Papers relating to the service of Cyril John Watson, 1941-1945 - Part 19

Great surprise when 328 lb rice arrive in

Vegs. still continuing to flow in. K.M. & C.Y.

feel burked & are day to day men. Some change.

FEB 11.(Sun). I.J. holiday. Rations increased

and have best day since Xmas. Pumpkin &

cucumber nasi fr b'fast, artichoke pasty,

& tea - rice belachan, cream Tapi. sav., greens,

cucumber, & bun for supper. Not so cold. 
Concert of variety. Acquired B.S.D uniform

by good work of Monty. Swapped shorts for 

K.D tunic two days ago with Hufer. Swap

again for better job from Bob S. Trying 

to improve wardrobe. J.M presents problem.

Very sleepless nights, but thankfully not restless. 
FEB.12. Shicker & I "on the job wardrobe hunting".

Soap issue (V.P.) first for month or so. 
FEB 15. (Thurs) - Once again its here. W.P's wedding

anniversary. General dissatisfaction over application

of food. Few letters arrived in two days ago. (13^th)

Starts late '43, good shearing & orange crop. May

'44 feeding all stock. Cut Kang Kong in rain the

same day and nearly froze. Sawing wood

after Tengko and then eat. Usual ceremonial

postponed for rain.

FEB 16. - Having very nice days, rainy nights.

Received next months oil Paid $85 for

uniform F.S. Out of cash. The "itch" appears

to have abated for the present.

FEB.17 - Wood party to sq. only just before

evening meal. Read. "Capt. Hornblower" (C Forester.)

FEB 18. (Sun.) - K. Kong cut in morn. Celebrate

in old spot W.P's wedding anniversary.

No concert. No lights. General service before

b'fast. Small patch ringworm appears.

FEB.19. - Tissy gardens &c. Buy puttees $12.

Discussion now on picnics & camping. 
Buckshee veg. issue; but still economising".

Should get big meals soon. Sleeping better.

FEB. 21  - Notice slightly increased diet. Sell

pack $15.00. Feeling brighter. Hear of hundreds

of recipes for use later. Bartering stores.

FEB. 23. - (Fri) Received doover back up

yesterday. Wood choppers to return to duty. 

Fertilise garden in afternoon.  More vegs.

Beautiful moonlit nights, but mosquitos bad.

Canteens are a thing of the past. Last on 5^th Jan.

FEB. 25 (Sun:) - Quiet day. Slept in. Finish

reading "Science of life." Meals - veg nasi; Lunch -

[[been?]], greens (2 spful) piece pumpkin; Tea - Belachan rice

creamed Tapi, savoury greens, grated Tapi been.

Cracked. ½ back up pork nasi last night & ½ again

today. Took body measurements yesterday.

Concert washed out with rain. Wet season still

having a fling. Have been hearing "last post" many

times during the day recently.

FEB. 26 - Rice party late. 10 bags, 2127 lbs gross. 
General unsettled atmosphere over camp, and

colloquy mainly of holidays, food, houses.

FEB. 28. (Wed.) - Organisation idea ∧finance for post bello

period to be considered. I suppose young Diana

is celebrating her birthday. I hope the family

are all there. One misses the children.

Books change & Lose Science of Life. Medical Board

Wood party Discuss caravans with T.S. Workman.

MAR. 1 (Thurs) Cut KKong. Weighed on

Camp scales. 127lb. (9s 1lb) How correct? (Hut 137.lb.

Last day on Feb ration scale. Tomorrow will

be critical day. Had good night last night,

but 3 or 4 hours sleep would see out most days.

It would be very hard to describe futility of

this existence. Waiting & unable to concentrate

except building castles in the air.

MAR. 2. - Chop wood before b'fast. Puddin' takes

Areca nut. Meals just bearable. Canteen comes

in late. 12+ pkts biscuits, tobacco fine & pipe, dauer

nipa. Why so much now? Biscuits $1.65. Have

3 pkts for supper. Talk Ken & J.N on flowers & poultry.

MAR. 3. - Cleaning pde. Draw 2nd in lottery.

Worth $105 (to G.N.S.C) $42 (Vern saved $5.00) and
$21. (K.S. White.). Many in financial enbarrassment. 

Swap J.M. (who is on "light duties") 3 pkts pipe for

biscuits. Meals. - Green nasi (½ bowl) - Lunch. - boiled

keladi (colorful heliotrope) - Pork Nasi - greens, sauces

MAR. 4 (Sun.) - Communion with Henthorn.

Boil clothes in morn. Mend V.R chair afternoon.

Concert by Bunny Glover. 70 lb. whitebait (sprats

Meals - porridge - lunch; fried vegs - Tea;

fresh whitebait nasi; Tapi, yam, papaya, peanut

biscuit mixture, (very tasty).

MAR. 5 (Mon) - Cut K'kang top beds. Financial

position being checked on. Too much tobacco. 

C/.O receives $3920 from Papal Envoy for A.NZ P.W's. ∧(O.R's

$8957.87 from Aust. Gov. through Swiss Govt.

Make deal with Boundy for "Soilless Growth" for 5 pkts

Pipe Tob. by end Mar. or 6 after. Get 1 pkt. from Vern.

MAR. 6. - Vern & I cutting wood before b'fast. Early

morning tea on job. Finance raised in camp.

1 - $100 2 - $375 3 - $200. Beautiful situation.

Sugar issue for April. To get rice also. Does not come.

MAR.7. Meals - Fried vegs. only b'fast & lunch,

Tea. - Plain nasi & greens. Tea (½ cut) & curry for

April in. Miss Biscuits, finished last night.

Heavy rain of night, but days very fine. Sardines.
MAR. 9. (Fri.) Raining in morn, but wood wanted

so Vern & I cut. Mainly brambles. Very cold, but

have hot b'fast kept which helps. Dressed all

day. Meals becoming rather distressing.

MAR.10. - People remarking on "hangover" of

morning. "Blackouts" common unless careful

not to gain equilibrium. Rain back again. 
Meals - yesterday. Green Death (½ bowl) - piece

fried pumpkin - rice & vegs (½+ bowl). Today,

same but for 2" cucumber & 2 spnful greens for lunch.

Rice for April came in last Thurs.(8), also

wood party to square again. 

MAR. 11 (Sun) - Very quiet wet day. No concert.

Unlike usual Sunday. Very poor prosaic pabulum. 
MAR.13 (Tues) - Chop wood. No rice b'fast & lunch.
(1/3 bowl veg & greens) & nasi in evening.  Draw plan

of "Tweedside." Notice pinch most of all today. 
Decision to step up scale. Afternoon in comes

680 lb. rice extra for March & April. No lights

of evening, so in bed early. General weakness

very evident throughout camp. No pork since Feb.

MAR. 14 (Wed) - Increase of about 20 lb rice per day

makes prospects brighter. Copying vegetable tables

from Malayan Gardening & finding it particularly

hard to set mind to work. Chat with Vern & Dick

Craig on wheat. J.M. having another turn. H.G. cannot take ^it.

MAR. 15 (Thurs.) - 378k. veg in evening. Rainy day

& night. Feel very listless. Tinea under arm &c.

MAR 16 (Fri.) - Awakened about 0200 hrs & have Tengko

by candlelight. Chop wood before b'fast. Tea bowl

gone through. Meals slightly increased which helps.

More hard veg. and our Kankong yeilding slightly more.

MAR. 17. Field day on the biochi boys private 

gardens. 155 eggs ($1.50) and pigs head in.

Later 20 k fish whitebait & 12 k. belachan & vegs.

in afternoon. Boys reconstruct overhead

suspension for beds. Humor - Voice outside

"Who wants a snail" - Cries - "How much"

& "Who was quick enough to catch it." Food bit

better. Tasty cup of egg nasi for tea, with pack.

Discussions with Vern on farming & other

prospects; bitumen and altering buildings. 
MAR. 18 (Sun.) - Cut K'kong. Swap shirt for

stockings plus $7. Meals - Plain rice & sweet 

sauce - Veg. hash - Fish nasi and greens.

Chekur manis situation looks very sound.

Weighed on camp scales & make 121 lb. (8st. 9lb.)

We must appear a lot of wrecks & crocks.

MAR. 19. (Mon) - Cut K'kong again. Concentrating

on Chekur manis beds. K.M has beri-beri affecting

leg. Take over chilli dept. 570 k. hard veg in.

V.R weighs 132 lb. He. J.M & I talk housekeeping.

Buy pencil $5.00.

MAR. 20 (Tues.) Chop wood & conc. urine on

garden. K.M goes to hospital in afternoon.

Few letters in morning. R.H.G. & R.T receive one.

Clean slit trench. 35 eggs ($1.20), 50k rice ($3.00)

168 k veg. 13 k. fish, 152 pr. shorts. issued.

to be consumed by end month. Red + money

to be distributed - $3.00 per head each O.R.,

$1000 Officers, balance to be held by C.O.

Orders for canteen for Easter cause concern in 

some smoking quarters. Veg rations Apl 1-2 in camp. ^[271k

MAR. 21 (Wed.) Meals - Very small serve rice & egg;

fried vegs. - Stewed veg - Tea - Whitebait and

sweet potato hash, savoury veg. Tapi chips, sauce.

Rain easing up at last. Very late season.

MAR. 22. - Bananas in from canteen 135 k (65c/k)

also 168 k. veg. - workers ration for March. Later

veg. (incl. ginger) for 3 Apl. 50k. buckshee veg.

Talking cafes, hotels, &c of Sydney & Melb. with

Bruce Gollan and Jim Davidson. Also Cup trip.

MAR.23. (Fri) - Chop wood, very nasty pieces. 
Green veg. for Apl. 3. $1272 representing interest

on Compulsory savings. given(?) to Camp Hosp.

Trevor Owen and C.O. have interview with Col.

Suga. Trevor re eye & transfer to Singapore.

Food and petrol position is acute shortage due to

shipping difficulty with proximity of Amns. Subs.

Russian Red Cross ship at Sing. but cannot get

supplies across here. Have tea, cakes, & cigarettes.

MAR. 24. - Wet night and morn. again. 305 k.

buckshee Tapi late in day. 7 k. pork. List

eating houses &c of Melb. & Sydney and decide

that all must be crossed from list. Trevor O.

receives two eggs. Altered pole near my bed

yesterday, and move up one board. Also Maj.

Workman to hosp, very low state. First really

good chilli crop since I took over. 

MAR. 25. (Sun.) - Momentous day. Talking

quietly to Roly Wilson, when notice different

hum of 'plane. At door see 4 eng. jobs dropping

pamphlets. 1018 hrs. Roly unaware & I surprise

him. Just giving him Pat's address. Spend 

approx. 1¼ hrs in trench. Beautiful sight.

Meals bumped. B'fast - plain green nasi, (2/3 b)

Lunch - sweet Tapi, keladi, ginger & rice. (1/3 b.)

Tea - Veg. cottage pie, belachan nasi, sweet serve. 

with Mint, chilli, chekeur. Best feed since Xmas.

Maj. Owen has aquarium with 6 small fish.

Bucky Meagher & Bruce G. give us Sydney eating

houses. Five trucks veg. arrive after dark.

Tabulating cafés, accom, &c of Sydney.

MAR. 26 (Mon.) - Chop wood. 758 k veg. Tapi up

to Apl 10. (Approx 40% rotten.) Buy alum. dixies for $25,

sell tin plate $10. Lend M.B. my grey pullover. 

Many sick men, nervous & stomach trouble v apparent.

Camp normally would be 100% unfit. 

MAR. 27.(Tues.) - Quiet wet day. Very fine night.

Full moon tomorrow night. Must be 1¾ ∧hrs ahead solar time.

7 k. pork. Plenty fried veg - Tea - Tapi chips, pork stew,

fried rice. Two truckloads C'nuts at office. Alec.

Bathgate back from hosp. K.M. is doing alright.
O.R's conditions bad, more than 1 death per day.

MAR. 28 (Wed.) - Beautiful morn.  130 c'nuts (15 cts.)

200lb. tapi & keladi for 11-12 Apl. Horrible butts of

wood come in afternoon, all sizes except small.

B'fast & lunch - Fried veg. Tea - Veg. & C'nut rice. [z-1806
MAR. 29 (Thurs.) - Chop wood. Bloody hard morning.

Alarm about 1030 hrs. just before our late B'fast.

213 k. buckshee tapi just in. Last night rainy

& cloudy, but lovely full moon at morning tengko.

Rain again during day. Another 80 k buck. tapi.

Increased meals noticeable, also coconut.

MAR. 30 (Fri.) - Easter again.  Good Friday.  Quiet

morning till 1230 hrs. when suddenly twin

fuselage 'planes are over 'drome. Have never seen

anything like them before. Very fast on job & away.

P. Bell to write account of raid for I.J.A. Cloudy

day made identification difficult. No opposition.

No religous services held today. Ted Boscolo

back from hospital with grim stories. 

Does not seem like Easter. 68 k. fish (keehil)

in ration. Give J.F. tobacco $8.00.

MAR. 31. (Sat.) - Quiet day. Everyone (x few)

optomistic. O.R's in from 'drome. Talks

marked P.O.W in centre of camp. My mind

working in caricature. Wish I was cartoonist. 
Imagine sighting hole in 'plane. Canteen late. 
5 rice toffee ($1.65) ½ each nougat & peanut. ½ sago.

50 k. dry fish. Vern. riding the crest. Interesting

to watch different reactions through personalities. 

"Send it off" policy adopted almost generally.

Beautiful sunset. 

APRIL. 1 (SUNDAY.) - Easter sunday. Holy Communion

Chop wood which is all heavy butts, in morning -  

B'fast - Fish nasi; lunch - stew; tea - Sweet vegs. &

sweet nasi, (banana, papaya*) Make pudding

"a la nutmeg" in afternoon which does not set. 
Others cut K'kong, all very tired & in bed early.

Give C.Boundy 5 pkts. pipe & complete deal.

Pudding & biscuits for supper & go to bed feeling

almost replete. C'nut in meals, very filling. 
Late in afternoon trucks of veg. begin arriving. 

8 or 9 in by dark. Chaps counting. Huge pile of stuff.

APR. 2 (Mon.) - Vern wakes me early, about 0600

& H.G & I pour the pee on the garden. Vern has

signs of spots & resting up. Beautiful morning.
Measured & weighed up with V.R. [(129 lb)]. Weight 118 lb.

Rations in Apl. 13-17 - 630 k tapi, 311 keladi; ginger

168 k. bananas (60 cts) Canteen. Kiddies have party.

Small issue ginger. Evening chat with M.B. re

poor physical & mental state of camp. Some Tapi bad.

APR. 3 (Tues.) - Cold early in morn & finish in

blanket. Our hut washing. (boiling clothes.)
Medical Board. I am O.K. V.R. is suspect "itcher".

Kitchen flat out cutting up Tapioca these days. 
K.M back from hospital.

SEPTEMBER 1st. 1945. (Sat.) - 

Cut bread after b'fast for bread, butter, 

cheese & asparagus. Memorial service

at cemetery 1100 hrs. No planes over as

per signals. Sawing party midday.
Early meal, rabbit nasi and then

picture party. March into Kuching.
Much better than anticipated, enjoy

everything. Nip. seems anxious to please.
Bananas & peanuts supplied. Rains during

walk home, road pot holed but "Tid' apa".

Mrs Takata leads way. W.P. meal pinched

Issued new boots Aust. Feel very good after

walk (5 mls.) Oedema in feet no worse. 
2 SEPT. (Sun) -  General service. I stay

in bed. Gordon Owen & I chop down

3 trees while planes over, & big Dang.

dropping. F Andrews, Garland, Ian Young

into Kuching hosp. Issued shirt, sox,

hat. Another B1 injection. Maj G.N.S Campbell

dies. Funeral party afternoon. Visiting

between camps 1600-1900 hrs, but I rest.

C.O. wandering with Suga in car. Drunk?

Evening stew just like old army job.

Have trouble getting wood in. J out

of camp now. Brit. Off camp have all

in concert. All ailments can now be

catered for. Assorted newspapers in.

So many assorted jobs & find it hard to 

read or write anything. We are well behind

the times. 

3 SEPT. (Mon.) - Officers in the kitchen.

I have biscuit dept. Hustle & bustle

all day. Asparagus & vegemite bread

special in morn.

Trading still going on, gula & eggs

coming in in quantities.

W.P. draws pudding & I get jubes from 

A.C.F parcel. Kiddies finish them off.

1700 - Baker & I collect children - Anne

Atkinson, Rosemary Beatty, Frenella

Abernethy, Brian, & Michael & Stephen

Bouchier. Kicked out. Enjoy show very much

Meet Jos. Clifford, rather charming.

4 SEPT. (Tues.) - Roll call 0715 hrs. with

mosquitos. Gordo 2 Dangs over 1100 hrs.

Another again at 1400. Messages must

have been received. G. Owen & I chop down

tree. Bread dropped comes in, and I

am o/c bread cutting dept. Visiting hours

1400 - 1900 hrs. Ind Tps in camp. Dutch

offs. tea with us. Details of Granery (W/T

given out. Parts used - alumm. dixie,

metal scraps, bakelite shav. container,

1 Phill valve; 1 earphone deaf aid, 1 from

phone, scrap I J eng. dump. 3 months

to make tools for generator, 3 weeks

for generator. Concert at internees lines,

in evening, very nice. Evening meal

civilized. No rice. ¼lb tongue, bread & 

butter, pumpkin, corn & milk. Nasty

stories re Sandakan & other P.W. camps.

5 SEPT. (Wed.) - More bread cutting.

G. Owen & I down another tree. Saw

pinched by I.J.A. - nuisance. Eating

very much better. 1 pl. drops more food.

Evening at internees camp visiting

Atkinson, Rolands. Meet Belcher & many

others. Pleasant evening. Puffed up

with Oedema & colic. C.O. to go 

to Labuhan in morn. with Suga.

Catalina F.B over & fellow gives thumbs 

up. Very low. 

6. SEPT. (Thurs.) - Omelette on toast for 

B'fast. Legs up. Cutting bread. C.O

leaves. Late in afternoon, Catalina

over again. Suga back. C.O.returning

in morn. with medical offrs.

No supplies dropped. Water restrictions,

in fact tap off during day. Tong

built up in garden area. To report

to M.O. in morn. Cannot get boots 

on. Visit womens camp kitchen.

Very nice atmosphere. Wire down at

hosp. & womens camp. Talk with fellow

who ran Granery. O.R's give concert

in our camp. I look after kitchen.

Gooseberry tart & cocoa for supper.

Feel tired. Full of wind. Good act

by O.R. - "Osbert the performing flea"

7 SEPT. (Fri.) - Loose control of wind

during night. Grounded by Maj. Maffey

in morn. Ticked off for getting about.

Pig in. 1100 - Supplies & pamphlets

dropped. 1300 - Catalina F.B over.

Men waving. Working on Agric. report.

Water being carted to kitchen from

outer garden. Taps did not run last

night. Concert in womens camp but

I cannot attend. Uncooked pork nasi

infuriates camp. Concert party from 

internees to entertain us, but rain

& late meal prevent concert. Padre

Henthorn & Meredith with us. 
Internee (Hammond) killed by dropping

food. C.O returns with 2 M.O's from

Labuhan. Abdullah cigs. presento.

Bob Sp. tells me I had cardiac reactions,

but settling down now. Papers re planes

& rockets &c make us well behind times. 

8. SEPT. (Sat.) - Sleep very heavily right

thru night. Still grounded. Slight

juggling going on for higher positions.

Lt Col Morgan & Maj. Hutton in camp.

Look me over. Address to camp. Out

as soon as poss. Fortnight to make 

Aust. Baker over & dropping again.

2cc inj B1, Bob. Sp. tells me I am

for evacuation.  Lt. Col. Morgan

putting Nips in place at last.

Reading magazines &c; finishing agric.

screed. But Off. concert party entertained by

& entertain us. Doug. Bidmeid & F/O Ken

Allen our guests. Rain intervenes. Taps to be

on tomorrow. 48 hrs. extension of time for 

I.J.A to clear Kuching. (11-9/45). W.P gets onto

eggs. Have ½ doz. Issues gula nipa, soya

sauce, 4 pkts Kosa cigs. 

9 SEPT. (Sun.) - Roll call 0715 hrs. Church

service. B'fast. Water on 2400 - 0200,

0900 -1030. R Howlett goes to hospital.

On three meals & interim teas. Legs well

down, but still to do "nowt". R. Robin

back in kitchen. No bakers delivery.

Told I am off emerg. list. Some on 6 hrs.

notice from Tues. morn. Ask can I go

Victory concert, but knocked back. However

wander down & hear part of it. Enjoy it,

but very tired. Acquire tooth brush.

W.P. out of entertainments job.

10 SEPT (Mon.) - Still off duty. Issued small

towell, toothpaste 1pt, boot polish ½, shav. 

cream ½, tobacco, $5.00 cash from Japan.

Mainly rice meals again. 1500 - Baker

calls & drops more supplies. Priests give

concert in our camp in evening.

Indians to chop wood &c.

11 SEPT. (Tuesday.) - Still off duty. Ticked

off by M.O. Write letter to Pat. The first.

Interesting chat Bob. Sp. re condition.

1245 - planes over. Single & double eng.

What a show. Irresponsible R.A.A.F. ([[in?eive]])

[Reduplicated first sound. - diagnosis]

Seems as though I will hit hospital.

1700 - First reps. Aust. arrive here & pde.

held. Catalinas over. Parade in sq.

and Brig Eastick & others speak. Capt.

Jennings U.S. :- "This is a new experience

for me. It is worth many a

hard fought battle & many hard fought

& long night & days at sea. This 

is what we have been fighting for

& we have succeeded".

Called up & on 6 hrs notice to move.

"Life is a comedy to those who think,

a tragedy to those who feel." (Russ novel.)