Diary Jack Lusby Burns - May - Sep -1943 - Part 1

Diary. of.

Lieut. J. L. Burns.

Started 1^st. May 1943.

[*Room 28*]

Saturday 1^st May 1943

Received a supplementary issue
of rice this morning as well
as that of last night. Finished
my chocolate this last night. Heck 

it tasted lovely. Put letters No 4.
into the office to be typed for
home today. Sure hope it 
gets away in a hurry. Some 
of the Yanks who came from
the Phillipines have received
letters from the home & hear

how they are getting on. I am 
sitting out in the sun. Some 
of the lads are getting quite a
colour up. At present we are
only allowed to sunbake behind 
the galley. Had pilchards (2) for

evening meal.
 

Sunday 2^nd  May 1943.

Bath day - water was very hot. -

so hot in fact that cold had to be

added to it before one could pour

it over oneself.  Entertained

Major Wilson, Teddy Goode & Peter

Dixon to morning tea.  Does one's

heart good to be able to do this in

this place.  Am trying to repay 

these people for what they did for me

on my birthday.  Afterwards, the Major

Teddy & I went to church where my

thoughts turned to those at home.  Hecks

I hope they are OK. Had doughnuts (2 1/2)

for the evening meal.   'Tis wonderful

some of the concoctions the lads are

mixing up for themselves out of their

Red Cross boxes.  Gee, I'm going to

make a nuisance of myself when I

get home once again.  Had a milk

issue today.  The concert this evening

was put on by the American army!

Monday 3^rd May 1943.

Was  invited to morning tea by a Maj

Potter U.S.M.C. - He turned on a delightful

spread. - Mixture of rice, bread, cocoa

& milk plus cocoa & milk to drink.  Gee

It went down well.  "Twas damned

decent of him.  Rumour hath it

that new prisoners are coming

here on the 11^th of this month- 300

of them.  Taken to the P.T. of a 

morning.  It sure shakes the lives

up for the rest of the day.  Have

started to copy out a list of recipes

& drink mixtures to take home when

this "show" is over.  The talk

tonight was on the bombing

of England from one who experienced

it at Coventry. Gee some of those

people have been through hell.

Have run out of straw for the

rabbits - One young kitten was

carried off by a rat.  Most of the

boys are now sporting shorts & shirts

The weather is much warmer.

Tuesday 4^th May. 1943.

A ruddy cat comes to our Rabbit

house of a night time - so far it has

killed 5 kittens; so we set a trap

for it tonight.  Have had a touch

of the trots of late.  Did my week's

washing this morning.  Also helped

the Major with his.  There was

some sort of shindy on in the

Shrine across the way.  Prisoners

were NOT allowed in the upstairs

part of the building or in the

front of the compound between the

hours of 11 & 12.30.  I believe

the same incident happened

last year.  The Major invited 

me to a cup of cocoa for morning

tea.  I wish we got a Red Cross

box every fortnight.  "Tis very

close this evening. Our cigarette

issue has been cut down to 180pkts a 

month

Wednesday 5^th May 1943.

Windy lousy day - Had my hair cut

and the newcomers (Phil. Officers) had

their photos taken.  The tin of evaporated

milk which I opened about 3 days

ago started to go bad so I had to

get rid of it in a hurry.  So 

mixed up an excellent chocolate

pudding of rice bread, milk &

orange.  Some of the lads are

starting to try to make a sort of a 

brandy with their prunes.  Weird &

wonderful are some of the concoctions.

There has been xxx clashing of

cymbals etc from the Shrine across

the way.  Shaved off my moustache

quite a few of the lads are leaving

their heads shaven on account

of the warm weather.  The cigarette

position is getting fairly serious

I'm right out so guess will have to

go without.  Heck will be grand to

get back home once again. 

Thursday 6^th May 1943

Feel very tired this evening. - have

had a headache all day.  Guess

I'll have to give this smoking

racket up as the issue to one

only teases you.  Have started to copy

up recipes & drink concoctions

made up by various members

in camp. Some of them are quite

good & I'm sure to try & get some of 

them when I get home.  Had Doug

Millican up for morning tea. 'Tis

some small measure on my part

for the feed he & Teddy turned

on for me on my birthday.

Did some sewing & lengthened

a pair of U.S, Marine Trousers.

When I first tried them on they were 

very tight round the tummy! Now

they fall down over my hips.  Beans

for b'fast. They were sure nice.

Been playing too much bridge of late

Will have to give it up.

Friday 7^th May 1943.

Excellent evening meal Ha Had pork

in the noodle soup. - Saved a bit of

bread from lunch & had a

sandwich with butter.  Had to turn

in our g'coats for storage today.

Gee, I sincerely hope that we 

are NOT incarcerated in Japan

for this coming winter.  The alterations

& additions to these buildings &

compound are proceeding apace.

Soon a chicken house is beginning

to assume reasonable appearance.

Rumour hath it that the new

arrivals should be here sometime

next week. (?) Have started to help

2 others did up a plot of ground

so as we can plant some potatoes &

turnips.  Have raised a couple of

blisters.  Heck I'm weak.  Oh! For a

good feed.  Feel reasonably tired

this evening.  Wonder where I'll be this

time next year.

Saturday 8^thMay 1943.

Worked in the garden plot this

morning & succeeded in raising

a couple of blisters.  Hands feel a

bit sore this evening.  Received an

issue of 3 pkts. cigs today. Also,

had a packet given to me.  The house

designing craze has struck the

boys again & everyone is designing

houses.  There is great interest being

taken in a bridge match between

a team from this room & the

adjoining room. I promoted

the thing & someone else is running

a book.  Have decided to clean the

rabbit cages out daily.  Each

morning before b'fast. - Should 

fill in the time. The chow was

lousy this evening. The ordinary

Sat. aft. inspection was carried out

very perfunctorily.  They cause a bit

of a hubboo secreting things.

Sunday 9^th May 1943.

Beans for b'fast. - Made a mash

added some butter & orange &

had it as a paste for my

lunch on bread.  It sure

tasted nice.  For the evening meal

we had fish or I should say

about 1/2 a garfish.  Meat or fish

sure fill me up. - My tummy

must be very small.  Take

some cultivation to get it back 

to normal.  Had milk today

so mixed up a cocoa pudding

for myself for the evening meal

altogether, I had a fair meal.

Won a packet of cigs. over the

big bridge match we had in

this room this morning.

Sunbaked this morning. The 

news re Tunisia looks good.

Had to turn in our g'coats y'day.

Monday 10^th May 1943

Worked in the garden plot.  Planted

some potatoes in it. - Swung a pick

& succeeded in raising a few more

blisters.  Having the fun of cork -

am running a 'book ' in conjunction

with Bob Allen on a bridge match

He played Wednesday aft.  Intend to

set a trap this evening for the

cat that has been after our rabbits.

So far the blessed thing has

swiped 8 of the young ones. The

last week has been a week of

delightful sunny weather. Oh!

if only the "chow' could be

increased.  Have been having 

a touch of the trots of late. The

9. carpenters are putting new

buildings up all round the

place.