Diary of John William Cardwell Wyett, 1942 - Part 2

FRIDAY-February 13th, 1942
Brig Maxwell & Pat Garde & myself lost
without a brigade which is split up
under comd of various gps.
A.Q. seeing me doing nothing asked what
I was doing. I replied "nothing in particular"
"Wait there" he said & dashed into ops
room. Dashing out again after a few
seconds he shouted "get those damn pips
off and get to work; you're G2 now.
Put your crowns up straight away".
So started Friday 13^th.
Later I heard A Q on phone being told
of ship leaving with letters. I dashed
of a few words on the bottom of the
three pages I had written to Con
days ago and gave the letter to
him for sending down. Another quite
unexpected stroke of luck.
Reorganised office & tidied up.

SATURDAY-February 14th, 1942

Second day as G2.

AIF perimeter holding well ^(4,400 tps) in spite of Br, &

Ind units falling back on either flank.

News from Singapore, very depressing. Extensive

casualties among civilians.

Col Broadbent spoke to me about party c̅

Tingii.

Signs of something doing later on & spent most

of night checking up a G B, G1 etc. No sign

of A Q.

Saw Gordon Walker later & received message

from J.R.B.
SUNDAY-February 15th, 1942

A good deal of shelling all day with

numerous low-level bombing attacks.

Everyone feels that an armistice should

be declared as bombing & shelling is making

Singapore a shambles.

G-B went round a few units towards

evening. Moses & Walker packed up kits.

Order for cease-fire went at 2030 hrs.

Everyone glad of nights rest.

MONDAY-February 16th, 1942

Busy getting straightened up and deciding

what kit to discard. Dug out

the red "G" armband which should be

useful. G-B has definitely gone.

Collected a gold ring which he left.

Jap intepreter and Pro offr called

for return of offrs & OR's. Not much

trouble today from Japs who have proved

very civil.

TUESDAY-February 17th, 1942

Up early and went with Bill K-H to

Malaya Comd for conference which was

practically over when we arrived.

We are to move today to CHANGI.

Started on orders immediately on return.

Several changes before we finished.

H.Q. tps & offrs marched off about 1630 hrs

with their packs, remaining with

Bill K-H to see tps out and stores

loaded.

We moved off with Boots

Calleghan G.O.C.

^in car to end of

column from whence Bill K-H & I were to

walk. GOC ordered me back into car

as he wanted a SO with him.

Returned down column to pick up

Ian O'Donnell, Brig Maxwell, Gus Kappe

Bill K-H, Col Anderson. Gave them

all a drink of Ovaltine from my thermos.

Finally got to bed about 4 AM.

WEDNESDAY-February 18th, 1942

Woke at 9 AM and started 
getting organisation

going. Quite a pleasant camp though rather

knocked about of bombing. This was the

barracks of the Gordon Highlanders.

Bed at 9.30.

THURSDAY-February 19th, 1942
In conjunction with Bill K-H (now full colonel)

issued adm instruction No 2.

We all paraded for lunch. One tin of camp-pie

one tin of cheese, one tin of butter, one tin jam

and one dixie of tea for 30 of us, with about

three biscuits each.

Feel very fagged today. Still constipated.

Pleasant sea-breeze blows every afternoon.

SUNDAY-February 22nd, 1942

We have now been prisoners for exactly one 
week.

Walked our NE boundary in morning and 

went to investigate salt possibility from

sea-water.

Harry Jessup & Geldard on fishing expedition

had no luck at all.

Bren gun firing nearby on coast. Found

out later that it was Japs shooting

Tamils & Chinese caught looting.
MONDAY-February 23rd, 1942

Small unsatisfying breakfast. Paced route for

Japanese C in C inspection and called for return

of tps unable to attend parade.

Lunch consisted of three biscuits, very small

piece of cheese, spoonful of jam and tea with

one lump of sugar.

Walked to CHANGI with AQ to attend

conference at 3 Corps. Place fairly bristled

with brigadiers and Generals. Saw Chang Duke

& learnt that he & I are only two Quettaites

in Malaya. Freeman & Russell went off

to Wavell's H.Q. earlier.

Bully-beef stew for tea with a little

fruit-salad.

Yarn with Phil Head and to bed.

TUESDAY-February 24th, 1942

Breakfast of three small biscuits and a little

salmon washed down with two cups of tea.

Usual comds conf. at 1030 & got out orders

for parade of inspection by Japanese 
comd. tomorrow.

Walked over route. Visited Lee Stahle

& Tom Mitchell in hospital. Both well. Ian

still has bad speech impediment.

Walked to Changi with Bert Geldard &

to bed.

WEDNESDAY-February 25th, 1942

Visited by Japanese captain before breakfast

with orders to clear all vehicles from rds.

After breakfast walked to Changi gaol where

I saw the Brig R A & passed on message re

vehicles. Col Napier (ATK comd) desires more

fraternisation & wishes to visit Col McLachan,

Paced route & returned for lunch of

soup & two biscuits

Placed guides for units & saw them into

posn.

Japanese comd & staff drove through

& units finally dispersed

Am feeling a bit stiff & tired from

long walk. 

THURSDAY-February 26th, 1942

Hot & opressive day. Walked down new

boundary with Harry Jessup.

FRIDAY-FEBRUARY 27th, 1942

Ships went up to base today. Tps caught

good quantity of fish from breeding lagoon.

SATURDAY-February 28th, 1942

Heavy rain last night and today much

cooler.

Gave Col Derham Reeves chalks with

which he was very pleased. 

SUNDAY-March 1st, 1942

Attended Communion at 0830 hrs. As we

are now exclusively a Japanese time this

corresponds more closely to Australian time.

It is 0700 hrs Malay time.

After breakfast (mostly rice) attended

morning service at 1030.

Conference with Brig Taylor, A Q, G1, [[Curf?]]

& self & Mavor re agriculture scheme.

Taylor a bit difficult.

Spent most of afternoon getting details

from Brig Taylor then visited Tom

Mitchell & Lee Stahle in hospital.

Both much better. Still no

definite news of Rex Beale.

Excellent tea. 1/6 tin of Bully-beef,

tablespoonful of pickles, two small

slices of beetroot and about two

teaspoonfuls of cauli. Then heaps of

rice pudding, slightly burnt, but very

acceptable. Black tea without

sugar.

Col Byrne came in with sample of

bread rolls baked today. Tasted

very good after so long without

bread.

Got out orders for agric. conf. tomorrow

& parade of inspection by comd Imp.

Japanese Naval Forces.

Gave Ian O'Donnell, 

a fountain pen with

which he was very pleased.

SATURDAY-March 7th, 1942

Moon 2230.

Glorious night. Consumed Harry's bdy

Slept fitfully. Everything very quiet.

SUNDAY-March 8th, 1942

Orders today to wire area round

barracks into small perimeter. This

will upset any fishing plans unless

permission can be obtained with for

parties to visit area.

Walked perimeter with Capt YATES &

left him to continue work on wiring.

Went with Harry to work on net which

will have to be raised.