Wallet 3 of 5 - Diary of Francis Russell James Day, volume 1 of 2, 1941-1943, Part 15
November
29th Sun.
So falls another Sunday, & things are
much the same, being at Con. is a
definite improvement on the A.G.H.
there is much more interest & plenty of
space to move about, I am definetley
improving even in the week I've been here.
Time is moving on & it don't look like
Yours Truly spending Xmas where he
would like to. Don came over from X
the A.G.H to see how I was getting on.
30th Mon.
Review by Col. Webster. Inspection by Japanese
Went over to see Concert again.
1st .DECEMBER. Tues
P.T. for Limbless starts this morning,
it's all right but a bit of a nuisance.
Started to learn music from Mr McNielly
of the Y.M.C.A. I haven't forgot has
much has I thought I would have. X
DECEMBER.
2ND WED.
Over to Unit for Tea. P.T. is on every
day. Still playing a lot of Bridge,
especially Contract.
3rd Thur
Sick Parade at 1000 hrs, P.T. at 1100 hrs.
Music 1200 hrs. Afternoons at Unit.
4TH FRI
Just another day. Got me on a new
dog game, Deck-golf, sure keeps us
single pins on the go. X
5th Sat.
Concert Play by the Temple. Players
The Admirable Dyton; pretty good
effort. (Buff. Lodge going in Camp) X
Sun 6th Sun.
Sunday Afternoon here is alright, plenty
of Music, Records, & Piano, I feel like has
if I'm Home listening to the Wireless,
(needs a lot of imagination). X
December
7TH Mon.
Been raining since Thursday, the wettest
I've seen it here in Malaya. Blackout
on for 4 days,
8TH Tues
12 mths since Our War started, time
seems to have flown since then, it must
be because we are always wondering what
is going to happen next. X
9th Wed.
Rain!-Rain!-Rain!! all day & night
place is a real bog, doesn't look like
knocking off either. Col. says my Ankle
is O.K. & to keep it well excercised.
Making Toys for the Kids in Changi. Goal
for Xmas, should be a pretty fair
collection go in from the P.O.Ws. X
10th Thurs
Can't go out of Building for the Rain, it's
been pouring all day, in torrents.
December
11TH FRI.
Musical Programme on Gramophone, by
Y.M.C.A. Official. Sun. out today, first
time since last Thursday Week; it'd be
hard to explain to those at Home the
amount of Rain we get here, & how soon
it runs away & drys off.
12th Sat.
Pay 40c. All Ranks that are Convalescent
receive the same amount.
Rain again today, there's no doubt this
December weather: - OFFICERS.ONLY.
13th Sun.
Watched U.S.A.-V.-A.I.F. at Baseball this
is the 3rd Time they have met & the 3rd
Victory for the A.I.F. it's funny to hear
the way the "Yanks" & "Aussies" chip one
another.
Church Parade at 1930 hrs. Play
at 2015 hrs.
December
7TH Mon.
Been raining since Thursday, the wettest
I've seen it here in Malaya. Blackout
on for 4 days,
8TH Tues
12 mths since Our War started, time
seems to have flown since then, it must
be because we are always wondering what
is going to happen next. X
9th Wed.
Rain!-Rain!-Rain!! all day & night
place is a real bog, doesn't look like
knocking off either. Col. says my Ankle
is O.K. & to keep it well excercised.
Making Toys for the Kids in Changi. Goal
for Xmas, should be a pretty fair
collection yo in from the P.O.Ws. X
10th Thurs
Can't go out of Building for the Rain, it's
been pouring all day, in torrents.
December
11TH FRI.
Musical Programme on Gramophone, by
Y.M.C.A. Official. Sun. out today, first
time since last Thursday Week; it'd be
hard to explain to those at Home the
amount of Rain we got here, & how soon
it runs away & drys off.
12th Sat.
Pay 40c. All Ranks that are Convalescent
receive the same amount.
Rain again today, there's no doubt this
December Weather:-
13th Sun.
Watched U.S.A.-V.-A.I.F. at Baseball this
is the 3rd Time they have met & the 3rd
Victory for the A.I.F. it's funny to hear
the way the "Yanks" & "Aussies" chip one
another.
Church Parade at 1930 hrs. Play
at 2015 hrs.
December
14th Mon.
Classification Parade. Music. Went over to
Unit in afternoon. A.I.F. Concert at
night. Excellent Show (Vaudaville)
15th Tues.
Nice - wet again. Spent morning carving
a pipe for Tom. News has been very good
lately, things are going our way all the
time; 10 mths since we became P.O.W.s
didn't thing the Casualties would be here
that long, after all the talk about Bocuck
16th Wed.
Over to Unit, playing Bridge & eating
Rambutans. Play Tom crib of a night
17th Thurs.
Display of Toys made by P.O.W's for
Children in Changi Gaol, quite a lot of
nice things amongst them. Parade
for Japanese Commander. Japanese
saw Toys & say they will let them through.
December
18th FRI.
Tea over at Unit. "Excellent"! Concert
by 2/2 Pioneers & Java Party. Don over
from Hospital to see me.
19th Sat
P.T. Two one legged Teams entered
for Thread-the-needle in Xmas day
Sports at Con Depot. All A.I.F.
Troops in Singapore are reported to
be returning to Camp.
20th Sun.
Played Cricket this morning. Over to A.G.H
in Afternoon, saw all the 2/9 Fld. Amb. that
I know. Church Parade. Community Singing
Bakery given a move.
21st Mon.
Engineers & 2/4 M.G's back from Singapore
2 Games per day of Deck-Golf. Most of
the Unit back from Singapore. "Stallion",
J. McMcMakon, J. Britnell, "Danny" over to see me
December
22nd Tues
Over to see the Trump & Boys, good to see
them all after 7 mnths away on Working Party.
Exibition by A.I.F. War Artist. X
23rd Wed
Fraser, Ivan, over tonight just back from
Singapore. Have had a great time while in
there. Saw Wally Sarkies also.
24th Thurs
Xmas Eve, Carols by the Choir, & very nice too.
To Mass with Tom, very nice service. Party
at Unit for J. Britnell, good to be with Mob.
25th FRI.
Xmas Day, & not in the style we are used
to, our hopes of being Home this time fell thru
I hope France & the Kids & all at Home are
O.K. & are not worrying too much; we can still
hope for the next one & better scenes. Big
Sports Meeting on Con. Depot Padang.
3 Rice-Less meals today. Carols at night
December
26th Sat.
Boxing Tournaments. Frank Prosser & "Pinnochio"
back from "Si.pore". Cricket & Football Matches.
27th Sun.
Play at Con. Depot. Big Ball game U.S.A
v. A.I.F. resulting in a drawn game.
Met quite a few of the 29th. Sigs. (Paid
$1 by Red Cross has a Xmas Box. 25.12.42)
28th Mon.
Tons of Rain, over to Unit. More of A.I.F
in from Singapore.
29th Tues
Got onto Jig-saw Puzzle that takes 6 men
6 hrs to put together.
30th Wed.
Saw "Concert Party's", Pantomine "Cinderella" a
very good show. Lots of moves in the Area.
31ST Thurs
Fare-well to '42 & how our hopes & wishes, etc.
things may improve next year (we hope).
Issue of "Samsee" from Japanese.
1943 January 1943
1ST FRiday
So starts another year in this Diary, I had
great hopes of not starting another one in this
Country, sure seems that my luck is out, well
here goes hope to be Home next year, with
France & the Kids; Happy New Year to them
& all at Home, things could be a lot worse;
we have just been informed that Our Red
Cross Issues have run out & we are back on
Japanese Rations, Rice & Vegetables, what
a great begining for the first day of the
New Year. Took a stroll over to the 29th &
saw some of the Sigs. Black Jack has a
wonderful idea of getting all Troops in
training again, so has to be ready to go
into Action at a moments notice; I just
wonder how far the "Nips" will let him go.
2nd Sat
Over to Unit for "Danny's" 21st Birthday
party: plenty to eat, & "Sake" to drink
January
3rd Sun.
Spent morning reading "Syonan Times," getting
a load of Japanese Propaganda & Baloney.
Big "Ball" Game between U.S.A. & A.I.F.
4th Mon
Just a day. Classification Parade, over to Unit
Changi Convention of Cristian Creative starts
a series of Lectures.
5th Tues.
Move about the C.C.C.C. Over to Unit
Things are getting very monotonous now.
6Th Wed
Playing about trying to make a Petrol
lighter, bit uphill trying to do anything here
very few tools to work with.
7th Thurs.
Over to Unit for afternoon; Inspection by "Nips"
every morning; never worry us just walk thru
Check Parade taken by Siamese, & Japanese
Officer. News seems to be very good
January
8th Fri.
Things are just so-so now, a bit monotonous, I
just about in the mood to want to get out
of the place, it's alright this being a P.O.W if
youre not knocked about, but being the way
of the Wounded it's not so good.
9th Sat
Talking to the War Artist, had a look at
his paintings, quite an interesting hour I
spent in His Studio.
10th Sun
Trip over to C.A.G.H's to see some of the
boys again; Phil in Hospital with Malaria.
11th Mon.
Just another day as a P.O.W. not much to
relieve the Monotony. More Prisoners in from
Java, 2/3 M.Gs; 29th. 18th, Petrol Park, 2/2nd Pioneer
The Nips sure have copped a lot of us in their
Islands. Plenty of good news about, can only
hope that it's right.
January
12th Tues.
Three more of Unit back from Tanglin Barracks.
Laurie; Scooter, Arthur. Rest of Boys away on
"A" & "B" Force, Burma?. Lot are betting on this
War winding up by March, seems to be all the
talk, don't know where the idea came from,
Some say it's written in the Bible a 42 mths
War which makes it March.
13th Wed.
Good Concert at Con. Depot Lecture Hall.
Bound Autograph Book.
14th Thurs.
Arthur. Kaye; Tom. Fraser. Ivan over tonight
Blades, Tooth-brush & Paste, Sacharine & B.I.
Tablets from Boys Just in.
15th Fri.
Made a couple of Net-needles out of Bronze.
Autograph Book finished.
16th Sat.
Become a maker of Brooms at Con Depot.
January
17th Sun.
Just a day of thoughts is Sunday, Services
by most of the Battalions in rememberance of
men who went down 12 mths ago. in Action.
Party at Unit with Concert Party.
18th Mon.
Start of New A.I.P. Concert, otherwise just a
day.
19th Tues
There is a bit of talk that we may be
allowed to write Home; & possibly one in
a 100 broadcast; maybe;! just an idea; I
only hope it comes off. X.
20th Wed.
Still a Broom-maker. Feeling a bit fedup
with this Life the last few days, time seems to
be dragging.
21st Thurs.
Quite cool the last few days, we get the
breeze right off the Straits of Johore.
January
21st Thurs.
Radio Play. "Journeys End" in Lecture Hall
by Caldereotte Players". Had a few. (I guess you'd
say very nice dreams. X.
22nd Fri.
Saw A.I.F. show last night, fair show.
Injections against Dysentry & Typhoid today.
23rd Sat.
No one allowed to be out of doors from
1000 hrs - to 1300 hrs. Tour of Camp by some
High Japanese Officials, no one allowed to look
out of Windows or over Balconys, must have
been some one very important.
24th Sun.
Move from one room to another to make
room for the Library. Battalion Parades. International
Football Match. (Rugby) A.I.F. v. B.E.F. at Southern
Area. Church Parade is Voluntary.
25th Mon.
And so 2 yrs in the Army, time to get
January
25th Mon.
out I hope is not far off, I'm getting a
trifle fed up with this type of life, all the
orders they read out to the Convalescents here
you would think we were expected to go into
Action again.
26th Tues.
Parade (Ceramonial) by 27th Brigade. News is
still pretty good (so they say) according to
all reports we've ever had, there has never been
a losing Battle since Singapore fell. Food
at the Con. Depot is still pretty good,
the Cooks here really do a good job condsidering
the little they get to do it with. X.
27th Wed.
Pay 50c for 6 days work. 600 Books for the
Library sent out by Japanese. ALL. Sultans
of various states have been called to pay
Homage to Japanese fallen, & to the I.J.
High Command.
January
28th Thurs.
Still take a walk over to Unit each day,
it's got very hot in the last week, now the
rainy season's gone; Water restrictions on, supply
broke down for 24 hrs.
29th Fri.
Another Anti-Dysentry needle today, had a
bit of a kick in this one. Things are just
a drag here now, very little for us to do.
We have been told to prepare our messages to
be Broadcasted Home, not too many have
any faith in thes promises by the Japs,
it's just as well to write in the hope.
30th Sat.
Very wet today looks like a day indoors, no
work on Sundays. Church Services of evening & then
Comunity Sing-Song in Lecture Hall.
31ST Sun.
And so ends another Week, very wet still &
quite cool. Check Parade no "Nips" for 3 nights.
February
1st Mon.
Well 2 yrs sinc since I seen France last, I'm
wondering just how much longer it will be.
by the News it should be very soon, but
otherwise I can't see us being back in "Aussie"
much under another 12 mths; it's alright this
soon be Home business, Japs can't hold out
forever, but they've be saying them things
ever since Capitalation, near on 12 mths ago
It's not so bad for us being P.O.W's over
here, if only they knew we were O.K. at
Home. My message Home this time is:-
Am safe & well; though short of food & Essentials
Please don't Worry. Regards to all, Love to
you. Frank. 1-2-43.
2nd Tues.
Big list & Lecture on what we've had
caused thru lack of Vitamins & proper food
& what we may get yet, if not releived
or proper food got to us very soon, the
February
2nd Tues
Japanese has promised to supply us with
the same Ration has His own Army gets
but so far has failed to do so, still we
are managing to live O.K. thru it, though
some blokes will be possibly partially blind
& others internally disordered for year maybe
rest of their lives; I think the "Nip" will
have quite a bit to answer for all this.
3rd Wed.
This Broom-making is just a racket. it seems
that has long has you are there & do a bit
it's O.K. & some of them do very little.
4th Thurs.
T.A.B. Injection this morning. Parade
by 22nd Brigade on the Square. News is
very good at the present time. Over to
Unit for couple of Hrs. Sailed 2 yrs today.
5th Fri.
Just another day, bit of work in the Morn
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