Collection relating to the Second World War service of VX37385 Private Francis Prosser, 2/29th Australian Infantry Battalion, 1941-1946 - Part 3

Sun 26^th
Much better, and one more
day nearer home we hope
Mon 27^th
Had two big stitches
removed, feeling my oldself
Tues 28^th
Felt extra well today
nothing of note happened
Wed 29^th
Just another day
Thurs 30^th 1yr since boarded boat.
Had all stitches removed
soon be up and walking
Friday 31^st 1yr today left Port Melb.
MO said I may get up
tomorrow for hour or two.
Sat 1^st August
Was up and about for
an hour or two felt bit
weak on the old pins
Sunday 2^nd
up and about felt a ball
of muscle strolled about
hospital grounds
Mon 3^rd
Had 2nd injection for
varicose veins, also went
to 11th Divy concert given
by English troops very good
Tues 4^th
Leg very sore after injection
also swollen up quite a bit
Wed 5^th
Leg still very sore and
stiff, also started taking
urine tests MO concerned
thinks it sugar diabetes
Thurs 6^th
MO asked me if any of
my family suffered with
sugar diabetes, feel a bit
worried.

Frid 7^th
Felling pretty fit but
still have to have another
injection, still on tests
Sat 8^th
Just another day issued
with packet of smokes.
Sunday 9^th
One more Sunday & still
getting 3 meals of rice
a day weight about 9 stone
Mon 10^th
had last injection today
leg very sore indeed after
big injection veins drying
up certainly doing the job
Tues 11^th
leg sore but injections
have taken well M.O.
very pleased with job.
Wed 12^th
Swelling in leg going down
still a bit sore tomorrow
will see the business over.
Thurs 13^th
Feeling pretty well went
down to see football match
Aust rules played by Hospital
orderlies.
Frid 14^th
Feel like new man but
still having urine tests twice
a day soon be out of hospital
I hope.
Sat 15^th 12 mths today in Malaya
M.O told me some tests
are clear others show signs
of sugar, got them a bit
tricked I think, dont know
where sugar comes from as have
not had any sugar for months.
Sunday 16^th
Had over all by M.O said
injections were successfull
but not satisfied with
tests for sugar. 

Monday 17^th
One more day gone and
and one nearer home I hope,
went to see footy match
Tues 18^th
Still on tests in myself
am feeling extra well
went to another concert
Wed 19^th
Nothing of note took place
waiting to be discharged
from hospital every day now
Thurs 20^th
Beginning to think we
will be here for ever 80
Bombers & fighters belonging
to Nippon flew over A.G.H.
thought something was
going to happen but
didn't
Frid 21^st
M.O. told me urine
tests all clear now so
wont be long here now.
Sat 22^nd
MO on his morning round
just passes me by so it
wont be long before Im out
Sunday 23^rd
Played crib nearly all day
had nice crib board made
for me hope to bring it home
Mon 24^th
Still in hospital
Tues 25^th
Just another day playing crib
Wed 26^th
Final tests of urine taken
proved all clear, back to unit
tomorrow.
Thur 27^th
Discharged from a A.G.H. back
with unit quite a few boys
left on B force for over seas
Frid 28^th
saw unit M.O given light
duties looks like work ahead

Sat 29^th
Had busy day of washing
Sunday 30^th
Church parade & day of rest
Mon 31^st
Did few light jobs about camp
Tues Sept 1^st
Commanding Officer refused
to sign escape papers issued
by Nippon, so we were incarcerated
to small square
where 20,000 A.I.F. and English
P.O.Ws were cramped & guarded
by Nippon troops hardly able
to move about.
Wed 2^nd
Still rounded up in square
diptheria & dysentry taking toll
Thurs 3^rd
still in square things
look very black for P.O.Ws
Friday 4^th
Latrines & cookhouses
cramped up in heap, more
sick casualties daily
Sat 5^th
ordered to sign escape
papers, to save our lives

Sunday 6^th
Free from square after disease
taking heavy toll, few more days
and the whole lot would have
went down with some disease
Mon 7^th
Went before unit MO put
on full duties so its work again
Tues 8^th
Went on trailer party to native
village out side of camp to buy
cooks for canteen had fair day
Wed 9^th
Trailer party on stores
Thurs 10^th
Digging latrines, called bore
hole party.
Friday 11^th
Joyses birthday I think
love to see her soon, easy day cleaning up.
Sat 12^th
new job Divy runner twice
a week not hard
Sunday 13^th
No church parade standing by
for trailer party.

Monday 14^th
on bore hole party
Tues 15^th
trailer party quite easy day
Wed 16^th
odd jobs also bore hole party
Thurs 17^th
Divy runner had long day
Frid 18^th
Did few odd jobs and all on rice
Sat 19^th
Divy runner fair day
Sunday 20^th
Church parade also visited A.G.H.
Mon 21^st
Got new job permanent
maintainance to A.I.F. cemetery
Tues 22^nd
Dug graves at cemetery
for 2 boys that were shot for
trying to escape
Wed 23^rd
job at cemetery
Thurs 24^th
Rained heavily in morning but
went to work after dinner buried
lad died from concussion
Frid 25^th
Fairly easy day at cemetery
Sat 26^th
Had nasty job exhuming bodies
buried 6 months previous, got very
squeamish had to turn it up.
Sunday 27^th
Visited A.G.H. Church Parade
later in evening.
Monday 28^th
Planted shrubs at cemetery
getting it a bit ship shape
Tues 29^th
Another day at cemetery
Wed 30^th
No work, kit inspection by Nippon
Thurs 1^st Oct
Clearing and carting water
for shrubs at cemetery.

Frid 2^nd
Easy day, clearing jungle
Sat 3^rd
Turfing mounds on graves
cobber Rocky ned arrived
from K.L. very pleasant surprise
Sunday 4^th
showed Rocky around camp
finished up Church parade
Mon 5^th
Just another day at cemetery
Tues 6^th
Turfing mounds again
Wed 7^th
Same as previous day
Thurs 8^th
Put in hard day at cemetery
Frid 9^th
Turfing mounds
Sat 10^th
At cemetery burried lad
killed while riding bike
also issued with 65 smokes
from Red Cross.
Sunday 11^th
Played football practice match
Mon 12^th
Morning at cemetery, had bully
beef for tea, some of Red Cross issue
Tues 13^th
At work at cemetery on working
party list for Singapore, name
read out on roll call parade
Wed 14^th
Waited from 8.30 till 5.30
arrived safely in Singapore quarters
very bad ridden by bugs
Thurs 15^th
Went to work heavy day rolling
and stacking 44 gls drums petrol
Friday 16^th
Out to work again easy day
with a few hand outs by Nippon
Oct 17^th
Unloading rice from trucks
down at wharf easy day.
 

Sunday 18^th
Same job as yesterday
Mon 19^th
Out on job again home early
issued with Red Cross clothes
Tues 20^th
Unloading Rice & stacking. Nippon
opened his heart and gave us Buiscuits
and bully which was our own.
Wed 21^st
Started out to work, but was postponed
so had day of rest, it was much needed.
Thur 22^nd
Rice stacking & unloading fair
day but, back in camp late
Frid 23^rd
Went to 54 Godown but did no
work home early after long march.
Sat 24^th
Went to wharf, sat down all day
received 17 biscuits Red Cross issue
Sun 25^th
Went to Bukit Timah dug post
holes in morning, rained in afternoon
Had afternoon off, not feeling best.

Mon 26^th
Out Bukit Timah same job
as yesterday, not a hard day.
Tues 27^th
Had job at wharf loading lime
& cement, piles bad never worked at all
Wed 28^th
Was out Jap H.Q Singapore
carting ashes, had fair day but piles
still bad, saw M.O. tonight have
to see him again in the morning.
Thur 29^th
Had day in camp, not feeling
the best piles just so so M.O said
return in weeks time may get cut out
Friday 30^th
Out Kranji siding unloading rice
heavy day but home in camp early.
Sat 31^st
Went to Bukit Timah was kept
busy by the Nippons pick & shovel works.
Sunday Nov 1^st
Bukit Timah carting sand easy day
Mon 2^nd
Went to Godowns unloading and
stacking candles heavy day.
Tues 3^rd
Went for boat ride from Singapore
to island 6 miles away loading petrol
Island call Pula Bukim heavy day
Wed 4^th
Bukit Timah again carting dirt
on stretchers very heavy day 

Thurs 5^th
Went out Petrol dump filling petrol
drums from tins, rained in afternoon no work
Frid 6^th
Out on Godowns stacking Nippons
stores mostly boots hard day.
Sat 7^th
Down at wharf unloading trucks
and tractors from boat Columbia Maru
Sunday 8^th
At last had a day off so did bit
of washing and took nearly 2 wks growth of
beard off, also had haircut & day of rest.
Mon 9^th
Went to Godowns had easy job till
lunch time boiling the billie, heavy
job in afternoon handling timber
Tues 10^th
Shirley’s Birthday I believe must be
5 yr old today memory fails me bad
can’t remember things as of old having
day in to feeling to old for hard work.
Wed 11^th
The old Armistice Day wonder when
the next one will be. Stacking empty
petrol drums down at wharf.
Thur 12^th
Miracle has happened again, had day
off back in camp.
Friday 13^th
Alexander Rd. Godowns easy day
was Billy Boy
Sat 14^th
Down at wharf Godown 42A was
sorting out blown tins & foodstuffs 

Sunday 15^th
Was at Kings Rd doing Road
work at Girls cooking school.
Mon 16^th
Was at Bukit Timah on petrol
drums fairly easy day.
Tues 17^th
Same as yesterday.
Wed 18^th
Down at wharf shed 46.A and
my what a day it turned out
to be, a man can be lucky big
search on but Convoy got through
Thur 19^th
Was at Bukit Timah on petrol
drums same job 3 out of 4 days.
Frid 20^th
Out Kings Road, fairly hard day.
Sat 21^st
Had day off, visited another camp
but the 29th Boys were at work
Sun 22^nd
Went to Kings Rd job carting
sand and so so.
Mon 23^rd
Bukit Timah on petrol drums
fair day
Tues 24^th
Bukit Timah on empty
petrol drums.

Wed 25^th
Moved over to River Vally camp
where all the 29th are together again
in the same Hut as Peter Rocky & Josh
all Bn Coy boys no work today.
Thurs 26^th Our Wedding Anniversary
don’t know which one lost
count.
Down Kipple Harbour sweeping
the wharfs easy day long march.
Frid 27^th
Down Kipple Harbour loading
rice on tug easy day long march
Sat 28^th
At Alexander Rd Godowns
easy day Billy Boy.
Sun 29^th
At Alexander Rd Godowns
another easy day billy Boy, but had
bit of a fight after work also went
to Church as it was the 2nd
anniversary of the 29^th Bat 2 years.
Mon 30^th
Down at Kipple Harbour pulling
down air raid shelters fair day.
Tues 1^st Dec 
At Alexander Rd. Godown stacking
cases of Jap Xmas parcels.
Wed 2^nd
Kipple Harbour loading soap into gall [[?]].

Thur 3^rd
Had day off did bit of washing dont
like this camp at all too strict
Frid 4^th
The old birthday comes around again
29 today feel 60 fed up with it all
At Custom House missed a big bash
up must have been my lucky day.
Sat 5^th
At Alexander Rd Godowns fairly
easy day stacking Nippon buiscuits
Sunday 6^th
Worked at Custom House no bashings
had fair day like to be let loose in
their for half an hour beautiful stuff.
Mon 7^th
Got happy feet so having a couple
of days off. lack of vitamins is
the cause of this complaint
Tues 8^th
A year today since Nippon started
this war racket and we came off second
best nearly a year prisoner of War. Had
day off again, weather very wet now
Wed 9^th
Still in camp with happy feet
weather very wet camp set up like
pig sty.
Thur. 10^th
Still raining about the fourth
day now feet not so good still
in camp, on list to go back to
Changi.

Friday 11^th
Still raining and camp very muddy
just waiting to get back to Changi
it is as good as any other camp.
Sat 12^th
Had another day in camp, still
waiting to go to Changi weather improved
Sun 13^th
still waiting to go to Changi
was peeling vegetables at cook house
Mon 14^th
Grinding rice for flour, still at
River Valley Rd camp, just returned
from good concert Aussie & English
entertainers.
Tues 15^th
Was peeling vegetables again today
weather very wet, wet season set in
Wed 16^th
Still in camp doing light duties
waiting to go to Changi
Thur 17^th
on the vegetables again today
still in River Valley Camp
Frid 18^th
Still waiting on Changi

doing odd jobs today.

Sat 19^th

All Pows going back to
Changi on Tuesday news good.

Sun 20^th
still ploding along, but feet not
so good, lack of Vitamins rice ^no good.
Mon 21^st
still at the camp in Singapore,
going back to Changi in day or two
Tues 22^nd
Spud peeling this morning expect
to go to Changi tomorrow
Wed 23^rd
Moved at last back to Changi
rode out all the way, was on
baggage party, rest in marched
half way
Thurs 24^th
Xmas Eve looks to be a dull
one, hoping to spend next at home
was peeling spuds today just
starting to rain so looks like wet Xmas
Friday 25^th
Xmas day and still a P.o.w.
Had rice porridge & milk for Breakfast
no rice a tin of Meat & Vegetables.
between two with a few chipped sweet
potatoes, [[? ?]] mixed with
dried fruit for desert & a cup of
cocoa for dinner. For tea we
had a tin of bully with rice also
a rice and peanut rissole,
on tin of bully between 3 men, so
taking it all round we didnt
fare so bad as far as meals were
concerned for Xmas