Diary of Edward William Burrey, February-September 1945

[*Diary Cover Page*]

NX58148
SGT E.W.BURREY
H.Q. A.A.S.C. A.I.F.
MALAYA.
Home Address
139 MILITARY ROAD
GUILDFORD
NEW SOUTH WALES

1.
15 February 1945.
Celebrating a double event. Commencement
of my new diary and the
completion of 3 years as a POW.
When I look back over all that has
happened it seems a lifetime, and
[[get? ? some? times?.]] It is hard to
realise that for the past 3 years I have
been ordered about by little yellow 
buggars, not seen a single white
woman and lived (or better still
existed) on a diet of rice with
very little else. Home is a very
dim picture in my mind now but
surely in the near future this picture
will be brought back to real life.
I went out to work today and
at mid day watched 6 of our B29's
do a systematic recce of Singapore
Island. Another chap out of 2 Coy,
an Aboriginal, died 2 days ago
and I went to his funeral.
16 Feb. Weather has been very cold
& wet for the past few days. On the
Drome today 2 chaps from 2/29
who were trading with a Tamil

2.
apparently got into an argument
and one of our chaps struck the
Tamil over the skull with a
chunkol. The Tamil died later so
now the 2 chaps concerned look
like getting into strife. They deserve
all they get is the general opinion
of the boys.
17 Feb. Black-out sounded at noon but no
planes were sighted by us. Went to AIF
theatre again tonight to see Noel Cowards
3 plays. Excellent show.
20 Feb. Recce plane over every day. Bombs
dropped on Seletar today. Could hear them
plainly above the pouring rain.
21 Feb. Went down to padang & watched
AIF Med defeat American & Dutch Offrs
at basketball. Dont know where they
get the energy to play.
22 Feb Went out to work today. Rained
all day so we sat in Chinaman's
house till lunch time when we had
a darn good feed & then came home.
Very amused at Chinaman smoking his
3.
bamboo water-cooled pipe. The pipe
was almost as big as himself.
24 Feb. Big raid this morning, lasted 2hrs
Total 165 B29's came over and dropped
hundreds of incendaries on the Docks,
gedangs & AGK setting off the oil tanks
and causing huge fires.
25 Feb. Recce planes over this morning to
view the damage done. Sent up terrific barrage
of the AK over Naval Base but to no avail.
Received radio message from Mum on
23rd & sent reply yesterday. Very thrilled.
28 Feb. Recce planes have been over daily
1 Mar. My birthday and I am 25 and to
think I was 20 when I enlisted & 21 when I
left home. This is my fourth birthday as a POW.
Don gave me a big cigar for a present!
2 Mar. Another big raid which lasted over
an hour. Approx. 50 planes over but don't know
where bombs were dropped. Four of them came
directly overhead. Its not a very pleasant
feeling, firstly the thought of bombs, secondly
they draw AK AK fire & Shrapnel flies everywhere
Five chaps out at hosp area wounded by a
cannon shell shot from a B29. Heaviest barrage
of AK AK I have yet seen. Many Nip fighters in action.

4.
4 Mar A Red Cross ship has arrived and
this afternoon Les went in with others to
stack parcels in St Andrews School.
5 Mar. Dan went in with a party of 150 this
morning. Les arrived home at 10am
very weary, having worked all night
apparently all parcels & no bulk stuff.
8 Mar. A Nip Offr took exception to our
present concert "Music Thru the Years" consequently
the theatre is to be closed down.
9 Mar. The AIF Concert Party which has
been together for the past 3 years is to be
broken up in a day or two & they return to their
units. I am to take over the job of Squad
CSM of 2Sq in a day or so. Big further
cut in rations commences tomorrow.
Hvy duty 275 gms Rice Light duty 225 and
No duty & hospital 180 gms. 28.4 gms to the
oz so things are going to be pretty tough.
10 Mar. No raids or recce planes
over for some days now. New rations
Commenced today. 8ozs of rice!
12 Mar Finish up in Q job today and
start going out tomorrow. Have
5.
not been hitting it off with Westmore
so think I would be better off outside.
Doesn't look if job as Sq. CSM will
eventuate. Singapore bombed. Never
saw planes - too wet.
14 Mar. Working down on garden now.
Quite a break to be out after 9 months in
the Gaol job. Food very light on. Can
notice myself thinning off already.
16 Mar. AIF Concert Party was broken up.
Doesn't look like any more concerts.
17 Mar. St. Pat's Day. Think I was up at
Dooley's this time in '41.
19 Mar. Still on gardens. No Red Cross
supplies have arrived in Camp yet.
Doubtful if we will get much [[?]] of it.
No raids, not even a recce seen for
the past week - most confusing.
21 Mar. A working party of 3,000 - AIF allotment
1500 to go to Singapore shortly. Not
keen to go as I believe the work is not too pleasant.
23 Mar. Have new job with Forestry. Have a
party of 14 and our job is carrying stumps
that have been grubbed out over the road
to make easy loading for the trailers.
24 Mar. Rations are very meagre these days.

6.
As a result snails & frogs are in
great demand. Have tasted snails but
haven't come to the frog stage yet. The
Dutch are even eating rats. No excuse
yet for stooping that low. Mushrooms
& the fungus that grows on dead logs
have a pleasant flavour.
25 Mar. The latest delicacy on the food
line now is sparrows. Three of the boys in
our hut have rigged up a trap at the rice
store & their catch yesterday totalled 30.
They clean the birds then boil & fry them
& say their taste is delicious. Sunday
today, very wet and I am spending
the day in bed with Bruce Lockhart's
'My Scottish Youth'.
28 Mar. A party of AIF going to Singapore. None
of HQ except Olsen & Slattery is on it. My job
with Forestry cut out owing to shortage of men.
29 Mar. Air Raid last night about 12am.
Beautiful moonlight. Some planes over. Ak Ak
& flaming onions shot up.
30 Mar. Another raid in the early hours of this
morning. 2 infact. Bombed petrol dumps
on one of the islands. Huge fires burning.
7.
Good Friday today & I celebrated it on the
Drome. My first day down there. Long
hours leave camp at 7.30 am & arrive home
at 6.30 pm.
31 Mar. On Drome again today. Easter Sat &
my thoughts were at home all day. Judy
was down for my last Easter at home.
Funny here the other day. A bird [[?]]
a soft [[card?]] on top of a fellow's dinner.
Meals too small now to throw away
& seeing that it was too sloppy to pick
out he said, 'Oh buggar it, [[I'll?]] [[?]]
it rice again & mixed it thru
his rice & ate it. The thought of it
makes me sick.
1 Apr. April Fools Day. Past the joking
stage here now.
52 Apr. On the Drome today.
4 Apr. Things very quiet at the moment. A
few more have left for Singapore but still
more to go. Had a dysentery innoculation last night.
5 Apr. On the Drome today. Bloody awful day. Worked
from 8.30 to 12.30 in boiling sun without a rest or
a drink of tea or water. Just as bad in afternoon. Bad
lot of Nips & one chap was done over by them. To make
matters worse I have poisoned leg & I almost had
a black out in the morning. Terribly tired when

8.
eventually limped home.
6 Apr. Some more Red Cross parcels arrived in camp
today. Hope we soon get issue. Food terribly plain
& light on. Total weight per man per day of
rations now is 25 oz whereas in normal
times the lightest ration scale issued was 82oz!
8 Apr. First issue of Red Cross food tonight. 1 parcel
between 20 men. All of it went into kitchen and
although it was only a flavouring it was wonderful.
First time I had tasted meat, jam, butter etc for just
on 1 year.
13 Apr. After a week at home my leg is much better
and I went out to work at gardens today.
15 Apr. About 40 ASC have moved to a Separate
area outside the Gaol.
17 Apr. An occasional recce plane over these days
but no big raids.
19 Apr. Had our fourth taste of Red Cross food
tonight. A ballot was run today & everyone rec'd
a comfort. I drew a pencil market price $4.
Les - 1 razor blade - $3.50. Don - Nugget polish $15.
To top things off I have malaria. First time for
6 mths. I go to hospital tomorrow. Have lost a lot
of weight recently on account of light ration so
hate to think how I will look at end of
another week on still lighter rations. 

9.
20 Apr.
Mysterious death occurred in Gaol last
night. A chap named Hermann of 2/26 went to
bore hole last night & did not return. His
towel was later discovered near a bore hole
& this morning when a chap wentfor a 'bog'
he saw 2 feet protruding from the excreta.
[[?]] He had fallen down the hole head first -
intentionally or otherwise not known. A terrible
death. I came into hospital today. Issued
with 5 Old Gold smokes tonight. Boy they
taste good after smoking chopped up grass.
They are worth $2 or more each in Singapore.
23 Apr. Feeling reasonably well now. Food is
very light on. Bill H. has kindly sent down

a doover at lunch time yesterday & today.
25 Apr. More Red Cross food today.
27 Apr. Finished Quinine today. Had my blood
count taken - Result 70% which is very
good now.
29 Apr. Came out of hospital tonight. Issued with
new pair of shorts from Red Cross supplies.
30 Apr. Last day of month and the war still
goes on - (b)!! Quite a lively month.
1 May. Out to work on gardens today.
7 May. Have received 5 letters up to Oct 44
out of present mail.

10.
8 May. I think I could write pages under
this date but will have to be content
with my thoughts. How wonderful it
all seems.
10 May. Weighed today 9-12. Just a bare
2stone under normal weight. Another plane
crashed on Drome today. No one killed.
121 May. Home today. Had to visit dentist. Had
sore tooth & have had the gum treated.
Play cards most evenings now. Poker is the
game & have won quite a few bucks sofar.
Bill H. has malaria. Going to visit him tonight.
135 May. Had my blood count taken today.
Down to 69% so have been given a fortnight
on light duties. Also have a touch
of the runs so at the moment I am not
too happy with the world.
157 May. Still playing poker & winning.
About $60 or $70 up to date.
163 May. Mothers Day. Went to Church in
evening. Very good sermon. Wore
beautiful white frangipanni which
I have kept & hope to take back to
dear old Mum. Missed her very 

11.
much today.
189 May. Have new job. In charge of party
emptying 'piss' tins 3 times daily out
in hospital area. Gee it stinks.
231 May. [[? ?]] Gwen's birthday. How
I would love to be with her tonight.
I've lost count of all the celebrations
I have to makeup for when get home.
30 May. Over 1000 Dutch troops have
shifted in from Sumatra. More working
parties to move outside now that the
Drome work has finished.

31 May. Have been home for last 2
days. Suspect I am getting malaria.
If I don't develop it I look like going
with the next party in about 1 weeks
time.

1 Jun. Haven't developed malaria yet & 
the party to go away has been postponed.

5 Jun. Dvr McLaren out of ASP died of
dysentery early this morning.

7 Jun. Went to funeral this morning.
Also Dutch doctor buried. Committed
suicide by cutting his throat.

10 Jun. Have had pain around my heart
so went on sick parade. Dr. said I have
particularly good heart. Pain coming

12.

from the stomach. 

12 Jun. Another new job I have. Pulling 

2 trailer loads of grass into Gaol each
day.

14 Jun. Feel bloody awful tonight. My
stomach feels terribly sore & today I
was flat out to walk the distance
to work& back. Each morning lately
when I waken I feel too sick to
eat all my breakfast. Oh dear. How
I am longing for home & dear old
Mum nobody knows. I pray it will
be soon now.

17 Jun. Feeling better again.

19 Jun. A party of 800 including 200
AIF is going away. Les & I are going.

23 Jun. Received a letter card from
Mum dated Jan 45.

24 Jun. Received a card from Dad
dated Oct 44. Party to go away still
in abeyance.

25 Jun. A lot of Indian P.O.W. have moved
into the Gaol. A camp census was 

13.

released the other day. Strength of
Camp approx 8,000 comprising 3,000
AIF 3,600 British, Dutch a few
hundred & the remainder made up of
Americans, Italians, 2 Norwegians,
1 Dane, 1 Czek, Malays, Anglo Indians.
Not a bad mixture, about the only
one missing is the German. Still no
mention of X8 party moving.

2 Jul. Pinched good feed of tapioca from
Boong garden this morning. Cooked it for
tea tonight.

3 Jul. Another good feed tonight. About
3lb of egg fruit which I scrounged.

4 Jul. X8 party moved this morning.
200 of us are in a new camp at Bukit
Timah. No organization yet as it was
thought we were coming to an organized
camp. We are right in the middle of an
ammunitions dump and the job is to build
tunnels into the many surrounding
hills. Only creek water & hygiene
arrangements very bad at the moment.

5 Jul. All working on camp improvements
this morning when Nips made
us form up into 4 parties & go out to work.

7 Jul. Working on gun emplacement on
hill near camp, also digging communicating

14.

trench.

8 Jul. Half holiday. Rations of vegetables
here stupendous. After light rations
at Changi it is wonderful to get on
to plenty of food again.

9 Jul. Some parties tunnelling into
hills - not so good.

11 Jul. I am in charge of E Squad
39 men. My Nip boss is a champion.
In fact all the Nips on our party are A1.
Yesterday the boss presented us with $60
of tobacco. Strangely enough it's a
pleasure to work with them especially
after being associated with some of
the stick merchants.

13 Jul. Shifted to new location today. Digging
a gun pit and 2 connecting tunnels. New Nips
just as good as old ones.

14 Jul. Les off sick today. I have had
diarrhoea for 4 days. Very bad yesterday,
but better today.

15 Jul. Half holiday. Feel very well. Food
wonderful. Witnessed fight between Nip
& Korean last night. Nips & Koreans are
bitter enemies. 

15.

18 Jul. Things not so good. Vegetable issue
dropped to practically nothing although we are
told this is only temporary. Hours of work
increased. Official time now 78.30 am to 9pm
although we finish at 7.30pm and are back
in camp about 8.15pm.

20 Jul. Rained all afternoon. We sat in
shed from 12.30 to 7.30pm just 7 hours. Oh
what patience a man has learnt.

22 Jul. Half holiday - Sunday. Oh how I wish
this whole show would finish and I could
return to dear old home. Nobody knows
just how much I miss Mum & the others.

29 Jul. Seeing that I leave camp at 8.30am
& return at 8 pm each day excepting
Sunday an entry once per week will
haveto suffice. Reveille is 7.30am. Days
are long & although I am No 1 of our
party & don't work I am very tired by
evening. Rations have gone off considerably.
Vegs were 4 lbs a man Sm most days
but are now 8 or 9 ozs. Terribly hungry.
I am losing weight. Last week I weighed
9-8!! Have been two or three air

16.

raids during the week and a recce
plane over most days. I expect bigthings
to happen soon. 4years today I sailed
from Sydney.

5 Aug. Another week of agony past. The
work is hard & the hours long. Rations
are still at a low scale and sickness
is increasing. Oh how I pray for
freedom. Yesterday I witnessed a
surprise raid by at least 7 of our
twin engined planes. Saw 1 plane come
to earth in flames - hope it was a Nip.

12 Aug. Sunday once more & Les is down
with disentry. Have just read in yesterdays
paper where Russia is at war with Japan.
On top of this startling news one of our chaps
has just arrived back from Kranji hospital
& was given the news to pass on to us by a
Fld. officer that Japan signed peace terms
this morning. It's too colossal to believe &
yet I feel it is true. If true I am a free
man at this very moment. Oh God I pray
this is the truth. How wonderful for my
dear folks at home. Orders are to carry
on as normally for the next 10 days.
Surely there will be confirmation of
this news in a day or two.

17 Aug. Les' birthday yesterday. It's now
about 7pm, & for the first time 

17.

I am convinced the show is over.
Came in from job suddenly this afternoon
bringing all tools and accompanied by
2 extra guards. All guards packing up
at camp nearby & double guards on the
camp. Oh how wonderful. How wonderful
for my dear folks at home. Have just
been advised by Nip in charge here that
"owing to Slippery nature of ground & liability
of accidents there will be no work tomorrow".
What a laugh! The buggars in the past
have taken no greater delight than when
they see you plodding through the mud.

198 Aug. Well at last it has come. Today
we moved back to Changi & heard the
news confirmed. Tomorrow is hoped to be
the big day. We are the first of [[4,150?]] or
more who are returning to Changi. It's good
to be back. Saw Bill H. tonight. Has malaria
again.

19 Aug. More parties moved back to
Changi today. Red Cross supplies in
already & we start consuming some
tomorrow. Issued with 20 Camels tonight.

20 Aug. Dad's birthday. I was almost
free for it. Tomorrow the signing is
expected to take place at Singapore. More
troops moved back today. Nip troops
are being concentrated in camps in