Diary Major John Kevin Lloyd - 1942-1945 - Part 6

AUGUST    8th Month - 1942

22 SATURDAY

LT. CHEENA

Sgt HANOWA

Cpl OTSAKA

L "  KOBIASHI

Rather depressing

information about treatment

of POW here. Sent 147 to drome

and continued work around

quarters. Am nearly always

able to have a few flowers 

alongside photographs of Nancy

and children. Seems to bring

them a little closer. Started 

to have lunch and evening

meal at other camp. Milk

fruit and cucumbers are the

principal products carried bye

by natives. Had lunch and

tea with Officer Mess. Most

wonderful sunset I have

ever seen from the west to

the sky above the 3300 ft peak

12 miles away. Glowing red blue

1942 - 31 Days   AUGUST

23 SUNDAY

Mass & H.C at 0830

Collection for hospital. Lunch &

evening meal with Officer Mess.

Concert at night " Campbells

store on the hill". Soccer 

match during the afternoon

between Mergui and Tavoy 2^nds 

and Dutch and Tavoy 1^sts. Made

friendly overture to Jap sentry

Constantly enjoy from our 

verandah the ever changing

scene of mountain cloud

and sky which lies in front.

Nancy's mat on a kerosene tin

makes a comfortable seat. I love 

this view more than anything

I have seen in the East.  It is 

restful. Nancy and the young ones

seem very far away tonight.

AUGUST   8th Month - 1942

24 MONDAY

Organisation running

smoothly at last. Took 158

to drome. 2 hangars and many

living quarters, tin hut, full

boxes etc are still intact.

Panoramic view is magnificent.

Padi fields extend for miles.

Visited hospital and saw Lt Cols

Ramsay, Coal, Hamilton,

Major Fisher & Kiantz, Capt

Lee, Chap Bashford & Father

Smith. 130 Dutch there

running their own hospital -

vikings to half caste whites.

Enjoyed our meal at home

thoroughly. Officers in great

spirits. These mountains

fascinate me.

1942 - 31 Days   AUGUST

25 TUESDAY

Easy day at home.

Cleared up kitchen surround

for exercise. Studied Jap & History

The produce of Tavoy must come

in on the heads of the native

women. They wear sarong and some

a blouse of over brasier. Some few

wear clogs. Officers in great

spirits, skylarking galore.

Attended lecture by Capt DROWER
on Japs. View of padi fields

from SOUTH of our perimeter is 

splendid. Bright green carpet

studded with houses. Forgot to

note that I received from F.D.C

of Mergui, 11 Rs, 4 buckels & 4 button 

for officer. 1 buckel for Nancy

and a table napkin ring for 

CD.

AUGUST  8th Month - 1942

26 WEDNESDAY

Another day at 

home. Rather tired after 4

visits to latrine during the 

night. Terrific moan from

some men and NCOs because of

short ration. Interviewed Major

Campbell and discussed rations

with him. We received yesterday

823 lbs rice for 10 meals for 199

men. Sent my shoes to 

Tavoy via Canteen for repair

for 5 Rs. Immediately opposite

is a bright figure of Budda

in some sort of religious 

enclosure and dwelling.

Tried some stump grubbing 

and wore several blisters

1942 - 31 Days    AUGUST

27 THURSDAY

Went on to drome with 164.

Yarned with Major Kerr nearly all

the morning. Rained all day.

Visited hospital in afternoon.

Lt Col Coal admitted. Sent napkin

ring to Col Ramsay through

Col Hamilton. Received Tavoy

School pay. Saw committee of men

re contributions to the larder and 

complaints of false accusation.

I forgot to mention that my

portmanteau caught up to

me several days ago. Purchased 

pack. Two aeroplanes on 

drome today and one 

left flying south.

AUGUST    8th Month - 1942

28 FRIDAY

Still raining

heavily. Bowels still loose.

Instructed to send 100 men

to YE tomorrow. Detailed

Capt BLAU and his coy.

Collected their pay to 28 Aug

Sent remainder to drome.

Saw beautiful blue bird

almost as large as magpie

chasing its mate up a line

of telephone poles. Cattle 

are poor beasts. Rarely does

one see a sheep or fat beast.

Natives eat all sorts of

fungi growth. Aeroplane

went south

1942 - 31 Days   AUGUST

29 SATURDAY

Rain has fallen for more than

3 days continuously now. Water

falls on the mountain are clearly

visible, one appears to wind

down 500 - 1000 feet. Move to YE

cancelled after party waited

one hour. Brig seems annoyed

at break up of organisation of

No 1 Bn. All available men have

to work every week day - rain

or no rain. Prospect of another

12 months of imprisonment is

maddening. I will not know

my children and they may not 

know me. If only it would 

end. I try to console myself with the

advantages of this life - leisure, forced

saving, study of history, engine, Japanese

AUGUST    8th Month - 1942

30 SUNDAY

Mass & HC at 0830 hrs. Still

raining and all Pdes made

voluntary. C of E pde held in

unused hut near here. Weather

fined about midday and all

our wet clothes dried off easily.

Made a bed for myself with

an axe and a hammer. I stayed

in my quarters rather than go

to the concert. Move to YE is

delayed for some time. Pulled

out of bed at 2300 hrs by Jap

officer to supply 10 men to

help him with his car. Found

phosphurescent fungi near our 

hut. Bed very comfortable,

but I feel sunburnt after

sun bath.

1942 - 31 Days    AUGUST

31 MONDAY

More rain in 

the morning. I visited other 

camp and spoke to Brig. Anderson

Shaw, Griffin, Richards and

Campbell. Shaw returned with

statement that the cost of repair

would be Rs 10 which I cannot

afford. Sunbathed in the afternoon

studied a little Jap and formed

paths outside our hut. Game of

Cooncan at night until midnight.

At present I have about R25.

which is what I borrowed a

month ago and received as a

gift. I never tire of watching

the clouds tumbling about

the mountain range. Had

a closer view of Budda standing

opposite our camp.

SEPTEMBER    9th Month - 1942

1 September TUESDAY

Out to drome

with 148. Got oil, axe handle

and waggon. Studied Jap. Heard

that moves to YE put off 

indefinitely and that some

POW may come back from

there owing to food shortage.

Moulmein camp apparently

is not to be used. Work

on drome is petering out and 

soon we will have no pay

and short rations. Plane

landed. I can hear our

band at Tavoy School.

Men put in 4 annas to [[?]]

fund for purchase of food.

Officers put in 8 annas and

bought onions, split peas, yams, 

eggs, fish. 

1942 - 30 Days    SEPTEMBER
2 WEDNESDAY

Rained during

night and drum full in the

morning. Visited other camp to

collect pay, etc. Orderly room

as Rutledge, Marriott & Langley

for stealing ground rice. Fined

them 16 days Jap pay. Made

table and placed cloth and 

flowers on it. 300 POW- Vic Pt-

marched out to drome today.

Sent message to O'Brien.

Rumours of Russian activation

improved. Saw a pagoda

almost on the highest point

on the mountains. Everdell

states that I left bar on the 

night 13-14 Feb. Played xxx

bridge.

SEPTEMBER   9th Month - 1942

3 THURSDAY

Visited other camp.

Read book "Murder is Easy" by

Agatha Christie. Went up on drome

to see Major Chalmers, Ewart,

Lieuts McDonald and Floyd & 300 ORs.

Received Rs 20 from Col Ramsay 

for Unit Fund. I still have

25 of my own. Recently I have

been able to read my Prayer

Book a good deal. I find some

satisfaction in this filling 

in my time profitably. Natives

are cutting down a small rubber

plantation at the end of the

drome. Men, women and

children are all working

greedily. They take possession of

a tree and make sure they get

it all. The bullock wagon of 2

1942 - 30 Days    SEPTEMBER

4 FRIDAY

beasts is the normal means of travel.

Some have atop sides and roofs

Went up on drome 

with 151, Apthorpe brought out 300

from Tavoy. Aeroplane took off.

I forgot to mention seeing 3 planes 

fly high overhead on 2 Sep. Got

some oil for lamps. Saw Bonney

and Badger. Charcoal in bags is

also carried past by natives nearly

every day. The women certainly do

nearly all the carrying. Sarongs are

often quite brilliant. Babies rarely

wear anything at all, and young

children also. The women are

pregnant as often as not. The ponies

pulling coaches are very small

would not weigh more than a 

man. An elephant was seen on the

road about a week ago.

SEPTEMBER   9th Month - 1942

5 SATURDAY

Fine day with little

rain. I feel upset after witnessing

Wagstaffs bashing at the hands of

a Jap. Impotence and humiliation

dull ones outlook. A plane flew high

overhead. Major Cameron brought out

300 from Tavoy. Was awake at about

0600 hrs and heard drum beating.

This occurs every morning - altho

I rarely hear it. 6 or 7 beats at

intervals of about 3 secs, then the

tempo increases but the loudness

decreases until the sound dies

away. The priest opposite probably

beats the drum to this Budda. Also 

at odd intervals during the day

the attention of Budda is drawn

to his humble creature prostrate

before his image and long into the night

 

SEPTEMBER
12 SATURDAY

Not so much

[[?]] today as usual. Wagstaff

beaten again and officers [[?]]

up on drome after work. New
Jap takes over and a