Diary of Alexander Roland Campbell Johnstone, 1942-1943 - Part 7

130
NOTES
5.7.42    SUNDAY    140th DAY P.O.W
Reveille 0800
Showered and before breakfast put my
washing on to boil. Breakfast 0930
consisted of rice meal (semi burnt)(and
in small quantities), pea meal, one (1) biscuit
and tea, I grated some coconut, so that
added to our meagre meal improved things
after breakfast I rinsed my washing out
and hung it together with my bed
clothes on the prison barbed wire to dry.
Oh mine own, I will be a great husband
around our house, being able to wash,
sweep and cook and mend clothes,
gee noodle these days of separation
cannot last much longer, I do hope
and pray that by now you have at
least received news from the Army
that I am a p.ow and that my
letter card has arrived, oh how I
hope it has, it will ease your
mind a lot.
Auditing again this morning with a A G de L
untl 1300. Rained during the morning
and I had to tear out and grab the
bed clothes
Dinner at 1330 consisted of rice (small
issue again), greens, gravy (what out of nobody
knows), biscuit and tea, it is hard to
visualise a good sunday dinner
 

131
NOTES
5.7.42    SUNDAY    140th DAY P.O.W
without getting a pain in the Tummy.
Strict full dress parades are to be held shortly,
we believe and such things as units saluting
themselves in "mirrors" and "hats on stick"
for practice, leads one to believe that some
of us over here must be "going tropical."
up to date our unt has not participated
but understand it is to take place in
the ensuing week.
Played solo in the afternoon until 1800.
Afternoon tea at 1600 and yeast parade
at 1700. Tea at 1800 consisted of rice
meal, pineapple juice, grated coco-nut, tea,
two (2) garlic cakes, and tea, we all agreed
that it was a stout effort.
Played solo again after tea and at
2030 Cec and self went for our usual
stroll. Nothing else to relate mine
own. My prayers for you as usual
then shut eye. 

OUR 3rd PAY DAY AS. P.O.W.
132
NOTES
6.7.42    MONDAY    141st Day P.O.W     
Revielli 0800
Shaved and showered and then breakfast
at 0900 consisting of rice meal, pea-meal
tea and one (1) biscuit and our grated
coconut.
Auditing again with AG de L this morning,
checking Canteen a/cs as at 30.6.42
Another force of A.I.F are to go overseas
tomorrow (B Force), where to nobody knows,
the other force (A Force) is rumoured to be
in Burma.
Dinner 1300 (early on a/c of second
innoculation for cholera men) consisted
of rice, greens, gravy, one (1) biscuit
and tea, our pepper assisted things.
Three of audit staff have been detailed
to stand by for B Force, Bob Sadir, Clarrie
O'Neill and Wally Cripps, my OC informed
me that I cannot go, even if I want to, so
thats that. Cec was given the opportunity
but says we will stick together.
Auditing again this afternoon with
AG de L after he came back from having
his cholera injection. After dinner I
popped down to see Stan W and
to say goodbye to Brian B who is
standing by on B Force.
Pay parade at 1530 and I received
my $1.50 for another 10 days as a

NOTES   133
6.7.42    MONDAY (CONTINUED)  141st DAY P.O.W
Japanese Prisoner of War, I feel like a
bloated millionaire, Cec and I have put
an order in to the canteen today and
my pay will disappear in its entirety
if the canteen supplies the goods as ordered.
Played solo from - 1645 until 1800. Tea
parade at 1600 and yeast parade at 1700
Our canteen order arrived at 1700 and
we purchased the following, 1 lb of coconut
oil (about 2/3rd of a beer bottle) (for hair and
food use), 1 bottle soya sauce, 1 bottle chilli
sauce, ¼ lb pkt cocoa, 1 lb raisins and
2/3 rd lb of garlic for flavouring (even though
it has a strong smell it assists when
chopped up in giving the rice a flavour).
so we are will set up for a while.
Tea 1800 consisted of rice meal, hot
grated coconut in its own milk, two (2)
biscuits and 1 rice pattie and tea, we
added a few raisins and our own
grated coconut.
After tea we called in on Stan and
went over to the concert at R.A.A .A
darned good show too. Walked back to
our building. Nothing else to relate
mine own. All my prayers for you
as usual then shut eye; 

134 NOTES
7.7.42    TUESDAY  142nd DAY P.O.W
Revielli 0800
Showered and grated some coco nut
for breakfast (I forgot to mention 6.7.42
that we purchased another nine (9)
cocounts, so we have now twenty one
(21) in all, so if there is a food blockade
we certainly will not starve
Breakfast at 0900 consisted of rice meal, pea
meal, tea, powdered milk made up and
our grated coconut.
Had a Benghazi Derby with a huge
spider after breakfast, it was behind my
box, it must have measured six(6)
inches across, managed to play it with
a cricket bat.
Auditing at canteen again this morning
and then back to our building and I there
and then attempted to construct an Audit
Report (oh yes you will laugh).
Dinner at 1330 consisted of (nosey)  rice
greens, stew, one (1) biscuit and tea
Cec and I bought 2/3rd of a 2(two) lb
tin of dripping this morning, tin costs
$1.05, so I am indebted to Cec for 35 cents
Got same garlic for lunch to tone down
the nosey rice; and this together with, pepper,
and chile sauce nearly made the
meal palatable.
Auditing until 1500 and then
 

NOTES 135
7.7.42    TUESDAY (CONTINUED)  142nd DAY P.O.W
played solo until 1800. Afternoon tea 1600
and yeast parade 1700. Tea 1800 consisted
of rice meal, tea, one (1) biscuit, and
a turned pastry pie. our condiments
in tins and bottles consisted of
soya sauce, raisins, dripping, grated
coconut and pepper and we thoroughly
enjoyed our tea
all our building is abuzz on account
of the move tomorrow morning, I am
NCO in charge of baggage party and
reveille for us is 0600 can you imagine
it.
Went over and said goodbye Brian
and then back to see Stan, Cec and I
took our cocoa, dripping and one (1)
coconut down and whacko for a
farewell supper it consisted of rich hot
cocoa with condensed milk and sugar,
biscuits and some of Stan's meat pie
toasted bread loaf, dripping and pepper.
Gee Peg we felt like lords, one certainly
will appreciate little extras after this.
came back to our building at 2230
feeling very full. Saw the most beautiful
sunset tonight between two (2) palms
nothing else to relate mine own
All my prayers for you as usual
then shut eye. 

136 NOTES
8.7.42    WEDNESDAY 143rd DAY P.O.W
Reveilli 0600 for baggage party. We moved
off from our building at 0625 with eighteen
(18) kits on our trailer, picked up ten (10)
more at Divvy and then rushed and
pulled the lot up the "Big Hill" to Barrack
Square, ten of us on the party
unloaded our lot and brought the
empty trailer back to our building.
at 0740, had a cup of tea and a shower
and then breakfast at 0845 consisting
of rice meal, dripping, and a biscuit; pea
meal, grated coconut, pepper and
cocoa also some dried milk.
After breakfast Cec and I tore down
to see Stan picked up a hammer
nails, stool, a book and a few
odds and ends.
Our party of eighteen (18) men moved
off at 0930, shook hands all round
and in one way we all feel lousy
at seeing them go, we know not
where they are going and it is a
break annoying us. Well mine own
I hope and pray it is a move for
the better and nearer and closer
to our dear ones, gee mine own
it surely cannot be long before
we are re-united and then our
lifelong happiness begins.
 

NOTES  137
8.7.42    WEDNESDAY 143rd DAY P.O.W
auditing again this morning with AC de L
until dinner at 1330 consisting of rice, greens,
gravy, one (1)biscuit and tea. We added soya
sauce, garlic and pepper.
Auditing again this afternoon with AC de L
until 1600 afternoon tea, yeast parade at
1700 watched Cec in a solo four and
grated some coconut.
Tea at 1800 counsted of rice meal grated
coconut and its milk heated up, sultanas
pepper, dripping and two (2) biscuits and
one a garlic cake and tea.
Played solo after tea until 2030 and
then went for a stroll. Received our
issue of paper (our sheet of newspaper).
Cec and I had a shower about 2130
and then to bed. Changi gaol looked
like New York last night
Nothing else to relate mine own. all
my prayers for you as usual, then
shut eye. 

138 NOTES
9.7.42    THURSDAY 144th DAY P.O.W
Reveille 080
showered and shaved and there breakfast
at 0900 consisting of rice meal, pea meal one (1)
biscuit and tea our own dripping, pepper and coconut.
Cec did the coconut grating this morning.
There are only a few hundred outside
hospital patients and staff left in the
camp now, so it is definitely a deserted
village. Yesterday a flight of forty eight
Japanese bombers went over, they
were escorted by fifteen fighters and
also four huge flying boats, so there
must be some activity reasonably
close at hand.
Auditing with AG de L again this
morning, a trip was on today to the
mainland collecting pineapples with
the Japs, I would like to have gone, but
perhaps next time I may be lucky.
Dinner 1330 consisted of rice, greens, gravy
one (1) biscuit, and tea, we added pepper
soya sauce and dripping.
Auditing again in the afternoon with
AGde L until 1700. Played solo till
1800 and then tea consisting of
rice meal, tea, two (2) biscuits and a
coconut slice, we added grated
coconut, pepper and dripping.
Played solo after tea until 1900
 

NOTES  139
9.7.42    THURSDAY   144th DAY P.O.W
Cec and I did some cooking, biscuits
consisting of ground burnt rice, and its
flour and grated coconut, cooked
in coco nut oil, borrowed a frying
pan and did the job. We found
the rice in a tin in Stan's old garage.
Made about ten (10) cakes.
There was a concert on our stage
but we had already seen it on
Monday, so after our cooking, went
down and had a slower about 2030
Returned in time to replace tables and
forms and then went for a stroll.
Discovered four (4) more beds, so
promptly brought them back to
our building, whacko, all we need
now is a mattress.
Well mine own there is nothing else
to relate, all my prayers for you
as usual then shut eye.
 

140
NOTES
10.7.42    FRIDAY    145th DAY P.O.W
Reveille 0800.
Carted our beds upstairs and made it
look like home. Showered and then
breakfast at 0910 consisting of rice
meal, pea-meal, one (1) biscuit and tea
We added grated coconut, pepper and dripping.
Only worked for a few minues and then
the rest of the morning to myself. Went
for a stroll by myself and then shaved
and read til dinner at 1330 consisting
of rice, greens, gravy, tea and one (1) biscuit.
added in soya sauce, pepper and garlic.
Afternoon off again, the life must be good
ustet it, o w ow it is only iueten
days to 9o (39th July) since I last saw you,
lift you and said gudleye, to we, it
has been a lyes gran and to you
I Buone anly too well what it has
mcant goe Iug; I am so very confident
that we will be re uited by amas
1942 and then we will start all
ouer again as I say in my inglty
prayers you and I and our iddee
if we are so blessed.
Catedrome coco-weet and nixed
cocoa with it fortea. Played do
fom 1600 until 1800, aftemioon tea
at 1600 yeas parade at 1700 bec and
two others were collectng wood
 

141
NOTES
FRIE
(COx THTHPRYPON
18742
this afternoon.
Tea at 1800 consisted of rice wcal (watery),
tea, one a bescut and pie in te, we
added grated coeount in coioa, pippor,
reya sance and dripping and had
quite a good tea
Played solo after tea until 3030 and
ken by ueeans of a broken down
hurricane lamp and a rueto cream
lamp tried to play uectil 9100, but it
was a jailure, the light falls very
quickly at ueght ouer here, one imete
it is light and literally the next is
dank.
went for our ingeky woll, ts place
is practically diserted came back to
our building and then to bed
nothing else to relate mine own. All
vey prayers for you as usual, Hen
shest eye
 

142
NOTES
MIRR
47:3
46t PAYEOH
Baucilli 0800
Shawered and then brakjast at 0900 consisting
of burnt rie weal, pea meal, tea and once)
biscuit, we added grated cocount and dripping
bec did the grating this moning our aids
were tegwas last ought and we seept
like teps
Aswork again this moring so boiled
all the sailed clothes (bec and mine a
well as my two sheets. Mrs Harris over
the wash tule was not ue it. Had a
shower and then dinner at 1330
counsting of rice, greens, gravy, ten and onr bisc.
Addin garle, roya sauce, drippring and pepper
Thismorning the usual four (41 large
fap plying boats were over and over
our camp again tewing their white
sauages and once on thuir return
tip, one of the sausages was just
about bloven to bets, they must have
been practicing up on the wamland
to the A.I.F cemetery this afteroon to
pick up three 6) butts on our trailer
for firewood our cemetary is in execllant
order, tere are about fty graves and
amrong them are three 61 8/15th chaps,
Iouly knew tuo of them
arrived back with our load at
1615 had a cup ytea and then a
 

14
SAIVEYRYEM) MCHDAY P.ON
7
ting.
Played solo until 1800. yeast parade at
1700 (yeast was not the arst)
Fea 1800 Cexcellant) consisted of
rice ccal saup, two s) pish cakes
and anephisat and ta we added
cocount, raisis, dupping and reppor
glayed solo after tea until dusk, then
douned our long paits and shorts
and went for our ingatly sholl.
It was be first tue for ages since
I have marn cong rants, really, sunce
I was last at Eeminyet
Came bark to our building and
then to Aed
clothing cese t relate mine scan
all my mayers for you as usual
ten stect eye.
 

144
NOTES
W7h DAY. PO
SONDA
72
Genelli 0800
Shanea and showered cleared my hoots,
made a hat band os there is a full church
parade this morning at 1015.
Breakfast 0930 consisted of we mcallat
pea meal, one o bscnt and tea, we
added grated coco wit ripper and
dripping
At 105. we feel in and after an inspection
by our dc atended the church parade
under the cacowet palies until 1100
During the service, placces were ever
head
yeturned to building at 1115, made
to he caun, one out of wax and
another out of sgurts cream. Bared
like blazer before diner 1330 which
consisted of rice, grens, fst sance,
tea and an C viscut, we added
repper, chile sauce and dripping
Tull again after dinner and we
played solo. wntil tea at 1800
Afternoon tea at 1600 and year
parade at 1700(more like beer every
day.
Tea 1800 consisted of ruimeal, saup, tea
and one and ane half parties Cparty, sugan
me and cocount), we added graed coco
wet, dripping raisins and pipper
 

145
NOTEE
SUNDAYLCONID) IHTH DAYPON.
2743
went for a wrounging stoll after ca, bee,
Beopesliand ney, collected a shert, two
6 pairs of shorts, a pair of long pais, a
walking stek, a Lurricane laup geart
and same cricket gear
Beturned to building, had a tereg (in the
daid, let our lamps, they junchoued
10070. and then to bed
coking use to relake iine owe. all
my prayers for you as usual, kew.
sheet sipe
 

146
NOTES
MINPRY
13742
NEANNPON
Ravulle 0800
slewered and then breakart a1 0900
cousisting of rie ucal, pea-meal, ha
and onct) cisout,
co offie work this morning. bus put some
clohes on B boil and was called
away on a spicial yortqul, so I tok
lis place on the rui gunding squad
tunsted aboutB and then went
and seroanged a ssand and a
takle for our two o boxes. Tonged
and ken dinner at Bso consisting
of burnt ghepice, grins, fish same
and talAD.w0 bisant), added pepper,
saya rnce and gavee
Didnene tw erushing ater dinner until
1500 kin ram. Played sele fom 1645 wtil
1800, afternoon tea pt 1600, yeart parade at
1700
Tea 1800 consisted of ruc meal, one and
one half pastes, pucapple juice, one
r bisaut and tea, we added aius
dripping, repper and grated cas wet
went pr a stel at 30s0 after playing solo
and got Robert Lislel a bed. Returned
to buulding a3Bo loking sere
trelate mine own, all my
prayers for you as usual kin
cut eye
 

1i
NOTES
447/&
149t DAY PO
WESL
Rennell 0800
Thowered and then breakast at 0900 counting
of me weae, nea meal, two 3o descets and
ten we added dryping, pepper and
grated coco iet
Iwas on raton fatque this morning
lex our building at1100 and returned
pave supply depo at 1345, perspire, gee
I was like a werag. Had a shower and
ten dinner at 130 consisting of ne,
gravy grens, one obiscit, and tea we
added garlic, pepper and dripyring.
Aftr dinner we went over to Odnane
to piek up a long pair ex pants
for bee and a pair of boots for
aself, before leaving the out house
at Divoycaugh aligh and did i
crackler Come back to our building
at 1600 had aternoon tea and played
solo until 100, year parade at
1700
Tea 1800 consisted of rcecueal, weat
pee, acc biscent and tea we aaded
grated cococit dryping, rarnng
and repper and soy a sance
Playel sils after tea until 3050, wen
for our usual stroee(now have to
wear long paits and shirts slewe
turned down) notking else to relate
we our
emy prayers for you
as usual, hen shut eye
 

148
NOTES
15742- AEPHESSM 150RDAYP.OM
Ravlli 0800
shaved and them showered, briak ast
at ogoo consisted of rue wead surnt, pea
mcal, tea and onc 111 besoint, we addret
grated cocouits, dripping and reppir
I am playing cricket this afternoon for
our building against Devvy.
Ticking gree this morning wntil Doo tin
back to our building, hnd a ting, rested
cuitil diner at 1550 which counted of
ricequis, psto gravy, ten and auct
cixut and tea, we added during
rays sance and repper als o garlee
Played oricket this aftern con; very
lot; we won by to ruin, I made
5.H.0. Came back to our building
about 1730 thoroughly burnt. I have
liecouse soft through being in the
office) had a shower and then
ten at 1800 consisting of me weal
pineapple jine, two fat caker, yeas!
and tea, we added grated coco
ct, dripping, repper and raiscus
all hed we thorouglly enjoyed it
Played solo afterten wiht dusk and then
for cerienial shell, had a look cit a
koulding we are supposed to be insaing
into 177.42 noting else to relate
neneaane all my prayars yor you
as usiial them osbut eye
 

149
NOTE
SBFDAY PON
174 TRSRY
Reverli 0800.
Gaming cats and dags, showered and ten
breakfast at 0900 consisting of rue meal,
hea ueal, sue biscrt and tea we added
drypng, colocnt and repper
dee wood fatue after breakfar, three
hrailer loads and prushed at 000,
given a cupr of tea and ten weeek
dawse for a shower.
Dinver Bsocounted of rece, greens,
grany sue o aiscurt and ca, we
added gartic, repper voya same and
dupping
Anditig in the afteroon with agdit
fante 1900(yeart parade), afterison
ten parade at 1600, watched a solo
your with 1800 then tea counsting
o nece ueal, pineapyile junce, tea
and two Or pineanple pastes, we
added raisins and grated to to mi
and ance again had & grand
tea. Arl his afternoon cooked some
rice neal with grated so co-unt, ant
I was not too imressed with it
Concert in our area ouight, it is
runioured that we lave for papan
you 3o.7.45wonder went for a
shall after a good coucort then to
bed notting else to relate mine own
all my prayers ffor you as usual
then shut eye