Californian

Chocolates and a few orchids on

your birthday 6. 5. 42 also the

same thing on our wedding

anniversary 7. 6. 42, to arrange

it so that you would get them
at Koorawatha and I would

cable him the money, it was

to be my surprise for you,

but I guess it will fall through.

Still mine own you would

know just how I am thinking

of you wouldn't you, you are

my all Peg and if I miss out

on these two days in 1942, you

can rest assured I will wake

up for them a thousandfold

in 1943, Happy Birthday

noodle, I wonder where you are

6. 5. 42 Wednesday continued

how you are and what you

are doing, as to those wonderings of

mine, they are always constant.

Oh noodle I would give anything

to be with you today especially,

naturally I am always wanting

to be with you each and

every day, but today I would like

to treat you specially, a show, a

nice dinner and to finish it off

in our own way.

"In Australia or wherever I am

with you after this war, my beloved

wife, that marvellous 'wherever' where

the lost is found and our noblest

dreams, not forgotten, do meet us

in blessed reality and we

thereby grow young again, glorious

and happy at last" :- an

appropriate extract from a book

and it is my thought for you

mine own.

Our prison camp has hundreds of

frangipani trees and they are in

bloom, I can just see you in your

glory with them, they smell very

strongly. Well mine own your

birthday is over, but in 1943, your

birthday will be celebrated as it

should have been in 1942.

6. 5. 42 Wednesday continued

Reveille 08.00 am, a beautiful clear day

for your birthday mine own, although

it is going to be very hot. Oh Peg I wonder

where you are and what you are doing

I have picked a frangipani bloom and

am pressing it here.

Showered and then breakfast at 0900.

Breakfast consisted of rice, milk, tea

and biscuit. Spent the morning

with Capt Packham on Costing

Scheme then dinner at 1330 rice,

gravy, two pieces of bread and tea.

Even then though it is on your birthday

the rice tasted better, oh mine own

all my innermost thoughts are

yours.

This afternoon went over to watch

Cec at practice in A.I.F team to

be chosen to play against the British

An extremely hot afternoon and

I perspired like a water tap,

Do not forget to ask me about the

effects of rice on the body, especially

throughout the nights. Tea consisted of

rice, milk, pineapple (6 cubes), tea

& two biscuits. After tea Cec and I

went down to see Stan and Tony,

had a cup of tea and a biscuit.

My prayers for you as usual, very

last thoughts were of your

birthday, then shut eye

7. 5. 42 Thursday 81st day POW

Reveille 8.00 am.

Showered and shaved then breakfast

at 0900 hrs. Rice meal (like water) biscuit,

tea, milk and peanut meal.

Garden fatigue mine own. at 1015 after a long spell

caused through a septic foot and me

assisting Captain Packham. an

explosion this morning like a bomb,

goodness knows what it was. The

furphy still persists that there is a

move afoot, where to, goodness only

knows. Dinner after a shower consisted

of rice, stew, tea and two pieces of bread

Attended Italian class in the afternoon.

Persistent rumour we are shifting from

Changi Prison Camp, we'll see.

Tea consisted of rice meal (same as the

morning meal), stewed pineapple

(small quantity but good) tea and one

small cake fried in fat. Announced

tonight that 8000 A.I.F. are going to

an unknown destination, we

are all wondering who is going.

Yes a move is on, but at this stage

we know not where. There was a

concert tonight but I went around

to see Capt Packham, gave me two

(2) cigars. gave one to Jack. My

prayers for you as usual mine

own, then shut eye.

8. 5. 42 Friday 82nd day POW

Reveille 8.00 am

Sleep came slowly last night, tossed and

turned till about 900, thinking, planning

all of you noodle, but that is not to be

wondered at, I am always doing that

even in the day time

Showered and then breakfast at 0900.

Breakfast consisted of rice, tea, pea-nut

meal, and biscuit, milk ration cut out,

so from now on, plain rice meal for

breakfast.

Spent morning with Capt Packham

finalising Rural Costing Scheme.

Dinner 1330 consisted of rice, stew,

two pieces of bread and tea. We have

just been informed that some tooth

paste (25 tubes) shaving soap (16) have arrived

for us, can you imagine, all between

132 men, still no grumbling noodle.

On a fatigue during the afternoon

pushing the trailer to collect long

pants Received 1/5th tube of toothpaste,

1/3 tin of boot polish, whacko. Showered and then

Tea consisted of rice meal, soup,

tea, biscuit and one rissole.

Usual Friday night meeting of Yass chaps

only smaller in number this time, only

Vince, Reg, Bill, Stan, Tony and self. My

prayer for you as usual mine own

Then shut eye.

9. 5. 42 Saturday 83rd day POW

Reveille 0800.

Showered and shaved and the breakfast

0900 Rice meal, milk (know not from where) one

biscuit and tea and desertspoonful of yeast.

Oh Peg my nights are getting longer and

longer each and every night, I wonder

just how longer I can go on being

separated from you, you I know are

keeping a stiff upper lip at your end

and I am at this end, and we are

both praying for our re-union.

Spent the morning in the garden

Cec and I doing our share of

bludging.

Dinner consisted of rice, stew,

tea and one piece of bread.

At Italian lecture in afternoon,

had a long yarn to Brian

Badgery. Then back to our building,

Jack Goldstein, Jack Wheeler, Cec

and myself are trying to cash a

cheque £16 for foodstuffs, wish us

luck noodle, I will have a lot

to say tomorrow mine own.

Tea consisted of rice meal, stewed

pineapple, tea and two cakes cooked

in fat, the army has gone nuts.

After tea Cec, Jack W. Jack G. and self went

for a stroll. Nothing else to relate mine

own. My prayers for as usual

Peg, then shut eye

10. 5. 42 Sunday 84th day POW

Mothers' Day. Oh mine own, how I

look forward to the day when I, as a

proud father can look on you as

a wife and the mother of our (yours

and mine) child or children, I know

it is your wish as it is also mine Peg,

and rest assured noodle that the

day will come, for in my prayers

each and every night I ask God

with all my heart and soul "that

we may live happily together just the

two of us and our kiddies if we

are so blessed."

Reveille 0800. Showered and went for

a walk with Jack G. another hot day. I

could not sleep last night Peg, I guess

that my incessant longing for you, thinking

of you, and wanting you has given

me tropical insomnia, I cannot go

go to sleep for ages, added to that the

nights are very oppressive, the

perspiration just runs off you,

even though one has nought on.

Cec's big day today, he has been

chosen to play for the A.I.F against

the British

I am going to press another frangipani

leaf in here for Mother's Day, the

trees are as usual in full bloom

10. 5. 42 Sunday continued

and I guess as a "white flower" for

purity, nothing could serve the purpose

better.

Often in reading and thinking, I pop

in a verse, written so very sincerely

noodle, somehow since leaving

you, I think of all the lovely things

that can be construed from verse.

I have become a follower of poetry

and odes.

Yes I will often write a verse to

you when we are together again

(oh it cannot be long Peg, "chin up")

Breakfast _∨0930 consisted of rice meal,

Pea-nut meal, milk, tea, and one

biscuit.

RAP for eye treatment and tinea,

(must be incurable) then picking

green leaves from garden for cooking.

Did my weekly washing, shorts, towel

sox, shirt etc, showered and then

dinner at 1330. Rice, stew, two pieces of bread,

and tea, Cec being at cricket, I dined alone.

Went to cricket after dinner and saw

Cec in action, also saw five (5) soldiers

funerals in two hours, told the were

mostly dysentary cases. Remind me to

let you know about English camp

conditions. The afternoon was an

FORWARD TO 56

MINE OWN TO PEG 10 5 42

THOU WER'T MINE OWN, SINCE TIME BEGAN.

THOU MY BELOVED WOMAN, I THY MAN.

FULL OFTEN, WE'VE LIVED AND LOVED AND DIED

SINCE LOVE AND LIFE ALWAY ABIDE

OFT BACK THROUGH DEATH, TO LIFE CAME WE

BY LOVE TO RE-UNITED BE.

SINCE DOOMED TO LIVE AND LOVE ARE WE

THROUGH DEATH TO ALL ETERNITY

FOR THOU WER'T MINE OWN ERE LIFE BEGAN

THOU MY OWN BELOVED WOMAN, I THY MAN.

EX "JADE OF DESTINY" JEFFERY FARNOL.

GOD ALONE KNOWS HOW I MISS YOU

HOW I WANT YOU NIGHT AND DAY

ALL MY THOUGHTS ARE OF DEAREST

EVEN THO' I'M MILES AWAY.

EX "ALEX"

THE LARK AT MORN ON DEWY WINGS

SHALL WAKE THEE WITH ALL LOVELY THINGS

THEN SHALL ON SOARING PINIONS RISE

TO PRAISE THEE TO THE VERY SKIES

AND POISED THUS HIGH THE WORLD ABOVE

TELL FORTH THE PASSION OF MY LOVE

TILL OTHER BIRDS, BOTH FAR AND NEAR

HIS SWEET MELODIOUS TALE SHALL HEAR

THEN BLITHELY ALL, SHALL SPEED AWAY

TO SING MY LOVE THE LIVE-LONG DAY.

EX "JADE OF DESTINY"

Last edited by:

Loretta Corbett

Last edited on:

27 June 2025, 6:53 pm

Last updated: 27 June 2025