Diaries and papers relating to the Second World War service of George James Feakes, 1942-1946 - Part 4

out of some scenery which
was on a stage were I
cut myself & sewed up 2
pairs of shorts as the
black ones had worn out.
I had to soak & boil the 
scenery to get the paint out
of it, but the cloth on
which the paint was, is quite
good & strong & I am pleased
to have 2 extra pairs now.
We hear practically no
war news.  thank God nothing
about an invasion of/or
rather landing in in of
Australia.  Joyce looks
very thin & ill, & is taking
things badly.  The D^r
has seen him.
 

Padang, 25^th Octr '42
Sunday & it has rained
practically all day.  The weather
for several weeks has been
very wet & miserable.  They
say it lasts until the New
Year.  Padang gets 180 inches
per year.
Tuesday, 27^th will be Georgies
21^st birthday & I do hope it
is a happy one.  I will be
thinking of him, & hope he is
well & with Mum & J & 
G.  We have another new
arrival - Malcolm Brett
aged 14.  Both his mother &
sister were killed by bombs
 

When trying to escape from
Ship "Kuala".He was in the
water himself struggling, &
the first 2 persons he
went to for help proved to
be dead bodies when he
got to them! He even
remembered the gold fountain
pen in the pocket of one 
of the bodies! His father is
still in Singapore he thinks.
I teach him & Jack Mepham
arithmetic & algebra
every Monday, Wed & Friday
for an hour. I keep on with
my exercises every morning
& walk the length of the

Yard ( 55 yds ) for an hour
or so every afternoon. We
Have not been allowed out,
even for exercise, since we 
arrived at this house on
2nd July.
Food is a bit improved,
but still insufficient.
My pyjamas ( 2nd hand
from the Dutch) are in rags
& tatters & I am trying
to get them some cloth ( from
the Stage) & to soak out
the paint & then to make
a Sarong to sleep in.
The nights have been very
cold & I've done a perish.

Of course I am always
thinking of how Et & J.G.T
G are getting on in Aust
where we gear there is fighting.
But our news is so very
scrappy. If only we could
hear something authentic!
Anyhow I pray for them &
Vernon every night without
fail. Do hope V
got away from Malaya OK.

"K.S.B" Tuesday 3rd Nov 42
My dear Wife's birthday -
one week after Georgies,
& I have been thinking of
her all day. I do hope
she's had a happy day &

that we will be together before
her next birthday, & that all
are safe and sound
I have been very off colour
for a few days & unable
to sleep. I was inoculated
for Typhus, Cholera &
Dysentery one Day last
week & it shook me up a
bit. The Dutch Civilians
who are in gaol here sent
us the serum & the
injections were done by
the Salvation Army man
Mepham. I caught a bad
chill to my back or
Kidneys & couldn't bend.

I am slightly better Friday
Many of my clothes are in
rags & the weather has
 been cold and wet. We had
a visit from a Japanese
Naval Officer who stayed
for 1/2 hour or so & was
friendly (in contrast to
some of the Jap military)
We have heard good news
of the outer world &
Australia seems to be
safe, thank goodness.
Our bread supplies gave
out 2 days ago & we
have to make do with
rice instead.

The blood stains have not
come off Joans case that
she gave me, where the malay 
seaman on [["greaso hopper"]]

bled so badly. (I think he
died later). The scene on
that ship as about 40 of
us were trapped in the
ship's cabin & bombs
were raining on us
still sticks in my mind
It was like hell on earth
"K.S.B" Novr 30th 42
Pandang
I have been in a bad way
with Sciatica for over a
week now. Constant pain
must have caught -

Still no bread
& practically no
meat less than
one oz. per day

Sunday 20th Decr 42

I had to stay writing the last
entry (Dated 30th Novr), as the Dr

called then ordered my removal
to the military hospital Padang
Where I still am I have been
here now 21 days. I was in
very severe pain with the sciatica
at the old camp & had only
a couple of hours sleep in that
week, I put it down to the 
mattress being very damp, also
my few clothes the same,
especially my one bed sheet.
At this hospital they gave me
3 injections per day of
Vitamin B (evidently due to
poor food) also Salycylic Acid
& Vitamin B Tablets. Ive never
had anything like the pain-

all Down my right eg from
the hip joint to the foot & I
am not yet able to walk properly.
But I am improving I
hope to be out by Xmas (5 
days off) . The food here is 
mostly a watery mess. Joyce
who has been in here for
months now with T.B. of the 
Throat & Lungs is not too
good. His weight is now 9 st
The food prevents a proper
recovery. Fortunately we can
buy a few bananas & hard
boiled duck eggs. Another 
man, Ross, is in here with
BronoPneumonia. 2 men
from our Camp  have died
in this ward & one other
a close shave: