Diary Major John Kevin Lloyd - 1942-1945 - Part 15

1942
20 FRIDAY 
A.I.F.
Time drags wearily in mid-afternoons.
I often desire to sleep
but purposely refrain from
doing so on most occasions
Rumours of a large scale attack
on the remnant of the axis
arm forces in Tunis. Yesterday
the Jap officr Chue MIYUNI told
one of the 3^rd great battle in
the Solomons. As yet it seems
to be undecided. Am having
roop rope rings made in an
endeavour to popularise deck
tennis. Time will tell as to
whether I have succeeded as
well as with soccer.

21 SATURDAY 
Visited Hosp with
the band. Had a good yarn to Coates
Bostock, Chalmers, Drecker & Liam.
Attended concert in the evening. The
atmosphere of goodwill between
the Dutch and AIF is very noticeable

Dutch seated dressed in their green
uniforms and some well bearded
were given a great reception, and
one of them, a Malay, dressed in
a sarong sang their Malay songs.
Our "ladies" are given a great
reception as soon as they appear
One flashed ^the seat of "her" pants to the
audience as she made her way on
to the stage from amongst the
jeering audience. Natives had
an all night session at the main
pagoda. A4 Coy sounded like a farmyard

[*at midnight last night.*]]
22 SUNDAY 
Mass & H.C. at 0815. The ^light mists
which hang about among the
trees in the early morning are
very picturesque. Jap held the
usual count. Cholera is
prevalent in Savoy 66 cases
are known. Precautions will
have to be taken and water
hygiene tightened up. The
temple at our gate is Buddist
and not Hindu as previously
noted in these pages.  Some
sort of Childrens day was held
there today. Tug of war and
climbing the greasy pole –
naked. Children are the
same the world over. The rope
broke on one occasion.

23 MONDAY 
All camp injected against 
Cholera. Ali Baba and his 6
young children were innnoculated
as a canteen precaution.
Discussed the holding of birthday
celebrations next Sunday for
2/29 Bn personnel. Buddists had
another all night session.
Rumours of critical fighting in
Tunisia, Solomon Islands &
Russia. Tomorrow will be
Marys birthday. I loosened
a front tooth on my plate
but fortunately I have an
old plate intact. It seems
to fit well enough.

24 TUESDAY 
So my baby is 4 years old today.
God Bless her and her darling
mother. I suppose she will
have a party. I hope to be
home for her fifth birthday.
How she will have changed.
I took out my last toothbrush
and stick of shaving soap to
celebrate. Fr [[Corry?]] will
remember her next Sunday at
Mass. Check up of 6 - 10 Pds
to go to Yc the instrumental
coy. I remember listening in to
an Irish woman broadcasting
from Italy anti-British propaganda
Rumours that we all will be
going to YE.
25 WEDNESDAY 
Started to play Deck [[burners?]]
today in training for next Sunday.
Arranged Church Service for Sunday
also. Cholera is rather serious and

we are taking all precautions to
prevent infection. Native hospital
is 130 yds away & cases are proving
fatal daily. If I should be carried
off suddenly I hope this diary will
be read by Nancy eventually as I want
her to know I will die a happy
death. As a person I have very few
opportunities to err and have
gained many graces. Also I love her
with all my heart and always will.
I know our children will be well guided
by her. Natives are beating tins and
lighting fires to frighten something away

26 THURSDAY 
Native celebrations persist every
night. A very cold night. A
strange plane flew east at 0300
and returned at 0500 hrs. Jap Gds
put out all lights. Discovered
that they were British planes
13 fighters arrived here in
the afternoon, apparently
to be ready for a British
air attack. Trained for deck
tennis Cool night.
Cholera precaution proceeding
about. Natives still continue
to beat tins and light fires just
at dark to frighten away
cholera devils.
27 FRIDAY 
Fighters went away. 2 Jap
MP^s arrived about 1800 hrs,
The whole camp was
paraded and accompanied
by Jap Sgt Anchin searched
a lot of [[?]] for soap & coffee.
Discovered several pieces,
questioned 6 men and
finished just after dark
Apparently a lot of stores
were stolen from Tavoy
Hotel and some had been
sold over our fence to a
Burmans who was caught.
Sometimes I feel very much
like despair. 

28 SATURDAY 
Preparation for units birthday.
terrible trouble with Jap MP^s 
over stolen soap & coffee. 6
men found with soap in
possession were taken away.
2 from B Bn. Prepared my talk.
Sang many songs for the boys
in the dark in B Bn office.
Much [[?]] activity Discussed
that Sgt Giles of CCS knows
Alan Ross of N [[Auinia?]]. Alan
married a quarter caste, [[wealthy?]]
after she had been married once,
and lived with another man
afterwards. He is broken and
probably developing T.B. Has to
ask his wife for 2/- for a
drink.
29 SUNDAY 
Mass & H.C. Usual Tenko and
falling out of men who worked
at Tavoy Hotel on 25^th to 28^th Nov.
[[?]] kept standing in rain  all
afternoon. Goggan & Gant released
Slade taken away to join [[?]]
2/29 Bn Birthday. Won my way
into finals in Singles & 2 officers
into doubles. Two soccer matches
between originals & reinforcements
1^sts & 2^nds both drawn. Major
paraded to [[?]] Pde at 1900. Then
3 talks by self. Lovitt & Salin
a few musical items, coffee
& cake, a toast to the unit &
CO and so to bed. Word
received to send 150 to YE.

30 MONDAY 
Still more trouble about
stolen soap. Put it to the
guilty to come forward to
have further 3^rd degree 

pressure
on innocent men. About 30
have stepped forward - to 2000 hrs
[[Camy?]] boy plus a few more to
bring the number to 150 were
paraded again today preparatory
to their move to Ye and Moulmein
Heard today from Middleton who
managed the estate of Arch?
Rondahl - brother in law of
Alan Ross that Alan joined
AIF probably 7 Div. Today
I won the tennis singles
championship & Lovel & Benny
were runners up in the doubles
1 December TUESDAY 
Football still goes on - today as
an inter unit comp (original
A I F. Warned that Lovell
& I and our 2 batmen are to 
go to Moulmein with first
party on 3 Dec. Rumours of
Japs being heavily pursued in
N.G, allied advance on Timor
Russian advances in central
& southern sectors especially
Stalingrad.

2 WEDNESDAY 
Roll call for move tomorrow.
Orderly room on Nicholas the
Greek who reckons AIF is a
brothel army. Arranged
recall of camp currency.
Conjugation Concentration 
of troops commence
for 0600 reveille, divided into
truck loads. 5 days supply of
rice etc. Parked up. Had
curried chicken, eggs, fried
meat & potatoe [[?]] etc
with Yumo Anchin. CO
addressed men before [[?]]
Reading BOZOI by IGOR

SCHWEZOFF who won a £1000
prize for best autobiography
in English - borrow Lovist
Revolution. Excellent book
3 THURSDAY 
Up at 0600 and
moved off at 0800 hr. 100
miles fairly good road.
[[picnic?]] lunch , coffee [[?]]
at 2 places. YE at 1500 hs. Hills
robbed of [[?]] - beak. Elephants
used to pull out logs 80 units
of bamboo. Several of the [[?]]
some broken down cars and
2 motor coaches with impossible
loads. 20 people and luggage.
Refugees from Rangoon which
was bombed 23-28 Nov. [[?]]
bid farewell Good luck at
YE river & Jap Chu H05000
look us over. Shouted us some
hot milk. Rowed over in small
boats 10 m each, 5 bullock wagons
rained heavily. Quatered us in 

4 FRIDAY 
dirty small huts 
with butcher & well around
[[?]]. Cleaned up, dug latrines,
arranged Canteen, RAP. Japs
nervous at first, then fraternized.
3 Elephants quartered alongside.
Buddhist monastry opposite.
Hive of bees just swarmed past.
Rice has been harvested and
natives are now celebrating. Hence
the all-night festivities. [[?]]
I saw yesterday was a mongoose.
Japs are a nuisance hanging
around on quarters, buying
things, and telling us how well
Japan is beating her enemies
Boys do all the praying in a sing
song voice nearly all day
5 SATURDAY 
Much aerial activity.
I visited the town & railway with
Sgt & [[Hercho?]] Fairly stricken. Expense
shortage of everything except arsenals.
Both sides of road was cover with
these [[?]] out to day. Tin of [[?]]
cost 45 R^s.  Ten [[?]], fish, pumpkin
cloth cigars. Very flimsy buildings,
usual lazy people, dogs (very mangy)
goats galore, cats, bullocks, elephants
horses ponies. Rail service consists
of 2 hand trucks pushed by 3 Burmans
holding about 10 people. Passengers seen
working on the completely neglected
station. Drove back in a gharry.
Girl carrying milk in bottles on her
head was frightened by elephant &
dropped her basket. Bought a little
iodine.

6 SUNDAY 
Uneventful day. Rex Lalin arrivd
with 150 bodies including Bostock.
I went down with the Japs to
meet them. Arranged for 3
bullock wagons for baggage.
These men had to be quarantined in
3 more Burmese Houses even
smaller than the others. Sang 3
songs at the concert. Carey
sprained his ankle and as one
officer has to be left behind
he will have to stay.
Favourite hair cut for children is
a close crop to about ear level a
fringe right around and a bun
on the top.
7 MONDAY 
Up at 0600 and moved off at
0745 before dawn. 3 wagons took
[[?]] & officers baggage to
station. This was loaded on to
2 small hard trucks pushed by
3 Burmans. Did 14 miles at about
2 miles in the hour. Passed extensive
salt pans of the Burma Salt bay
and great rice fields. Many
men knocked up, some even
collapsed and had to be put
on trucks. Bridge had been blown
and we crossed in native craft.
Last two miles to quarter was a
killer. Quartered in Burman
monastery about 300 metres
crossing the rice fields towards
us looked very picturesque

8 TUESDAY 
Off again at daylight, with
12 men left to travel on trucks.
Obtained 3 trucks by tipping off
Burman passengers. My feet are
badly blistered. These men are
not as fit as they think they
are and 50% are done in.
Crossed another river by native
craft and caught a train, thus
completing about 24 miles.
Many men have no footwear.
But life was interesting at one point,
kingfishers, green & bronze martins,
black fantails, white cranes etc.
10 stone 9 lbs. Natives are harvesting
rice. Afghanistans, may now be seen
9 WEDNESDAY 
Arrived THANBUSZAY
last night at 2000 hrs. This place
is POW HQ and Hospital. Spare
quarters are need as staging camp.
Small village but large railway
yards and buildings. Water access
food not good canteen now
functioning. Off. are now paid by
Japs & bulk of money is loaned to
hospital for food. Much evidence
of malnutrition. One case skin &
bone - a live skeleton. Met Major
Maher of 2/2 Pioneers captured with
3000 other AIF in Java. 1500 came
here. They were on their way back
to Singapore, but were directed to
Java with MG Bn & Div troops. Met
McCawley, Brig. Griffin, Fisher, Hobbs
White, Ken, My feet are cut about