Diary Major John Kevin Lloyd - 1942-1945 - Part 7

SEPTEMBER 1942
13 SUNDAY  

Mass & HC at 0830. Late Ch. Pdes

cancelled because of possible

Jap inspection. How completely

are we their slaves and how

long is this to last. Paid

for period 1-10 Sep gives me

Rs 24 As7 on hand after paying

all debts. Two vultures hovered

over me whilst I was sunbathing.

Quite a number of

swifts flew over this evening

headed south. They are probably

migrating to warmer climes.

Native carry their wares into

TAVOY every [[?]] - Sunday

[[irrelevant ?]] Rain started again

this morning after short break 

1942 SEPTEMBER                      

14 MONDAY  

Still raining like hell for

about 9 days now almost

continuously.  Visited other

camp. Read "FIRE BELOW" by

Dornford Yates. Japs commence

checking of prisoners preparation

to take over. I sang unannounced

at the concert in one of the

huts tonight. Favourably

received.

There is a very beautiful class of

bird about at present. It is a bright

green with a bronze head and when

it takes the air like a Martin

Swallow the upper sides of the

wings shows a beautiful bronze

and green. The tail has a projectile

SEPTEMBER 1942
15 TUESDAY  

Rained hard all night

and again at intervals throughout

the day. Obtained some oil for

our lamps. Spent the day on the

drome. Had my men counted 

by the new Japs at lunch break.

Yarned with Rex Salier. Work
is petering out and today should
see the end of drome work.
Plane came in. Has a pair of
swallows painted on each side
of the tail fin. Sang again tonight.
The hope of seeing Nancy, the
young ones and Mum and Dad
keeps me from despair. I often
wonder with concern are they
still all well. The thought of
an accident with the Alvis fills
me with dread.

1942 SEPTEMBER
16 WEDNESDAY  
Rained very heavily until mid
afternoon. Incredible fall of
rain for 11 days. Yet ground
dries up within 2 or 3 hours.
Work on drome finished with
Jap speech at noon, half
holiday and a bullock to eat.
Visited other camp in morn,
and for concert at night. Had
game of poker. Caught a short
glimpse of the mountains
and waterfalls - the first for
many days. I wonder when
Rangoon will be bombed or
an attack launched from
India.

SEPTEMBER 1942

17 THURSDAY 

A fine day at last and a starry 

night. Had a sunbath. Played

bridge at the other camp during

the afternoon. Heard that Turkey

had entered the war again.

Japs want same officers each

day - so Blair and I will 

stay in camp whilst Lovett will

go out every day. Hours altered

to 1000-1300, 1500-1830 hrs. I have 

been known for months past now

as GRANNY. Bought some tacks

and nails for Rs4 As8 and will

charge the men about 1½ As each

Play auction bridge or courier

nearly every night.

1942 SEPTEMBER

18 FRIDAY  

Another very sunny day. I dug 

the refuse pit and realised I

am getting soft. I must do more

manual work. Reading THEATRE 

by Somerset Maugham - the loves

of this married actress. Well 

written but the theme is boring.

Plane landed and took off ½ hr

later. Japs are doing considerable 

training lately. They have enemy

and white bands as we did for 

training. They are lightly equipped 

some rifles are old pattern with 

magazine contained in the stock

their clothing is rather white. The 

officer carries his sword. Each sec

of 15 has a light automatic

SEPTEMBER 1942

19 SATURDAY  

Did some more digging to get

fit. Pay for period 11-15 Sep received 

Sold dressing gown for Rs 5 As 6.

warn them. He was immediately

threatened by Jap officer. Men

were blindfolded just off the 

road, marched about 100 yds

to an old shed, said cheerio

to each other and were shot 

by 16 Japs. All died immediately

Brig guarded by two sentries

watched but could not even

say a word to them.

Jap Med Off donated 10 tins of

pineapple juice to urinary team.

1942 SEPTEMBER

20 SUNDAY 

Late Mass. 22 objectors to attending

Ch Pdes. I visited hospital and

watched soccer and Australian

Rules football matches. Yarned

with Dutch Med Off - Major

NEILSSON - who has spent 17 years

in the East Indies. His wife and

two children interned in [[Luniaba?]].

He carred on conversation in

Dutch, German and English. The

Archaes turned traitor on the

Dutch. Brig showed me where

8 men who were shot for trying

to escape were executed. They were

first kept in Tavoy Goal. Brig

saw them being brought out

by truck and called out to

SEPTEMBER 1942

21 MONDAY  

Last day of work on the new road.

Orders and counter orders about

this cessation. I am now quite

browned all over from sun-bathing.

My acne shows out occasionally.

I seem to be cured of my old

habit of taking medicine for

constipation. I have not used

purgatives for months past now

and am never troubled with my

imaginary complaint. I find

difficulty in putting in to words

what it is that keeps me from

despair and but it is Nancy and

our eventual reunion that

means everything to me. Without

her I would not care much 

what happened. Then come the youngsters

1942 SEPTEMBER

22 TUESDAY  

Received orders to be ready to

leave tomorrow for Rangoon.

No work. Made the necessary

arrangements concerning suitably

cooked food for carrying, distribution

of library books, cashing of camp

currency, collection of gear,

refunding contributions to

kitchen levy, buying up all

available tobacco & food etc.

We were lined up after lunch

counted by the Japs and

complimented for our quarters

and conduct. Saw an elephant

on the road outside.

SEPTEMBER 1942

23 WEDNESDAY 

Move delayed one week

and we are ordered to return

to work tomorrow. Heard

that 1000 Japs went away

instead of us. I visited the

new road for the first

time. Rowed with Tuffin

about repair of books. Jap

guard treat us more as

their superiors than their

captives.

Spent nearly an hour walking

in the moonlight and thinking of

Nancy and Ann, John and Mary.

At such times I can visualise them

best and the sadness of our separation

is tinged with lovely memories.

1942 SEPTEMBER

24 THURSDAY  

Men worked until mid-afternoon

when they were ordered to oil

tools and return home. The reason

given was the impending change

of these guards. I had a good game

of contract bridge with Major Kearitz

Mr Murchison (Red Cross) and Chap

Bashford. Rained very heavily.

Rather good sunset. For days now

the clouds have been higher and

the mountains are nearly always

visible. Natives are anxious to buy

shirts, shorts, sheets, soap and

sarongs. Women smoke and spit.

Young children find their sarongs a

nuisance and wrap them around

in all sorts of useless ways.

SEPTEMBER 1942

25 FRIDAY  

Fine day and no work.

Played J coy a soccer match and lost

one goal to nil. Spent ¾ hr after dinner

on top of tank tower watching the

sun set. View is magnificent. I can

see a panorama of 320° with mountain

all around, the ground could be

described as a basin 20-30 miles across.

Eastwards lies the long strip of padi.

On the far edge 2 miles away smoke was

twisting lazily from a dozen native

houses standing above the edge of

the rice at irregular intervals. Beyond

are the foothills covered with jungle

which from here and in the

gathering twilight appears just

like a green forest. In the background

the deep blue mountains tower

majestically above the clouds. North

1942 SEPTEMBER

26 SATURDAY  

and west lies the broad expanse of the

aerdrome looking strangely deserted

and with the blue mountains beyond.

The twilight lasts nearly an hour. U

The clouds and sky shroud a riot

of changing colours from deep pink

and pastel browns to light green.

A falcon swooped upon a bat just

near me, missed, tried again and

won his prize. Over all a soothing

calm hangs everywhere. Life is still

or placid excepting for the shrill

drone of crickets. A mouth organ

sounded in one of the huts below.

When nature is like this, Nancy seems

near but yet sadly not here

Sang 3 songs at No 2 hut concert

SEPTEMBER  1942

27 SUNDAY  

Mass & HC at 0830 hrs. Worked with

conscientious objectors for an hour.

Work cancelled. Soccer match H

v J was drawn one goal all. I

took two parties out for wood,

and both parties had a swim

in a pond. Borrowed cross cut

saw from Burman house.

Returned it in the evening but

borrowed it immediately for

another day. Gathered some

beautiful orange-pink flowers

in the rain on the way

back. POW at the school are

doing very well from the

townsfolk as they work

about the village.

1942 SEPTEMBER

28 MONDAY  

Mass & HC again. Bought 5 live

fish for 6 annas.  I now do 

PT in the sun and quite naked.

It is better than a passive

sun bath especially as I do need 

exercise. I feel fit but have

no stamina. The weather is

now hot and sultry with a

shower about every two days.

All the logs should be sawn up

today. Ordered to be ready to move

tomorrow. Packed up

SEPTEMBER 1942

29 TUESDAY 

Move rushed

earlier to 1145. Marched to other 

camp with 92 all ranks leaving 

Blair to go to Tavoy. About 4

miles to wharf, 2 rests, extremely

hot and I carried about 35 lbs. Natives

gave fruit and tobacco en route.

Embarked in 4 barges - 250 each. Left

at 1645 for a most delightful trip

down stream.  Stripped to a pr of

trousers and sat in the rain.

Rice fields extend for miles right

down to water's edge. Foothills

belyow and in the back ground

cloud capped mountains. Pergodas

stand at many prominent points

and a hugh figure of Budda

lies at the foot of one range.

1942 SEPTEMBER

30 WEDNESDAY 

Could not fit all 
men in the hold, so my Bn

was left on the barges to

return to Tavoy. Had few hrs

sleep on barge - fitted in like

sardines. Presented 5 Rs Sweep prize

to McLean. Ate bad egg, sour

rice and biscuits. Left on

return journey in one barge

at 1100 hrs and arrived TAVOY

at 1700 hrs. Very hot and

uncomfortable. Met by Jap

officer and NCO in charge of school

camp. They were most apologetic,

gave us many pomeloes and

drove me to the school

and provided trucks for all my

men. We were counted, fed

and crammed in anywhere

SEPTEMBER 1942

1 October  THURSDAY  

Spent trying

day settling in. Heat very

enervating. Re-organised into

Mergui organisation, obtained Ali

Baba as our canteen merchant. I

arranged for cashing of camp

currency. Spent 2 hrs with Jap

guard pronouncing the names

of all members of the English

Bn for his transcription

into Japanese for the roll.

School is very crowded about

1700 including 34 Dutch who

marched in today from

hospital. Settled into my

quarters and had a good

sleep despite the heat.

1942 OCTOBER

2 FRIDAY  

Up at 0730hrs.

Sent out 40 to work on the

road. Sorted out Charge sheets

and fine monies from the

airdrome. Deferred holding Ord

room on 4 cases of trading

at the drome, took over 6 cases

from Major Ewart of drunkenness

Did some P.T. in the sun,

bought bananas and eggs. Issue

ration is light and always

tastes earthy. Really can be

smelt 6 feet away. Yarned

for the evening after seeing

Gillies and Fitzgerald & 4 others.

Heard that there were only about

100 Bn troops here; all were

killed, the last died in the tower