Papers relating to the service of Cyril John Watson, 1941-1945 - Part 10

JULY 1942

SUNDAY 19th

Up soon after 0700. B'fast O.K. same

lunch. Washing &c. Hut fell down.

Played cards. Many chaps ill, (diarrhea

Rained at night. Camp very muddy.

Monday 20th

Made shelves &c.

Look round camp, Kitchen &c Meals

fair. Vegetables better. fresh fish.

Have tin milk (swapped P.P for M&V). Cards.

Rain. Wore pyjamas to bed. Supper sweet corn

Tuesday 21st

Very little to do. Drains & paths being cut

round camp. Canteens, parade hoped 

for. Sanitary arrangements better.

Have lost all trace skin rash.

Better messing arrangements. 

Wednesday 22nd

Generally being useful. Made

mess tables on verandah.

Meals fair. Fish stores better than

Changi, but no variation. Supper

of rice & tin green peas.

JULY 1942
Thursday 23rd

Address by Jap.Officer through interpreter. 

to Officers & N.C.O's. To build 'drome, 3 years.

Blow to "Hopers". Aust. gentlemen. No

Medical stores. Canteen OK. also parole.

Friday 24th

Officers begin Agric. plot this morning

on parole. Truck bogged. Peck & I

have been helping them out. Feel very

weary. Bridge. Bit of Malay.

Saturday 25th

Garden plot again. Feel more like work.

Canteen have fresh goods in - Coconuts, pines

bananas, smokes. Supper of rice, coconut

& banana. Canteen should become good.

Meals very monotonous; fish or veg.

stews & rice. Still have marmite &

bovril, milk. No news yet, but all

very confident for early releif. Country

is not "land of plenty" that we thought

we were coming to. Handicapped

badly by lack of containers & utensils.

JULY 1942

Sunday 26th

Quiet day. No gardening. Church parade

Garden in afternoon. Tong. Tea (with 

Bovril). Pay evidently coming. Feeling 

better for exercise. Ordered for Canteen.

Monday 27th

Reveille 0700. B'fast 0815 Garden 0900-1200hrs

Lunch 1300 hrs. Garden 1400-1700 hrs

Tea 1815 Bridge. Lights out 2200 hrs.

200 men on work. party started. Very tired.

Hope ration will get better. Cheese & rice supper.

Tuesday 28th

Another work party out - building road.

Garden party split - one pack out, I

go tomorrow. In all day, read &

rest. Meals still monotonous.

Rumour - Singapore gone. Canteen held up.

Wednesday 29th

Jap.holiday. No work. Another lazy day.

B'fast - rice and flour, ghee, sugar mixture.

Played bridge & read. Finished

gula-malacca with powdered milk.

JULY-AUGUST 1942

Thursday 30th

Garden party all day. Have 2 Balanese

each cubicle now. Opened another tin

Bovril. Good supper, rice back-up & cheese.

Usual bridge. Todays special - J. out of

N. Guinea, fighting Celebes. Hope it is true.

First death in force. 

Friday 31st

Working party increased to about 500.

My day off. M.O's concerned about diet.

No further canteen stores. Very disappointing.

Tea - rice & Ghi (very light). S.O's worried about

men escaping.

AUGUST 

Saturday 1st

Work parties cancelled. Parade and check

roll call. Address by Jap. Officer. Interpretation

seemed wild. Eleven men 

missing. Seems big opportunity to follow

up. 

550 men to work tomorrow. Aerodrome

evidently begun by us. Will take long

time. News - Germs. into Caucasus,[[?]]

Alexandria safe. Landings in N. N.Guinea

Authenticity uncertain - I feel things

will change very soon. 

AUGUST 1942

SUNDAY 2nd

Work on garden today. Almost finished

Sick parade.. Church Service in evening.,

Fresh coconuts into canteen. One between five.

Supper water, coconut, milk.
Monday 3rd

My day off. Marking clothes and odd

[[shorts?]]. Vern at aerdrome. Brings back

millionaire's cabbage. Good supper.

Bridge. Drums beating in night.

Tuesday 4th

Gardening today. Stew "on the wood" (?)

a bit for B'fast. Had a big feed of it. 

Heat rash showing up. Sunbathing.

Coconuts in canteen. Meals very poor.

Wednesday 5th

Usual holiday. Reading poems of A.L.

Gordon. Spent the morning "At home" in

thought. Coconuts in. Had grated c'nut, 

with cinnamon for tea & supper.

Communion 0730. Listened talk abt

"Theology" & evensong in evening.

AUGUST 1942

Thursday 6th

No work today. Unusual. Say there

is no gasoline. Giving us food for thought.

Reading most of the day. Chess. Bridge

J. pack ups tools. Why? Talk of only 2 meals.

Friday 7th.  Dad's Birthday.

Gardening this morning. Only 50 on

woodcutting party. Went scrounging 

coconuts. Did fairly well. [[?]] spent

splitting wood. News-fighting in [[Java?]]

Saturday 8th

Day off. Coconut issue. Grouse B'fast, rice

& coconut stew & back up. Sunbathing,

chess, reading. Gardeners do well.

Coconuts. Vern & I have first full game

chess (4 hours.) Supper, Bovril rice.

Boongs say all O.K. Not very long.

Est. 2 months. Meals just the same.

Coconuts have been a saviour.

Work at standstill & no sign of

continuance. Garden party becomes

good racket. 

AUGUST 1942

SUNDAY 9th coconut issue.

Playing chess, reading. Big Bfast. Fish

very bony, [[taking?]] nearly hour. Church

service & evensong at night. Beautiful

cloud effect with approaching storm. Rain. 

Little Rick's Birthday. Monday 10th

Vern & I chopping wood for garden fence.

2 quick raids on c/nuts nett us 33 nuts.

Our share 9. Chinese gives Thumbs up.

Start on box. Bridge. Supper.

Tuesday 11th

Working on box. Muscles very stiff.

Eggs from Nips & corn from Canteen.

Roasted coconut & tapioca. Bovril & rice

for supper. Bridge.

Wednesday 12th

No agriculture today. Sore throat. Bfast

rice "on the nose". Carving box &c.

Still very stiff. C of E gathering in

evening. Theology and evensong.

J. says they have great victory at

Sol.Is. Greater than Pearl Harbor.

xxxxxxxxx   Egg for supper.

AUGUST 1942
Thursday 13th

Saw M.O. re throat. Gargle.

Force O.O. Working parties restart. Vern

to 'drome (making fighter strip now).

Brings back corn & milk &c cabbage. Corn &

peanuts from Canteen. Quiet day reading,

Canteen looking hopeful. Situation improving.

Friday 14th

Saw M.O. Have tonsillitis. Gargle & [[?]]

Reading all day. Have corn cobs.

Solo in evening. Restless night.

Won first game chess.

Saturday 15th

Quiet day again. Vern on wood party.

Gets coconut oil. 2 eggs from Fred. H. 

Bill Peck & I to F. Ber for work

Off tucker, can't eat all my rice.

J. puts on "circus" in evening.

Throat feels better, but sick in stomach

Paid 50 cents. News from outside -

fighting Burma, Philippines. Searchlight

on Sandakan. Canteen looking up.

AUGUST 1942

SUNDAY 16th

Feeling very nauseated. Throat much better.

No work. Check cucumbers. Rice & fried 

Tomatoes for tea. Also steamed pudding.

Evensong. Bananas & jackfruit from 

canteen. [[Eating?]] good again.

Monday 17th

Feeling fair again. To rest for week. Great

lunch (Fried Tapioca -corn- eggs) and 

Tea (Fried rice & corn & tomatoes- Tapioca)

Bill has rissoles of Tomato. Issue corn &

coconut. Best feed for months.

Tuesday 18th

Early beginning for work parties. 0630 hrs.

Fried rice & corn after Bfast. Chess, read.

Made rissoles. Tea - fish & rice, rissoles

sweet potato, egg. Trouble re Tapioca

scrounging on gardening party.

Wednesday 19th

Force Comd. speaks to Officers. Rather

unsatisfactory. Reading. Bfast c/nut.
Jap major inspects officers. Tea best
yet. Fried rissoles, sweet potato, loofah,
Tomato, egg. - fish stew - rice & mandarin.
New [[Team?]] - Jap happy. Black coffee.
Late Tong. Cup tea. Bed. Great day.

AUGUST 1942

Thursday 20th

Still resting- treatment gargling.

Skin getting better. J. [[visited?]] on drome

work party being completed. Demonstration

Tea - loofah rissoles, chips, egg, coffee.

Bought guavas. peanuts.

Friday 21st

Not so good, throat sore. Fried rice & corn

in morning. See "way round" Read & slept

No grouse tea. Guavas, banana, c/nut with

meals. News - We are in Burma. Sing. [[?]]

Saturday 22nd

Day off today. Pay guard arrives out here.

"Stocktaking." Will now be twice daily.

Some bashing goes on. I am in [[round?]]

Talk with guard. Bought pumpkin, sweet

potato, papaya. Good tea. Rain.

Situation more like prison camp. [[?]]

has men scared. Plenty [[?]] & drill.

Guards outside wire now. Make

terrible noise of night when changing.

News - Hope all changes are because

pressure is on. Boat coming here sunk.

Fighting in islands.

AUGUST 1942
SUNDAY 23rd

Vern on drome party. Seem to be working

with object. Fried rice & corn in morning.

Read & chess. Tea & Supper 8 rissoles, corn.

Bought eggs, bananas, mandarin. Meals light.

canteen stores in. Good food now to 'drome.

Monday 24th

Up early of morning now with "stocktaking" 

pde. Lunch - chips, pumpkin, egg.

fried. Tea - boiled pumpkin, potato, eggs.

coconut & guava. Am on duty tomorrow.

Throat coming good. Sing-song tonight.

Sugar issue.

Tuesday 25th

Woodcutting party all day. Guards O.K.

Bought coconut oil 30c. Sweet Pot. 15c.

Big tea again. Pay credit 19 cents.

Drome parties getting nasty.

Wednesday 26th

Wood party again. Not carrying wood.

Guards very easy, but frightened

of No. 1. Gardeners scrounging Tapioca

again. Guard with party now.

[[?]] & others have dysentery. Bad.

J put up numbers of 'drome party. 

advance coming quickly.
 

AUGUST 1942
Thursday 27th

Resting today. Lunch. Pumpkin, Tapioca,

egg, [[rice?]] & banana & sugar. Big tea

again of usual. Services into Sand.

Friday 28th

Agriculture today. Guard not with us.

Got pile of Tapioca. Other boys resting,

so grouse tea. Hear escapees in Sandakan

are in cage.

Saturday 29th

Changing guard again. 'Drome party

at 1000 hrs. Party in drain. Guards 

O.K. Have easy day. Learn bit of Jap.

Hosp. cases just fair. Vern & Keith fix

tea. Ginger sakes, onions rissoles, sweet

potato, egg. Fun over who cooks best. 

New guard not as intelligent as last.

Lot of work to be done on drome yet.

Officers not back from Sand. yet.

Very sunburnt from drome & First

time I have felt it.

AUGUST-SEPTEMBER 1942
SUNDAY 30th

[[Check?]] - Bfast - Communion - Fried rice &c.

before lunch. Slept in afternoon.

Begin learning contract bridge Like it.

Raining tonight.

Monday 31st

Agriculture today. Two good efforts

at Ubi Kayer. Ro^ast Tapi. Boiled Sweet. Pot

for lunch. Rissoles & chips for tea.

Issue rations very light. Lt. Sligo dies.

Bought Peaches & bananas. Good M & V stew tonight.

SEPTEMBER

Tuesday 1st 
Guard hut party. Trouble over pliers.

Man hit. Afternoon 3 off. 10 men on

it. Rest on wood party. Two men bashed.

Big supper - ginger rissoles chips.

Wednesday 2nd

Kit inspection today. Surprises galore. 

Have oath taking. C.O. refuses to sign first

draft. Situation very tense. Search &

take all pens, pencil, notepaper. Why?

Lose pens pencil; otherwise O.K. Left foot

very sore. Infected.
 

SEPTEMBER 1942
Tuesday 3rd

Foot still very sore. Fomenting & dressing.

Grouse lunch & tea. Sweet mashed

Tapioca, cucumber rissoles. Bruce out

of hospital. Usual roast Tapi supper.

No agriculture party. Guard not available.

Friday 4th

Resting again. No agriculture. Reading

and bathing leg. Roast Tapi after lunch

Bridge for couple hours. Arguments over

game. Big bet on release being argued.

Saturday 5th

Day in again. Other 3 scrounging, bring

home 12 coconuts. Tapioca & oil in

afternoon. Good tea. Back up. Pumpkin

rissoles, chips, boiled spuds. More bridge.

Laugh after lights out. Vern takes

us on "scallop picnic". Keith gives us

mushroom bfast. Very little news.

Scriv. has not turned up yet.

W.P. Cases knife & 20c on scrounge.

Great moans.

SEPTEMBER 1942
SUNDAY 6th

No work parties. Communion after

Bfast. Meals very light. Stews water.

Big tea. Onion, rissoles, Onions 2c.

Big storm in night, Terrific lightning

and thunder. Rain through roof.

Monday 7th

All in today. Tapi running very low.

[[?]] of Aug.

Pats birthday (I think).

No garden party today. Cooked rissoles

in morning. Lunch. Read, more

rissoles, onion, fish, pumpkin.

Contract bridge. More heavy rain.

News of Off. without [[ra?]] in Sand - Scriv?

Tuesday 8th

Aerodrome work party. No. 2 party.

Good day. Guards O.K. Grouse tea

when we arrive back. Men selling

clothes &c. to J and Boongs. More 

contract. Rain again.

Wednesday 9th

Resting. Read in morn. Cooked

Banana rissoles for lunch. Keith

goes to Garden in afternoon. More

Rissoles for tea. Fish, onion & vegetable.

Beat all comers at cooking game.

Quiet night reading. More statistics.
 

SEPTEMBER 1942
Thursday 10th

Guards rush off 

very early.

Aerodrome party again. Quite a fair

day. Men moaning good deal. Talk

with Interpreter. Work till 6pm.

Decide on bet for 'the' day. £2.

Bill Peck's heel sore.

Friday 11th

Day in. No agriculture. Reading &c.

Slept in afternoon. Food supply

failing. Tapi will not last any longer.

Face very sore from sun.

Saturday 12th

Change of guard.

Aerodrome again. No. 2 party. Good

day. 1 Bashing but deserved. Boongs

have cleared into islands. Chat with

Malay speaking Nip. Tea - fried fish from

canteen.

No news for long time. Sandakan paper

gives bombing of P. Moresby but little

else of interest. Working late at

the 'drome again & parties increased.

SEPTEMBER 1942
SUNDAY 13th

Day off, but work parties as usual.

Many boongs at 'drome. Read all

day. Contract at night. Very few

extras these days. Only bananas.

Working days longer. 8am-6pm.

Monday 14th

Resting in morning. Agriculture

in afternoon. Bring in more Tapi.

Tea - fish & chips. Another death in

camp (6th) cause - beriberi.

Tuesday 15th

Free O.O. - very quiet & restful day.

Bought sweet spuds & pumpkin.

Good tea. Rumors Off. work party.

Yoshi sticking in boot.

Wednesday 16th

Special party - cutting grass &c out 

wire - easy day. Off. work party

is on tomorrow. Good tea.

Keith holds forth on "catching

livestock." after seeing cat.

J have wireless going.
 

SEPTEMBER 1942
Thursday 17th

Big 4 have day off. Off. W.P. starts.

Resting in morning. Talk - "what

we do when we get home" Supper - 

rissole & chips by the fire.

Friday 18th

Deep sea fishing party going today.

Off. work party. O.K. Better than i/c

party. Vern, Keith & I mess orderlies. More 

stew. Pay today $1.51 for August.

Supper - roast Tapi by the fire.

Feed Andrews hosp. with rice balls.

Saturday 19th

I/c work party. Some confusion

in change of guard. Party off till

afternoon. Leave 1 pm. I [[wish?]] 6.

Boiled pudding. Supper - rissoles.

Face &c very sore from sun at 'drome.

Throat sore & "almost riceballs". Scratches

infect very easily. No news of

any account, though J. have 

wireless here.

SEPTEMBER 1942

SUNDAY 20th

Drome party. Civilians working

on lines. Boongs nearly knocked

over for food at lunch time.

Rains becoming more consistent.

Monday 21st

Keith & I have day off. Resting.

Have boots fixed. Boundy & 10 men

into Sandakan on leave. (Laugh).

Have good time. Reward for work.

Tuesday 22nd

Officers work party. Much trading 

at drome these days. Very easy day

shifting line.

Wednesday 23rd.

Holiday today. Bfast -Chips & eggs.

Slept, read & generally on the back.

Meals very poor. Communion 0730 hrs.

Pumpkin & potato for tea.
 

Flying possum gives amusement
every night flying from trees.

SEPTEMBER 1942
Thursday 24th

O.W.P. today. Quite good day. 

But feel a bit tired. Keith has 

cold. Tokyo broadcast gives names

Prisoners from N Guinea in Tokyo.

A. Th Coy personnel.

Friday 25th

In charge party, No.6 - Basher gang.

Les One shovel short but everything 

turns out O.K. Lucky. Face very

burnt. Big tea - pineapple, banana,

& Guava.

Saturday 26th

Keith Machin's birthday. In charge 'drome

party. No 2. - but good day. Lunch

bananas & fritters. Bill has big party

when we get back. Bacon (fish) &

egg, chips, egg fruit - pineapple.

banana fries, & fish pies.

No news for considerable time.

Boongs do big trade at lunchtime 

with food &c.