Diary Major John Kevin Lloyd - 1942-1945 - Part 7
SEPTEMBER 9th Month-1942
13 SUNDAY 256-109
Mass & HC at 0830. Late Ch. Pdes
cancelled because of possible
Jap inspection. How completely
are we their slave 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 [[ morning ]] - Sunday
[. ]] [[ ]] Rain started again
this morning after short break
1942-30 Days SEPTEMBER
14 MONDAY 257-108
Still raining like hell for
about 9 days now almost
continuously. Visited other
camp. Read "FIRE BELOW" by
Danford 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 has 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 9th Month-1942
15 TUESDAY 258-107
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.
Clarrie 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.
1942-30 Days SEPTEMBER
16 WEDNESDAY 259-106
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 9th Month-1942
17 THURSDAY 260-105
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 some officers each
day - so [[Blair?]] and I will
stay in camp whilst Lovell will
go out every day. Hours altered
to 1000-1300, 1500-1830 hrs. I have
been known for months past now
as GRANNY. Brought some [[tacks?]]
and [[nails?]] for Rs4 As8 and will
charge the men about 1½ As each
Play auction [[bridge?]] or [[?]]
nearly every night.
1942-30 Days SEPTEMBER
18 FRIDAY 261-104
Another very rainy 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 [[?]]
and [[?]] [[?]] as we did for
training. They are lightly equipped
some rifles and 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 9th Month-1942
19 SATURDAY 262-103
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 [[?]] team.
1942-30 Days SEPTEMBER
20 SUNDAY 263-102
Late Mass. 22 objectors to attending
[[?]] 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 [[?]].
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 9th Month-1942
21 MONDAY 264-101
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
1942-30 Days SEPTEMBER
22 TUESDAY 265-100
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 [[?]]
and conduct. Saw an elephant
on the road outside.
SEPTEMBER 9th Month-1942
23 MONDAY 266-99
Move delayed one week
and we are ordered to reform
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
[[?]] and the sadness of our separation
is tinged with lovely memories.
1942-30 Days SEPTEMBER
24 THURSDAY 267-98
Agric. Show Day, Pub. Hol., Melb.
Men worked until mid-afternoon
when they were ordered to oil
tools and return home. The reason
given was the impending change
of the 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 9th Month-1942
25 FRIDAY 268-97
Five 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 [[?]] 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 gum forest. In the background
the deep blue mountains tower
majestically above the clouds. North
1942-30 Days SEPTEMBER
26 SATURDAY 269-96
and west lies the broad expanse of the
aerodrome looking strangely deserted
and with the blue mountains beyond.
The twilight lasts nearly and 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 again
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 9th Month-1942
27 SUNDAY 270-95
Mass & HC a 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 [[Burmanese?]] 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.
1942-30 Days SEPTEMBER
28 MONDAY 271-94
Mass & HC again. Bought 5 live
fish for 6 [[?]]. I now do
PT in the sun and quite naked.
It is better than a passive
sun bath especially as I need the
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 9th Month-1942
29 TUESDAY 272-93
Move rushed
earlier to 1145. Marched to the
camp with 92 all ranks leaving
Blair to go to Tavoy. About 4
miles to wharf, 2 rests, extremely
hot and I carried about 35lbs. 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
[[begin?]] 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.
1942-30 Days SEPTEMBER
30 WEDNESDAY 273-92
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 9th Month-1942
1 October THURSDAY 274-91
Order Your Diary for 1943
Spent trying
day settling in. Heat very
enervating. Re-organised into
[[Mugui]] 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.
1942-31 Days OCTOBER
2 FRIDAY 275-90
Up at 0730hrs.
Sent out 40 to work on the
road. Sorted out Charge sheets
and fine [[?]] from the
airdrome. Deferred holding Ord
[[?]] on 4 cases of trading
at [[?]] drome, took over 6 cases
from Major [[?]] of drunkenness
and some P.T. in the [[?]],
bought bananas and eggs. Issue
ration is light and always
tastes earthy. Really can be
smelt 10 feet away. Yarned
for the evening after [[serving?]]
Gillies and Fitzgerald & 4 others.
Heard that there were only about
100 Bn troops here; all were
killed, the last died in the tower
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