Diary Jack Lusby Burns - Jan - Apr -1943 - Part 1

Diary of
Lieut. J.L. Burns. A.I.F.
Started 22^nd Jan. 1943.
Finished 30^th April 1943.
Room 28.

Friday - Jan. 22^nd 1943.
Decided to start the old diary
again. Left. off the other at the
beginning of December November.
The new batch of officers who
came in from the Phillipines
appear to be more agile each day.
All officers lined the road
today for Capt. Dixon's (US Army)
funeral - The first death since
I've been here. Am now in
room 28. Altogether there are
26 to the room. Everyone
is looking forward to the date
when we shall be out of here.
The food situation has
deteriorated as regards quantity.
Received our pay of 50 Yen this aft.
Studies now are. Spanish, German
& Shorthand - Still play Contract & Poker.
Maters Birthday Today.

Put in Letter No 3. (to be typed) to home.
Saturday Jan 23^rd January 1943.
Put my third letter to home
into the office. Gee I would
like to hear from Mum & Dad.
Paid a 10 Yen subscription
to the Central Committee Fund.
It defrays the cost of our
newspapers etc. also advances
given to new prisoners.
Had two sort of bun loaves
for lunch today - looks as
iff the bread issue is being
cut out. Food is also a
bit light these days.
Had to give a list to the J's as to
how much money we have in
our possession. We are only supposed
to have 50 yen. I put in as having
50 yen. The lads are drawing
their beds together of a night now for
warmth. We have NO fires due to a coal shortage
Sunday 24^th Jan. 1943.
Bath day - We have a big
concrete bath from which we
dip ^hot water - So now only have
one bath a week. Have a stinking cold
Have run out of h'chiefs. Last 3 ^taken the
other day ^from out on the line. Missed out
on doughnuts tonight - looks as if
food is going to be scarce from now
on. Even fuel is being "focalised".
Attended church Service - thought of
home. The American officers
gave the concert tonight.
Managed to buy a packet of Amer. fags.
for 5 yen. Quite a few of the lads
have colds. - Golly, my feet get cold.
As we have finished boiling the louse
ridden clothes of the new arrivals we
now have reverted back to hot water
for morning & afternoon tea

[*Weight. 70.3 Kgs. - Injection T.T.*]
Monday 25^th Jan. 1943.
Weighed today - 70.3 Kilos
So thus have lost 8 Kilos
since I came to Zentsuji
Lost 2.3 kilos this month
past. Also received a T.T.
injection (5 M) at the
same time. It gave me a lousy
head and where I received
the "shot" right breast." has
all stiffened up. We are
to receive four more shots
I understand. Received
another issue of pipe tobacco
1 tin to two men. Bought a
pkt. of "Camels" & a tin of Velvet
tobacco for 15 yen. Washed
some clothes today - lost 1 pair
of socks, & 8 h'chiefs from the
line - lousy swines.
[*bat in rice ration*]
25
Tuesday 26^th Jan. 1943.
Awoke this morning feeling very
refreshed after yesterday's battle
with the needle. I believe we
can expect the next within a
few days. The rice ration has
been cut again. The soups
are just water with vegetable
tops. Some of the yanks recd.
parcels sent (Postmarked) in May - Gee I would
^like to get a letter from home. The
coal ration seems to have
started again, we received our
2nd ration in succession tonight
'Tis quite jolly sitting round a 
fire all with home made pipes
going full-blast. 'Tis dashed good
the jobs turned out on pipes
by so small few tools. The men
bring in the wood from on the hill.

[*Amer. Red. Cross Soap. iss'd*]
27
Wednesday 28^th Jan. 1943.
Received an issue of chewing tobacco
supposed to last for 4 days. It is
in a plug (at. about. 1½ ozs) swapped
for 30 of cigs. Started on a 21
rubber match Spears & Self V. Page &
Hoffman. Was taken to town in
a game of Amer. Poker. (18.)
Received an issue of washing
Soap from the American Red
Cross. ^(¼ lb) Put in a report re
the loss of clothes from the
washing line. Put in a request
for "Carters advanced accounting"
to the J. office - Hope I can get
it. Supposed to received another
needle tomorrow. Will have
to get my teeth overhauled again
soon. Still on some of my blades
I brought from Rabaul.
[*Injection - dysentary*]
28
Thursday 29^th Jan. 1943.
Assumed duties for the day with.
Clarrie Archer as far as our Room
(No 28) is concerned. We have to
wash dishes, collect the grub & wash
the dishes! - We get a turn each
week. Received a dysentery
needle today - get a T.T. on
Monday. Went for a long walk
to the next town this aft: the
poverty of these people is
amazing. the martial spirit is
very noticeable here. The boys at
school undergo drill. There
has been an outbreak of
diptheria here so we have been
issued with masks to wear over our
face, till further notice. The fish
didn't turn up for evening meal so
we had shadow soup.

[*First suggestion of officers working*]
29
Friday 30^th Jan. 1943.
The J. colonel in charge of the camp
called the Aust. Amer. & English Reps.
to his office & put forward the suggestion
that officers should work on
raising chickens, rabbits & vegetables
in ^the camp area to supplement our
food issues in view of the
stringency of food materials.
This suggestion was vetoed by
the Aust. officers in a meeting
on the principle that officers
shouldn't work & that give the J.
an inch & they'd take a mile. ie.
the thin edge of a wedge idea.
Scorched my trousers standing near
a brazier in the barbers shop.
Lt. Nielson an inmate of this room
has been quarantined suspected of
Malaria Diptheria.
30
Saturday 31^st Jan. 1943.
Field day today. - "Broomed" the
bunks and swabbed the floors.
aired the blankets & did a
spot of sewing. Managed to
click onto a "Law book" of N.S.W.
so should have something to do
during the next few months.
Snowed today. We are now
entering upon the coldest
month officially. A man should
be able to live simple & cheaply
after what he has gone through
Received ^empty bins to act as supplementary ash trays.
As these ashtrays have to have
water in many are the
wrathful ejaculations when a
cigarette falls in or becomes wet.
The food is damned light.

31
Sunday 1^st Feb. 1943
Church service at 0830
Baths at 0930. - Very few
officers had a bath today as
the water was only lukewarm
& the bath room is
very draughty. Had a further
cut in our rice today. I
understand that there is
to be no more issues of
coal - Rained snowed &
hailed today, gosh 'twas
cold. Had another issue of
plug tobacco (DIXIE brand). It
is to be the last issue of
American tobacco I
understand. The concert tonight
I understand was given by
the crowd next door - 'twas
dashed good.
[*Temp. 25^oF.*]
1
Monday. 2^nd Feb. 1943
Received another Typhoid
"shot" today - didn't feel this
one ½ as much as the first
although it bowled a few over.
There is a rumour to the effect
that there are 3000 letters
in the office including some
from seamen on the "HM.AS
SYDNEY'?  Put my name
down as a farmer for
growing vegs. & raising rabbits
and chickens. Evidently the
J. Colonel intends going ahead
with the idea of growi being self
sufficient in here. 'Tis a
good idea as food is getting
damned scarce. The temp
this morning was 25^oF. Ice
was everywhere. Another new arrival died today.

[*1st death.*]
.2
Tuesday 3^rd Feb. 1943.
Some of the Americans received
mail posted in May & June last
year. Gee 'twould be grand to
hear from home. I believe
that there is a letter for
an Aust. officer. I hope they
know I am a prisoner. Have
taken over the job of nursery
maid to a batch of rabbits.
It is keeping with the idea
of trying to make this camp
self sufficient as regards
meat. So far we have 250
of the young'uns. Attended the
funeral of the RSM Corps Lieut.
who died yesterday. I hope NO more
of the lads pass away whilst we
are in Japan. Started on a 21 rubber
comp. against Cmdrs. Keene & Richardson
.3
Wednesday 4^th Feb. 1943.
For the concert on Sunday night
have been bagged for a part in
concert with "Teddy Goode". How it
goes will be seen on Sunday
night. A fair bit was cut out
of the paper today about the
brutility of the Yanks " in the
Solomons. "Tis very cold on
the fingers in mucking around
with the rabbits of a morning
Hope they issue some cigs.
tomorrow as I'm right out. One
of the R.A.F. officers received 2
letters from Eng. dated June.
Have been bound a bit through
these injections. These J. blades
make a mess of one's face when
they are used for shaving. Nestor
& I are up the pole against Cmdrs
Keene & Richardson.

.4
Thursday 5^th Feb. 1943.
Walk day. They took us to the
military cemetery where the
chap who just died was buried
Received another xxxx needle today.
in the left breast. ^(dysentary) My
right is still sore from
the last. We get another next
Monday. Had a beautiful
meat stew tonight - Gosh the
meat tasted nice. Had the
duty today. It was pretty bloody
trying to get the grease off the
plates. Received an issue
of 3 pkts J. cigs. tonight. I
believe we get these every
3 days. Cleared out the rabbit
cages this morning. Filthy job
The rice for breakfast this
morning was sour.
[*Eclipse of the sun.*]
.5.^th
Friday 6^th Feb. 1943.
There was an eclipse of the Sun
today. It was certainly weird
it happened about 0800. Had
milk today. Lost a bet on the
date as can be seen from the
above. The weather is becoming
milder but it is still
cold when there is NO sun.
No bread today. Did some
washing today. Attended dress
rehearsal today for the concert
on Sunday night. Now dry my
h'chiefs in my rooms since
I lost about a dozen of them.
Managed to hold my own against
the Yanks in Stud poker.
Stalingrad news came through in
todays papers. Everyone is very
optimistic.

Saturday 6^th February '43
Had to fill in a screed this
aft. I have a reproduction
of it in the next few pages together
with the answers. I believe
it is something to do with
psycho-analitical. Didn't feel
too good last ^night smoking too
much so went to bed for
muster and was asleep before
lights out. Today is field day
so we washed & scrubbed everything
down. I cleaned the
window our side. My fingers were
frozen by the time I had finished.
The panes in the window are held there
by faith hope & charity - plenty of 
cracks for the wind to whistle through
Wonder how they are at home. I hope
they have word of me & are NOT worrying.
[*1^st appearance in Zentsuji concert*]
Sunday 7^th February 1943.
Attended church service. it was
dashed cold during the service.
Had our hot baths & washed afterwards.
It snowed while I was
washing. The concert went off
with a bang - my first appearance
on the Stage at Zentsuji. No bread
today although we had milk.
No doughnuts tonight. I understand
there are to be NO more
from now on. The food problem
is getting damned acute. Been
bitterly cold all day. NO more
fires - will be glad when
winter is over. Out of Cigs. again.
One of the new officers was taken
away as a diptheria carrier.
So we should be free of our face masks
within the next few days.

CAMP.              NR                       NAME.
                                                          BURNS. J.L.                                 
NATIONALITY.                        AUSTRALIAN.                                    
RACE.                                       ANGLO-SAXON.                                
UNIT.                                        NO. 1. INDEPENDENT. COMPANY.
AN ARM OR BRANCH
OF SERVICE                           INFANTRY.                                         
RANK AND POSITION         LIEUTENANT                                    
PLACE OF CAPTURE           AT SEA. STH. N.I.                               
LANGUAGE                            ENGLISH                                            
RELIGION                               METHODIST                                      
OCCUPATION & ITS
POSITION.                              ACCOUNTANT                                   
PARENTS.                               BOTH LIVING                                    
CHILDREN                                        -                                                 
PROPERTY OR DEPOSIT.   £2000 (approx)                                
REMARKS                               Captured by Patrol Float plane.  
Page. 1.
DATE OF BIRTH                     14^TH APRIL 1918                               
PLACE OF BIRTH                  BRUTHEN.
                                                   VICTORIA. AUST.                             
KIND OF SERVICE                INFANTRY.
MOTIVE OF                           
ENLISTMENT.                         WAR.                                                 
YEARS OF SERVICE              3 YRS.                                               
DATE OF CAPTURE               1^ST FEBRUARY 1942.                     

EDUCATION                            HONOURS STANDARD.                        
TASTE OR LIKING.                 EPICUREAN.                                   
COMPANY O FIRM
& ETC.                                       MANNING, WATSON & CO.          
SINGLE OR MARRIED.         SINGLE                                              
BROTHER OR SISTER               -                                                      
WOUND OR ILLNESS.         LOW FEVER.                                     
         

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