Papers relating to the service of Cyril John Watson, 1941-1945 - Part 14

MARCH.

SATURDAY 13th. – Day off 'drome. Keith
in too. Reading and resting. Three shots
fired & two men brought in from 
wood party. Beaten & into cage. Have
heavy cold & ringworm in toes & crutch. 
Hear Gov. & people have gone from Pulau
Behala last Sat.

SUNDAY 14th. – Holiday today. Communion 
Fish for lunch, very nice. Cold bit better, 
but toes very sore. Unveiling Ceremony 
of memorial tablets in chapel. Very 
impressive. Service in evening in 
memory of fallen in Malaya. Anniversary 
of last service. Reading - Star Atlas.

MONDAY 15th. – O.D.P. Quiet day packing
fires. Nearly had row with John Rowell. 
Light rain most of the day. W.P i/c party.
Bathe ringworm &c and then to bed.
Verns leg improving..

TUESDAY 16th. – O.D.P. Same quiet sort of 
day. Exercising on the 12 lb. axe most 
of day. Crutch & toes very sore from 
Fungicide burn. 36 lb [[Tunney?]] for hut.
Very nice tea.

WEDNESDAY 17th. – O.D.P. Rainy sort of 
day. Stacking & burning logs. Do very 
little.

THURSDAY 18th. – O.D.P. Crutch still 
very sore. Hardly see guards. Maritake
cuts down on number of Mess Orderlies. 
1 per bucket. Fish for tea. J Morrison

[[stopping?]] work. Conundrum charge.

MARCH.
FRIDAY 19th - Stay in today with

very sore crutch. Bathing four times a day.

Good to have days rest. J Morrison in

also, we form Con. Depot Reading -'The 

Fight for the Pacific' - M.J. Gayor.

SATURDAY 20th. - Off work still.

Will be few days. Bathing with hot

water & reading most of day. Bomber

over but does not land. Laurie Maddick

out of hospital.

SUNDAY 21st. - holiday. Quiet day.

Everyone wants rest. Excellent fish

for lunch. Communion 0930 hrs.

MONDAY 22nd. - No work still with

crutch. Meat in canteen. Make rissoles.

Star gazing at night.

TUESDAY 23rd - Rail clothes in morn.

Vern's leg showing improvement. Funny

advertisement in Japan Times for Yokohama

Specie Bank. Agencies Tempararilly closed.

Hoshi. wants choir to put on J. Patriot

Song.

WEDNESDAY 24th. - Still O.B.D. Reading

and bathing with hot water. Having

bad nights.

THURSDAY 25th - Still in. Very lazy

days arguing with Vern &c. No Protein

for couple of days.

MARCH

FRIDAY 26th. - O.D.P. Back again.

Days very hot. Crutch almost better.

Ringworm burning very sore. Plane lands

and off again in great hurry. Choir

starts again.

SATURDAY 27th. - O.D.P. Vern out again

today. Legs just fair. Days very hot now.

Burns on legs give me bad night.

Fish Pork for tea. Have extra every now & then.

Never feel the old hunger now.

SUNDAY 28th. - O.D.P. Make us

work for some obscure reason. Very

hot day. A lot of pottering around.

Another death in camp. Having another

box (Patricia) being made.

All weighed in evening. I am 12 st 12 lb.

V.R. 14.8. K.M. 11.3 lb. 5 oz. W.P. 10.7.

J Millner 14 st.2. Bob S. 12 st. 7. I am 1 st.

heavier than Changi. Communion 2000 hrs.

J Flett. 11 st. 8 lb. F. Andrew 11 st 2 lb.

MONDAY 29th. - O.D.P. Usual hot day.

Very little work. Interesting discussions

Vern, Shicker, Jim, McLean & I each

tell our first sex experiences.

McLean gives us great Tour of Java.

Hear that some more prisoners are

arriving. Who & when unknown. Camp

for extra 1000 to be built. Hoshijima

to address us tomorrow on food shortage.

Drome workers to finish at 4 pm & do

1 hour on agriculture. Maj. Armstrong

to be i/c drome. Johnson i/c agric. and 
Lewis i/c barracks.

MARCH.
TUESDAY 30th. - O.D.P. Vern in again

today. Leg nearly better. Rained most of

day. Had one of the best days yet at 'drome.

In shed all morn, just time to boil tea,

then home after lunch. Big sing-song

after Tengho, over 60 in the cubicle.

Very bright.

WEDNESDAY 31st. - Holiday today.

Hoshi, addresses us. Not his usual tone.

European prisoners coming here. Two

camps to be built. Food position may

be acute, so we are to do more agric.

Senior prisoners - to run other camps.

Rumor - 800 British given Jesseltown and

500 Dutch from outside.

APRIL.

THURSDAY 1st  - O.D.P. Very good day.

Only boil the billy with coffee about six

times. Finish at 4 and do 1 hour agric.

Bomber at 'drome in morn, takes off.

All J. have moved from barracks to

building near camp. Rumor seems to

have some Air Force coming here.

FRIDAY 2nd. - O.D.P. Another good day.

Boiling coffee for every Smoke-O. Discuss

sex problems and matters of life.

Maj. Greer inspects the camp and

'drome. Draw pay. I get $5.00.

SATURDAY 3rd - O.D.P. Vern in today.

Usual day, plenty of coffee; Concert (watch)

in evening. Weeping Tinea on ankles.

APRIL.

SUNDAY 4th. - Holiday. Communion

then have toe nail removed. Infected

with Tinea. Quiet day resting, no

Protein in Canteen for some time.

Food coming in gate much less.

MONDAY 5th. - O.D.P. Rains intermittently

during most of day. Finish on

stumps today. Jim Fletts leg bad.

TUESDAY 6th - O.D.P (Working on road

over hill between barracks and 'drome.

Good job working) Working digging ground

at end of strip ready for trucks.

Jim Flett in today with ulcer on leg.

Purge on smoking in the lines.

WEDNESDAY 7th. - O.D.P. On road between

barracks and 'drome over hill. Guard

badly rating Mauritake; Good job.

Near shade. Discuss giving us tobacco.

Work till 5. No agriculture. Jim Flett

goes to hospital. Bob puts me off for 3 days

with infections on leg. Meat stew by George.

THURSDAY 8th.- In camp today. Bathing

leg and reading &c. Lunch with McLean.

Nasi goreng beaut. Meat in again. 

Jim F. much better. Grouse Geog. good.

FRIDAY 9th. - Im still, bathing legs.

Chaps on 'drome line up in gravel pit

for new P.O.W's. Apparently R.A.F and R.A.

2 eggs on rissole for tea. Guards very

easy with off. party. Jim Flett's leg

lanced.

APRIL.

SATURDAY 10th. - Camp again, bathing.

Quiet day. Make nasi goreng & rissoles for

tea. Legs improving. Jonah looks much

better. Jim Millner out again today.

SUNDAY 11th.  - Meeting in morn. re

paying of farm party. Decision NO.

Boys out on farm in afternoon. Gathering

of Shrimp Club after Tengho to celebrate

Ray Topham's wedding anniversary &

Harold Grenfell's wife's birthday. Good night.

Early in tomorrow, just scraped out.

MONDAY 12th. - O.D.P. On culvert in road.

Finish road today. Fish for tea.

Shickerstreet to hospital with ulcer.

Maj. Owen back there too. Geog. V.G. Looks

like N.Af. will clean up any day.

TUESDAY 13th. - O.D.P. On end of strip

again digging. Hardly see guards.

Easy day. Fish for tea. Hear 500 P.W's

arrive from B.Timah & are on the Island.

W.P. out with us working.

WEDNESDAY 14th. - O.D.P. Putting in

new line at end of strip. 3 smoke-ohs

morn. 10 min. longer for lunch. More

fish for tea. Evensong after Tengho.

THURSDAY 15th. - O.D.P. Putting in rail.

Plane there in early morn. Leaves. Days 

now very hot. More Protein for tea.

Legs nearly better again. Choir practice.

APRIL.

FRIDAY 16th. - O.D.P. Usual day. Still

carrying rail. Very hot. More fish in

for tea. Have been living well lately.

SATURDAY 17th. - O.D.P. Rest of cubicle

have day off. Carrying rail all day.

Water very short. Vern & Keith out to farm.

Geog - Ford in Aus says prepare for 3 yrs.

N. Af. in last stage. Hosh says we must

have hair off to distinguish us from

others.

SUNDAY 18th. - Rest day. Communion

Fish for lunch. No water on. Dirty &

very hot night.

MONDAY 19th.- O.D.P. No work in

morn. Brit P.W's coming in from boat

thro' back of 'drome. Tyres gives us [[starry?]]

Easy afternoon on 'drome. Choir practise.

K.M in with tinea of finger. Acute water shortage.

TUESDAY 20th. - O.D.P. Finish carrying

rail. Built shelter. Funny episode carrying

atap. Speak to Brit P.W's from Java. then

Jesseltown. Camp joke - the Proletariat

going down lines & calling out "Red light"

Keith takes Chapel of evening.

WEDNESDAY 21ST. - O.D.P. Trucking. Rares

with trucks. Amusing incident of

rice collecting at lunch time. Girl

climbs in sentry box. Water shortage

still very acute. No tong till very late.

Chapel in evening.

APRIL.

THURSDAY 22nd. - O.D.P. Trucking.

Very hot. Bad day, "Jack" Policy. Good tea -

steak from Canteen, very nice.

- Good Friday. -

*FRIDAY 23rd. - O.D.P. Keith out again.

Trucking. Build ramp in trucking

end. Bad incident - nearly hit with

shovel. Fother. not out on island. Service

in evening. Not on stage, not asked for.

Reading of Shakespeare at 'drome.

SATURDAY 24th. - O.D.P. John Morrison

out again. Funny day. Morrison, when

Takasawa approaches & Paul Moss calls

out warning. "What Taka, we haven't

enough coffee for him." also "Ehe

chaps, any chance of a go on the trucks".

Supposed to have hair off tomorrow & shaved.

SUNDAY 25th. - Easter Sunday & Anzac Day

Dawn Service on stage & laying of wreaths

Communion. B'fast of fried corn.

Lay wreaths during day. Service on stage

in evening. Concert rehearsal afternoon.

MONDAY 26th - O.D.P. Some "Bashers"(?)

appear on scene. "Old Bill" is one of them.

Easy day. Water position still acute,

Tong at well & bring in bucket of water.

TUESDAY 27th. - Day off. Visit Dentist

and Chiropodist. Teeth O.K. Visit hospitals.

Farm in afternoon. Carrying timber.

Pleasant day. Pump lowered & water

situation temporarilly eased.

Bust shoes.

APRIL.

WEDNESDAY 28th. - O.D.P. Hot day, same

as usual. "Basher?" occupies our hut.

learning English. Funny with Johnny,

"Need nicotine stimulant"- Morrison.

More arguments over trucks.

THURSDAY 29th. - Holiday. Emporers

birthday. Quiet day. Clean room.

Parade taken by L/Cpl a farce. Afternoon

play Jap. Patriotic song. Final rehearsal.

FRIDAY 30th. - O.D.P. Lay out kit before

going out. Camp inspection. Work in morn

-home for lunch & afternoon holiday. More

face East & salute in morn. O.W.P. to come

from 'drome and go on wood &c. Guard

produces taste of Samsu in morning.

MAY.

SATURDAY 1st. - Going on wood party but

No pde played. Three men (Sgt Wallace,

Harvey & McKenzie) gone thro'. Tengho.

No work. Flem worried over nothing.

Concert put off. Canteens to close for

three days. Read most of day. McLean

to hosp. with ulcer. Everybody having

laugh over Wallace. Rumor - NO Pay.

SUNDAY 2nd. - No work for Off. Mauri

roars head off. Search parties still going

out. Funny in evening with stories of

another go - thro'. Big Rackets - Boarding

house 50c p week. Dhobi service. Water

bottle filler 5c p.w. Loan of dice 60c night

Sale of Casino £40.00.

MAY.
MONDAY 3rd. - O.W.P. Wood party

Keith & I do power house job splitting wood.

On back all morn, but hard work in afternoon

Seems doubtful if we are to continue

working. No pay for April work.

Make fritters after was long Tengho.

TUESDAY 4th. - No work for Off.s today.

More Rackets - Boarding House. Bed (bugless)

Clothes aired, room swept, coffee

night & morn. 50c per week.

Dhobi service - began on own at 3c per

article. Now employs 2 men. Put advert. 

on board - Wanted 2 men, strong work all

day must be Class D. Good wage.

Protection Racket - Cockatoos & shadow

men for two up schools. Druckers-out for

Casino. Good warning guaranteed.

Sale of Casino & rights. When men had

to clear out from under huts this 

became nearly valueless.

Water bottle filler has 40 customers.

Formulating schemes for lectures, education

&c of Offs. As no work is anticipated.

Hair to come off again. We have not

been paid for April work & are apparently

not being paid for wood party work.

Also order for hair to come off. Flem & Co

gutless & are playing for time to clear

things up. We never know whether we

are against Force or J or both. Now J. Off

wandering around & says Off. will not

be working any more. Keith gets loan 

of £10-00. Are hoping for increase in salary.

MAY.

WEDNESDAY 5th. - O.W.P. Wood party. Away

early. Spend hard day on crosscut. Lunch

late. Buy 2 big bunches of bananas for $1.00.

Canteen open again but nothing in. Have

built up large wood pile. Home earlier than

usual. Too tired to cook supper.

THURSDAY 6th. - Rest today. Another wood

party out. Reading "Teach yourself Photography"

On farm in afternoon and boil clothes.

Offs. incensed re haircut and work parties

still continuing without pay. Eggs for tea.

Supper out at end of S.O. hit.

FRIDAY 7th. - No work parties today.

Seems as though we are finished with

them. Talking of not having haircut. Flem

says he is trying to see Hoshijima. New

Off (J) wandering around a good deal.

First lectures of interest. Len Draney on

Law for Layman" and Rus. Forsyth on Malay.

SATURDAY 8th. - stay in again. Trying

to get patches on legs better. Many Off.s

having hair off. Ordered to do so and

mine comes off after lunch. Feels funny.

Lecture by Bob Spiers on First Aid and

Jap. by Ted Esler.

SUNDAY 9th. - Communion 0930 hrs.

Shicker back from hospital. Reading &c

Hide in hospital & read in afternoon.

Evensong.

MAY.

MONDAY 10th. - Extra ordinary Tengho.

Takes long time. Then ordered out to

'drome agric. Objections quashed.

Party feels very heated. No work done.

Cook has done his best to get us

into this. Geog. Excell & N.Af is pract. finis.

Plane arrives.

TUESDAY 11th. - O.G.P. Maj. Suga speaks

before we go out. Almost same address

as before. Mirth from "Severe punishment"

"goat r/fearing" and "goal".

Off.s indignant because Flem has to

be pushed to seek interview. Have

lunch then out to work. Guard laughs

in evening when others have to go out

after 3 Brit P.W's who have gone thro'.

WEDNESDAY 12th. - O.G.P. No work in

morn. No guards. Out after lunch & 

water garden. Drawing water from

well. Party bring back two men shot.

Harvey & McKenzie. Rumor that third

man is in Sandakan Hospital. Japs

wont allow burial in cemetery.

Fish today. Contractor paid yesterday.

Message from Maj. Blanksby and

I sent reply. Shicker back to hosp.

N. Af. finis.

THURSDAY 13th. - O.G.P. Putting in

cucumber stakes. Quiet day. Hoshi

has evidently gone to Kuching with Maj.

Suga.

MAY.

FRIDAY 14th. - O.G.P. Finish stakes

& begin putting atap on Shed. Rumor

of only two day per week delivery to

canteen.

SATURDAY 15th. - Keith and I have day
off. Spent most of day reading "Tennyson"

and "Bedside Esquire". Held Quiz in

evening. Keith & I in team against Capts

hut.

SUNDAY 16th. - Communion 0930 hrs.

Fish for lunch. Heavy rain about

1430 hrs. Beaut shower. Result of conference

with Nagai Chui. Has taken over admin.

One canteen, fit & sick men to separate

Offs. to work on road. Will get pay of

all salary. When road finished - off to farm.

MONDAY 17th - O.R.P. Waiting in cutting

on sides. Jim M. spends day coconutting.

Get plenty. Fish for lunch. Vern & Bill

in. Boil clothes & make fritters. Extra

100 odd pulled out & sent to drome as

quotas were not fullfilled.

TUESDAY 18th. - O.R.P. On bridge near

camp. Concert practice again. Hear

re Changi parties. Fother, Ken Schultz, McE

Schneider, Quick, Stabb with D Force to

Bangkok. 31 nurses in Sumatra. 33 missing.

Red Cross parcels in Sing. looted by J.

John Morrison hears he is father of daughter

again by round about channel. It is

just about one year since it must have

happened.

MAY.
WEDNESDAY 19th. - O.R.P. On bridge again.

Regaled with stories by Johnny of his brothers

& his escapades. Hoshi arrived back in

plane. Have little gathering of Cyril Young,

Harold Grenfell, Ray Topham, Vern, Keith

Bill, Johnny & I - in honor of John.

F. Bincherall dies. Has son in the camp.

Party of 18 Bn. who went Messing had

nervy time. 3 Killed & 22 wounded.

Woolridge who ratted off to Java, taken

there and brought back to Changi.

"Blackjack" Gallaghan has excell. dissipline

&c back to Changi. Just like training camp.

THURSDAY 20th. - O.R.P. Funny day.

The guard nicknamed "Screaming Scull" tells

Naucho that his name is "Komore".

Bill Peck leads in Work party as drum Major

Hoshijima calls up party on road & tells

us that all are well at Kuching.

Very funny concert rehearsal. John Pool

sings out "Thats right, crab my act" when

two chechaks drop from roof.

Fred Hollway goes to hospital after lights out.

FRIDAY 21st. - O.R.P. Guard interferes

on furthest part of rd. & stands up Martin

Morrison & Millner. Opening ceremony of

new barrack. Pineapples & sam sou in

rafters & sprinkle salt over the floor to

chase out the evil spirits. Canteen

has been very poor for the last couple

of weeks. My legs not getting any better.

No one getting days off now, seems to

be more off than ever before.

MAY.

SATURDAY 22nd - O.R.P. Vern in today.

Dentists Paid & Throssel come out with us in

the afternoon. Guards change in morn.

In evening we presented "Lets Bring it on"

our magic minstrel show. It went over

very well. Choir numbers - Old folks at

home. The Campdown Races, Darkies lead

a happy life, Brahms Lullaby, Mozarts

slumber song, the Stern song,

The Volga Boatmen, Rio Grande, Hullaballoobolay,

Always. Finished again with

Darkies lead a happy life.

Topham & Bill Misso make excellent

Mammies. Stage was one blaze of 

colour. Have lot of fun on stage,

by play nearly spoils one or two

numbers.

SUNDAY 23rd. - Rest day. Communion 0930 hrs

Boiled clothes in morn. Read & slept in

afternoon. Work party tomorrow up to 70.

This will bring some of the stayers in to

their feat, perhaps. Keith Tyers in for supper 

and tells us of some of his adventures.

Evidently all J fond of grog. Beat up

each other. The drovers put it over Mauri

& others - e.g. boiling water for clothes &

tells him it is for radiator or black

paint for engine. Hoshi gets boys

ironing at 2.30 am.

MONDAY 24th - Empire Day O.R.P. Very

easy day. Not much work to do. Rains

very heavily in evening. New concert in

production. P.C. swing by John Rowell.

Another strong rumor that Maj. & Capts.

off to Kuching.

MAY.
TUESDAY 25th. - O.R.P. Road sunken after

rain. Easy day. Fish in canteen, first time

for over week. Still dragging out even to

make up numbers. New camp going up quickly.

WEDNESDAY 26th. - O.R.P. In cutting near

power station. Every thing disorganised

by Hains & Hunter & everyone in bad mood.

Feel the worst, I think, during the whole of
this sojourn. Putting sleeper in during p.m.

THURSDAY 27th. -O.R.P. Resolution "not to

be annoyed" today carried out. Carrying

rail & fettling. George Skinner to hospital.

FRIDAY 28th. - Holiday today. Rains

most of the day. Spend it reading &

make fritters in afternoon. Shoes

mended with rubber. Very good job.

Rumor - Offs. to Kuching seems to be definite.

SATURDAY 29th. - O.R.P. Road very muddy

but Len Jackson & I spend day on line.

Have not had anything from Canteen for

long time except Tapioca & bananas

which are very dear 3 & 4 cents each.

Talk with Perc Watson & Dick Craig re

poultry farming & dressing &c.

SUNDAY 30th. - O.R.P. Len Jackson & I still

fixing up rail. L.J mistakes Mauri for

Kechil. Communion 2000 hrs Hear all

credits are up $5.00 for next month. But

it is hard to buy anything. Prices very

high.

MAY.

MONDAY 31st. - Rains during night. We

O.R.P are to work. Men are changing round

in camp. Fit men to N area & Hospital

& unfit to W area. Essential duties

cut down to ridiculously low figure.

Capt. Picone in charge of all medical

work. 10 offs. to barracks in morn, all out

in afternoon. Begin J lessons in morn.

More rain in night.

JUNE.

TUESDAY 1st. - O.R.P. Finish rd. near cutting

Trucks keep bogging. New pay scheme. - all

pay up $5-00. Credits to carry over and

balance to fund for all camps. J. Off to

contribute at rate $5-00 (Chui) & $3-00 Shoi

Finance committee. had nothing to do

with these regulations. Off work tomorrow.

WEDNESDAY 2nd - Staying in with legs

until I get them better. Spent day

boiling clothes & bathing legs. Evensong.

THURSDAY 3rd. -Still in bathing legs

Protein 22 days April 3 days May. Guard

forces boys to work in front of barracks.

All come in very annoyed. Reading -

"Out of the night" Good.

FRIDAY 4th. - Quiet day. Make fritters.

Very little comes into canteen. Bananas

(very dear) Papaya & little Tapioca.

SATURDAY 5th. - Holiday for all except 200.

Other 500 A.I.F from Buhala Is. coming to

adjoining camp. They are well equipped.

These Offrs (Steele, Blow, Gillow, Wagner) 3 or's

& 2 Malays go thro' in launch.

JUNE.
SUNDAY 6th. - No work for Offs. Quiet 

day. Communion 2000 hrs. Syndicate gets

$20.00 with Tobacca.

MONDAY 7th - Boys on road see 2/2 Pion.

Bn. man from Java. Says their situation

good but Dutch gave up. German Raider

crew (refitting in Sing.) ask our work party

how 'little slit eyed ylw B's beat us.

Was it lack of material or inferior type

of troops. Farm party sent in in afternoon

& can only go out under guard 3 times

day for ½ hour. Stop choir practice at

night. McLean has dose of dengue.

Have sore throat, think cold coming on.

TUESDAY 8th. - Quiet day reading. Finish

"Sleeveless Errand". Just a book. Good story 

of Kechil Gds. rendering of J. Offs No 1, Sold. -

No. 2. A.I.F. No. 3 and their No. 4. Boys

preparing big party for me. Choir stopped.

WEDNESDAY 9th. - Feel lousy with cold. 

Passing of notes to other camps interrupted

Four (incl. G. Weyntan & Cols Brownlee dvr) 

stood up all night. J. Morrison hears

91 of 4 M.G. Bn men who were missing

at Fremantle, fought in Java. Two more

men up for passing notes.

THURSDAY 10th. - Hot water for legs

& reading as usual. Cook fritters & make

gravy for tea. In afternoon Offs. to go

Kuching notified. All Majs Fleming, Johnston,

Armstrong, Lewis, Mafly, Raysan, Oliver,

Capts. Bathgate, May, Pickford, Britz, Crozier.

JUNE.

THURSDAY 10th. Capt. Moss, Johnstone,

Lieuts. McLean, Haines, McLeod. McLean

has to come out of hospital with fever.

Are given very little time to pack and

kits are thoroughly inspected. Harold St John

to be in charge of camp. Punishments

awarded by J - Weynton 14 days, Bourke 7

others, 3 days. All in cage. 5'6" sq x 4'.

Six O.'rs (mostly dead end kids) also to Kuching

Concert party has to re-arrange. Bob Speirs

giving talks after lights out on Opera.

FRIDAY 11th. - My birthday. Not allowed 

to work all day, Vern brings in morn. &

afternoon tea. Big party in evening mostly

prepared by Jack Knowles & Dan Morgan under

super. of Vern. 3 Pasties each, mashed potato,

tarts, fruit salad, coffee & milk. Table set

out in Benal Castle. President - Cyril Young,

Vice. P. Ray Topham and Vern, Harold Grenfell,

Keith, Gordon Owen, John Morrison, Bill Peck,

and James Millner. Gordon Owen proposed

health & made very nice speech. Was great

effort & emphasises the comradeship and

what can be done with little material

available in this place. We all have lessons

to learn here, on how to live & enjoy life.

SATURDAY 12th. - Quiet day. Hoshi gave

news last Thurs. that mail is in Sandakan

Reading "Fame is the Spur" by Howard Spring.

SUNDAY 13th. - Another quiet day. Keith

takes Mattins. Party from H.Q. entertained

by Nagai at barracks. Water position

very acute again. Evensong.

JUNE.

MONDAY 14th. - Usual day. Bathing

legs, reading, cook fritters Brinjal &c. Offrs.

in 2 rear huts given notice of move.

TUESDAY 15th. - Rains early in morn.

Parties do not move out till 10am.

Meals very poor these days & only fruit coming

into camp. Lecture by Gordon Owen on

"Pre Shakespearean drama".

WEDNESDAY 16th - Quiet day. Re-check our

Tengho in evening. Evensong.

THURSDAY 17th.- Boil all sheets, towels

&c. Heavy day. Many colds about camp.

Story (true life) -Tea merchant following

Coffee King around camp saying "Don't let

coffee keep you awake, drink pure Liptons tea".

FRIDAY 18^th - Busy today. Harold Grenfells

birthday. Force H.Q shifting into two

rear hits and Offrs. shifting out.

Party under light - pasties, fruit salad

& coffee. Songs by all.

Bill brings in 1/4 tin bully beef &

herrings. Make pasties with it.

SATURDAY 19th - Another quiet day.

No mail yet. Canteen in dispute

at present. Finish "Fame is the

Spur". Excellent reading. Ted Brooks

tells us stories of "Buster" Crabbe in

Malaya. More yelling on Tengho.