Diaries of John Kevin Lloyd - Part 4

Conflict:
Second World War, 1939–45
Subject:
  • Documents and letters
Status:
Open for review
Accession number:
AWM2022.6.45
Difficulty:
5

Page 1 / 10

7th Month-1942 JULN rain Hot nights. Hau to 13 MONDAY 194-I7I slecp. I git goed arranged creditwith HP.BUCKLEY 145 Lt. Johns S. bon. I am to keep records & repay when paid. DEDHAN Rept KM. Bosrocksa Slaa Malvin, MATORCDOIE. Encation Dept. NSW. Major AC.A CWART Ballarat Crawford Y Beala Lysrey. Natves state the ill be shot if caught supplys ood bo persenus. Tw nopes aase OBrai sn huster f22 Bde JULY 1942—31 Days Hat night thill no rain Wen H TUESDAT 195-170 ho dii with 539. Jap orders to be uned to manepde Had sa meat and from and wa given egas banances, dried pish and repaties, coffer. Visited ang can facbory and dany with 2 fap soldrers. AR.HHDER Hespital ad & Mohamed11300 near Hospital disind tetimen Br huops it probab 104 bt Yinga 4 se that before the can new b first Eo inhumi nae <43

JULY 7th Month—1942
13 MONDAY 194-171

Still no rain. Hot nights. Hard to
get good sleep. I
arranged credit with H.P.BUCKLEY of
145 St Johns St, Launceston. I am
to keep records & repay when paid. 
Rep + K.M. BOSTOCKs address is DENHAM
Place, Malvern, MAJOR C.B. O'BRIEN,
Education Dept, NSW. Major A.C.M.
EWART, "Ballarat" Crawford Lt.
Brala, Sydney. Natives state they
will be shot if caught supplying
food to prisoners. Took notes
from Major O'Brien on history 
of 22 Bde. 


1942—31 Days JULY

14 TUESDAY 195-170
Still no rain. Hot night.
Went to drome
with 539. Jap orders to be
used to move pde. Had some
meal and fish and was given 
eggs, bananas, dried fish and
jepaties, coffee. Visited sugar
cain factory and dairy with
2 Jap soldiers. A R HYDER
Hospital Rd & Mohamed YUSOOF
near Hospital desired testimonial.
Br troops will probably go to
Singapore. Jap seems to believe
that there will be an exchange
before the end of the war, good
men first. Eggs can now be
bought in canteen. Seem more
reconciled to imprisonment with
prospect of more food & 3 [[?]]
in my pocket. Finished [[?]]

 

JULY 7th Month—1942

15 WEDNESDAY 196-169
Five months prisoner today.
Still fine with
one short heavy shower.
Camp grounds now thoroughly
dry. Some days ago I saw 5
natives under escort to local
goal. They were handcuffed to
a long chain and were guarded
by 6 Burmans with 3 rifle and
3 double barrell shot guns. One
prisoner was happily drunk.
Conflicting rumours about
Russian front. Orderly room
on Terry. Invited in to C.O.s
room for drink of milk.
Insect life is amazing, spiders
ants, wasps, butterflys, etc.
At night the air rings with
their noises, Chuchaws have
great feasts in lit rooms.


1942—31 Days JULY

16 THURSDAY 197-168. 
Rained overnight but fined by
0900 hrs. Went out
with W.P. of 489 including 30 who
went to Naval H.Q. Kobo caused
trouble with Chinese Vendor.
Lunch of cocoanut rice, fish, chicken
& coffee, Burman Independent Army
was formed to restore order after
Br left. Food dumps looted. 
Rubber production was forbidden
by Japs on arrival. Balance of
stocks now being sold at 8 Rs
per lb. Sugar is issued weekly 3½
lbs to each household. To buy
extra costs 1R 2A per 3½ lb from
Japs, but 3 Rs from shops. Tavoy
evacuated through fear of air
raid similar to Moulmein.
Submitted preference list if [[?]]
2 ships believed to be in port.

 

JULY 7th Month—1942

17 FRIDAY 198-167

More rain. Drain full. Three

men caught

outside wire. Taken away

from camp but C.O. recovered

them later in the day on

condition that they were

punished. All British. They 

thought they would be

shot. Visited Capt Tulevyn 

at Jap quarters & was given 

food. Showed them card 

tricks. Went on to hospital.

Rumours of Jap troop movement

N towards Russia, ¼ of NG is ours, 

success in Libya, attack on

Dutch East Indies.

 

1942—31 Days JULY

18 SATURDAY 199-166

Bet with Bostock - £5 - that notes

printed, but not issued before

the capitulation - and which

have got into circulation

probably thru theft will

be honoured. He claims that

they will not be honoured.

Argument with Bostock but 

he made an apology.

(see Sunday 19th) Chinese in

white shirt, black trousers

and of course an umbrella.

A few families used rickshaws.

The mourners were more interested

in us than we in them. One

broke off to get a light from

one of our Burman Guards.

 

JULY 7th Month—1942

19 SUNDAY 200-165

Rainy morning. Mass as 
 Doris X usual.

There are three Franciscan nuns

running a school with some 50

pupils. Two large fighter 

planes arrived during morning

& left later. Magnificient

Chinese funeral. Quite a number

of Burmans, a few Indians and

women of both nationalities

attended. The drum beaters

were Indian. Gongs and white

and red calico signs were

carried by about ½ the

mourners. Drums and wind

instruments played from a small

cart drove the evil spirits

away. Another cart carried

baskets of food and a mat 

to lie on. The dress for

 

1942—31 Days JULY

20 MONDAY 201-164

Rainy night. Tummy rumbling

all night. Took

RMO ^& LOVETT to drome with 471. 100

went to wharf. Met Capts

YANO & NAKAJIMA of Naval

Construction Branch. Most

affable. One was member of

Foreign Office, the other is very

[[?]]. Happy but lean day.

Stated that diplomats and

civilians had been exchanged

from Singapore to Portuguese

East Africa - Lorenco Marques

on Italian ship. The active

Jap sentry is SAGARA

More contract bridge

_

Tuesday 21 Jul

of Forestry Dept & Harrison of 

Hong Kong & Shanghai AA

 

[*IP*]

November

Dec 8, 42 Tues

Parcel of one book from home, "High Courage" by

Jackson Gregory - no sender's name or date, but a

no. put on it by Boan's was 927. Probably Glad.

Flying visit by Swiss Red Cross, a permanent member

of Legation in Berlin, and another who had flown from Greece

to look into distribution of food and medical supplies.

Many of personal parcels arriving badly knocked

about & rifled - they're checking up on it, on the arrival 

of mail, and say they are making arrangements for

radiograms to & from Australia. I asked whether Red +

would get me a uniform if I sent the measurements

I was told they would - Last 2-3/52 full of rumours

that the camp is to move shortly. Capt Taylor told to

have dental kit ready on 10th for stocking & return to Station.

Looks as if one is not coming back.

Dec 9.

Stabsarzt came in afternoon and checked over a

number of the cases I had to show him - impressed on

him the great lack of supplies here. Sgt. Andrews measured

me for uniform. Kommandant denies truth of news

of a move

 

November

Dec_10 42

Fairly early, on looking towards station, saw Eric Cooper

and a few British gefangeners coming towards camp. Met

him at gate, and he corrected my impression that he was

returning by saying he had come to take dental gear to 484.

Told me he was going from there to 520 at about X.Mass, &

also that we were shifting to Teltow, close to 520 tomorrow.

This was confirmed by [[?]] sanitater when he joined us a
few minutes later - said he'd heard Old Man get news
on phone. Eric left then, and I warned Hewitt to get started
on packing. Orders to shift at 0730 tomorrow came from
office at midday or thereabouts, and of course the fun
started then. I had received two clothing parcels from home
& collected about 20 unopened food tins, John's crockery
and, had it not been for Hewitt's skill in packing and 
the fact that he had made me an extra case, I'd have had
to dump a lot of things. Stanway's job promised to be rather
fruity handling the food etc. and Jock Livingstone was 

far from happy, so was I, when we were told that all 
Gerry medicaments, instruments, as railway property, had to
be left behind. Usual rush & bustle, but everyone settled
down to sleep by about 10 o'clock.
Information was, that as another Company was running
our new camp, we would be severing association with 
Kommandant a guard - tearing of hair, etc! The
one big hope was that we should be going to another
Reichstaten Lager, as with them the [[eval?]] issue is on a
much more generous scale than in others.
Said goodbye to Bangart, the German storeman, quite a
decent fellow - all Lazarett - and Reiner - papers referring 
to patients had to be sent to Stabsarzt Wiecks.

 

JULY 7th Month—1942

23 THURSDAY 204-161
Restless night
turned racked with pain
from Diarrhoea. Two weeks

to go to dromes. Rested most
of the day. Broke fast at 
noon. Food made me 
feel better. Jap bomber 
dropped mail on drome.
Read Eugene McNeills "Anna
Christie." Encouraging
Thomas to re-cook more
foods. Had 2 poached eggs
on toast.

24 Friday - yet another birthday
is apalling. I am hungry for 
the sight of my darling Nancy
and our loved ones. May God
bring us together again soon
1942—31 Days JULY

24 FRIDAY 205-160
Too wet to go to
drome. Rained all day.
and became cold. My
tummy is quite recovered.
Played [[?]]-carr and read.
Flying ants invaded our
room at night, attracted 
by the light. Two bats also
paid us a visit - I caught one.
Wing span must have been 12
mms, body about the size of egg and
covered with brown hair. Ugly.
[[?]] small eyes, large mouth,
wings are skin, bone & flesh
After light is out fireflys can
usually be seen, brightening the
room. Little John seems closer
tonight. Offered Rosary for him.

Prospect of being separated for

 

JULY 7th Month—1942
25 SATURDAY  206-159
Rain again and WP 
delayed until 1100 hrs. Jap
Commdr inspected camps, said
B Bn was best and stated
we would be leaving for Tavoy
within 4 days. Visited hospital.
Went to bed with sick headache
after supper with C.O.

-
Sunday - her cousin Josephine
gave me 3 mother of pearl
crosses, crucifix and prayer
book. One I will keep for 
Nancy. It is pure and
beautiful. Had usual
Sunday night concert,
sampled brandy and now
look forward to holiday tomorr
(Yes last page of diary)


1942—31 Days JULY
26 SUNDAY 207-158
Wet again and Fr
Lundy did not turn up for
Mass. Wrote opinion of Jap
treatment for Commdr. Saw
Lt Imahi, was given (1) permission
to visit Catholic Church (2)
and 5 bottles of brandy. Strolled
through town. People very
interested but forbidden to talk
or give. Many superior shops,
watchmakers, coffee and food
stalls, etc.  Fr. Lundy had not

been too well. Church about 
60 years old and very very poor
Presbytery even poorer. Fr
Maurice also there. He is either
Burman or Chinese. Had coffee
bread and bananas. Another
visitor was Frida D'Castro &

 

September 
2

Another quiet day.


September 
3
Captain Eric Cooper, dental officer of the 26th General
came to us today to start work here.
Three years since Glad and I came out from 
seeing "Wuthering Heights" to buy a special "Daily Sun"
and find that the Empire was at war.

Six years since Glad and I went to 
196 Walcott St, So. Lawley, to begin practice.

 

JULY 7th Month—1942
29 WEDNESDAY 210-155
Marched through
Merqui with 500 TORI-KO.
Prisoners behaved splendidly. Strolled,
saw temples, mosque, post office,
Burman army - all boys and 
about 60 of them, back of gold
pagoda, sat on sea front,
saw many sherroot makers, watch 
makers, eating shops with baked
pork and poultry, innumerable
children naked from the waist 
down. Had tinned sausage for
lunch. Commenced Jap dictionary

Saw Jap phamplet on raid on

American fleet at Pearl
Harbour. Eating my heart out
to see Nancy again.


1942—31 Days JULY
30 THURSDAY 211-154
Cold morning
Still no word of move or of
work. 3 Jap planes appeared
and landed. Hear that one
large ship lay outside on the
roads. NX 2567 Wm H Schuberth
shot today by Japs because he
was found outside the wire on
Tuesday. Sheer murder. Gloom
over the camp. Jap seems
capable of doing anything in
cold blood. Has robbed me of
every vestige of good feeling
towards them. Compulsory march
of 300 men through Mergui. Only 
about 80 wanted to go. The bad
boys of 2/29 who went after protest
in bare feet were sorry for them

selves. Got stay of 2/29 from Rowell

 

November
25
Frost left on working-party this morning, good
luck to him. The day passed by much as
usual - announced that Red + parcels
were to be reduced to one in 8 days per
man. Thought we might break it up into 
smaller parties of twos and a three to facilitate
rationing - table agreed, but only if we
could get 3 parcels to-day to let groups start
off scratch.  After wangling, the parcels duly
arrived and then a few changed their
mind and we are still rationing as a 
body - pity - certain amt. of ill-feeling
might have been avoided.
Went to black and white class for
beginners, first subject was choice of "parcels
distribution" or "card-game"! Decided to 
continue at lectures, but persuaded
Hughes-Stanton to tutor a few of us in
officers' quarters. Played bridge in evening


November 
26
Good news - three of B. Co. received letters
from home yesterday! So Curtis, Jones & Baulks
won't be long now. Hughes-Stanton started
us this morning with a general talk on
pictorial composition, promises well.

 

 

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