Notebook of Avon Reah Smith-Ryan, 1942-1945

last January leaving there on July 12 for England. His ship was captured
& taken to Penang. He is now at Changi. The news he sent of conditions
in Australia while some months old was most interesting and a
breath of home is always good.
Wed 11 Nov 42  Last evening there was a great bit of fun. We had a Melbourne
Cup Race. Proceeds in aid of Christmas Comforts for children in Changi Gaol.
ownership of frogs is cheap and entries were limited to 36 (6 heats & a prize
for winners only). A good course was prepared and suitable buildings
for band stand seats [[50?]] & judges, saddling paddock etc. Frogs wore coloured
jackets & started from under a tin raised by [[?]] [[dentist?]] which rang a
bell. Horses were named after well known Aust horses. Race was won
by Triggerman owned by Capt Ball Dixon & trained by his batman Dernelly.
- a very fast frog. The Cup was two half coconut shells, one inverted &
joined by a rod, two handles attached & suitably inscribed. It should be
a good [[antic?]] and welcome to the VRC.
Sat 21 Nov 42  We have moved camp again and have come into 102 Camp to share
portion recently vacated by 54 Bde. It was a blow to lose our comfy houses.
The whole show was in typical fashion. We were ordered to move by
Friday night so naturally got our advance parties over Thursday & commenced
moving cookhouses abt and on return of working parties quite a number of men
commenced moving their beds and gear. Then the bomb-shell. [[Lemme?]] got
in a towering rage and said that he had ordered the stuff to be made on Friday,
& that there & then we had to start carrying it all back, & to get it all back if
it took all night & then start taking it over again on Friday [[their?]] [[way?]].
We were allowed to take only what we could carry & march past a
checking [[hut?]] - and then go back & bring our beds - and then a general
scrounge. We got practically all the furniture etc required for our comfort.
Most of the huts we are to occupy are only [[?]] [[?]] hut sites at present &
our Bn has temporary huts - quite good but too few & they are on opposite sides of
the Bde area. It means a tremendous [[amount?]] of walking about.
Sunday 22 Nov 42  Still sorting things out. We have been allowed to send parties to
Adam Park & are getting most of what we want.
Monday 23 Nov 42  A repetition of yesterday and as working parties are very small
we have all we need to make life reasonable once we finally settle on our
allotted huts. It is very crowded at present. This [[?]] as the Bde [[?]] &
[[half?]] C.Os were discussing the construction scheme & hut allotment the Staff 

indefinite time and are quite happy and content to be
under our control. One man said his nerves were getting
rather taut after some seven days of wondering what
their fate was to be. Whenever the door opened, was it
to be a slapping, removal to gaol or worse? Yes, I can
well believe that they'll have their first real rest tonight
under our jurisdiction.
Wed 16 Dec 42  Many Happy Returns, Grace. Today makes two of
your birthdays, since we were last together. May God grant
that neither of us shall celebrate another apart.
In accordance with my usual custom I celebrated
the occasion by consuming an apricot pie. Apricot jam had to
take the place of the usual ingredients but my trusty Cpl Cook,
Cpl. G. Smith was equal to the occasion and did me proud.
I had a few friends into my room to help me consume
it. Dan Lee was only ^the one who was at the last similar
function that time at Adelaide River. Tom Bunning is at
Changi, Graham MacKinnon in Changi Hospital and
Pen Dean in Singapore Gaol.
Friday 18 Dec 42.  A new Japanese Major General has arrived
to take over the running of POWs around [[Syanan?]]. His
name is [[Asimula?]]. We were paraded on the Golf Links off
Syme Road near the Guard Room where he took the salute &
then moved in to inspect the camp area. We were ordered to
be on parade for his arrival at 1100 hrs but as he arrived
punctually at 1200 hrs. I suspect that [[Tommie?]] making sure
that his prisoners would be on time advanced the time 1 hour 

Capt came in with news that Lt Col Robertson and 23 officers with 650 all ranks
from 'C' Bn were to prepare to move in a few days. As the second party of
Englishmen going North were abt 650 strong it seems that they are [[?]]
that way. We are wondering if we are to follow them. Rumour has it that
this is a clearing camp & this seems to bear that fact out. Some rumours
War news is good lately & we hope that this evacuation of [[?]] means that
Singapore is not regarded as a safe prison area.
Wed Dec 2, 42  It appears that we are to stay here for a while - at least Lemme
says we may regard this as our home. There is considerable shuffling about
between huts and we haven't reached our 'final abode' yet. I have the
officers settled in the mess and may regard this as OK. We are comfy &
have plenty of room. I am sharing a room with Alf Gough.
Bert Saggers' [[?]] has moved in to the vacant huts left by "C" Bn. Our
old 9 Coy under Bill Dixon has gone over to him and they are 'A' Bn.
We have retained our title of 8^th Bn. Each Bn has four Coys so
John Hills 13 Coy is now 5 Coy, Geo [[Hossers?]] 10 Coy & Don Lee's 14 Coy are
combined & one 6 Coy, 7 & 8 Coys under Frank Hiddlestone and Les Rickard
remain unchanged. - 12 men from Dan Lee's old Coy went to John
Hill to put all Coys of fairly even strength. It's bad luck for Don
to lose his Coy Command but as we had to drop one Coy it was obvious
that the two small ones should be blended. I was not in favour
of transferring fxx 12 men of the Guns A & B Coy. away from their mates
but Alf Gough deemed it expedient to do so and certainly had some
grounds for so doing.
There are no Japanese working parties going out at present as
[[Tamura Batai?]] have moved and there is no one to control work parties.
Still we have plenty to do building huts and cleaning up our areas.
The [[?]] is rather high and there are cookhouses etc to be built.
It is definitely as well that there should always be something to keep 

officers were told to report again after lunch and the
message [[?]] called for an officer and escort to go and
collect the men. Lieut Branson was sent over but came
back with the explanation that we had got the wrong message
and that [[Tearne?]] had not decided yet what to do with the men.
Today The three officers however went over and were roundly
reprimanded and had to assure [[Tearne?]] through the interpreter
that they would in future run their respective commands
'very good'. Today the matter was finalised when Maj Gough
& Capt Hill were sent for again to report to [[?]] [[?]]. He
spoke a few words of wisdom to them and then took them
outside where the prisoners were handed over. The Sikh N.C.O.
in charge on being ordered to hand over to the Australian officer
saluted Alf Gough by coming to the Japanese present and
reporting 'your prisoners Sir.' The men reported that
this Sikh treated them as well as he xxx was able and in
fact the Sikhs as a whole carried out their orders as gaolers

but inflicted no indignities of their own in addition. The

whole three of them, however admit that the game is too serious
and that nocturnal wanderings outside the wire are quite
definitely not worth the candle.  They are extremely frightened.
Their treatment was on the first night when captured to have
their hands tied behind their backs, receive a few slaps and
be locked up.  At the end of 60 hours they had a meal of plain
rice the next coming after a further 59 hours and, the next
today at their Coy.  They did not have a wash or [[brush?]] up
during the time and looked thoroughly miserable.  At
present they are in our own detention barracks for an

both the officers and men [[?]] [[?]] [[?]] but enough to
prevent us from going nuts through boredom.  Also I would hate a
repetition of the Changi business of lying to make work out of nothing
and the ghastly education schemes.
Thur 3 Dec 42  This evening I went over to Col [[?]] mess to
see Capt Symons.  He is going to copy a portrait of the King for me
to hang in my mess.
Today Gen [[?]] called to say Goodbye to Col Oakes
He left these parting instructions. 1  To afford his successor full
support & cooperation - 2  To do his best to ensure that all ranks
are maintained in good health and spirits & 3  To punish any men
who attempted to escape.  The last is funny [[?]].   It would
really appear that the duty of presenting escape [[?]] on the [[?]]
Bert Saggers has been over to see Alf. Cough and remarked on
Bill [[?]].  I think Bert is just the man to handle Bill and
his really [[?]] [[?]] and should put him in his place quite
efficiently.
Sun. 6 Dec 42  I have just come from Church Service which was held
in our mess.  All day it has rained and as a result Padres chapel
site was imposs. so I gave him our mess room to use.
We had the usual Friday night lecture last night and
again we made our mess room available.  The lecturer was Cpl. 
[[?]] of the S.S.V.F.  In private life he is an Inspector of Schools
and gave us a most interesting talk on the history of Malaya over
the lat 1000 years.  The S.S.V.F., MVF. MDF are queer units
and some amazing situations arise.  For instance one man who
is glad to have a job as a plumbers mate, lucky qualifying as
a tradesman & having a loan on his pay as it was a Hogan Comet

Judge. Recently he was charged to his

Finance is the catch and with prices for each good as

would be required for Christmas are intensely high in

Singapore. We consider poultry out of the question and are

asking for a small pig and items such as dried fruits, 

wheat flour, raisins, currants and such items as [[?]] to make

our normal Xmas fare. For some time Lieut Potter has been

experimenting with a brew and expects having hopes of producing

a concoction. I have my doubts as to results however and

was pleased to agree to the purchase of some bottles of [[Sanisa?]]

to ensure a toast. Those are black market produce actually

and the purchase has to be hush hush. The manufacture of

these drinks by Chinese and other nations is prohibited by the

Japanese and of course paid liquor is forbidden to the 

camp. The Malayan volunteers mess has ordered three dozen

of Tiger Beer through the special Xmas Mass Day. I will

be surprised if the Japanese send it to them although they are

such irrational beggars that there is no knowing and to

predict their actions day to day is impossible.

            A week ago 3 of Sher Hills men, Meredith, Kyto

and Shwartz were caught outside the wire by the Japanese

Guard. They were in a [[?]] roll and then faded.

Their reason for going is believed to regarding the picking

up and sake of an electric fan. However I find thing in the

morning their absence was noted and duly reported to our friends

at the Guard House. We could not get them back as the Guard

had already informed Leane Shoe and in any case they

regarded it as a serious offence. L Col Pakos, [[?]] Singh &

Capt Hill were sent for but nothing definite happened and 

the Japanese held the men. The day before yesterday these

Coy. Comd. with some minor offence and were fined 30 cents.

Another amazing occasion was when a blast sounded its gong

before the official one and had sounded & we sent a message saying

they mustnt do this as the Camp gong gave correct time. The [[?]]

stated that they were sorry to have cared but they heard theirs

by SSC time, obtained from I.A Guard.

Thurs 10 Dec. On Sat last we had formal dinner and I invited

Maj