Wallet 3 of 5 - Diary of Francis Russell James Day, volume 1 of 2, 1941-1943, Part 11

MAY
14^th Thurs. 
3,000, A.I.F. marched out at 0700 hrs
from A.I.F. . P.O.W. Camp Changi for
Singapore (14 miles) then for a place has 
yet unknown, seems to be definite that 
they are leaving the Island.
The G.O.C of  A.I.F. Troops said he would
not deny or confirm any of the rumours
that are going around, but some of them
may be right. Tom over with some Dinner
for us. Chaps that were brought in told 
Wally to tell me that Allan was O.K.
& well at the end of February, & was trying  
to get back to the A.I.F. or get away.
This is a bit of cheering news & I hope
that he's O.K. & got away. 
Furphey's:-  2 Jap. Submarines sunk off
Queensland Coast; Australia is reported to
have 32,000 Japanese Prisioners, & the exchange
is 5 A.I.F. for 2: 2 A.I.F. Officers for 1 Nurse.
MAY
15^th Fri.

Phyllis's Birthday, would like to be at
Home to see the Kid today, she must be
quite a big girl now.
Tom over as usual. Travers in Hospital to get

"Shrap" out of shoulder, he was hit with same
Shell as I was, it's just started to play up.
There are a lot of Furphey's going around
as to where the Boys went to on the Boat

One of the Officers said that  the accuracey
that the Troops got with the news was amazing.
Furphey's:- Walking Patients to leave on Tues,
others to go on Friday.
The Wireless news is that the first move in the 
exchange of Prisoners was made on the 13^th
Special:- When the Boys went on the Boat
they were given, a good Feed of Australian 
Tucker; 2oz Tobacco, 3pkts Papers, 2 Box. Matches
1 Bot ''Tiger Beer'' & an Australian ₤1
note. 

MAY 
16^th  Sat

Just a day; they say I have to have my
Leg opened up, to get some pieces of Bone
out of it, from the Compound Fracture.
Tom brings over something every day
from the Cook, it's alright to get these
little extras, keeps one going & in good nick
which the Rice won't do.
What with Tom; Mac,Traver, & myself it's
quite a meeting of the Unit at my bed
every day now, when he comes over. I often
wonder how I can ever repay Tom for the
way he looks after me & being such a
good mate.
Furpheys: We are now known has the
Royal Eigth Division, being given the
King's Colors for our job over here, with
it goes 1D a day ₤1-10-5 per year, (We'll
be rich if we are P.O.W.s long enough
& go home & stop in the Army.
MAY
17^th Sun.
A beautiful day today usually is on
Sunday & as usual I am thinking of Home
Sure miss everybody when you are away
for so long & have to lay in Hospital, I
can hardly believe that it's over 3 mths
since I was hit & have been in bed all the
time, unusual for Yours Truly to be thus.
The Hospital is very quiet now that they
have got the number of Patients down &
the C.C.S have gone away reducing the
staff by 240; there must only be about
500 Patients & 500 Orderlies & General Staff.
Furpheys: The Boats were loaded with
plenty of Picks & shovels, also plenty of
Food.
Special: They reckon there were holes cut
in the sides of the Boats to put oars
thru, for the men to row the Boats, 8
men to an oar.

MAY
18^th Mon.
Out in the sun today & did I go red?
I think it will be alright though, the M.O
looks down hard at it & says too much Sun
at once is no good, (I know that).
Tom over as usual, brought 2lb of Sugar
for each of us. They have to Bake a
Loaf of White Bread every day for a 
Japanese Officer & he sent over 100. lb
of Sugar to the Bakery with His 
Compliments for Baking his loaf every
day (Doing a bit of steady over there).
Furpheys :- Troops have orders to be ready
to move at a short notice.
We are not Prisoners any more, we are
Hostages of the Nipponese Government
till the exchange is made; Officers can
now wear their "Pips" again & we can
fly our Flags. (They have been Flying
all the Time.)
MAY
19^th Tues.
Out in the Sun every morning now,
Don carries me out on to the Balcony
for a while, it get "damn Hot" & I can't
stay too long.
Orderlies at the Hospital are on Strike
today because they have had 7 out of 8
meals of Dry Rice & the object; The
meals are worse at the C.A.G.H.s than
any where; the Rations go off somehow
& they have to cut us all short then.
A lot of tales go around about what you
can get t the Cook-house for a Cigarette
They threatend to go to the Japs about
it & they were immediatley given a Sugar 
Ration; (must be something in it).
The walking wounded are still here, sort of
puts that Furphey out of it.
Furphey's :- 270 "Aussie". P.O.W.s coming down
from K.L. don't know what their Units are.
Maybe. Allan.

MAY
20^th Wed.
Tom came again today brought me over
a Towel & a Waterbottle, there's no doubt about
Him, I don't know how I can ever make up for
all he's done for me since I've been in the 
Hospital, He's sure been a great mate; looks
like they may be on the move soon they have
been issued with Greatcoats & that portends
a move, all the others who got them went away.
We had a special Dinner today Rice with
Cocoa on it, Tea was Rice & Banana, very
little Banana, it's a good job Tom brings us 
a bit from over the Unit.
Furpheys :- 10^th Field Ambulance, 10^th A.G.H & 
Convalescent Depot for go away Friday, the
9^th Field. Ambulance & 13^th A.G.H to. go Home
with the wounded. First Japanese Prisoners
left Australia on the 15^th. Wounded to go 
to Con. Depot 6 miles from Perth, & the Troops
to Northern Camp, W.A.
MAY
21^st Thurs.
To the Theatre to-day. (but not to see any
Pictures worse luck
It's funny the different yarns that are told
to the Boys over here, one Padre tells us
that Australia has Thousands of P.O.Ws
& another says, all they have is 500 -
internees, & so it goes on every day, since
Colonel Pigdeon said to one Patient that
they definetely were not going Home you
ought to see the Blokes who dropped their
tails, sort of put them back a bit.
Tom over but I hardly knew he was here
I was still drunk from the needle, leg a 
bit sore now.
Furpheys :- We are To get 2oz. of Tobbacco
each Tomorrow. A plane was shot down over 
Darwin & Kingsford Smith was the Pilot.
Brisbane has beem bombed.

MAY
22^nd FRI.
Just a day, Leg hurts a bit, soon clear
up now (I hope.) They got some small pieces
of Bone out of it.
Furphey's : - First 3,000 that left have landed
at Timor. We leave definetly on 26^th June
thats the latest.
23^rd SAT
Only Travers & Yours Truly in now, this
place seems to be getting well & truly emptied
out now; the Dysentry has been reduced
from 500 to 100 cases. 

Tom brought over the Yeast to Drink
today, I never have the A.G.H issue of
Rice & Coconut Yeast; the Bakers Yeast is
the stuff (Vitamin. B. to stop Beri-Beri)
Furphey's : - "Oranjee" in Keppell Harbour
waiting to take 10^th A.G.H. back to "Aussie"
2 American Hospital ships standing by.
We leave on Tuesday (what again).
MAY
24^th Sun.
Sunday is a beautiful cool day & quite
what we like for a change.
A bit of the cold weather we have back
at Home would be appreciated by all, be
good to have to get under a Blanket again
makes me wish for the "Laconia's" (my
mistake) "Physician's" it should be.
We had more than our share of Rain today
just a torrent of a down pour, I would like
to be where I could have the Wind & the
Rain in my Face again.
M.O. dragged about 6" of Vaseline Gauze out
of the leg today.
Furphey's :- 300 to go to Singapore in a
Working Party: 500 to go overseas Tues.
American & British Submarines are giving
Jap. Sub's Hell around the Islands;
Australia has Capitulated; Japs are
leaving the Island to drive Chinese out of
Burma.

MAY
25^th Mon
Tom over as usual & "Staffy" with him
"Staffy" doesn't want to come back into
Hospital again. Tom brought some
Pancakes from Travers, & they were a but
of alright.
Furphey's:- Japanese Ships sunk above
Newcastle, N.S.W. & 180,000 Jap casualties
while trying to land there;
26^th Tues.
Special we get now for meals is Rice
& "Chocolate Sauce". The Furphey about
the Hospital going Home today has
sort of been busted.
Tom brought me over 2 Jumpers,
4 Singlets, 2 pr Socks, 2 Towels, 1. Pack
2. Hankies. 1 Money- belt, 1. Housewife. 1. Flannel
Furpheys:- Boys seem to have got a 
bit more opptamistit about going Home
again, some new Rumours must be out.
MAY
27^th Wed
"Cookie" sent over a Pint of Stew
every day or two & it's the goods
better than what we ever get here
in Hospital.
The Furphey's are very strong again 
it's just a bit of news that Tom
told me on the 10^th.
Furphey's :- Both A.G.H's to go Home with
the Wounded; Chinese are in Burma,
Japs sending reinforcements there.
28^th Thurs.
Just a day, the one bright spot
in it, is Tom, I'm always glad to see
him; Jim O'Connell gave me a Tommy"
Jacket today, be able to go away
after the Rabbit's in it, (I hope).
Furphey's :- They have run Riot today
you've either got to be a "Yes" or "No"
man now; I'm "Yes" 50.p.c.

May
29^th FRI.
Got a Wheel-chair & it's good to get
around the ward even, first time I
have been able to move under my
own power since I got mine.
Sat up in the chair till 2300hrs, & I 
can wizz anywhere I wan't to now day
or night.
Furphey's :- Con. Depot, Bakery, 10^th Field
Ambulance to go away on Wed.
30^th Sat.
Spent morning making a "Puggaree" for
my Hat, & also had a few Tours in
the Chair.
31^st Sun.
Rain in big lumps, I've saw Rain
here before but never like this, it's just
pouring down in sheets.
Don took me for a Tour of the A.G.H
Area, in the chair this morning.
June
1^st Mon.
Just a day, a few wheels around the
Ward, Tom over as usual; ankle still a 
fair bit crook on it, seems to be set
back a few more weeks now.
Furphey's :- 5 ships in with supplies; Yanks &
British Troops have landed at Rangoon.
Japs have take Timor; Java is in Jap 
hands also; & they have made 5 landings in
Australia; Curtain says the 8^th Division
will be back in Australia by Xmas.
2^nd Tues.
Big examinanent by Col. Osborne this -

morning, to see what he would do to the
Old Stump, hopes to improve it.
Tom & Bill over, with some Special Coconut.
Furphey's :- 3,000 A.I.F. wer Paraded thru the
Streets of Tokio, with materials captured in
Malaya. A.I.F. to leave Island has soon as
possible.

JUNE
3^rd Wed.
Tom over with some extra good Stew from
the Cook. I don't have the chair so much
now 3 others use it too, one bloke -
"Happy" Buckley gets in it & they can't 
get him out, he's the biggest wag around
the Ward the way he carrys on; it has
made a difference to him to get about.
Chap from W.X. gave me a Great-coat, just
asked did I want one; I said "Yes".
Furphey's : - A.I.F. to leave Island by
Sunday; O.C's of all Units have received
sealed orders to be opened on a certain date
Red Cross offered to send Supply Ship
from Australia, but Japs refused to admit it.
Singapore was raided by Allied Planes, &
Roosevelt says that America will clear up
the Pacific, off her own Bat, all she wants
is Australia as a Base to operate from
& to use Darwin for her Planes.
June
4^th Thurs
NO!
HOT WATER
Before - 0930. hrs
Dream st night &

I met Syd, France was
teaching me to Dance in the Front Room
at Home, on the Carpet too.!
Furphey's :- A.G.Hs to move out on Sunday.
3 o'clock.
5^th FRI.
Tommy over; spent all morning writing out
Poems. Extension put onto stump to
loosen up flesh, in preparation for Plastic
Surgery, by Cl. Osborne.
Furpheys :- 10^th F. Am. to stand by ready
to move.
6^th Sat
The meat we get is now "Yak" the
local cattle, & it's just meat too.
Sleep out on Balcony of a night now, it's a
lot cooler, than inside.
Furphey's : - Rumours we are going Home are 
strong.

JUNE
3^rd Wed.
Tom over with some extra good Stew from
the Cook. I don't have the chair so much
now 3 others use it too, one bloke -
"Happy" Buckley gets in it & they can't 
get him out, he's the biggest wag around
the Ward the way he carrys on; it has
made a difference to him to get about.
Chap from W.X. gave me a Great-coat, just
asked did I want one; I said "Yes".
Furphey's : - A.I.F. to leave Island by
Sunday; O.C's of all Units have received
sealed orders to be opened on a certain date
Red Cross offered to send Supply Ship
from Australia, but Japs refused to admit it.
Singapore was raided by Allied Planes, &
Roosevelt says that America will clear up
the Pacific, off her own Bat, all she wants
is Australia as a Base to operate from
& to use Darwin for her Planes.
June
4^th Thurs
Dreamt that I was Home last night &

I met Syd, on my Bike, the France was
teaching me to Dance in the Front Room
at Home, on the Carpet too.!
Furphey's :- A.G.Hs to move out on Sunday.
3 o'clock.
5^th FRI.
Tommy over; spent all morning writing out
Poems. Extension put onto stump to
loosen up flesh, in preparation for Plastic
Surgery, by Cl. Osborne.
Furpheys :- 10^th F. Am. to stand by ready
to move.
6^th Sat
The meat we get is now "Yak" the
local cattle, & it's just meat too.
Sleep out on Balcony of a night now, it's a
lot cooler, than inside.
Furphey's : - Rumours we are going Home are 
strong.