Diary Jack Lusby Burns - Jun - Oct -1944 - Part 2

Rec'd. letter dated 2^nd Feb' 44 from the water.
Thursday 29^th June 1944.
Quite a batch of Amer. & Aust mail came in
most of the Aussies & Amer in this room rec'd.
at least one letter. Most of them too, rec'd photos
'Twas grand to see how civilized people looked - make 
a chap quite homesick. Did my laundry - I sure 
hate this work lousy meals gone back to
cucumber soup Issue from the canteen of 2 pkts
tube cigs (20's). They are only fit to smoke in a
pipe. Made arrangements to attend a law course
in N.S.W. law unfortunately, still the basic princ.
are the same. Bugs are giving me a bit of a respite
these days. Been doing a bit of reading of late.
[*Pay day - signed as having 50 yen on hand*]
Friday 30^th June 1944.
The cigs issued from the canteens are putrid ruddy
things- I can only smoke them in a pipe.
My tummy is feeling very much upset this
evening probably shall spend a very sleepless
night - Some of the lads had to go & see the J.
doctor re their loss of weight. They were
asked 4 standard questions - 1. What do they
attribute their loss of weight too. 2. Have they
had any sickness. 3. Conditions at previous
camp. 4. How long were you at 3. Food is still

damn scarce - Swapped Peter D. 1/2 his rice for
my cucumber salad as the latter gives me the runs 

Rec'd letter dated 5^th March' 44 &-mater

wonderful getting some

Saturday 1^st July 1944.
Rec'd. letter dated 5^th March' 44 from home. "Tis
grand hearing one's name read out & to know
that there is a letter for you. ½ the year is
gone- Wonder what the next ½ has in store for
us. Gee I hope we are home by Xmas. Will
be wonderful seeing mum & dad again
Geoff's birthday - Good luck to the old blighter
Issued y'day- I razor blade, I cake toilet soap
 1/8 cake of laundry soap & some toilet paper.
Very perfunctory inspection. Held at 1100 hrs. Usually
these inspections make chow late of a Saturday. Bath 
was practically cold.- Bugs were bad last night

Sunday 2^nd July 1944

Bugs let me sleep last night. - Rained all day.

Had a snooze in the morning & straight after

lunch. Journey Bridge - afternoon. Concert was

given by the whole camp with, an American

English & Dutch choir. Now have a new job

in the Rabbit House - that of putting out feed.

Graphs etc. are kept for this purpose & they show

a pitiful lack of feed for the little blighters.

Picked up 3 klines Salt - dropped 50 at Black

Jack. Been barred from the library till the

6^th on account of the late return of a book. Getting

more millet in the rice. 

Rec'd letter mater 5^th March' 44 - whacko!
Monday 3^rd July 1944
Great treat receiving letter dated 5^th March 44
from home. Tis grand reading the letters
over & over again. There must be a lot of new
faces round home births marriages etc.
Some rumour to the effect that USA. has made
arrangements for Russia to feed us. The "chow" here
is lousy. A new arrival came today - a U.S.
Air colonel Shot down over Rabaul Jan '44. Twill
be interesting to see him - 2 years since we were
there. Twice a day a squad goes out to collect
feed for the rabbits which are now down to the 500
mark. Some of the Aussies got snaps & they proudly
display them
Anti dysentery shot.
Tuesday 4^th July 1944.
Rec'd ½cc. dysentery shot - arm is not so sore
from this shot, as the last two. - Still we had a
yasume day, and I had a snooze. Lost our 2nd
match in the Bridge Tourney. The air raid
warning sounded this morning about 0900.
An order came out that no one was allowed
outside except on business - prisoners, must
stay in their rooms & wear boots. Also another
order came out re the conservation of water.
The drought has broken at last. 5 baskets of spuds
came in - The cucumber meals are pretty lousy. 

Rec'd letters Dec 43 Mater - Jan'44 & Mrs Page
Wednesday 5^th July 1944.
Received-2 (1) letter from the mater dated 5^th Dec '43 
& a post card from Mrs Page dated & 15 Jan '44.
Quite a batch of Aust. mail came in. Also
there was some pepper bug powder put out by
the canteen. ½ way through the sale the J. D.O
came rushing across & told the attendant to stop
selling as he had heard bad news for J. over
the radio. Since then the J. sentries Sgts etc
have been invigorating. Had to go down to the
office myself for leaving a lighted cig. on the bunk.
A J. sentry took me down to the J.D.O.. I said straight

out that I was in the wrong & then to my surprise

he told me to vamoose. If I had of made an
excuse I would have been in the brig as there is

already another officer there for the same offense

 Thursday 6^th July 1944
The guards are very agitated! They policy, promulgated 
by the authorities of this camp, was to respect officers 
& NOT allow any slapping by J. N.C.O'S. or men. This 
has been revised & the J. sentries have been indulging 
in an orgy of slapping & kicking; also for the excuse 
that we could NOT understand the J. guards came the 
reply that officers had dealings (black market) with
guards & were able to make themselves perfectly understood. 
Inspection of room property. Notice circulated. 
re Private parcels expected or delivered since M.Peslalozzi 
the Swiss R.C. Repres. was at this camp. 

Friday 7^th July 1944.
The No. of rabbits is now down to 400 i.e a
total which we are able to feed. Cigs-japs stoves 
were issued by the canteen  1 pkt of 20 per person.
-Wish our regular issue would come out. The J.
guards were very "'ornery"-evidently something has
happened in the Pacific. We used to be allowed to
sleep from 1200 to 1330 or 1400 hrs. now it is
only from 1230 to 1330 - also we are NOT allowed
to sit on our bunks. - My poor tail has corns on
it from sitting on benches as it doesn't have the
padding on it it used to have. Still better days are
in the offing. I hope - Oh for one of the maters meals.
 Saturday 8^th July 1944
Inspection - carried out by the J. Doctor. - They
made a raid on Maps both of the Pacific & Europe
which adorned the walls. The J. wish to cut out
our papers as they say the news affects us. In
a way they are right some of the officers should
be more circumspect as to has to re-act to the
news. Some one has removed the lens from
the J. doctors camera & we are threatened with
a shake-down unless it is returned - damn
fools if any prisoner took it. Some rumour going
round to the effect that we now are under Osaka -
command for the supply of rations cigs clothes etc.
 

Sunday 9^th July 1944.
Due to the fact that some silly blighter has removed
the lens of the J. Doctor's camera we have been
threatened with a "shake down" and I have been
on pins & needles all day. And a trouncing at
bridge today our opponents bid & made 2 grand
slams in succession. Good bean breakfast
& supper - A good meal makes one hunger
for the common amenities of life that one is
used to at home. Feel a bit bloated tonight looks
as if I am in for a lousy night. Disposed of
some 40 stink bombs. Everyone is very optimistic
re the news althou as the news have threatened to
cut off our newspaper.
Major Salter died
Monday 10^th July 1944.
Had a filthy night - runs belches etc my poor old
tummy was sure upset. A Major Salter RE.
died early this morning - he had ulcers in his
stomach -  Been sick for a long time and
suffered great pain - The diet here was NO good
for him. The whole camp turned out for the funeral
service & we then lined the road as the body was
carried out. Tough luck to get so far. Some English
mail came in dated May' 44. Opposite our
barracks & seen quite plainly from our window is
a bakery & an "aboragie" factory - Makes one's
mouth water to see the bread etc there. 

Anti dysentery shot.

Tuesday 11^th July 1944.

Anti dysentery shot in the left arm - Knocked me

cold - 'twas all right in the morning but in the

aft. developed a fierce head-ache & spells of

hot & cold shivers. Felt as if I wanted to be

sick. Had a slight temperature 99.4. Couldn't

eat my evening meal. Heck, I felt lousy. The days

now are starting to become warm. - just like

when we just came here in '42. As there have

been quite a number of cases of the "runs".

Chlorine of lime is put in the ordinary tap water

& we are prohibited to drink tap water. Was done

a bit to check them.

Wednesday 12^th July 1944.
Another day in which I experienced the after
math of yesterdays shot. Had a headache all

day - felt confoundedly weak &  fortunately was
issued with a bed ticket - The lad in front of
me for morning's muster passed out just as

we had to number - dueced awkward as we
have to No. in Japanese. Tis the 2^nd time that
he's done this. The food is still poor, about
80 private parcels came in late this evening.
all for Americans - There are 7 in this room
out of 28 & all have at one time or another rec'd
parcels - I feel sorry for them.

Thursday 13^th July 1944.
Had to do a turn "Anchor watch" this evening
1st shift 2100 - 2310 the mosquitoes ate me
alive - there is just a vicious hum around
the passages. Should have been on last night
but swapped over as I felt too weak to do the
thing. Had an Indep. officers gathering for
Bill L'S birthday - drank his health in hot
water as we are out of tea- We all dubbed in
& gave him a tin of "cured" tobacco as he likes
a pipe. Deep in our hearts we hoped that this
time, next year we all shall, be home. I bet
each of as a some time thought of home & mother.
 Friday 14^th July 1944.
I guess one must to getting very weak as
now it is quite common for 2 men go down
to carry up the soup rice etc. It sure
fatigues one to do this "small" service on
one's own, The "chow "sure is very slight.
I sincerely hope I never have to go hungry again
in my life. Had a drink of cocoa from a
private parcels this morning - sure intend
to take this drink up in the future - also
coffee - swamped with cream / milk & sugar.

Had my [[?]] towel (won in a raffle) [[?]] from the

line so had another "lost" towel which hasn't

been claimed given to me.

Saturday 15^th July 1944.
Disturbed day - Started off with a pillow, pillow case & 

mattress inspection at 1000 hrs & the ordinary routine 

weekly inspection at 1100 hrs. The first developed into 

an order for the West barracks to change mats for 

mattresses (ie. all those in West without mattresses) with 

those in the east barracks; which then developed into an 

order that all those below the rank of Captain, except 

the Work Party, were only allowed mats & the usual
routine inspection was postponed till 1400 hrs. So
I now have a mat after approx 2 years with a
mattress. This now stops me from sleeping in the middle 

of the room on a form: Issue of Tea, horse-radish 

& pills & 1 pkt of smoke bombs from the canteen.

Weight. 65.5 Kilos - lost 7/10 kilo

Sunday 16^th July 1944.

Weigh day -The general trend of all weights was

downwards - the average loss for the room was 1.1

kilos. The concert was put on by each room  

turning on an item & was added to by the

camp interpreter. Had an inspection at 1300 hrs

by an outside Maj. General. Made out the results

for the Bridge Tourney to date - So far Bill Spears

& self are lying second. Some English mail

came in dated April & May containing photos. Hope

I get one of these in my next letter. The J's. have

been stirred up to late for some unknown reason,

also weapon pits & slit trenches are being dug

outside the guard house & J. office. 

Monday 17^th July 1944.
Very hot - Sure is drought conditions akin to 42'
The boys that got out to outside projects bring back
reports that the paddy fields are all dried up
Things will be serious if they don't got rain
here before long. an order came round for
everyone to turn their clothes pegs in (?) Issued
from the canteen 1 bottle (beer) of various kinds 
of cordial (1 between 2). Unfortunately it has to be
diluted with water & sugar added - we have none
of the latter;  also some pills,  G strings etc.
Fags still continue at 10 per packet. These
mats sure makes one's hips sore - Still let's

hope it isn't for long.

Tuesday 18^th July 1944.

One of the rooms -19 - had a shake down in the

afternoon - all that was found was a hammer 

a "dog" bone dishes & an ashtray. Still it

"shook - up" quite a few of the lads. Very sultry

typical drought weather. One gets hellishly bored

these days sitting around doing nothing.

The rabbits are still dying through lack

of feed but the chickens are on the upgrade. 

These latter are now run by the

enlisted men. Evidently the J's. became fed up

with the officers reserving some. Hardly any - one

wears a shirt these days. - Bit of a save in

laundry