Letters of Ronald Maurice Pullin, 1943-1945 - Part 2

28^th Sept 1945.

Dear Mother, Gwendoline, Martin & Bob,
Last
night I received mum's telegram I
am still in Singapore but
expect to leave in a few days,
today 500 are leaving here for
Australia but I will not be with
them. I may be put on a plane
instead of travelling by ship.
I have been here for 5 days and
in that time I have managed to
obtain information regarding
the other members of Fords staff
that were taken prisoner or interned.    
I am the last one left. I have been
to the factory to find out the
condition of the plant Reports have
been sent to the sister plant at
Bombay. I hope to receive a cable
from them in the next couple of
days I have contacted a number
of the asiatic ^ staff and they have a sad
story to tell. I drew money out of
the bank to help them along until
they can find work of some
description. The Eurasians had the
hardest time of all. Malays were
the favoured people but even many
of them were called to report and
have never returned.
an added hardship to the population
was the cancelling of all Japanese monies.
One pound of meat costs $800. a 1lb
rice $30, 1 cigarette $4 these prices
were average of Japanese time. A coolie
got $20/- a day but could not feed
himself properly.
I ve visited the cive internment camp
and after seeing it and hearing stories
about fights & squabbles amongst the
internees I am glad I was not there, they
had too much time on their hands.
I am having a marvellous time in
the camp, all I have to do is tidy
my bed and sweep my floor space
We have wireless, piano, gramaphone,
electric fans, camp beds, showers,
the sea for bathing, WCs, billiards
table, dartboards, free beer
Beer (one bottle per day) easy
chairs, plenty of clothes, razors, tooth
brushes, toothpaste, talcum powder,
an excellent cookhouse and many
other things which make life pleasant
such as 5 red cross girls who
fuss about wanting to tidy up
and getting in the way generally, they
give us cigarettes & chocolate nearly
every day, tell us about conditions
in Australia, and give us papers

containing old news.

    Enough about my doings.  How 
is everybody at home, in my last
letter I mentioned the snaps I received.
Porky is a size.
    I would like to hear from Martin.
I expect he is too busy in his new
home to have time to write.
    I hope Uncle Harry health has
improved.  I intend to write to
Newcastle in the near future.
The only of address I can think of
is the Bedding King, Hunter street.
I think that should find them.
     If you want to test your memory 

sit down and think of the names

of all the cousins, think are a lot.

      Mother does not want to be

worried about my clothing, I have

plenty. 7 pairs of socks, 4 towels,

2 blankets, 2 longs, 1 shirt, 1 coat,

jacket, 4 singlets, 2 under pants and

much more clothing to come.

     Give my regards to the

neihbours, & tell them I will be

home within 6 weeks at the most.

        Lots of love to all.

           Your loving Son & Brother

                   Ron Pulin.

                                 14 Oct 41

Dear Mother, Porky, Marte & Bob,

                                          I have

received Mum's cable and a letter

from both Gwen & Bob. I just got

a fill of ink for the pen. Ink at the

moment is scarce. At the moment I

am on the high seas and expect

to be in Fremantle tomorrow. It 

will take me another 10 days of ro

to arrive home. Unfortunately I could

not obtain a plain passage.

       While in Singapore I visited 

the Food works made a few reports

on the condition of the place, cabled

to Michels & Bartlett (in India) received

a reply from them. I contacted a

large number of the Chinese, Malay

& Indian & eurasians. They have had

a tough time and are short of

British currency. My Celonese

clerk has married a girl of fourteen

When I said he was chicken stealing

he told me that he was going to

marry a girls of eleven but could not

come to a settlement with the father

over a small matter of dorie dory.

      Singapore is in a bit of a mess

at present, the black market is terrific 

but the price of rice is improving

daily. A slice of bread costs 1/2 one 

shilling & twopence. I took some bread

cream, chocolate and a few other things

to one of the typist's homes.

       I have instructed the bank to

forward my mail to your address. I am

expecting a cable from Michel.

        Mr. Campbell is at present looking 

after the intrests of the staff but he

is not in a position to do much.

     A chap called Arnold Gibbs may be

calling on you, I went to school with

him, met him at Singapore before the 

blue and again at the reception camp

in Singapore. He left by plane.

      This sea trip is monotonous, I am

travelling 2^nd class on a trooper. The

food is good, sleeping accommodation

clean but crowded. Everybody is

impatrent impatient to reach their

home port. The few The weather is

cooling down, it is a change not to

be sweating all day.

       I am sorry to hear about cousin

Ray, unfortunately I wrote to his Mother

speaking about him before I received

the news. Is he the only war causuality

amongst the relatives?

        I trust things are all well at 

home, I still have not received

any news about Martin. I will be

looking forward to meeting his wife.

Gwen speaks of a little matter of a 

garden to be dug, well I have shifted

all of Siam from one place to

another, so I guess the garden 

will only take a couple of days.

    I have formed no plans for the

future, I intend to have a holiday for

a couple of months & then look around

for something to do, I may return

to the east.

     I do not want any fuss and

bother when I arrive, I will get

home as soon as I can.

     I did receive a letter from "Madeep

Molly" while in Siam. I still have

it in my kit. The other day I 

lost or had stolen my Conklin pencil.

      The sea has been very calm up

to the present and very few passengers 

have been sea sick. We expect 

a rough passage across the Bight.

      There is a library and a cinama

show on board, last night we had

a concert which went off with a 

swing. There are about 20 ladies

about how who were interned by

the Japanese, some of them are still

in a bad way but all the 

younger ones are looking fit.

      I do not expect I will write

again this trip.

       Hope Mother is keeping cheerful
 and keeping the cheery brandy

for me.

          Your Loving Son & Brother.

                  Ron Pullin.

E.X. P.O.W. MAIL

 

AIR LETTER

                  Mrs. Pullin,

                        9 Wellington Road,

                         Hurstville,

                           Sydney.

 

Written in English

No. 13264

Rank   Sgt.

Name Pullin R.M.

TELEGRAM

 

M29 PERTH 19 9 P

 

MRS PULLIN
9 WELLINGTON RD HURSTVILLE SYDNEY

 

ARRIVED FREMANTLY TODAY CIVILIAN HOME 28TH OCTOBER LOVE AND

KISSES RON PULLIN

Hotel 29

c/- HYDRO MAJESTIC

29 MEDLOW BATH.

                                       6 Dec 1945

                                            4 Ward

                                            Sick Bay

                                               Warick Farm

Dear Mum,

                   I got a lad to ring

up the other day & let you

know where I am.

     Things are progressing slowly

I have forgotten more about my

complaint than the Doctors

know but give them time.

      Saturday afternoon & Sunday

afternoon are visiting days,

hours 1P.M. till 6 P.M.

           If any body comes over

will they please bring my special

tobbaco tobacco in the rusty

tin. Also bring my spare pyjamas

Please I do not need any other articles.

    I won't go into detail

about this place, it is clean,

food reasonable but medical

service slow.

      How is Mum getting on with

the gas shortage. Lets hope

Monday was wash day. If the

strike last I will come into

my own wih with back yard 

camp cooking.

    I have an idea this will 

not be delivered until

Monday so it will be in time

for the next week-end.

        Love to all,

Loving Son & Brother,

        Ron Pullin.

AIR LETTER

A Pack of cards

 

Mrs Pullin

9 Wellington Road,

Hurstville.

 

Signature   G Pullin