Notebook of Avon Reah Smith-Ryan, 1942-1945

it hasn't happened already on H.M.S. Sussex. Here we are only
a few miles away & don't see a thing. Of course all and sundry
are [[dreaming?]] up reasons to visit the City & Indian [[Rest?]] camps etc.
I & the vast majority find it difficult to muscle in on this racket.
but have put in an application, on rather slender grounds, and am
hoping.- R.A.P.W.I. and other [[news?]] had [[?]] parachuted
down on one Changi aerodrome but the novelty of seeing
there new [[armies?]] has worn off now - and anyway they don't seem to have
any information for us - [[as?]] they are British only and the Aust. xxx
apparently must be done by Australians. If it means we are delayed
then blast Evatt & Chifley & their bumptious talk.
The Americans here only a handful - commonsense
organisation yesterday - women & kids & a [[?]] just today the remainder of
the fit airmen. They move by [[?]] Rangoon -Calcutta
Karachi.... Casa Blanca - Lucky blighters. The Indian Bde which
landed first did the job thoroughly - as an exercise - for I gather they
still don't trust Gen [[gate?]] But the whole show is every time
for us out here.
The Union Jack Dutch & American flags fly from
the genrl [[?]] . [[?]] at 1200 hrs BchTuesday 4th For me
it didn't have as much thrill as had it happened before in defence of
the nips. Still it's all good.
Odd members of the landing force get out here & tell
marvellous tales. We are certainly behind the times.
 

wish the [[PM?]] Ben Chifley in that the Tac H./ [[?]] wants

a good sound kickin' the pants for his arrogant [[?]] I don't
like the way he giggles about Australia's [[?]] not being hard
enough, or how he phrases his complaints.
Friday 31 Aug 45  All working parties have been returned excepting
Bla Kang krate & W who have been concentrated at [[Rays?]] Hospital

Camp. we are somewhat crowded with 12,000 odd in the camp but
would all far rather tolerate this than have another move during
the short period that we still have to spend here. Food is now
plentiful and Red Cross parcels 1 to 16 daily with augmented white
man's food such as butter, jam, coffee & sugar. It is a valuable
transition period for us, the need for which is considered by the
large number of men falling sick with tummy troubles.
Big excitement on the 29^th and yesterday when 'Liberators' dropped
a staff officer, M.Os and supplies. It was fine to see our planes
flying so low overhead but disappointing that they wore some
international markings in lieu of our own national ones. Actually our
first big thrill was on 28^th when 'Liberators' dropped leaflets in
Japanese and English. From our angle it was rather funny to be
told how to make soup out of rice water and to start preparing
nominal rolls.
Soon we should get cables or mail in and out - [[?]] day and
surely by the end of next week the first evacuations should commence.
Today is Queen Wilhelmina's birthday and our 'friends and allies' of the
N.E.2 are doing a spot of celebrating. They are pretty hot at celebrating
the birthday of their Royal Family.
The Staff Officer Lieut Wishart is a goer and its good to hear how he
[[loaves?]] the Nips. There's no 35 years andaday about him. So far as
he's concerned, according to [[?]], they are the enemy and treated as such.
Thursday 7 Sep 45. There's been big happenings - from the surrender of
Tokyo to the occupation of Singapore. Next is the surrender of Singapore - if
 

[[List?]] of [[names?]] nothing under a [[????]]
any use to the rations now. Two nights ago a Nip gave
$10 for an Aust penny piece.
Tobacco is $15 an oz. Palm Oil $10 a Katty, Sugar [[?]] $50 a Katty
Coffee Beans $65 a Katty, [[?]] Malacca $40 a Katty, small coaconuts $1 ea
Well we may as well eat our money now as keep it no matter what
the prices because they'll be higher tomorrow.
For the first few days following last Saturday, pent up excitement
was making men sick. We had to keep up the normal camp routine
provide the usual working parties, salute the [[?]] and so on
because they told us nothing and otherwise how could we [[?]]? Quite
a number of executions had taken place because people [[?]] up to date
things and radio was forbidden.
The R.O has today asked for 6 radio [[?]]. The have just delivered
a truckload of gramophone records - Remember we have been denied any
form of entertainment for some time now so what a beaut some music
will be
I will not attempt to touch on the tremendous relief the approaching
release - it cant be put in words. - But it was necessary in
one way that the negotiations have been protracted as everything in
one dose may have proved too much for some. I recall my conclusion
who died of excitement on [[?]] when his [[?]] & cleared them by
force of [[?]]. I would have liked the IJA to have been [[?]] out of
Malaya by force too - the arrogant blighters - but it would of necessity
cost some of the invaders' lives.
Well well, a packet - a whole packet of real cigarettes this evening and a
little real food tomorrow and prospects of lots of good things in the very
near future and then be on route via Ceylon or Manilla we'll soon be
going home.
We all wish Dr Evatt would stop shooting off his mouth and while I agree
 

Sunday 19 Aug 45  Much of importance has happened since my
last entry, but I have refrained from writing it up because until now
anything xx referring to the war world conditions, or the IJA and their
treatment of us and such like topics could not be written for reasons
which must be obvious. However the situation is now such that
current happenings may be recorded and commented on with impunity
so far as the Imperial Japanese Army is concerned.
We heard on Saturday last at Reveille in our lines, and the [[??]] [[?]]
[[??]] 1300 hrs onwards, that Japan had broadcast that she
accepted the 'Potsdam terms' for surrender which must have been as
soon as any body of people in the world. Here we are on Tokyo time.
Since then we have been kept posted of developments. The IJA
Camp Commandant did not divulge anything to the R. Officer until
last evening when while he did not come right out into the open he
made some semblance of admission. The R/O has not of course made any
approach on the subject. However last night Lt. [[?]] came to see
Lt Col Dillon instead of sending for him and offered an increase in the
rice ration from to 500 gr daily (about a ratio of 5 to 2). We declined all
of this on medical grounds but are taking 325 gr. The higher quantity
would not only give so xxx unbalanced a ration resulting possibly in
Beri beri but in general weakened conditions much of the 500 gr would
be wasted being beyond the stomachs reduced capacity.
Working parties in town are returning x8 last night, x3 today and the
others are expected today and shortly.
The Red Cross food [[?]] withheld by the IJA [[?]] are coming in
and we start tomorrow at one parcel to 20 which should make the extra rice
palatable.
The Officers ^[[?]] trailer party goes out again tomorrow - arranged themselves
to buy such commodities as the native shop may have. [[???]]
 

Thurs 5 Jul 45 -  Affairs move very slowly of late and life I'm
afraid is growing [[?]]. There was one bright spot lately when
some mail arrived. I got two , both from [[?]] Grace dated [[?]] and
Nov 1944 and the letter contained what I have longed for - a snapshot.
I gather that there is still more mail to come and [[?]] some [[?]]
cards dated up to Feb of this year have been [[?]] & there must surely
be post for me from Grace, as well as some from brother and the
others.
The IJA gave us some Red cross food which enabled us to supplement
our rations very slightly on two days a week for 11 [[?]] (Wed & Sun)
The half [[?]] issue was very slight & passed to 33 people which
meant about 6ozs total each. It was really surprising how this small
quantity of [[?]] food popped up one mail on these odd days
& small tho it was would assist in arresting deterioration in health
through mal-nutrition and vitamin-deficiency. Also it made a sort
of high spot to look forward to and helped in marking off the time
[[??]] are going away on working parties to various places on
the island and Johore [[Sahen?]]- same [[?]] already and, stories of more
Very few of them are fit to march. [[?]] says more are yet to [[?]]
but that [[?]] has only 50 all ranks here at Changi. The main [[?]]
seems to be travelling into [[?]] and many hillsides.
We have not had any more Unit deaths at this camp but [[?]] [[?]]
man from Malayan Camp who was a West Australian and had been
[[?]] attached to our troops in the Gaol died a fortnight ago, and I
was detailed to conduct the funeral and burial arrangements.
Today Lt. Col Dillon replaces Lt. Col Henry as Rep. officer. Whether this
has any significance I cannot say. It may be that as he has done
the job for 12 months he is just moving out or it may be that the Camp
Commandant (IJA) is moving on and as Henry was his appointee, that's
why he's going [[?]]. I don't think that a new R.O will affect the
general running of the camp.
 

Sunday 15 Apr 45  Still at in the same room only [[?]] Leath
has moved out and his place has been taken by [[?]] Fred [[?]].
The aerodrome work has almost finished and [[???]]
parties go out xx (day work only). There has been further movement
of parties into town some 2000 odd having gone already.
The supposed reason is that no camp is to exceed 5000 but I
doubt that this is the real reason. The area South of the gaol
is not now part of this camp and is not under Talahashi.
Some few hundred troops and the officers to [[move?]] with them
are now there and will move into town when their advance
parties have preparedtheir camps on the IJA [[?]] under whose
command they now are [[calls?]] for them.
The Red Cross matters are very unsatisfactory. A consignment is
at St Andrews school and [[?]] has been delivered there. On Easter
Sunday we had a special issue - 22 men to a parcel which amounted
to about 6 ozs gross per head. Delicious [[?]] for our diet
made up of Bully, Camp Pie, Cheese, Jam Sugar tinned coffee Biscuits.-
[[Thus?]] only a small quantity of each per head but what a difference
it made. Since then we have two more issues on the same
scale and expected it to last over each Sunday and Wednesday for
several weeks but today's issue was stopped yesterday by Talahashi
He asked Col Henry to sign a complete discharge for the whole consignment. As this has not arrived in the camp Henry refused and so the
issue has stopped., the Talahashi says he stopped the issue on orders
from Tokio (?). I cannot imagine why the medical stores were
not sent as immediately tho I accept their explanation that the delay
in delivery of foodstuffs was until the movement of parties to town
was stabilised.
 

the fact that the bombers from our 'drome are off the ground and
a few fighters are up high means that they expect [[?]] here [[?]]
at least are ready.
A Red Cross ship has just unloaded and left. Had a very
big cargo and what there is is to be apportioned during [[?]]
[[?]] Command including Samalia, Kuching and Rangoon.
However it seems fairly reliable that another is expected in
a month. - We'll believe it when we have it in the camp.
Food is very necessary for us now but the medical stores are
more urgently needed. Clothing etc too are very very short.
Our rations are suffering a few cuts over late weeks and the
General rations of rice is now 236 grams - xx just over [[8?]] ozs daily.
The ration is well below the danger mark in Calories for men
A man merely lying on his back and the deficiency of essential
Vitamins ^& [[?]] is and has been a constant source of anxiety.
The Aerodrome work still goes on and incidents are frequent.
Bob Pike suffered assault again on Thursday last - his
second in [[?]] week. They are laying for him so he must
be withdrawn from the work - he can't win and must be
saved from unnecessary indignities.
I have moved back to the [[?]] lines as a [[?]] of my protest
to Col [[?]] and am quartered with my [[??]] Capt
[[??]] and Capt. Damien Leatt ([[??]])
Wednesday 20 Mar 45 Another card home was given
us today. I wrote as follows to Grace at 88 Marine
Terrace Geraldton.
"Grace my Darling. Received [[?gram?]] November,
Reply sent immediately. Latest letter last April's.
Love to our families In reasonable health.
All my love Avon".
 

to his room to explain why it could not be done, and
I think his explanation lacked sound grounds and anyway
that he saw fit to offer an explanation is a major victory.
Wednesday 3 Jan 1945  So 1945 appears for the first time. I scarcely expected it to appear at all. The festive season
is past and the atmosphere and general spirit were very
good. No thanks to the IJA but we fed fairly well. Many
people are suffering for it now - with Colic and tummy disorders
of various kinds.
Canteen prices continue to soar - e.g. Jam Tobacco came in
again @ $3 an oz. Cigars are up to 28^¢ (range 45^¢ 25^¢ & 20^¢) Greens $1.50
Coconut oil $3.50 per pint, Palm Oil $2 per the pint [[?]]
Gula Malacca $5.80 lb. Tea $4.60 lb.
Saturday 10 Mar 45  Two more birthdays, Neville on 5 Mar &
Mother yesterday remind me that I haven't written anything for
some time. Many Happies to both. I hope Mother is well
and has all she needs & that Lou is doing O.K. in the army &

that his home affairs are satisfactorily arranged during his
absence.
We have fairly regular visits now from B29s with occasional
heavy raids. The last two we counted around [[?]] 100 over
the target area. These appear to be the Naval Base, Soldar
Aerodrome and the Harbour and [[wharves?]]. Working Parties
going into town report a lot of damage especially by fire
among the godowns during the last raid. The enemy don't [[react?]]
the [[serious?]] for since flames of one or only a few so when the [[?]]
go we expect things to happen. Right now we are under the [[?]]
[[?]] siren, and are [[expectant?]]. It doesn't always come here as
K.L., Johare or [[?]] may be the target. However the fact
 

For some unknown reason some time ago before the Air
Raid our Concerts and Entertainment were severely
restricted and can now be held on Wednesdays and
Saturdays only and then must finish by [[?]].
This covers all concerts, lectures, classes and gatherings.
at both Concert & Play House Theatres.
"P" Party still go into town but, do not bring back much
news of town.
Prices are still rising at the Canteen and at present there
is no tobacco and very few in camp have any left. Most are
smoking Cherry Papaya, [[Bunjol?]] Hibiscus leaves etc. They are
a very poor substitute.
Albert Smith had a book on the next Air Raid [[??]]
[[???]] xx ordered him to discontinue it. The
same officer stopped the fun race the [[???]]
and the sweepstakes must have his sanction.
Money is being raised and toys made for the Civilian Internees
Christmas Fund.
Saturday 16 Dec 44   Many Happy Returns, Grace. Perhaps next time
I can wish them to you personally.
Saturday 23 Dec 44  Our Wedding day again. Last year I said
maybe this time we'd be together again. Well maybe new
year as this one has passed without result.
Arrangements for Xmas festivities xx are proceeding and it
seems like "big [[?]]. I am having evening meal at six
with our officers.
I have another new address - Hut [[F3?]] - & live with 'God's Own Rifles'
I fail to understand why as I was required to move I could
not have joined Unit officers in 54. But Col [[?]] in his
wisdom did not see the necessity for it. In fact he called me
 

right to [[?]] immediately. This is really good because
I feel that we here may with reason assume that and
people at home are OK except for normal [[?]] while they
may entertain some doubts regarding our welfare. I am
pleased to have been able to inform Grace that I am well.
Despite the next paragraph I can say I am well.
Early in last month I caught a cold which has been
[[?]] in camp recently, and the M.O. sent me to
Hospital. While I was there some [[??]] are made
in [[?]] because the IJA ordered that all the [[??]]
live inside the Gaol, & some W.O's had to come out to give
them their [[?]] into Hut 53. Officers from B3 had to be
found room in B2 [[?]] hut and to do this all officers
off duty in Admin Group were returned to officers Group.Thus I am in D2 sharing a room with 3 British officers
(1 a Malay F.M.I.V.F officer though it is really an Australian
Room and I have neighbours such as [[?]], Pitts,
[[?]] & Yale on one side and Johnstone, Davis, Albert [[?]] &
Paterson on the other.  I am still not on duty as I caught
a fresh cold [[?]] I came out of Hospital, and have had a
real bludge for about 5 weeks. I am not sorry to
have been taken from [[?]] because I had done 13 weeks of
it and had [[?]] off. I will try to get out to do
Officers' Gardens soon.
We had a great time on 5 Nov last when 50 Allied aircraft
thought to be Liberators came over. There was quite some
A.A. fire but no fighters and all planes seemed to leave
safely. There have been two alerts since (1 today) but no aircraft
over here It was great to see our planes again after almost
3 years even if they were 30000' up.