Diary Major John Kevin Lloyd - 1942-1945 - Part 8

OCTOBER 1942

3 SATURDAY

WP of 25 only. Gillies & Fitzgerald

returned to detention.  Repaid

CO's loan.  Still very hot and

dry.  Renewed acquaintance of

Mill, West, Lunner, Local

priest disappeared and native

Catholics are left with only a

sacristan.  Town is rising out of

the ruins of the former Tavoy.

Approx 200 men brought from YE

to Tavoy Hosp as they were not

fit for 21 mile march. All others

went to MOULMEIN, where they are

engaged on construction of railway

to Thailand.  12 caught away from

WP and sent to civil jail for

2 or 3 days without food.  Went

to Confession. 

OCTOBER

4 SUNDAY

Listened last night to concert. Some

good talent both vocal & comic.

"Couple without children over 5

years".  Also watched Burmans at

worship in hut near gate.  Presumed

they are Buddists. Squat on floor

in kneeling position, present flowers,

ring gong, pray individually 

men or woman, then collectively 

both with same prayer or mixed

prayers. Even child had his turn

to lead and pray aloud.

Mass & HC under lofty trees

along the drive. Complete muster

pde for Japs.  Renewed acquaintance 

of Ned Condon, Barnados, and

yarned with Dutch officers

Boxing & wrestling including blind folded. 

OCTOBER 1942
5 MONDAY
Bridge with O'Brien, Bretherton & Lawford (Dal)

Hot trying day. WP of 25. Much

aerial activity. Started Jap again.

My thoughts are increasingly on

the approach of our wedding

anniversary day. By a coincidence

it falls on a Saturday again.

I wonder how my darling wife

is still loving me. I cannot help 

but think that I have done

very little to hold her love and

that she could easily become

interested in someone more

worthy than I. I can only pray

that I will be fortunate enough to

retain what I once won and

that I will even be able to show

her that I will spend the rest of

my life making love to her.
OCTOBER
6 TUESDAY

Her photo and that of our three darling

ones is my most treasured possession

I often can have flowers before it.

W.P. of 50. Rats are very bad.

Heat oppressive. Walks in

the late evening with Condon

& White (doctor).  I still take

atebrin twice weekly.

Lecture by [[Galway?]] Stewart on

Repatriation.  Had feed of

steak and chipped potatoes-

the best yet. Constant

speculation about possibility 

of an offensive from India

and for Australia.  I get my

sunbath and PT almost

every day. Finished Ernest

Raymonds "The family that

was" - a splendid story. 

OCTOBER 1942

7 WEDNESDAY

Uneventful day. Cooler than

previous few days. Interviewed

Jackson & Dunstan. Introduced

Stewart to the other officers

house for his lecture. Some

troop do go through wire at

night and visit the town.

PT and talks are becoming

increasingly popular. Parts

of buildings have to be pulled

down for firewood.  Bruised

hand during the night trying

to hit a rat.  Had another

feed of meat.  Ali Baba is

still supplying us and

doing well.
OCTOBER

8 THURSDAY

Rainy night. Listened to CPO

Tuckers' talk of on the sinking

of the Repulse. Feel much

better today. Acne still

persists. Discovered that Lieut.

Edwin (Teddy) Weller comes from

Wooroolin in Kangaroo Valley. He

was there when I visited May

& Bert. His father was a baker.

Rumours current of the sinking

of 2 enemy freighters in the China

sea with the loss of 700 Br & Aust

P.O.W. out of 1800. Walked about

2 miles, learnt the words of the

song "Without a song".  Very sleepless

night caused by an attack of

wind. Walking along the drive

is very popular in the evening. 

OCTOBER 1942
9 FRIDAY
yarned with Capt. H.A. DENNINGHOFF
STELLING. Other Dutch

officers are LT. KOERSELMAN a sisal

planter and Lt. J. LEVERT a tax

inspector.  Dutch had approx 2000

tps (½ native) in Medan district.

Fell back to PADANG. Move to

Moulmein deferred indefinitely.

Heavy rain fell. Made a bed

for myself. bought a cooked

chicken for I.R. in honour of

tomorrow. Men wearing only loin

cloth look awful, yet good clothing

is being traded over the fence.

Rumours current of Aust & American

progress in NG, SOL & N.B.

Nancy is ever in my thoughts

as our wedding anniversary 

approaches. Have I really made

her happy or would she have 

OCTOBER

done better with someone else.
10 SATURDAY
Our wedding anniversary. I feel

that Nancy offered Mass & HC for

me and that she is concerned

as to whether I am involved

in the recent sinking. I hope

someone will take her out this

day to a show or a party to

help her forget. This day 11 years

ago and Nancy herself are in

my thoughts all day.

Read service SYONAN Times. Listened

to concert, walked 2 miles,

started Pickwick Papers. Male

choir of some 6 voices including

Morey & McQueen are really

excellent and make me long

for music again.

OCTOBER 1942
11 SUNDAY

Mass & HC for Nancy. Morning tea
and jupattis at "Boiling Point"
Prisoners of Jap according to
SYONAN Times - Malay 97000,
Java 9300, Manila 1100, Hong K
11241, Sumatra & Borneo 5942
Burma 1706, Guam 643, BR N
G 591. Rained heavily all
day. Rosary with small
party - for Nancy.
Report from Carey that officers
of 2/29 consider I was the victim
of underhand scheme for the
benefit of Major Pond. My
reputation is all I could wish
for 

OCTOBER
12 MONDAY

Still raining heavily. All WPs
cancelled. Feel very seedy doing

nothing but sit. Had 1/2 hrs
walk with Kreckler just before
evening meal. Sang a few songs
under officers quarters. Native
caught talking to some of our
men. My day is still usually
pde, Jap, autocar, novel or history
prayer book and cards.

I can recall very vividly little
Ann when I first saw her. A
wee mite, blue and red in the face
with eyes closed and faceng moving
easily. How she has grown and
to such a lovely girl. How
proud was Nancy and how
exhausted. 

OCTOBER 1942
13 TUESDAY
Still raining heavily. Visited
"Cafe" again. Photographer
from 2/4 MG. NW FRASER, 17
PENGBOURNE ST, WEMBLEY PARK
W.A. Write to him for
snaps of P.O.W. camps. Two
natives caught with a shirt
headed over the fence. Brought
to Jap HQ and unmercifully
beaten, kicked and slapped.
it was a most disgusting sight
These Japs can never be
treated as white men would
be treated. They have a streak
of cruelty in their nature which
is thinly disguised under a
veneer of courtesy. 

[Several pages, torn, very difficult to transcribe]

OCTOBER 1942

13 TUESDAY
Still raining heavily. Visited
"Cafe" again. Photographer
from 2/4 MG. NW FRASER, 17
PENGBOURNE ST, WE [*in days
W.A. Write to him [[*?*]]
snaps of P.O.W. camps. [*Dust on*]
natives caught with a [*ad for
headed over the fence. Br [*?*]]
to Jap HQ and unmercifully
beaten, kicked and slapped.
it was a most disgusting sight
These Japs can never be
treated as white men would
be treated. They have a streak
of cruelty in their nature which
is thinly disguised under a
veneer of courtesy. 
[Several pages, torn, very difficult to transcribe]

Still raining heavily. [*Men are
"Cafe" again. Photo [*airy only
from 2/4 MG. NW F [*Nearly
PENGBOURNE ST, WE [*where
W.A. Write to him [[*are*]]
snaps of P.O.W. camps. [*with*]
natives caught with a [*our own*]
headed over the fe[*enable*]
to Jap HQ and [*but no*]
beaten, kicked a [*send in the*]
it was a most [*ike and we*]
These Japs can [*a conclusion*]
treated as wh [*as POW is not*]
be treated. They [*very valuable*]
of cruelty in the [*for introspection*]
is thinly disgu [*much broader*]
veneer of cour [*much more [[?]] of our lives*]
[Several pages, torn, very difficult to transcribe]

[Several pages, torn, very difficult to transcribe]