Diary of Arthur Seaforth Blackburn, April 1942 - November 1944, Part 4 of 26

26.7.42 Outside barbed wire enclosure of Senior Officers 
compound whilst R.C. padre stood inside & 
conducted a service.
27.7.42. Volleyball competitions for cup presented by Lt. K 
commenced today. Team from "Perth" beat team from 
"Houston." & team from Hut 6 beat team from Hut 4. 
Heard today that it is now unlikely that Lt. K will go 
from this camp. 
28.7.42. Construction of minature golf course completed 
today. It is difficult to get many forms of amusement 
as we have no room for football or cricket. 
Everything very quiet in camp now. Lt Rodie has 
been ordered to report daily to Broadcasting H.Q 
to supervise matter being put over to Australia. His 
work is purely editorial, no broadcasting being required. 
29.7.42. Basher gang started again today. A large number of
men & officers were bashed about for no apparent
reason. Typical cases:- a man in Hut 8 was kicked on
the shins until blood was running down his legs.
Lt. Blakeway was punched in the face, kicked twice
in the groin & his helmet which had fallen off
was kicked & finally sentry jumped up & down
on it until he squashed it flat. This evening
Lt. K. arrived at our quarters with two bottles of whiskey
& some sweets. Had a hectic supper. Complained to him
about the kicking. He explained that guards are under
control of outside officers but he will do his
best to prevent the kicking. Americans have "cried
off" the boxing. Lt. K. is trying to arrange for 
Australians to give outside bouts outside the camp
on Monday next. 
30.7.42. Camp was inspected this morning by a Major-General 
who is to take charge of all Prison camps in Java.
Learnt today that we will probably be paid in the 
near future. Am getting alarmingly thin & weak. 
Am going to give up smoking to see if that will do 
any good.
31.7.42. Another camp inspection today, this time by a large
party about half of whom were civilians, press 
men, photographers etc. Semifinals of "volley ball
competition won by Americans today who 
defeated team from "Perth", thus eliminating Austs.
from the finals. Instruction issued by Broadcasting
Officials that our church service on Sunday is 
going to be recorded & broadcasted to Australia 
I don't see how we can stop it, & in any case 
any trouble on our part might easily result 
in refusal to permit us to hold church services, 
as they are not very friendly over the holding 
of the services. 
1.8.42. Volley Ball final for cup presented by Lt. K. was 
won today by American Army team who beat
American Navy team. Excellent concert given by
concert party this evening at which six or seven Jap.
officers & a number of NCO's & men attended. 
2.8.42. Today a party of boxers (Australians) were taken along 
to a big Jap. barracks to give an exhibition bout 
of boxing. We arrived there about 4 1400 hrs & listened
to an entertainment by the Dutch Band & an Indonesian 
Troupe for a couple of hours. Our chaps then put on
their show & received a tremendous ovation. After 
it was over the Japs gave us 6,000 cigarettes amongst 
the band & our party also cakes, fruit sweets etc. 
They then told us they would bring us back 
in the evening to see a picture show. Altogether 
it made a wonderful break. This evening we 
had a pasty each for dinner which was very well 
made & cooked

3.8.42. Today 14 officers under Lt Col Leggett & 26 NCOS .
arrived in camp from Timor. They have been 
informed that all the prisoners from Timor are to 
be brought here. Brig. Veale is not a prisoner but is
somewhere in the mountains. They have apparently
been very well treated.
4.8.42. Japs announced that they will attend our concert on 
Saturday night. We have used this to draw attention
to our deficiencies & are hopeful of getting some
necessities, such as a piano, out of it. Miniature Golf
course which has been built by the men from 
one of the groups was opened today & very largely
attended. A.R.P drill started today with an 
alarm of 12 noon & another at 2100 hrs when every
light in the camp had to be put out.
5.8.42. Air raid alarms still continuing; two more
today one at midday & one at midnight. Miniature
golf has taken on tremendously, over 1000 having
played on course in 1^st 24 hours. Broadcasting
shows signs of flaring up again as we received
another request for men who with good speaking
voices to submit their names to broadcast to
Australia. A questionaire was submitted to
officers & men from Timor for them to answer. It
was quite harmless.
6.8.42. Japs informed us that a large number of their men
would attend Saturday nights concert. They have
let us have a piano in order to make it better for
the orchestra. Uneventful day. The routine grows
deadly monotonous at times. 
7.8.42. Entirely uneventful day. Very hot. Lt K. arrived tonight with beer, fruit etc
8.8.42. About 100 Japs attended the concert tonight which
lasted from 8 until 11. Concert party put on a
wonderful show, the piano provided by the Japs
making a tremendous difference.
9.8.42. Best American team beat our best team at volley- 
ball, 4 matches to 1. Usual Sunday services.
attendance is steadily increasing. Am getting very
worried about loss of weight. Am still getting
thinner & thinner. Inspected by a Jap. General today.
10.8.42. Warned this morning for another inspection by
a staff officer at 1130 hrs. Waited about ready for
inspection until 1230 hrs & then told inspection
was "off".  Apparently change of plans occur as frequently
in Jap. Army as in ours. Japs issued a news
summary today alleging that they have inflicted
a smashing defeat on a force of ours at Soloman
Islands. They claim to have destroyed or sunk 
28 warships & transports. We are not very worried!
11.8.42. Uneventful day. Minature golf course is very popular
& the men are building another 9 holes. I play every
afternoon from 4 1600 to 1700 hrs. Camp rumour is that
Lt. S is definitely leaving us soon & probably Lt. K. as
well. This afternoon the guards found various
things including some whiskey upon a working party
upon their return to camp. They then instituted a
rigid search & had an orgy of beating up. 14 men
were found in possession of various articles & each
man was beaten, in some cases on the head with
bamboo poles. They were then locked up in the
guard room but later were released. O.C
working party who has been on our playing ground
party was informed yesterday that nothing more
was to be done about it. Apparently the scheme
has been dropped. 

12.8.42. Americans from working party who were caught
yesterday bringing things into camp were again
punished today. They were taken to Jap H.Q. There
had their heads shaved & beards moustaches etc
cut off. They were then made to kneel in front
of the guard house from 1100 hrs until 1700 hrs
being allowed to stand up & stretch their legs for a
few minutes every half hour. A notice was
put up alongside them in English & Japanese
"These men stole". This evening Lt. S. gave a small
dinner party at Jap H.Q as a farewell as he
is returning to Japan very shortly. He made a
speech thanking us for our behaviour generally
& I had to make a speech of farewell.
13.8.42. Uneventful day. Minature Golf tournament
commenced. Storm in a teacup over allotment
of Community work in cleaning out Officers
Common Room to fatigue composed of all
batmen, one officer refusing to allow his
batman to work for other officers. I had to
intervene & order that batman do the job.
Unpleasant incident!
14.8.42. This morning Lt. K. took Col Searle & myself our shopping. To
do so he had to make us remove all badges of rank
decorations etc & go out as privates. I got a number of
things I needed very badly such as leather for repairing
my shoes etc but was strictly limited by shortage of money.
We were informed today that as from tomorrow 15^th4
until 19^th extensive A.R.P would be practiced in BATAVIA
& we had to organise the camp for same. Heard today
that the rest of the prisoners from Timor are due to arrive
here within a few days & that they & Lt Col Leggatt &
the officers & NCOs already here will go to the new
camp which our men have been rep preparing.
Lt Col Leggatt has no warrant for Courts. martial & so
I have decided to give him power to convene Crts-martial.
15.8.42. Discovered today that Gordon Reid (Harold Reid's son)
is here in the camp. He was a seaman on the Perth.
Had a check roll call today (ordered by the Japs)
of everyone in camp. Understand we are handed over
to new Staff tomorrow. Japs have started extensive
air raid practice & tonight about 2030 hrs all
lights were put out in camp & ordered to be
kept out all night. This is to go on for five
nights. Move chicks out today.
16.8.42 Sunday. Usual church services. A.R.P practice in
full swing & becoming an damned nuisance.
Last night all lights had to be put out at about
2015 hrs & were not allowed on again. New
camp staff did not arrive today as expected.
17.8.42. Evenings have become very boring with ARP.
practice. Lights are out most of the time & one
has to sit in darkness. Weather has been
very dry & hot for past fortnight. Only one
chicken hatched out of last brood.
18.8.42. Lt. K. left this afternoon but we have not yet
seen anything of our new camp staff.  Weather
remains very dry & hot. Japs still make no
issue of tea so Americans & ourselves are buying
same in proportion to our numbers.
19.8.42. Informed that through delay in delivery of flour we
may have & few days without bread. A.R.P practice 
finished tonight. It has been trying to be in
darkness each night. New Camp Commandant
due to arrive tomorrow. 

20.8.42. Uneventful day. Am getting bad indigestion as well
as getting damnably thin.
21.8.42. New staff took over today. Had a muster parade
at 0930 hrs & new staff inspected camp & counted 
us all. They couldn't agree on their count & so
another parade was called for 1820 hrs. This
time the count was correct. Have managed to
partially solve bread difficulty by issuing half
amount daily instead of usual issue.
22.8.42. Another load of flour came in today, just as we
used the last of our present lot. It is too late for
tomorrow's baking so we will have to have one
day without bread. New Camp Commandant had
his first interview with Davis today. Seemed
very affable & promised consideration to our
various requirements. Pay position is becoming acute.
Decision from Tokio was promised on 20^th of this
month but nothing has yet been finalised.
23.8.42. Still no bread issue. Flour supply has come into camp
but Japs refuse to issue same. Unfortunately 60 cases
of salt were stolen from the Jap Quartermaster's store
yesterday & we are all to be punished. To try to stop
this damned foolishness of stealing from their store &
getting us all into trouble I have announced that I
will cut out one egg issue, so as to try & get more
decent chaps to prevent the thefts. Usual church
services were held today.
24.8.42. New camp commandant sent for me today &  Ordered
me to submit all punishments awarded by me or any
officers of the camp to him, for approval, before same
are promulgated. Much troubled about wild
rumours which spread through camp, just such as
that we have recaptured Timor; that we are attacking
Bali; even that we have attacked Sourabaya. Position
might be serious as it might tend to make men break
out of camp prematurely.
25.8.42. "Bashing" commenced again today. Two sentries 
went around this afternoon & struck a number
of men. In one case they threw a large stone
at one man & hit him in the stomach. Bread
issue has recommenced but on a very reduced
scale.
26.8.42. Long interview with new Camp Commandant today.
Main item is that he is going to do his best to get in
dental equipment necessary for making artificial
dentures. VX       Pte Banfield died today
in our hospital from dysentery & anaemia.
Fowls are now coming into 'full laying' again - 3
eggs per day the last three days
27.8.42. One officer (Lt Allen) & three O.Rs who were in A Coy
No 2 group & who were cut off at Leuwillian
arrived in this camp today & were put straight
into cells. We were not allowed to speak to
them but so far as we can ascertain, they
have been hiding in the mountains until 2/8/42
when they were captured. It I fear that the other
officers & a lot of the 0.Rs were killed.
Today the Camp Commandant reviewed sentences
imposed on offenders & drastically reduced same.
One man who abused his officer had his sentence
reduced to 2 days & another who smoked on parade
& refused to put out his Cigarette when ordered
to do so had his sentence reduced to 2 days. I
feel that it will be utterly impossible to maintain
discipline if our sentences are to be reviewed &
reduced in this manner & intend to ask to see
the Commandant & protest to him tomorrow. 

28.8.42. One of the men brought in yesterday had dysentery.
Today he was much worse with a temperature & in
severe pain. Camp Commandant refused to allow us to
remove him to hospital. I applied to see him personally
but be refused to see me. I have put in a strong
protest but so far without avail. I have also put
in a strong protest against the reduction of sentences
by the Camp Commandant. Late in the afternoon
Camp Commandant permitted removal of Pte Baade from
cells to hospital. This afternoon Camp Commandant
sent for Col Searle & myself & issued fresh orders re
saluting etc. In future every time a Jap soldier or
officer walks along the main camp road every
hut as he passes the end of it will be called
up to attention, all games will cease & all ranks 
will salute. This will necessitate the posting of
sentries at the end of each hut & compound to
give warning of approach.
29.8.42. Today has been a day of constant getting up &
saluting. Even the Jap guards are showing obvious
signs of boredom with the system! I wrote a memo
to Camp Commandant today on the subject of pay as
we have practically run out of money. I do not 
seem able to regain any weight & am getting so
thin now that my bones ache if I sit on a hard
seat for long & when I lie in bed at night. 
usual concert tonight 
30.8.42. Entirely uneventful day. Usual church services.
Still keeping terribly dry. It is over a month
since we had any rain.
31.8.42. Jap commandant informed us today of  proposed change
around in the location of the quarters in the camp. Japs
are to take over portion of the seniors officers compound
& 20 to 30 Dutch officers are to move out into our
compound. This will require shifting of a number
of men out of their quarters in order to make
room for them & generally will be pretty difficult.
1-9-42. Uneventful day. Weather is still keeping very dry.
There has been no rain for 5 weeks. Jap Commandant
today refused to letter Medical Officer pay his customary
visit to Rathcamps. Instead he had to supply a list of
requirements which the Japs said they would phone
through & try to get supplied.
2.9.42. 20 Dutch officers out of senior officers compound
moved in to our part of the camp today. They are
Quartered in the Gymnasium & the men formerly
there have been moved into an old shed with
the men from Timor.
3.9.42. Third anniversary of the war. Minor beatings up
occurred today. One officer (Capt Weirning)was caught
smoking a cigarette walking around the back of the
huts & made to kneel down & his face
was smacked.
4.9.42. Jap camp commandant informed us today that credit
at Rathcamp would no longer be permitted & that
all purchases by us must be paid for in cash.
This raises a very serious problem. We have
little money left & the Japanese supply of medicines
drugs etc is very different in standard of quality
to our own. At present health of troops is good
but we must try to be prepared for the possibility
of an epidemic and in that event a lot of
money might be required. Am obtaining reports &
estimates from Hospital Staff on possible
requirements & will then take up whole position
with Col. Searle. Received a printed notice today
that a Major Gen Saito has taken over command
of all P.0.Ws in Java. Two or three officers in the