Diary of John William Cardwell Wyett, 1942 - Part 2

 

 

 

THURSDAY-February 12th, 1942

FEBRUARY

 

 

 

 

FRIDAY-February 13th, 1942

Brig Maxwell & Pat Garde & myself lost

without a brigade which is split up

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.

But your crowns up straight away.

So started Friday 13th.

Late 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 Co

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 ć

[[?]].

Signs of something doing later on & spent most

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

of A Q.

Saw Gorda Walher 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. Mceos & Walher packed up hits.

Order for cease-fire went at 2030 hrs.

Everyone glad of nights rest.

 

 

 

MONDAY-February 16th, 1942

Busy getting straightened up and deciding

what hit 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 & O R'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. G O C ordered me back into car

as he wanted a S O 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 A M.

 

 

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 if the Gorda 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.

[[?]] gun firing nearly 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 General. Saw Chang Duke

& learnt that he I are only two Quettaits

in Malaya. Freeman & Russell want 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 our orders

for parade of inspection by Japanese comd tomorrow.

Walked over route. Visited Lee Stable

& Tom Mitchell in hospital. Both well. Ian

still has bad speech impediment.

Walked to Changi with Bert Geldard &

to bed.
 

Wedneday-February 25th, 1942

Visited by Japanese captain before breakfast

with orders to clear all vehicles from rds.

After breakfast walked to Changi goal 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 u nit & 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 [[?]] 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 Malaya time.

After breakfast (mostly rice) attended

morning service at 1030.

Conference with Brig Taylor, AQ, G1, [[?]]

& 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 Insp.

Japanese Moral Forces.

Gave Ian O'Donnell, a fountain pen with

which he was very pleased.

1

MARCH

VENDREDI - 6 Mars, 1942

65-300

VIERNES-6 de Marzo de 1942

FRIDAY-March 6th, 1942

 

SAMEDI-7 mARS,1942

66-299

SĂBADO-7 de Marzo de 1942

SATURDAY-March 7th,1942

Moon 2230.

Glorious night Consumed [[Harry's]] bdy

Slept fitfully. Everything very quiet,

 

6

7

MARCH

DIMANCHE-8 Marz, 1942

67-298

DOMINGO-8 de Marzo de 1942

SUNDAY-March 8th, 1942

Orders today to wire area round

barracks into small perimeter. This

will upset any fishy plans unless

permission can be obtained with for

parties to visit area.

Walked perimeter until CAPT YATES &

left him to continue work on wiring.

Went with Harry to work on net which

will have to be raised

 

LUNDI-9 Mars, 1942

68-297

LUNES-9 de Marzo de 1942

MONDAY- March 9th, 1942

 

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