Diary Major John Kevin Lloyd - 1942-1945 - Part 1

1942 APRIL
9 THURSDAY
Visited Capt Brown. Very sick.
Argyells & S.H ✓
Sherwood Forresters ✓
Rumours not good.
Brown very sick, sweating, swell
thin, white, I nearly fainted.
Argyells all 2 year men, met
C.O Hyslop, Capt Gordon. Col
Stewart got away on destroyer.
Forresters left this day for Sing
Met Capt Coxon, then adjt
Major Head 8 Thompson 8 Div
secured many wallets from
kit store.

APRIL 1942
10 FRIDAY
Lunner took over works ✓
Bridge, Owen, Bence, Bert. ✓ Even
Visited Paddy market. 3.
Depressing rumours persist.
Bet with Bowring some 2 weeks
ago that we would not be free
by 18 Jul. $20 win.
Adjt borrowed $7 about 2 weeks
ago.

1942 APRIL
11 SATURDAY
Inspection 1200 hrs ✓
Court 1100 hrs ✓
C Os conference 1415 ✓
Q.M. Bridge Thxxxx Dick✓, Bowring✓, Kemp ✓
C.C. Bde Concert. Yes. Lectures, Sgts Mess
Charges against Kenneberg & Fitz
Q.M. Position for Boot repairer.
Q.M Salt, Potter, Brooms.
C.C. Cleaning rotunda, walking lawns,
Shell hole saving on concret.
Salt experiment. Go with party.
C.QC. Sunday conference.
Wire instead of rope.
Latrine paths urgent
C.C. R.C. Church Pde.
Sport afternoon - see Bde
C.O Money for vegs. Adjt re fatigues.
C.C. Wood gathering.

1942 APRIL
12 SUNDAY
Mass 0830. Table
See Capt Lloyd re Dysentry.
Go with salt party
To
Visited sea with salt water
party. Saw large 15" gun
destroyed. Pleasant walk
through plantations. Plenty
of cocoanuts and dry wood.
Saw 2 destroyers & 1 supply
ship steam out. Had swim.
Yarn with Brig. Rain as
usual very heavy. Bridge
with Dreverman, Throstle & 
Bowring - Square. Gramaphone
recital. Too wet for Devotions.
Rosary every night.

1942 APRIL
13 MONDAY
C.O. Officers Mess 1830 hrs (?)
See Lloyd re Dysentery
Sumner re pickets.
CC Arrange gardeners.
Q.M Experiment with salt
Q.M re $1.75 yardman. Fly traps 
QM re Off Mess.
West    "      "     $300 400
C.O. Tea, Off Mess money.

Gahan re mess on concrete. 
C.O Latrine - maggots
2/13 N✓ , Con, 2/26,  2/10 N✓ Right,  2/18 N✓ Sigs  Nx, [[K?S?]]
Missing     end        [[duty]]
                 week      [[?]]
Vol III H of GH
Very constipated & tired. Sun bath.
Div concert, Bet Bert 25-1 $ that Germany
not beaten 30 Apr. Phillipines & Burma news bad.

APRIL 1942
14 TUESDAY
Return Library book.
Inspection 1200 hrs
Gardener & Bowrings bet of $1
QM re salt experiment, mess money
Dysentry
CO { Tea, mess money, latrines, flys,
salt water [[O.?]]

Book for McGregor
Cpl Kennedy.
Lecture 1730 by Chaplain
Debate 1930    "   Dick
Baths
CO RSM re N.C.Os.
Q.M. Extra man on wood.
Wk Brick wall

1942 APRIL
15 WEDNESDAY
Div Field Officer
Arrange Piano recital.
Mass 0830 Table
Bridge - Owen & Fleming
Move tomorrow.  Bn HQ 5.31
HQ 6.89
A    4.83
B    3.65
C    4 80
D    4 77
      26
Bn fall in 0750
Move Bn 0820
NAAFI Club at 0800hrs
to DAQMG
1 NCO & 2 O Rs meet Coy
at 0810 at gate.
Off baggage on Bn notice board at
0730 hrs
Rations
Breakfast 0700 hrs
Prepared to move to Adam Park
C.O. says he prefers Ned Hare

APRIL  1942

16 THURSDAY

Sgts Mess

Inspection 1200 hrs

Moved to main wire preparation

to go out on working party

but Japs had arranged no

accomodation so trip was

cancelled. 500 for 6 weeks.

Had cocoanut and lunch 

and returned to camp.

Feel depressed at loss of trip

and as a result of last nights

conversation with C.O. I

decide to ask to remain

in camp instead of going 

to Singapore if and when 

next call is made, Bridge

with Bruce, Bill, Bert lost $1

1942  APRIL 

17 FRIDAY

Bridge Fleming

Bridge Fleming

See [[?]] paying confirmed

CO & Salier re broom lost

with consignment

"     Singapore Working Parties

"     Office Bearers

Urine Tubs.

Pioneers fewer.

Latrine roof not good.

Borer in MIR roof.

MIR drain.

Contract election

Ladder.

C.C. West will distribute 1730-1800

APRIL  1942

18 SATURDAY

Bde Concert?

Inspection

C.C Bde Concert   Com Sing

Inspection 1200 hrs

Conference 1415

Padang at night

648 AIF in hospital, dysentry

declining & malaria increasing.

Heavy rain as usual. Saw Ned

Condon. News not good. Burma

Philippines about gone and 

France coming in against us.

Bridge with Bruce, Bill, Doc, won

25 cents. Discussed poultry farming

Constipation ended after 20 days.

1942  APRIL   

19 SUNDAY

Hobbies exhibition. 1400 hrs

at Education Centre.

Mass 0830.

Inspection 1200

Ladder

Officers lecture

D Coy seat a barber shop

Cross & Sunner

Supper

22 Bde wood

Lime

Mass at 0830. Platforms disappeared

later, found in 22 Bde H.Q. Went

to evening Devotions. GOC attended

yarned with Mr Wilborn of GBD.

Director of Geological Survey, owns

farm in Kenya. Tokio bombed.

Bad heat rash. Several visits to latrine

APRIL 1942 

20 MONDAY

Mess night armour another

Went outside wire with agriculture

party. Saw Loyang camp. Has

been naval base with workshops

stores, quarters, railway, pier,

mines etc.

19  11  29

1942  APRIL  

21 TUESDAY

WOs & Sgts report 1500 hrs

Lieut Subaltern 0845 hrs

C.C. CO S.O. re burning of wood by 22 Bde
C.C. Lieut Lloyd? overnight [[confirm?]]

C.C. Ping Pong Smith in Pavilion

CC Chauman Topical Lecture 1715

D Coy [[?]] from

CC Change of lecture programme

C E Div Concert.
CC Cleaning of Pavilion

O Buy Razors

Conf Duties Bde will be coordinating.
Meals will be 15 mins earlier.
Salt water party cancelled yesterday
because of cocoanut gathering day before
Sunday service 1030 hrs
Boots 7000, Sh & Sh 14000, Socks 15000

obtained from kit store.

APRIL 1942

22 WEDNESDAY
Officers Course & Juniors
Mass 0830 
Return ladder?

Field Officers Group A

0850 hrs Senior Officers
TX Riley - 2/26 Bn
Padung
Went for swim. Tide well out.
Muddy beach & sawn off stakes.
Saw Col Byrne, Major Hallis, Ned
Condon. Black market at GBD.

Borrowed Handbook of Br Malaya
from Clark.

1942   APRIL 
23 THURSDAY
Use of Padang?

Have D Coy produced seller of razor
Heat rash bad. Inspection 
is hot work. Taking things
very easy to give skin a
chance. Bridge with Bruce, 
Bert & Throstle. Down $2.50.
Delightful moonlight night.
Went for stroll around camp
from 2230 -2330. Nancy and children
seemed close to me. It is sad
but memories are pleasant.
Soothing hour.

APRIL 1942
24 FRIDAY
Have D Coy given over chairs.
C.C. Latrines being used by B Coy.
C.C. Use correct tong.

CC Lawns.
Sumner re wire & filling at n.
CO Div Concerts. Div Concerts

Col Andersons lecture Friday 1500
Water cart inspection

Latrines
Breakfast Sunday 0930
Ch Pde         "          1030

Cricket          "  ag 4 Div.  4 Br HQ
                                        6
                                        3

"Mar" Officers go on Sunday.
Easy Day. Col Anderson lecture
on Muar. CO does not appear to
like 2/19 Bn

1942  APRIL
Crickt HQ v D.  D & HQ
25 SATURDAY
Dawn Service 0715 am
Mass at 0830.

Smoke social 1^st AIF

Standby for Singapore W.P.
CC [[?]] concert

Sgt O'Donnell re Water Cart

Inspection 1200
CO Conference.[[1215?]] [[?]] 0945

CO Recreational night. Library lecture.

Unit sent poor attendance to Dawn
Service. CO wrathful. Attended
Mass, went to Confession and 
Holy Communion. Easy day and
rash improving. CO obtained
jam, and sauce. I obtained [[sal?]]
Bridge with Bert, Jock, Dreverman.
Won 50c. Walk in moonlight.
Saw hugh pile of kit bags.

APRIL 1942
26 SUNDAY
Breakfast Sundays 0930 hrs

Church Pde 1115 1030 hrs

8 Div v 11 Ind Div Cricket.

7 Officers go to months class

Inspection 1200
     "            water cart.

CO Rec night. library

Sgt {B Coy re RC Ch Pde.

{Jerry            "     "   "      "

Barbers shop

QM Mess night.

81 at Mass. Went to H.C. Cricket
match between 8 Div & 11 Ind Div.
Easy day. Arranging barbers shop.
Rash still vanishing. Rain stopped
Devotions. Bridge Throstle, Dreverman,

West, lost 50c.

1942  APRIL

27 MONDAY
C.C CC Div Concert Party 27 Bde ✓
Inspect water cart. ✓

CO CC Mess night. [[R?]] Case 7 less.

CC. Untidy lines Sunday except "C".

CC Mess in lines
Library report?

CC Tennis Court B.V.A. Champion [[pot?]]

D. Coy
CO Hairdressers material yet?

Haircut & hairdressers ^& [[needed?]] in gear
"C" Coy re Librarrian.

See Davies
CO Road responsability

[[?]]
Notice board.
CO. H Shop position
Mirrors.
Ladder rd