Notebook of Avon Reah Smith-Ryan, 1942-1945

Wed 20 May 42  We are still idle and its a good rest. Yesterday

I only asked the Coy to have morning roll call & daily cleaning

of house & grounds. Every body had a good loaf and they

certainly needed it. I was quite content to sit or be about

and read or talk. Laddy again is the same but I am not

yet afraid that Satan will find work for their idle hands
 maybe in a day or two a spot of restlessness will creep

in. A few of our B Coy men from the Thompson Road camp

came past and were pumped dry of news. It seems that

quite a smell surrounds the Kit Bag business and there

seems no doubt that our own men handling them did as

dirt. They tell us that wallets, watches, fountain pens and

such articles were actually auctioned. It is stated that as

the scrounge developed it was 'all in' and one comment was

that Chicago had nothing on Changi at that stage. To reflect

on the mentality of such hysteria and the amount of stuff

that I personally have lost is sickening.

There is still no explanation of the present

situation, our secret 'overseers' here certainly departed a in

a hurry too and our present guards are guards only.

The complete removal of tools, [[boats?]] [[?]] etc makes it

hard to see how more second work can be combined.

 

 

well attended. There are about 100 AIF officers at

present here & I think they all attended British

officers can go on invitation. The place is nicely

laid out & arranged of flowers. Jack Greenwood's

orchestra play for us - they are all professional and the

guest artist & 'artistes' are well known and good.

Smokey Joe's (a band was officially recognised and

managed by an officer from each of AIF, 18 Div

Southern Area & Dutch caters for the boys needs for

a command div. They too have music & artists

Smokey Joe's was originally a seal dive on the main

Changi Road - 18 Div run by a Dutchman with business

acumen. When. after H Force they all came to Selarang

he had gone but the business was set up again in

the Square. Now as a big concern they have the RAAFF

blg. & fill a real need I like their soup @ 1200 hts.

Pay was iincreased by about 33^1/3%for May. As from

1 Jan Red Cross are taking over Hospital extras & thus

we got our raise. Capts. pay increased from $15 to $20

It makes a big difference.

Friday 18 Jan 43. Bev's birthday. Many happy returns Bev.

I wonder how life in the Bank goes these days. Plenty to

harrass I should imagine. possibly Bev has a branch by

now.

Sunday 27 Jan 43. There isnt much to vary the even tenor of

our ways, but as we have now 320 troops in our group

there's enough to keep us jogging and time doesnt drag over

much. A good measure debating at the club each Saturday,

an entertaining concert at A.I.F. or Palladina Theatre's

about weekly - a game of cards or chess and most evenings are

 

what would we give for a constant supply of real guaranteed

news.

over the past few days I have spent most of my

few remaining dollars on honey and marmalade. The honey

is same Australian with [[carrot?]] in it & some Californian Sage

honey. Both jolly good and the marmalade is honest to God

Paisley and a dream. So my sappers could hardly inform

me. A fresh loaf of bread (too) toasted with butter & marmalade.

All three the best. - flour is Great Lanshoin Malls butter

with toast and the marmalade. It could only be bettered

by the company in which it is eaten. Thats not meant to

be made to [[?]] but I'll bet that might now hard

enough my company for his fiance's

Thurs 21 May 42 An amazing thing last night at tea. Some of

the lads had a poultry stew. The main ingredient was a

couple of sparrows & those that who had some rated it a huge

success. They certainly were entitled to be at least a little [[?]]

in its favour because they had shot them down with a shanghai -

no mean performance. Result today several shooting parties

are out.

The Colonel is perturbed and is now staying

out of our houses which are this house area and so

 

it is thought that Malayan Comd. furious and

as a result the party is indefinitely postponed.

Before the date fixed for H. Force, J force into

an [[?]] gas including 300 AIF (10 off [[?]])

& they left yesterday afternoon for overseas. It is

said that their destination is Japan.

I am gaining on the eye merchant and am now a

3 a classification or perhaps Comd. ordered a selection

to get more officers available for work. I mean work 

for me now pull  [[sand?]] trailers, [[cut]] &[[subtrack?]] in the

IJA a harder as well as do our own [[?]] house &

hygiene chores

Thursday 28 May 42 many happy returns of today to [[Winn?]]

I have moved again.  Last [[?]] I was ordered by

"C" [[Cap]] as no [[?]] officer was there. "C" [[Cap]] cautioning all

the remnants of 22& 29 [[B?]] and [[??]] personnel with

a [[strength]] of [[officer 200]] They are mainly unfit but

nevertheless [[provide?]] [[??]] Garden marking Parties & had

jobs as well as domestic maintenance & [[??]]

I have just come off guard on the 'Ward' Gate @ the Malay

School - a Captains Guard of 1Capt 1Cpl 4[[?]] -

rather rich.  The [[?]] stress accepted the [[ward]] position

of our old [[?]] mess on the Barrack Square but [[there is??]]

now plenty of room& [[?]]and we have the [[?]]

or [[??????]] next door. I am 

very comfortable.

Monday 7 [[?]]⁠ Life moves along very [[?]] and

there is hardly an item worthy of [[accounting]] our officers

Club has been organised as a [[Cp]] mess Blg. We have

had a couple of pleasant musical nights which were

 

doubt he has some cause for concern He [[puts?his]]

case continually on the officers. We are doing and will do

our best to keep [[?]] steady but is [[my?guess?]]

[[?]] his [[ straying]] will creep in again. It causes [[lads?]]

an [[??]] to find that the new camp and the English

camp do not seem to be suffering the same [[?]]

to the same extent as our own camp.

[[??]]abound some days with him but

naturally nothing can be substantiated and we can

only bite our fingernails and wait which is the hardest

part of all.

Thursday Friday 22 May 42 As a P.O.W camp this must be hard

to beat. Ore surroundings are really delightful and its

easy to picture the pleasant life led by the occupant of

these houses under the [[? ?]] when Singapore 

was a bright jewel in our [[crown?]]. They are [[?]]

Houses and well built. take the one Im occupying at

present for instance - well built and very warm appearance,

louvre windows which open on room, almost entirely electric fittings

complete electric fan in bathroom ^[[?]]. The Camp quarters

are detached four rooms in [[?]] containing kitchens [[?]] and

Indian [[?]] type latrines. The gardens, now a little

600 ASF 1200 British & 1200 Dutch. Lt Col Humphreys

L.a. is force comd. - Lt Col. Baker is CD. of Ad. party &

also 2 1/c Force. He asked me to go away with him &

I was keen to go but rec'd a firm set back by the

lag doctor. I've slipped down the scale again, and am

IIIB which is bottom of the scale. Lt one or his

friends I've made here are going away. Capt Gordon

Butler as Adj, Maj. Arthur Davis & his brother Capt

Ron Davis, Capt. Dick Pockley & Major Gord  Saggers

is going as 2 I/C. It seems that this place is to be 

cleared right out & only  Hosp. etc left on Singapore.

Saturday 8 May 43 The A.I. F portion of M. Force left last

night & the usual rearrangement of all ammn on the 

departure of these parties has taken place. I was not

affected excepting that I've taken up a better position in the

room. Our crossing is rearranged. All officers in a [[?]]

except Lt Col Joatens H.Q. mess & Pease & Co. The mess is

100 strong. Major Wright (split Pin) is mess President

Last night A.S.F. called for names of officers who wished

to go away with the next party, if there is one. It hinted

at an officers party but the whole thing is too nebulous

to make a decision. I'm trying to find out more about

it from Saab Major Head.

Sunday 16 May 43. Thins developed. Saab could not

add anymore inf. but H. Force to be 68 A.I.F. officers

& some Dutch were warned & packed up to move north.

At the last minute it was postponed. Then reason for their

move was suspected to be an officers working party and

unkempt are very pleasing with lawns and a variety of pretty

shrubs. Garden growth is very prolific as may be imagined

There are no fences and house grounds are separated by

hibiscus hedges. The area is town planned and the narrow

hedged roads wind round in a most confusing way but it

is soon that you get your bearings and its all very

pleasant. Change was the same - the houses occupied by

married officers were all much bigger than those that the

military atmosphere ones were present with the big [[?]]

decimating the scenery. One [[?]] house has its own lawn

tennis court. From my balcony here I look past my court

across the valley all very green up the slope covered with a

mongrel type of rubber to the slab huts occupied by the

English Coastal Duty people. One of the English officers where

battery was on when Island told me that after spending 1 [[?]]

declaring on case of instruments he finally had to destroy

his with a 7th hammer. The blowing of their cars

must have been quite a treat for them too. So more perhaps

than for us to hand over my .45 when grunted at by a

little fellow with a bayonet and an unfriendly look.

          But I was discussing the horses & gunners and 

rec'd from I.F.A. while officers of Field rank are getting

an increase. The Comd HQ have no doubt quite a job

in running the Camp Finances & I trust they are not

making any mistakes.

Wed 21 Apr 43. Another force is at present moving past by

train. "F" Force. It is 7000 strong made up of 3700 British &

[[?]] Troops & 3300 Australians. Our party comprises 27 Bde &

remnants of L of C & Arty units. Lt Col Cappy is in comd AIF

party. [[?]] is divided between Thailand and F.I.C. &

as usual nothing concrete is known. In addition last

night a working order for "C" Force was issued -to [[?]]

after F Force is cleaned up. It will have 200A,I,F, &, take

told 2000 from Southern Area. An unpleasant rumour was

about last night that they are to follow D Force to replace

injuries caused by that humbug damage in a tunnel

where they were working. These rumours are amazing.

        The remainder of Southern Area are coming into

Selarang & opportunity is being taken to shift us. We are

moving, perhaps tomorrow, to [[?]] near H.Q. A.I.F.

Sunday 25 April 43. Anzac Day again. There was the usual dawn

service this morning. Speaking generally only old diggers attended.

"C" Force left this morning. Maj. Bob Glasgow as first comd. & he

doesn't relish his task as it comprises 200 A.I.D. 300 British &

1000 Dutch. We believe they are going to xxx Bran in Borneo.

Monday 3 May 43. Today makes my second birthday in 

Singapore as a P.O.W. - I feel that two is plenty.

Troop movements continue. After C Force left all the

Scottish & Dutch troops from Southern Area and 18 Div were

moved to Selarang - are still pushing trailers in fact and

last Friday H. Force was announces to comprise 3000 -

seem to have lost my place a bit. This is a little

backwater but that is the bit of this type of planning -

every house seems to be in a sort of seclusion and all

done without any fences or any apparent attempt to [[?]]

My main impression of Singapore Island had been

and still s an undescribable collection of disgusting

smells and filthy conditions so perhaps its as well

that we finished up prisoners in that I was forced into

occupation of the really palatial change houses and

then this European quarter here at Addier Roads. Those

who had some time here before the hubble [[?]] enjoyed

some of the life of the city and saw some of the dignified

conditions and pleasures of life on the Island, but we

were not so fortunate & Boang as Mages, huts and

ground that really stinks are a poor substitute for

wholesome Australian smells. 

          There's still [[?]] work am envious of work

this morning.

Sunday 24 May 42. Our unemployed army still continues

marching on its stomach. Yes the men have only pain meal

to meal. Our rice ration fluctuates in quantity, quality and

in variety of preparation and occasionally there's a little

meat for a thin stew, and germinated beans, but so

far that has always been enough to satisfy seasonably

offered the Comd, but did not accept. My Batman

Dutchy Holland who let most of his cobbers go away

with D Force to stay with me sked me to get him in

this force as his last mate, Pt Edwards was going in it

I managed to do this & am now without a servant until

I can arrange a substitute. The only 3/4 Bn officers

to go away was Lt. Brian Wallter - 32 others went

leaving 86 all ranks in the Barracks.

Mail treated 'Dutchy' rather shabbily. to this morning he

had not had any letters and was very flat about it all.

Today a few hrs after his departure 2 letters arrived from

his Mother. Goodness knows when he'll get them now?

Monday 5 Apr 43. Life in the [[?]] is frightfully uninteresting

Slowly but steadily more duties fall our lot. To ease it

a bit on the other Capt. I offered to do a turn at some jobs

despite my 'no duty' classification but have now withdrawn

the offer - firstly because it only helps create the impression

that we can absorb duties till further orders and secondly

because I don't think it was helping my treatment

Paddy's review of my eyes showed the left eye no better in

fact worse & I am to report again on Thursday after

Major [[?]] has considered my case.

Pay the powers that be have amended the pay rates for officers

& they are now Lieut 40c per day £12 Capts 50c daily £15

Majors 60c (£18) & Lt Cols about Comds 70c (£21) There is an

under current of feeling among the Subalterns particularly. Their

scale of drawing from I.a. is only £24 monthly. As from

this month Capts & up had their drawings [[?]] A increased

from £30 to £40 & capts have had a reduction in pay to the