Diary of John William Cardwell Wyett, 1942 - Part 7

SATURDAY—June 13th, 1942
Attended conference this morning & a
meeting later to discuss relations between
staff & services prior to Chas KAPPE'S
lecture this afternoon.
WOODRUFF came over this afternoon &
we walked over to hosp, afterwards
visiting Dr PATON & inspecting his yeast
centre. His counts are only about
50,000 / column.
We then saw Capt MANSFIELD R.N.
& went on to Lieut RNR who
is with 44 Ind Bde. Brig BALLANTINE
was out & I left word for his
staff capt to come over and get
a hat. We are to go over
on Wed next for first lecture.
Today a magnificent wreath arrived
for the funeral of pte L. D. KELLY who was
accidentally killed while on a working
party. It was sent by the Jap
offr in charge of the party & is
a very decent gesture. 

SUNDAY—June 14th, 1942
Raining heavily this morning. I had an
argument c̅ Lee STAHLE this morning about
the direction of the monsoon & he was
able to prove to me that the change
has been from a NE to SW monsoon.
How far southwards of MALAYA this extends
I do not know.
More Gilbertian stories — this time a
guard of our chaps armed with loaded
rifles were placed on a dump of stores
to prevent Jap soldiers pilfering.
The working parties are regarded as belonging
to the Jap reg't concerned & the comd
on one gp was proud of the work his
AIF tps had done (He removed the
bulldozers before the work was inspected in
order to make the results more impressive)
I went to the opening of the Roman Catholic
chapel c̅ GOC, Geldard, Joe VINCENT & Ian
O'DONNELL this evening & heard a good
address by Padre DOLAN.
I met Tinggi & Brig MAXWELL this
evening on the way home, so walked back
& had a yarn with them.
Rice & a tin of kippers between four
of us provided a good supper, & so
to bed.
Gen HEATH lectured on the MALAYAN campaign
today & was most interesting. He came over
in amb as he has been ill & could not walk
MONDAY—June 15th, 1942
Bill K-H & I hold regular conversations in
Malay every morning now & we are gradually
improving although we have still far to go.
It certainly has the effect of keeping one's
mind & memory active in this enervating
climate.
Great trouble again today about the hops.
It is amazing how trivial things assume
such magnitude. I went with Bill K-H
to yeast centre & to sup depot this
morning & everyone is now happy.
Pte Bartells reported this morning re
peep-bo having been detailed by Chas WRIGHT
for this job.
MICHAEL WOODRUFF & I went to check
his progress this afternoon & decided on
the worn drive for which we went
to Y C. The rice-yeast has
developed into fat round brown-staining
cells which look very hopeful.
I have a small batch in a
barrel which we shall feed to a 
dog & some fowls to check potency
& toxicity if any.
McKAY was out from SPORE today.
He is getting very fat & his looks have
changed greatly. It must be an
effect of the diet as QUICK looks the
same. 

TUESDAY—June 16th, 1942
We learnt last night that a part of 1500
AIF will be going overseas sometime in the
near future, also a party of 500 Br. tps.
2000 more Br tps will be going north
somewhere on the mainland, the first
batch moving off by train on Thursday next.
I spent most of the morning drawing a
diagram of my peep-bo & went with 
Chas WRIGHT to see BARTELLS & explain.
Gl gave a good address to senior offrs as
appreciations. I had a yarn with
Capt BUNNING on the way home.
I turned in early as I was tired & heavy
rain had cooled the atmosphere, but
could not sleep & was roused for
supper. I spent rather a restless
night.
WEDNESDAY—June 17th, 1942
This morning I went with GI to Corps HQ to see
Gen HEATH. We went up on the roof and admired
a very extensive view. Next to MALAYA COMD where
we saw Brig TORRANCE, Gl & Brig RICHARDS. I listened
to a very amusing account of the negotiations c̅
Lieut OKASAKI — flag a cow's horns & capers to demonstrate
Hides to offset extra cost of milk cow — hides dumped
into the sea because they smelt. 7 Bullocks
for meat — heart to gaol for sending to dr in
SPORE.
We went with Brig R to their yeast centre & learnt
that violet ray test for B1 is progressing & may
be possible.
Michael & I went over to Lieut MANSFIELD, R.N.
at 44 Bde in Southern area & spent an
interesting afternoon. 

THURSDAY—June 18th, 1942
G1 gave a very interesting & useful talk
to all W/O's & sgts this morning on
discipline. 27 Bde provided a guard
of honour to Gen PERCEVAL who came over
this afternoon to lecture on BEF (Fd Force)
in France & Belgium. RAA gave tea
to Army comd, Gen KEY, Brig RUSHER (CRH
ll Div), Brig SIMPSON (CE Malga Comd) & GOC
G1 & A.Q. They came here for a
cup of tea after the lecture.
The first party left today for central
MALAYA by train. 3000 are going
altogether in batches of 600. No AIF are
included.
Brig T a bit upset at not being consulted
more re his commanding the force of 1500 AIF
to be sent overseas soon.

FRIDAY—June 19th, 1942
Spent the afternoon at Yeast Centre trying
out the betel-nut experiment. This
gives a good reddish brown colour with
alkali but our solution proved too weak
& the result was disappointing. We shall
have to start afresh with a much
stronger brew. 

SATURDAY—June 20th, 1942
I wrote my postcard home as follows —
J.W.C. WYETT, TX2155, MAJOR.
21 JUNE 1942.
MY DARLING CON,
AT LAST I CAN TELL YOU THAT I AM SAFE AND
WELL, REASONABLY COMFORTABLE AND QUITE FAIRLY
TREATED. GETTING USED TO EATING RICE. PLEASE

DO NOT WORRY. BE HAPPY AND TRAIN DAVID
WELL UNTIL I AM BACK WITH YOU.
ALL MY LOVE TO YOU AND DAVID. GOD BLESS
YOU BOTH.
John
This I typed in block capitals, getting
it all onto the required six lines.
Michael & I went to see the peep-bo.
BARTELLS has run a nail into his
foot & had a TAT injection, so I suppose
he will be out of action for a day or
two.
We went this afternoon to see MANSFIELD
& had an interesting chat.
Lee STAHLE is not well again this
evening having again tired himself out
by walking downstairs. I suspect
his heart is not too good & am
rather concerned with his condition.

SUNDAY—June 21st, 1942
Went to early communion this morning before breakfast.
I spent the morning working on my lecture on
rd movement to sen'r offrs on td Thursday next.
Chang DUKE called this afternoon & had tea
& some peanuts. These are good food
& my two pounds is diminishing rapidly.
I worked out that 3 oz per day will
supply all the B1 necessary (360 units).
In addition they supply fat & protein
this giving all that our present diet
lacks.
I walked back as far as the hospital
with Chang, calling on DREVERMAN whom
I found playing billiards & much improved.
He is going to try & get me a glass
cutter. 

MONDAY—June 22nd, 1942
Today I do not feel particularly well,
having a muzzy head & a feeling of
listlessness.
I told Michael WOODRUFF that I must
be getting dengue.
Major SANDYS, amenities offr from MALAYA
COMD came overe & gave a most
interesting talk on CHINA where he has
been directing educational activities for 20 years
One of the amusing incidents he told us was of
his meeting with an American woman journalist
being carried along in the usual chair, the
only means of locomotion. She thought the
folk-songs sung by her bearers were for
her benefit & was quite touched. Actually
these coolies habitually sing, & as they
started up ^again, SANDYS caught the words of
their song, "We have carried fat pigs to
market, but never such a fat pig as
this fat old American".
I had a definite temperature tonight &
was ordered to bed.
TUESDAY—June 23rd, 1942
I am told I have dengue & feel rather
off colour.
I was asking Joe VINCENT about the disease
& saw from his reply that he didn't
know much so refrained from further questions.
Joe is very much the rule of thumb type
& lacks Bruce's brilliance. 

MEMORANDUM
18 Div.
Comd - Maj-Gen BECKFORD-SMITH; G1   G2 - Maj SUTHERLAND
                      5 NORFOLK
53 Inf Bde   6       "
                      2 CAMBRIDGESHIRES
54 Inf Bde  4 NORFOLK
                      4 SUFFOLK
                      5     "
                      5 BEDFORDSHIRES & HARTFORDSHIRES
55 Inf Bde   1/5 FORESTERS
                      1 CAMB.
18 Bn Recce Corps (5 LOYALS)
9 NORTHUMBERLAND FUSILIERS (M G Bn)
135, 118, 148 Fd Regts
125 A/Tk Regt
287, 288, 560 Fd Coys
251 Fd Pk Coy
Div Sig
RASC - Three bde gp coys & one die tps coy.
RAOC - Three recovery sess
              Ord Fd Pk
              Ord Fd Wkshop
196, 197, 198 Fd Amb & Fd flyng Sec.
Fd Security Sec
Pro Coy
Mob Bath Unit. 

THURSDAY—July 2nd, 1942
Dengue.
FRIDAY—July 3rd, 1942
I feel much better today & can eats
better.
My appetite went entirely for a couple
of days & food nauseated me,
especially rice.
I have never felt so ill with anything
as I have with this attack of dengue,
and for a couple of days I was
completely down & out.
Tinggi dropped in for a short chat
tonight.
COUSENS back from Vic Pt where Force
A is working on rds & dromes. He
is off to TOKIO for further talks
re his essay on Jap/Aust
cooperation after the war. 

SATURDAY—July 4th, 1942
Today is the first time up from my bed
for 11 days since Monday June 22.
Sgt WILKINS from Ord came round
with the peep-bo which he has
taken over from BARTELLS who is now
in hospital with dengue.
WILKINS was round on Thursday &
seemed to have the idea all right
but today I find he has made
but little progress, and if he cannot
do better I shall have to have
recourse to my stitcher friend who
seems to be about the most
practical one about the camp at
present.
Lee STAHLE is being examined by a 
specialist this morning. he too has
had an attack of dengue.
I repaired the diaphragm of Padre JONES'
gramophone yesterday & we played some
records tonight. A little music
is much appreciated these days.
It has been quite cool all day, the
temp going down to 79°F. We had
quite a stiff blow from the NE this
morning.
[*X*] ASAMA MARU leaves SAIGON with repatriates for
LOURENCO MARQUEZ
SUNDAY—July 5th, 1942
Coolish morning. Apart from the painful
lumps on my forehead I am well
again, but rather weak.
Sgt WILKINS from ord came round with peep-bo
which is still quite unfinished, work
having been stopped again by WOODRUFF
who condemned the whole show. I
told WILKINS to continue as he was
going & refer WOODRUFF to me. Michael
is apparently better from his dengue. He
is expecting far too high a standard
of work & cannot hope to attain it.
GELDARD was taken off to hospital this
morning c̅ appendicitis.
I dressed after tea & went to
church.
[*X*] TANJONG RHU area west of SPORE swimming
club to be evacuated. (KITA-MISAKI
Army Dockyard) 

MONDAY—July 6th, 1942
I dressed & went out this morning for
the first time, feeling rather wobbly.
My first visit was to ord where
WILKINS has still done nothing. I
saw Chas who told me W would
not be going overseas. I told him
that a warning order had come in
for Force B (1500) to be ready for
a move tomorrow.
Michael turned up & I finally
placated him with regard to the
peep-bo which he now feels might
work.
I walked to Yeast Centre - Michael
depressed. Then visited 2/10 Fd Coy
to see Cpl WOODLEY my sewer,
only to find that he was in the RAP
where I found him asleep & did
not disturb.
Brig M asked me today to go & live
with them for a week to recuperate.
I thought this very decent of him
& may accept after this force goes off.