Diary of John William Cardwell Wyett, 1942 - Part 4

 

THURSDAY-April 2nd, 1942

Full Moon

Had pineapple (sml tin) with Alex for

breakfast & broke the news to my

batman (STOKES) that he would be

leaving today, HARPER taking his place.

STOKES came up several times, obviously

wishing to argue, but, receiving a cold

reception went off. On the third 

visit he took the plunge, demanding

to know why he was being dismissed

and what I had said to Capt ROBERTS

that he would not have him.

He was finally so offensive that

I placed him under arrest for

insolence.

I inspected his kit before he left and

retrieved my cigarette case and

dark glasses. His new CO will 

have to handle the case. I must

see Pat tomorrow and fix the details.

Walked to barrack square about 1200 hrs

to see last of 27 Bde parade for GOC.

Very good effort. Saw Webster &

Ken Burnside & Tom M ^also Brig MAXWELL. Ken is on yeast.

Very tired after first exercise for 10 days

& spent afternoon on bed.

3000 for SPORTs day after tomorrow - MC

messed up orders as usual.

GOC, G1, ADMS, DADMS round my bed

yarning. Bed about 2230.

 

FRIDAY-April 3rd, 1942

Saw Jack WATT about my paybook & allowance while ^{^} in India.

Strolled round to see Brig MAXWELL

who is about the same. Had a

chat with Mike HUNT and John FAIRLEY.

Saw Ken BURNSIDE who is in bed with

diarrhoea. Tom M is well   Had a

chat on cranial nerves with Ian Cameron.

Spent quite afternoon as head is dizzy

& I feel tired after walk.

Game of bridge with Col DERHAM, Alex &

Jim THYER.

SATURDAY-April 4th, 1942

Up early & to barrack square before

breakfast to check off working party

of 3000 for Spore.

Returned to breakfast about 1030 after

seeing Ken & Tom. Feelt dizzy &

faint. Yarned with Alex after breakfast

on business methods & drew diagram

of TANGLIN barrack for Ian O'Donnell

to show Japanese where private papers

had been left. 

 

SUNDAY-April 5th, 1942

EASTER SUNDAY

GOC on warpath. Wants separate

G office so set to work making one

at foot of back stairs.

Went to opening of Ordnance

chapel where the lads have

made a good job of the alter

and lectern.

After the service I had tea

with Lee STAHLE GOC, Herb G &

Phil HEAD also being present.

MONDAY-April 6th, 1942

Feel very flat & listless today. Did

a little more towards getting the

 office fixed up.

Did not go out all day.

Had a chat with GOC after tea

& game of cards with Jim  THYER,

Col DERHAM & Bruce ANDERSON.

The rice today smells frightful

& I could not eat much.

Alex returned late full of beans.

He must have had a feed somewhere. 

 

TUESDAY-April 7th, 1942

Spent a good night & feel much better.

Took a party of 10 over to LOYANG with

engr. party and procured a few odds

& ends for the office.

News that clothing may be salvaged

from the kits in the kit-store &

 Alex Thompson is going in tomorrow

morning to supervise the party.

Personal trinkets etc are to be

replaced & may possibly be

available later. This system

will be difficult to control & I

expect little will be left after

our own lads follow the looting

already done by the Malays & Chinese.

Hope I finally get my mike &

typewriter out of the wreck.

Went over to Education centre & had

a chat with Brig TAYLOR & Cury re

the proposed hobbies exhibition.

Feel well & stood up to the

long walk better than I expected

I should.

Mentioned BIlly K-H's attitude to

G1 today - he feels it is rather

childish.

WEDNESDAY-April 8th, 1942

Up early & over to entrance with Alex  Thompson

before breakfast to see him & his party

off to Spore to open kits.

Spent most of day fixing up new office.

 

THURSDAY-April 9th, 1942

Went over to Sigs this morning to have

a yarn with Gus Kappe about the

war history as I remembered it. Gus

was out at the dental centre. I must

have been there at the same time as

I left my teeth for repair of a

crack on the way over.  I waited

all morning for Gus, reading the while.

Returned after lunch & had a long

yarn - he wants me to write it

up.

Went with Bruce Anderson to market

after tea. [[$2//-]] $2.00 a time for

everything - too dear.

Yarn with Bill K-H, Harry & Phil on

return. Bill has cheaper sauce.

FRIDAY-April 10th, 1942

Head aching & feel rather tired. Started

off to circumnavigate the wire but stopped

half way, being to fagged to continue.

Called at dental centre to collect teeth

& at education centre on the way back.

Read after lunch. Bob Stabb &

came over about 1700 hrs so

asked them up for tea. They left

at 1730.

 

SATURDAY - April 11th, 1942

Sketched out plan of subdivision of duties

for G1 & secured armband to go to

beach with Bill K-H. Found a few 

small fruits resembling cherries but with

a queer mousy taste. Then a few wild

passion-fruit & a guava on the ground

half ripe.

Visited net which had partly carried

away during my absence of about 3 weeks.

Bill chased Malays who were

robbing fish trap. Had drink of

cocoa musif & brought some back.

went with Bruce A

SUNDAY-April 12th, 1942

Spent morning at HQ, going around

²/₄ Res MT, ²/₂ Res MT, ²/₁₂ Fd Coy & ²/₉ Fd Amb

to get exhibits for hobbies exhibition.

Saw Brig MAXWELL for a short time

Col. NAPIER also arriving to visit him.

Saw Ken and Tom for a rew minutes

and returned home via Education

with Bruce ANDERSON.

 

MONDAY-April 13th, 1942

Secured armband early from Phil & went to

11 Div area to observe the cocoanut posn.

The report that a number of ripe nuts

are not being collected is quite correct and

I heard several fall.

Visited net and managed to effect a

few repairs, getting about 1/4 done. Worked

practically in the nude and got very

brown. I had a drink on the way

home, arriving about 1745, Percy brought

up my soup from lunch.

Lay on bed & yarned after tea, the

old bosun's lamp attracting quite a

number. Large convoy.

Bruce is going to MERSING as MO to

the working party now standing by

TUESDAY-April 14th, 1942

Did not sleep too well & had severe

pains after breakfast.

The morning I spent in the office.

Maj QUICK, RAA arrived in for a few 

minutes from SPORE. The working party

is being well treated.

THURSDAY-April 23rd, 1942

Capt DREVERMAN came round after breakfast &

we discussed the yeast production, afterwards

going to 2/6 Fd Park to inspect the room.

Bundy does not seem too happy at going

& I suppose this is natural.

Called on Brig MAXWELL who is still far

from well & is very thin. We had a very

pleasant half-hour chat.

Next went to 27 Bde to see Pat GARDE &

arranged for an OR "beefy & biddable" to work

at yeast centre. We want a good NCO

next. Walked home with ADMS who

told me that TAYLOR is upset at not being

invited to yesterday's conference. G1 mentioned

this after lunch.

Pte WILD reported for duty after lunch -

seems a good type. I sent him off to

make scrubbers & a squeegee.

DREVERMAN I sent to RAA & 27 bde in

search of sawyer stoves - Ian O'DONNELL not

so helpful. I must give him a list of

requirements for room.

Glyn WHITE delivered a mike (new WATSON)

which I took over from ADMS. It has no

mechanical stage unfortunately.

I had a word with ADMS & Joe about

Phil HEAD being relieved from duty - his is now 

a suspected beri-beri.

FRIDAY-April 24th 1942

 

[*This should be SUNDAY 16th*]

Col SUGITA popped in during tea to say

cheerio to me. He is going away.

Quite a pleasant gesture.

Head is aching tonight & I feel far

from well.

 

SATURDAY-April 25th, 1942

Had a rough night

Temperature is up slightly. I rose

0600 hrs & went to dawn parade for

Anzac Day. A big crowd arrived

& the service went well. G.O.C.

collapsed just at the end but recovered

quickly. Brig TAYLOR turned on a 

cup of tea for him. I sharing a cup of

sweetened A milked tea with GELDARD. It

was a welcome surprise.

I lay down after returning home & was told

to stay by Joe VINCENT. Don't feel

the best.

This is a damn nuisance with so

much to be done with the yeast centre

and the div school.

SUNDAY-April 26th, 1942

Had a rough night. Temp rose

104* & I felt very shivery. Profuse

perspiration. I soaked everything my

pyjamas simply dripping. Had to

change everything about 0300 hrs. Feel

weak but much better this morning.

Today the AIF plays 11 Div cricket.

DREVERMAN came round about the

yeast centre & is feeling a little

frustrated.

We won the match by 6 wickets.

Col STALEY was in today about yeast

& I asked him to hurry up the

hops, brewers yeast and sweet potatoes.

THOMPSON returned tonight from a week

at the kit store & distributed a small

amount of tobacco & papers so I now

have a few smoke.

 

MONDAY-April 27th, 1942

Feel flat today. Too much talking &

popping up & down yesterday. Must

have a quieter day today.

DREVERMAN came round about the yeast

centre & reported better progress. He

took the stage & mech stage to the

dental centre for fitting, also the hops

from here & a good bottle of

culture prepared from the brewers yeast.

Thompson was in SPORE again today

to get a few remnants from the kit

store. I found two sleeping-bags &

his bed when I sat down to talk

to Padre DOLAN so borrowed one for

my bed. He tells me I may keep

it & gave me an atlas.