Diary Jack Lusby Burns - Jan - Apr -1943 - Part 2

NAME OF CAMP NR. NAME.

BURNS. J.L.

1. STATE YOUR PRESENT FEELING & FUTURE

PROSPECT

Present. - Looking forward to the future

Future [[?]] my place way in life.

2. GIVE THE NAME OF THE PERSON WHOM YOU

WORSHIP OR ADMIRE.

Father & Mother.

3. WHAT SORT OF RELAXATION DID YOU

WANT ON THE FIELD.

Circumstances experienced were

satisfactory.

Page. 2

NAME OF NR. NAME.

CAMP.

⇠ SAME AS BEFORE

BURNS J.L.

4. State frankly your strong impressions or

mental states such as, for example

tranquility or excitment, contentment or

discontentment, pleasure or pain & sympathy

or antipathy on each occasion as following.

{*A. On hearing the declaration of war against Japan

How it would affect Australia.*}

1. (About your personal matters.

Your family occupation & so on. )

Confidence & reverence since

they respect me & I have utmost

faith in them.

2. About your comrades

Confidence (as above)

3. About your men

Confidence as I know

they will do what I instruct.

4. About your superiors & commanding

officers.

Confidence as they must have

experience etc to be hold

the rank & position they now hold.

5. About the policy of your government.

Confidence as they are repres.

of the majority of the people.

6. Any other things

(Page 3)

NAME OF CAMP NR. NAME.

BURNS. J.L.

1. When you encountered the Japanese

Land Troops for the first time

To do the job assigned to me.

2. When you experienced the first Japanese

landing

How the men were taking it / and

or faring.

3. When you were in foremost-line

service. And state the situation &

your duty at that moment.

Guarding the 'drome at Kavieng.

4. When you were in rear service

and state the situation & your

duty at that moment.

Never there.

5. On any other occasion

6. During the battle

Tranquility.

Page 4.

Name of Camp Nr. Name.

BURNS. J.L.

5. State the feeling or sentiments

of your comrades during the

battle.

To do the job entrusted to them.

6. Did you read any sort of publication

on the field? For example

newspapers, books pamphlets or

leaflets. If you did, put the mark

◎ on each of them? And state

about the one which you found

interesting

None.

7. Did you listen in radio

broadcast on the field? If you

did, state about it.

None.

Page 5

Monday 8^th February 1943.

Furphies are sure flying around

some are - Parcels (Red Cross) on the 11^th

The Colonel in charge of camp leaving.

Good feed on the 11^th. The head interpreter

is leaving to take an administrative

job down south ^ & the parcels & mail

came in today. Received an

issue of 3 pkts fags today also

1 Blue Gillette razor blade.

These latter are the issued at

the rate of 1 per month. Didn't

get our vaccination as promised

today. The chap (Lt. Neilson) who

was taken from our room as suspected

of having malaria diptheria returned

to the fold today. Absolutely freezing

today. All fires have been banned.

NO bread today. Lets hope we get some

tomorrow. Gee I'd like to hear from home.

121.1	P. O. W. Pay Record.
			Deductions
Date.	Period.	Total. Pay.	Food.	Sundries.	Bank	Cash Rec'd
1942				Cobbler Tailor
22 Jul	13 days	35.64	-	-	-	35.64
23 Aug.	1 mth.	85.00	6.10	2.00	26.90	50.00
22 Sep	1 "	85.00	14.34	2.00	18.66	50.00
22 Oct.	1 "	85.00	14.85	2.00	18.15	50.00
24 Nov.	1 "	85.00	15.43	2.00	17.57	50.00
23 Dec.	1 "	85.00	14.94	2.00	18.06	50.00
Progress Totals.		460.64	65.66	10.00	99.34	285.64
1943
22 Jan 43	1 "	85.00	15.43	2.00	17.57	50.00
23 Feb	1 "	85.00	15.43	2.00	17.57	50.00
22 Mar	1 "	85.00	13.94	2.00	19.06	50.00
22 Apr.	1 "	85.00	15.43	2.00	2.47	65.00
22 May	1 "	85.00	14.94	2.00	43.06	25.00

Vaccination

Tuesday 9^th February 1943.

Vaccinated today. - Guess I'll be

feeling pretty lousy in 3 or 4

days time. Bitterly cold today.

Beans for breakfast, bread for

lunch and sweetbuns for tea

she was sure a day of surprises

today. Had a good game of

bridge today. Had an issue of

coal tonight (?). Went to bed to

try & get warm. Collected milk

also for lunch. 'Tis getting hard

to do anything thesedays. You can

sort of feel yourself wasting

away. Clothes which just filled

one, when one first came here

now hang as if on a rack. Sure

will be good to get a full belly.

Everyone is very optimistic about being

out by the end of the year. Let's hope.

Erection of new rabbit house started

Wednesday 10^th February 1943.

The rumour re the issue of

parcels tomorrow seems to be pretty

strong. Cleaned the rabbit hutches

out this morn. - filthy job.

The J.'s brought in timber etc.

& commenced to measure out

a portion for the erection of

a rabbit house. We have 280

of the little blighters now. We

aim to house 500 & then use

some of them as fast as we can

raise them in other words

self-sufficiency

as regards the camp.

News ^ read from the a J. newspaper was

particularly good especially re the

Solomons & the Russian front. Had a

good shave with a J. blade - Now shave

about every 3 days. Bread today.

Gosh 'twill be good to get some civilized food

inside one.

Thursday 11^th February '43

Unfortunately the rumour re the

parcels was up the pole. Still

while there's life there's hope.

Had a "field day" today, the

J. duty officer said the place

was unclean so they held a

formal inspection at 1000 hrs

so we had to get to & clean every

thing up. My turn for duty

etc for the room. Had to collect

the rice issue etc for the

room. The rations were

very light today. The buns

get smaller every day. Had

a chat with Teddy Goode re

post-war conditions. He wants

to go into the carrying business in

the mandated territory. The foundations

were marked out for the new rabbit house.

Friday 12^th February '43.

Taken to town today at poker by

the americans. The news reading

between the lines is very heartening.

One of the latest arrivals is

in a serious condition &

one of the enlisted men who has

been here since the beginning

has gone off his rocker. Rumour

is to the effect that there are

to be NO more cards sold

in the canteen. Things aren't

so hot in J. ^ but it's probably the

same in Australia. How often are

the thoughts of Mum & Dad in

my mind.? Had milk today-

- sure went well with the buns.

The beans were O.K for breakfast.

The weather is still chilly but it's

nice in the sun.

Death on one Amer. Army Officer

Saturday 13^th February '43.

Another of the new arrivals

died early this morning. 'Tis

tough luck for him. May God rest

his soul in peace. Field day

today. Scrubbed the floors etc.

Had a big inspection about

15.30 hours. About 10 officers

came through. Had the watch

from 1900 - 2000 hrs. with Lt. Jim

Haviland U.S.N (Guam) Had quite

an interesting chat with him.

A permanent J. Guard has been

placed on the chap whose mind

has gone. Poor blighter. Had a

very interesting chat with Ted

re - hemp. Had music in our room

tonight. Even had it going whilst we

were having our evening meal. Twas

wonderful. The food in quality was uneven

today.

Amer. Army Officers from the

Philipines came out of quarantine

Sunday 14^th February '43.

The new arrivals came out of

quarantine today. None have come

into this room. There is a rumour

that there are to be some more new

arrivals here. Bath day was

late - we didn't go through till

about 1600 instead of 1330 hrs.

The water was NOT as warm as

usual. The weekly concert

of a Sunday night has been

broken up into two performances

so that every-one can go. The

performances start at 1730 & 1830

hours resp. There was a funeral

service this morning at 0800 hrs.

for the chap who died yesterday.

The senior officers in the other block

& the Lieuts in this block are

running a bridge tournament the

winners of each block play off. Entrance fee

4 cigs.

Monday 15^th February '43

Had clams for the evening meal

It tasted damned nice. Couldn't

give the rabbits any feed this

morning or aft. on account

of the lack of food. Poor blighters

Started the bridge tournament

drawn so as to mix the new

arrivals & we "old hand".

'Tis a good idea. I've drawn

a Lt. Curens. attended a

boot parade yesterday & had

my name taken for a new

pair of comforts fund boots.

Supposed to get them today but

so far nothing has turned

up as yet. Washed today just

in time to miss the new order

that there was to be NO new^hot water

to be used for washing clothes.

24°F registered this morning.

Tuesday 16^th February '43.

Started on our bridge tournament

today. My partner is

pretty good. Plucked grass

today for the rabbits. It was,

by the way they hopped into it,

appreciated by them. An orderly

came round today asking for

people who have had experience

in chicken raising to report to the

office. I believe they intend to

remove the fence back &

put up a chicken house. If

we can get permission to

use the rabbits at the end of

the month I may "cop" the job

of skinning them. Good news in

the paper re Rostov. Very much

interested in working conditions in

the Phillipines. They seem pretty good.

Rec'd cigs this aft.

Movement started for officers working

in & around compound.

Wednesday 17^th February '43.

A screed came round tonight

saying that we had to work.

We were given three choices.

I put in for the Rabbits, Chickens

Working in a garden planting

vegetables outside the compound.

and thirdly repair work

round the camp. The bridge

tournament is going great guns

So far have managed to win the

first two matches. The water

taps are frozen of a morning

'Tis damned cold these days.

Peter Dixon had to go down to the

office re his numbering.

Evidently, the war news must be

bad. Had my hair cut yesterday

Sure hate the sweet potatoe they

put in the soup.

Thursday 18^th February '43.

The bridge tournament runs

apace - so far so good. Everyone

expects to be out of this place

by Christmas - Gee I hope &

pray that they are right in

their forecasts. By the papers

the Germans have evacuated

Kharkov. Let's hope the Russians

can keep it up. Had milk

today. Keeping ½ for my bread

tomorrow. Bread & milk is very

nice. Rice is getting lighter

although there is more body to

the shadow soup. Oh for a good

feed & to see my parents again.

I sure life live for this day.

Rained all day. A new syllabus

has been drawn up so as to

incorporate the newcomers.

officially appointed rabbit keeper.

Friday 19^th February '43.

Sweet buns tonight. 1 ½ each

with 3 left over. These were cut

in ½ and the cards cut for

them. I clicked on the 7^th, therefore

missed out. The J. office took

such a hell of a lot that the above

was necessary. Too bad. Issued

with cigarettes today - 3 packets.

Managed to click on the job of

looking after the rabbits in the

new jobs that are coming off. Our

room is well represented in all

of them. The bridge tournament

proceeds apace. So far so good. Have

my poker chips (bits of bamboo)

None of the new arrivals. No bread

today. Heard quite a few yarns re

the Philipine Show. Started our

Spanish lessons again.

Saturday 20^th February '43.

Before we went to bed last

night the clarion cry went

round - "Beans for breakfast" &

there were. These are popular as

they are filling besides being tasty

We always get "seconds". The reason

is because we get the normal

rations in these - the other

vegetables are on short rations

on account of the scarcity.

Bread today. Put in for a

raffle 3 yen a ticket & the

prize a wrist watch. Didn't

get anywhere. Sure am feeling

hungry & ready for my meals

these days. Still will make one

appreciate food in the future when

we get out of this hole. Sure

like to hear from Mum & dad.

Inspection today.

Sunday 21^st February '43.

Bath day - washing day - both

done in cold water. Gee, one's

hands get cold in doing the

latter. The coal situation must

be pretty serious for these

people as only hot water can

now be obtained for tea water

Used american comforts soap

on my laundry. There is a

high difference between it & J.

Had gravy for the evening meal

- golly it tasted nice. I always

have gravy for about 2 hours

after I have a "meal" of it. Heck

A man should be able to live

cheaply after this war with what

he has eaten to date. Cleaned

out ½ of the rabbit cages today.

Mucky job. - Bread for lunch.

Bridge. Tourn. finished aver.

3650./1

Monday 22^nd February '43.

Gala day today - things sure do

happen in a bunch. Issued with a

pair of Red Cross boots. Paid 50 yen. (pay

day) Meat ^ eggs onions & spuds for evening

meal. Golly it tasted delicious.

Our stoves were taken out of the room.

A Cmdr. came in & told us (Aust &

Eng. only) to get our letters in as

they were leaving by within 3 days

so we all dashed one off. Gosh I

would love to hear from home.

Received an issue of cigs. (3 pkts)

& a bottle of milk. Bread & milk for

lunch - tasted No 1. Finished our

bridge tournament played 50 rubbers

(10 matches of 5 rubbers) with an average

of 3650. The stoves were sure a wash-out

for the amount of coal that was

issued. I hope my previous letters have

gone through.