Diary Jack Lusby Burns - Jun - Oct -1944 - Part 5
[*News of Geoff Vincent*]
Monday 28th August 1944.
Talk about the world being a small place. - In
letters rec’d. on 22 Aug. noted where Geoff Vincent was
missing. In this new group of officers there is
a F/O. Brown who was navigator of the plane
Geoff was piloting. They crashed into the sea
just near we were captured in October 43.
Geoff was sent to J. in Jan 44 & is a P.O.W.
somewhere. He (Brown) thinks Geoff is somewhere
on this island. As there are some more
prisoners to come in 'twould be grand if
Geoff came in with them. Good chow last night - very
small but tasty - squash & eggplant a la soya.
A tasty meal always makes one hungrier than an ordinary
meal
Tuesday 29th August 1944.
Bit of excitement this evening - after muster we
all congregated down one end of the room to sing a
few songs to one of the lads (Amer.- R.O.Hill) for his
birthday. This brought the guards down onto us.
Firstly they thought that we started before muster had
”secured” (in which they were wrong) then that we were
arrogant. One thing led to another then the interpreter
came up also the J. ^duty Sargent D.O. The “Rules” were
examined & then were explained to us - we couldn’t
get a word edgeways. We had to stand to attention
till 2130 hrs. Still all’s well that ends well. Sure
look forward to the day we get out of this place.
Wonder how the Mater & Pater are faring.
[*30 New Officers*]
Wednesday 30th August 1944
30 more new Officers came in this morn. from
Hokkaido - They brought news of Vin Bristow who
left here in May 1943. With them came rumours.
Fall of Paris. Allies entered Bordeaux, allied forces
landed at Toulon reached Lyons, Russians have taken
Posen. Roumania signed Peace Treaty & are now
fighting the Germans, Hungarian Cabinet resigned,
Bulgaria signed peace treaty - Allies occupied
whole of Italy ie. Germans withdrawn from Italy.
Japanese have withdrawn from. Burma & Amer.
has 900 or so planes ready in China to bomb Japan. The
betting is even money to be out by Christmas.
[*Hog food & tomatoes.*]
Thursday 31st August 1944.
Went out of the compound to the back of the post office
to collect some kindling wood. Whilst we were away
they had a fire drill for the camp. It consists
of about 10 fire extinguishers & a detail of
bucket men. There are 6 groups of 6 buckets
put in the doorway of each bldg. There are
2 pits which have been dug & lined with cement
to hold water. Also some “bomb” shovels of wood
& bits of rope tied to the ends of bamboo poles.
to deal with incendiaries. I should like to see
a real incendiary dealt with in this way.
Quite a few tales have been told by the new Officers
re other camps. Rec’d issue of "hog food" ^xxx guards
refuse diverted from the pigs to the officers; also tomatoes.
[*Kinshies, soap, razor blades etc issued.*]
Friday 1st September 1944
Felt miserable with the effects of a cold all day.
Teddy Goode came to light with a tomato. Were
issued with - a razor blade, ½ cake laundry
soap - toilet paper & 9 pkts of kinshies. Traded
off some curry powder for 1 pkt kinshies.
"But" my french class - forgot all about it. Rumour of a
landing at Ostend. Had my boots half-soled
with some rubber which I've had for a long time
I think it is a mistake as in my 'starved" condition
they weigh very heavy. Reveille has been put back
½ hour - now rise ar 0600 hrs. Quite a Number of
"fox holes" have been dug around the compound by
J. order. - They must be having a bombing attack.
Saturday 2nd September 1944.
The new officers came out of quarantine this aft.
Rumour hath it that there will be another change in
the set up of the rooms to get these officers in.
Went down to our garden plot in the officers club.
-Picked 40 xx Kilos of Eggplant & 48 Kilos of
squash. Came back to camp to find them in the
midst of air-raid alarms. We all had to go down to
the lower rooms. Had a good yarn with F/O Brown
who was in Geoff Vincents crew after evening meal.
Two little piglets came in. Inspection postponed til
1430 hrs when a purely nominal one was held, Talked
of lines we could represent Aust. for in the China Report
trade for the rest of the afternoon.
[*Burnt Rice.*]
Sunday 3rd September 1944
Rumours hath it that Red Cross materials are on the
way. I'll believe it when I have the stuff in my hands.
Had a yarn with the new Aussies as regards the
conditions etc existing in Aust. They were rather
vague but 'twas grand to hear of things Aust. Wish
I were home to get things for the Mater & Pater. Instead
of the usual Sunday evening concert had a
church service to commemorate the anniversary
of the war, Slept most of the afternoon. Had a
bad time at Black Jack. Burnt rice - went
damned well with the fried gobo for evening
meal. Screed protesting as to the quantity of
food was put in by the new officers.
Monday 4th September 1944.
Felt off colour this evening - the feeling came on
late in the aft. - just about lost my evening meal
& had to visit the "head" 3 times between evening
meal & "lights out". Also, my cold makes me feel
lousy. More protests re the state of the food was put
in by the new Aust. Officers. Understand y'day the
J.Colonel, & Supply Officer were over in the gallery inspecting
Xx food. Tis my firm conviction that someone is
lining their pockets over our rations. Were supposed
to kill a pig today - this is as far as it got. If the
rabbits are killed soon the poor blighters will starve
to death through lack of feed
Tuesday 5th September 1944
Sweated like a pig last night. Felt off colour in
the evening so took an aspirin & the sweat just
rolled off me - Gave 4 razor blades & 2 prs socks
to the new Aussies. They were sure appreciative.
Did my washing early this aft. Can't sort of kid
myself to do it once a week but usually let it go for
2-3 weeks & consequently a big washing accrues.
Supposed to be an increase in the amount of beans put in
the rice. 'Twill be grand to have a full belly once
more - I do my damnest NOT to think about food
since if I do my mouth "waters" like blazes. Some
American mail has come in the last few days. Some
were dated July '44.
Sick, temp. 101.6.- Bed tag.
Wednesday 6th September 1944.
Felt rotten all day so early this aft. went & had
my temp. taken 101.6 so was given 30 grams
of quinine & issued with a bed tag. This
evenings chow was wonderful - Two pigs were
killed, fed from the scraps left over from the J. officers,
Y'day aft & asx the J's took but a little meat
we had the whole for evening meal. In addition
we had big red beans, ^squash potatoes & leeks in it.
Made a very thick gravy & tasted wonderful
but unfortunately I did NOT feel much like it.
Stayed in bed for evening muster. X 80 Red Cross
boxes each of 4 parcels are supposed to have gone
through. Takamatsu for us. Lets hope we get 'em soon.
[*Tomato. issue.*]
Thursday 7th September 19434
Word came round tonight that we were to be allowed to write,
in the future a 25 word P/card per mth. The cards
have the put into the J. Office for censoring by Monday next
for censoring. Lost my bed tag this morning but was
given 100 grams of quinine. - 5 days -20 grains a day.
Felt very weak all day. Absolutely swam in sweat
last night & as 'twas raining today Could NOT air my
blankets, Rec'd an issue of tomatoes. ½ ration as I
think that this will be the last time we will receive
these. Listened to debate - That married women should
NOT employed gainfully" - won my affirmative. Some more
Amer mail with photos came in dated July 44. No
news & is everyone now impatient to get out of this place?
[*80 Red Cross boxes came into camp.*]]
Friday 8th September 1944.
Whacko 80 boxes, each containing 4 parcels of Red
Cross foodstuffs came into camp this morn. They had
been pretty badly knocked about & at present are in the
"brig". Keeping them company is there, are 4 of
the enlisted mens work party from Takamatsu who were
caught with rice, cigs & salt in their possession
down there. Felt "heady" today due probably to the
quinine. Due to a very serious lack of coal
there was NO tea water issued except for evening
meal.To cook our even. meal the lads in the
galley had to go out & borrow some coal. The
J. authorities took copious notes over in the galley
about lunch time - Rumour - Increase in size of camps
Saturday 9th September 1944.
Had a pimple on the cheeks of my tail & as I have
NO padding there it is feeling damned sore - Now
have to site on a blanket or something soft whenever
I sit down. The cat seems to be out of the bag
now as regards Blackmarket etc as it is reported
that one of the lads put in the Brig y'day was
searched and $3,000 in cheques found on him.
Some of the offficers will have a difficult time
explaining things. The Routine Inspection passed off OK.
Had a bucket bath this aft. Felt a bit scary about it
as on a/c of fever & a cold. A screed was put round
by a committee of Americans asking officers NOT to
have dealings with an Amer. officer.
[*Put in P/card*]
Sunday 10th September 1944.
Yasume day - slept in the morn. worked on the Hong
Kong project in the aft. Attended the usual Sunday
of even. concert put on by the Eng - good show.
Had very tasty "soups” for the midday & evening meals.
Squash & eggplant a la soya for lunch & fried
squash for supper. but it was damned little.
I bet they had a nice meal at home. Makes one
feel damned savage when one hears of conditions
experienced by Jap. in our P.O.W. camps & then
campares them with conditions existing here. Practically
everyone is 40-50 lbs at least under normal
weight. Also to the indignities that one has to go
through at the hands of the guard
Monday 11th September 1944.
Inspection of all room property outside at 0830 hrs.
as I had the room duty, had to cart the stuff
down the stairs - sure "pooped" me out. Listened
to a lecture on "bomb disposal" in Eng. -
during the battle for Britain - very interesting
The canteen put out - fish pills, "black" pills
& one packet of "smoke bombs". Rumour hath it
that some sort of Jap. coffee came in. As we
are very near out of ink, some of the lads
are using the fruit cordial stuff we were
issued with about 6-8 wks ago, in their pens.
Multi-coloured are the specimens of everyones
writing.
[*New pay No -299.*]]
Tuesday 12th September 1944.
About 2 days ago the Col. in charge of the rabbit House
took one of the interpreters (Kob.) into the J.D.O.
for maltreating a rabbit. Played poker this morn.
Won 12 after being 60 in. Talking now of opening
a delicatessan shop cafe & milk bar (fish & chip)
shop in Hong Kong. for this have Joe Lyons b bin
view - hope everything is OK for him. Cigs are
mighty "scochi". The J's are trying to get Townsend
to sign for the Red Cross stuff. Seems highly
irregular to me. I think that the Senior officer of the
camp should be the man to do this & then only after
they have been issued to us. Rumour hath it that
the Allies have crossed the German border.??
[*Signed 25 Word Hand P/card put in on 10th Sept.*]
Wednesday 13th September 1944.
Signed my P/card - 25 words - to home - this aft. the screed
came round from the Central Committee saying they had
put in a screed to the J. Colonel re treatment meted
out to prisoners ie. treatment by guards - longer
[[?]] period, use of blankets to cover ourselves in
winter holding outside muster during winter -
Guards invading officers quarters, payment of
respect to J.N.C.O's & men etc. Food & Red Cross
parcels was omitted these being treated in a separate
screed. Had "longout” for evening meal. - Felt damned
hungry round about bed time. Did a fair bit of work
on the Hong Kong Show. The News looks grand. General
consensus of opinion is that Germany will out ere long.
Thursday 14th September 1944.
The J's. asked the Division leaders to contact Room Leaders
to find out how we like "lugar". This room voted 31
to NIL against reasons given were that the only reasons
we have this stuff is lack of eggs & as a great deal
of liquid is added it makes it appear more. Busy
all day on the Hong Kong show. Shaving now every
second day - managed to purchase 10 Gil. blades
for 20 yen. A book on Higher Bank A/Co has come
in - I've put my name down for it - Hope to get
it in the near future. Feeling pooped out these
days - everyone is getting thin & haggard looking.
These people will have some questions to answer
after the war.
Friday 12th September 1944
Arranged for Lyons & self to play a 50 rubber match against
2 dutchmen. Also as one of them is the Dutch Repres. to
collect the money due form the Dutch, he has to send me
$10 Amer. So he kindly offered to send me some silver
ware from D.E.T. I would like something for the
Mater & the home. Had a damned good & tasty "chow"
this evening. Only one fault - NOT enough -
"Shrimps" (which I intend to cultivate when we reach home)
and fried gobo & eggplants the lads caught taking
stuff from Takamatsu were sentenced to 7 days in
the brig. on ½ rations - NO soap & NO water. More
Amer. mail seems to be rolling in. Wish some
of ours would come in.
[*Drew Nov 30th for Germany - Aust. Sweep.*]
Saturday 16th September 1944.
As we have to give up one of our outside garden plots
all vegs. growing on it were uprooted & put into the
spinach soup. It was very tasty - onions & green
tomatoes. Unfortunately, it acted like a stomach
pump on me & it looks as if I'm in for a bad night.
Had an interesting lecture - new chap on radio.
The J. Col. had Central Comm. in re the screed. Nothing
definite was given as an answer except that the J's.
intend to retain control of the Red + stuff. Everything
else was evaded in typical J. fashion. The inspecs
was carried out at 0900 hrs. Did some washing
winter clothes etc. - getting very light on as regards
soap. Swapped some horse radish for 2pkts Kinshies.
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