Papers relating to the service of Cyril John Watson, 1941-1945 - Part 6

SATURDAY, 15^th SEPT, 1945. —
Wake up in 6 AGH Labuan.
Everything is O.K. It is not all a dream
The Bendigo Adv" July 17 dished up with
breakfast. John M^cCallum, Louis Smith
Bunty Bennett all arrive. Talk & more
talk all morn. To leave on Wanganella
at 1400 hrs, but after M.O. delays us
all morning, & I write a few letters
& have lunch, we (Bob Stanistreet
& I) have look round island.
See air strip & planes galore. Nip
[[Sho-sho?]] arrives when there to
surrender. Down to boat in Jeep.
Out in Ducks Ward A3 Only 12
for Ward. Single bed and bunk
More from others re food on
way here. Blood test taken.
 

 

16 SEPT. (Sunday.) - Awake early.
Cannot break habit & don't know that
I want to. Have positive malarial
test. Start on quinine course
Nice easy day Meet Sister Carlin
from Bendigo. Spend day in bed.
Pictures in evening. 
 17 Sept (Mon). Sweat thru' in night.

Quiet snorer. Issued 1/3 bottle beer.

Sweating & trying to write. Around

ship with Shield & Baker. Pictures

in evening. Pass Lamboanga in morn.

xxxxx

18 Sept (Tues) - Still sailing calmly

Writing letters all morn in between

talking & eating. Have the bottle beer.

Paid £5

19 Sept. (Wed.) - Bfast, Disembark

to 2/9 A.G.H Well received & in [[?]]

with W.P. & P.A. Canteen gets boring

Tinned food rolls in Meet Jack Phillips

from Bge. Gives me haircut. Rosalind

Martin ([[ward?]] of [[?]] [[?th]])  Red Cross

Hear much more from Melb. Send letter

Fay, telegram to parents

Malaria course 2 days -

1 [[?]] on [[hand?]] in morn

2 [[?]]  in evening

Supper outside end of tent. Bed about 2200

20 SEPT (Thurs) - Felt lousy in morn.

Off tucker shocking thing. Another

blood test, negative. Still waiting

mail. Slippers & sandals from Red &

[[Mr Blackie?]] Red & [[Rep?]]  [[thick?]] letters in

bed & asleep very early. Received old

letter from Rob & [[A?]]  [[3 times?]] 

21 SEPT (Fri) -

22 SEPT. (Sat) - See Lawrie ([[?]]) 

about 0600, and give him addresses as he

is going thro' to home. Quiet morn.

Went to P.W. Reception Camp in afternoon,

for kit. Strike George Cuswick

Spent evening in Sisters mess.

What a night. Rosalind Martin
take me in hand for dancing.

Hear new numbers. [[Lula?]] [[Chalke?]] 

& whisky. Louise [[Ran?]] turns up

Letter from Pat when we return. Gave

night makes bit of worry.

23 Sept (Sun) - Med examn by

Lt. Col. Gantrell in morn.  Listening to

gramaphone & writing letters. Lunch

& then wander around. Woke up at 

about 2300 hrs & see Rupert [[G?]] 

24 Sept (Mon) - Sent photos home

Sent £6-5-0 [[?]] out to HMAS Platypus

for lunch. Very nice. 1400  - back
1800 - Out with [[Wm?]]  [[Ritter?]] to airfield.

Education scheme [[?]] finished. Work

complimented upon.  Quiet evening

Another blood test at Path. ward.

 

25 Sept (Tues)- Up early Boys

having worm treatment. Repack kit

2 kitbags 1 pack 1 small wproof bag, 2

haversack R.D.T  P.R. W.P & I chat with

Maj. [[Lloyd?]] to Airfield [[?]] Sisters mess

in evening. Very good time. Bed

about 2200. 5 telegrams & 1 letter.

Signed Education scheme certification

26 Sept (Wed) - Up early. Write many

letters. Letters from Johnnie, Joyce

and [[?]] Scott. Farewell drink at

physio-therapy ward. Date for game

golf. Col [[?]] [[?]] in to see

me. Lunch Leave X/9 A.G.H. 1445

with band playing. Strike

Reece Fisher just before leaving.

Board Wanganella Aboard just

before dinner. Write more letters.

Too late for telegram.

27 Sept (Thurs)-  Woken 530hrs Sail

from [[M?]] at 0600. B'fast. Spitfires

come out to farewell & put on trick

Back on Aust evening again [[She go?]]

Bridge. Sing song in evening. [[?]]

with Davidson, Brennan, G. Rennett, [[?]]

Affy & Co pinch end of table.

Finish malaria course.

28^th Sept. (Fri)- Awake early. Bath. B'fast.

Reading & writing. Lunch. Writing. Collecting

[[?]] for the War [[Service?]] Commission.

Bridge before dinner. 

29 Sept. (Sat)- Early rising proper

habit now. Reading, sunbathing.

Met [[?]] Stewart. Arrive off Balek

[[?]] about 1800. Move in about 1930 hrs.

Embark wounded about 100. 20 stretcher cases

Know no one on wharf.

30 Sept. (Sun)- B'fast alongside wharf.

See Rob Wallace just prior to pulling

out. Gives me much news. Send

letter and telegrams. Sail 0930 hrs.

Sleeping, sunbathing. Prickly heat job

Brigde with R.D.T  H.S.D & A.B.G after

dinner. Supper with R.R & W.P.

1^ST OCTOBER. 1945. (Monday.)

Again up early & into tea, rolls & jam.

Shower, walk on deck, B'fast.

Writing, Comforts fund hampers issued,

Path. Lab squared ∧[[?]] Lunch. Sunbathe.

Shower, writing, [[?]] dinner. Bridge,

supper & more bridge. Bed. Stormy

night Plenty lightning. [[Buy 200 cigs?]] &

2 OCT. '45 (Tues) - Awake very tired

Stroll round, then B'fast. Washing.

Sunbathing, reading, Bridge

Arrive Morotai just after lunch. Send

letters, telegrams. Take on oil, water

late in afternoon. Mail on board.

3 OCT (Wed) - Leave Morotai 0600 hrs.

Very calm sailing along Lovely day.

Eating, sunning, sleeping. Two letters

early in mail. Pictures. Expect reach

Sydney evening Frid. week or Sat morn.

4 OCT (Thurs)- Getting bit sleepier of

morn but still awake early. Eating

like a horse, but keeping tight rein.

Bridge. [[Inft?]] talk by H. Roberts RQES.

Aust now. The war years, Rehabilitation

Sight N. Guinea mainland.

5 OCT (Fri)- Tired mornings coming

on. Sunning. Hair cut. Clothing

issue- Gumboots S.D. underclothes.

Quiet evening. Bed early. Rest off.

Settling down. Beginning to realise we are

on the way home.

6 OCT (Sat)- Feeling very tired. Sleep

all morn & afternoon. Pass volcano [[?]]

at 1330 & 1630 hrs. Have [[?]] certificates

stencilled Pictures.

7 OCT. (Sun.)- Feeling about 100% again.

Only a bit tired today. Sunning, sleeping

No fresh water showers. Pictures in evening.

Less smoking. Must be reaction, [[?]]

now & sleeping more.

8 OCT. (Mon.)- Wake with sun coming

thro' window. Heading South now.

Passing thro' many coral islands. Very

pretty Green lagoons. Stranded ships.

Topham receives message from cruiser

Just after lunch pass last land until

Aust. Repack kit bag. ½ overboard.

Boat pitching for first time. Lovely

days & nights. One thing missing.

I really meant to write letters, but

I cannot get into mood. Bed early.

9 OCT. 9 (Tues.)- Another beautiful dawn.

Apparently calling at Brisbane now, so

shall have to get into letter writing

mood. T.A.B. Injection (2). Passing thro'

Coral Sea. How close it was!

New Red Cross shirt. Pictures. [[?]]

& I chat on 'dirty post' with wind

in the face. Decide we will be good

boys. And so to bed, with a

shirt and blanket over the frame.

[10] OCT (Wed) - Thoroughly enjoying

lying in of morning Another beautiful

day K M dermatitis no good.

Swimming, writing letters, send telegrams

[[?]]  of Pantomime in afternoon

Again in evening to bed Cold night

11 OCT (Thurs) - cold morning, we think

0600 take out pilo,t & so to [[?]] Wharf

Gave breakfast an awful hiding

Boats hooting, people along river

everywhere. Speed boats along side.

Orderly disembarkation on wharf

Send telegrams. Latest- on to 

Melb. Cancelled in evening.

Boat due to sail 1600 hours but

engine trouble causes hold up.

Throwing telegrams to our wharf

Send  flowers per telegraph through

favor Julie [[Whiteman?]]. Leave wharf

2030 hrs. Look out Sydney

but [[Chenhall?]] before going to bed

Double whisky from [[R?]] [[Radgate?]] & into 

bed.

12 OCT (Fri) - Quiet day. Preparing for

tomorrow. To arrive Sydney 1000. disembark

first 1430.

 

 

C.J. Watson

Lieut

A.I.F.

VX39057