Diaries of Thomas Currie Derrick, 1942 - Part 4

4 March 1942

WEDNESDAY
YOUNG M^RS POTHOLE WAS
BACKED FOR A PLACE
BUT SHE'D OFTEN BEEN IN
THE DEEPEST DISGRACE
ONCE DROPPING A FART ON ^THAT
DROWNED THE CHURCH ORGAN
AND GASSED THE POOR VERGER
- OLD MR MORGAN

THE VICAR ARRIVED AND
ASCENDED THE STAND
AND THEN HE ADDRESSED
THIS REMARKABLE BAND
THE CONTEST IS ON & AS
SHOWN IN THE BILLS

5 March 1942

THURSDAY
WE'VE FORBIDDEN THE USE OF
INJECTIONS AND PILLS
THE LADIES LINED UP AT
THE SIGNAL TO START
AND WINNING THE TOSS M^RS
JONES TOOK FIRST FAST
THE PEOPLE STOOD ROUND IN
SILENCE AND WONDER
AND THE ABC ANNOUNCED
WARNINGS OF THUNDER
THEN YOUNG M^RS POTHOLE
WAS CALLED TO THE FRONT

6 March 1942

FRIDAY
AND STARTED BY DOING A
REMARKABLE STUNT
WITH LEGS WIDE OPEN &
TIGHTLY CLENCHED HANDS
SHE BLEW OFF THE ROOF
OF THE DRESS CIRCLE STAND
BUT M^RS MCLOUD REASONED
NOTHING OF THIS
SHES HAD SOME WEAK TEA
& WAS ALL WIND & PISS.
SO SHE TOOK UP HER STAND
ALL OPPONENTS DEFIED
BUT UNLUCKILY SHIT - & WAS
DISQUALIFIED

7 March 1942

SATURDAY
NEXT CAME M^RS BINGLE WHO
SLYLY APPEARED
AND SMILED AT THE CROWD
WHO LUSTILY CHEERED
ALTHOUGH IT WAS THOUGHT
HER CHANCES WERE SMALL
SHE BEAT THE WHOLE BAND
& OUT FARTED EM ALL
WITH HANDS ON HER HIPS
SHE STOOD FARTING ALONE
AND THE CROWD WAS AMAZED
AT SWEETNESS & TONE
AND THE JUDGES AGREED
WITHOUT HINDRANCE OR PAUSE

8 March 1942

SUNDAY
FIRST PRIZE M^RS BINGLE SO
PULL UP YOUR DRAWS.
SHE WALKED TO THE ROSTRUM
WITH MAIDENLY GAIT.
AND RECIEVED FROM THE
VICAR A SET OF GOLD PLATES
THEN SHE TURNED TO THE
CROWD AS THEY STARTED
TO SING
AND FARTED THE LAST
VERSE OF GOD SAVE THE KING
THE END

9 March 1942

MONDAY
POSITION IN FAR
EAST VERY SERIOUS
- MORE LANDINGS AT
NEW GUINEA AND
LOOKS LIKE AUSTRALIA
BEING JAPANS
NEXT OBJECTIVE.

10 March 1942

TUESDAY
MORE DIGGING TODAY
WISH WE COULD GET
IN OUR OWN SECTION
POSITIONS.
- PAPER THIS MORNING
FULL SHOCKING ACTIONS
BY JAPANESE TROOPS
SUCH AS ROPING &
TORTURING

11 March 1942

WEDNESDAY
BN PARADE THIS
MORNING.
AN EASY TIME TODAY
WENT OUT BUSH, ENJOYED
A NICE SLEEP
RETURNING AT 1530
- NIGHT STUNT BEGINNING
AT 1900

12 March 1942

THURSDAY
OUT FOR A LITTLE
TRAINING TODAY.
- A SLIGHT LULL IN
JAP SITUATION.
- NAZIS MASSING
TROOPS & EQUIPMENT IN
GREECE.

13 March 1942

FRIDAY
MORE TRAINING
TODAY, LIGHT RAIN
FALLING. MAKING IT
JUST UNCOMFORTABLE
- LOST 70 POUND AT
TWO UP.
SENT CABLE TO WIFE
- JAPS STARTING TO RECIEVE
SOME OF OUR
BOMBER ATTACKS NOW

14 March 1942

SATURDAY

A day of Gas demonstrations,

I am one

of the instigators

1730 - have had an

interesting day and

been gassed a good

bit with C.A.P.

Returned home in

truck at 1900, remainder

of Coys doing a

night manouvre.

Retired at 2100 still

suffering from the

gas and its no

joke.

15 March 1942

SUNDAY

Didnt wake to bright.

have a bad cold and

still have effects from

gas.

0952 Coastal Defence

Call sounded all Bn

turned out smartly

and was messed about

by Officers for about 1 

hour, God knows how

we would have fared

had it been dinkum

the majority of our 

Officers arent much 

help

16 March 1942

MONDAY

Down to the Rifle

Range today as

coach - Officer in

charge. no targets

on arrival - a delay

of 2½ hrs.

Finished shoot at

1700.

Turned in early 

am not feeling

so good

17 March 1942

TUESDAY

Not feeling so well

broke off from Parade

and admitted to

RAP ward

- 1800, just enjoyed 

a good sized tea 

and seem a lot

better

18 March 1942

WEDNESDAY

Woke feeling a ton

better had breakfast

porridge & 8 eggs 

then a spot of reading.

Japanese attack, on

Aussie, seems only 

about one week off.

19 March 1942

THURSDAY

Feeling just about 

okay - M.O. informs

me I am to be turned 

out to the cold

cruel World.

The Coy has gone a 3 

day stunt - nice

work Diver.

This mornings rag; -

Japs have 12 divvys

ready to land in

Aussie

20 March 1942

FRIDAY

The day of days my 

Birthday, dont feel a

bit older. - Coy returned

last night

going out again

today and going

with them, - marched

about 9 miles, a quiet

afternoon, Rick fell

in a swirling river

whilst on a night

stunt, lucky to get

out of it.

turned in at 2130

in an old Castle

21 March 1942

SATURDAY

Had an extra good

nights sleep, just

like Tobruk-days.

Rained all day, returned

to barracks

on trucks at 1500.

- Recieved 4 letters

one from Beryl and

extra pleased about 

it

22 March 1942

SUNDAY

The day of rest

and still raining

dodged church and

rested a bad head 

- Another Letter

from Beryl, can

take plenty of that 

- Wrote to Beryl

this arvo.

Draft of Ex men

came in at 1830

23 March 1942

MONDAY

More training at N.C.O.

school, not learning

anything new here. -

Coy out doing field

training.

Done nothing but march

and drill all day

and pleased to hear

the end of it.

This is a four day

school to my sorrow