Diaries of John Kevin Lloyd - Part 10

JANUARY 1st Month— 1942

30 FRIDAY Saturday 30-335
The arrival I heard at the 
creek a few days ago was a monkey
probably. [[?Chinese]] gate is always
wrapped in [[leaves?]] and tied with
bamboo threads. Burmans take
away the entrails daily from our

slaughter yard. I obtained the

milk guts of one beast and

will cook it. I am feeling rather

ill either a fever or an internal

upset due to eating seedy bananas.

My skin is thoroughly tanned all

over but I still have some

acne, worst of all on the ^outsides

of my buttocks. My hair is going

grey. Mum asked me "not to come

back a grey-haired old man"

I will be grey but much fitter

than I was 3 years ago.

1942—31 Days JANUARY

31 SATURDAY Sunday 31-334
I am spending a day in

bed as I am temporarily unwell.

Rain is falling lightly, the first
for months and will be very

welcome. Read "Elizabeth and

Essex" by an unknown author.

An excellent historical sketch

of the young Essex the Queens

favourite aided by Francis and 

Anthony Baron scheming against

Lord Burghley and his son Robert

Cecil the Earl of Salisbury. 4

water buffalos caught a few

days ago are a welcome addition

to our diet. I wonder when Germany

will show signs of cracking

internally. A continuance of this

existence depends on Russians defeat

of Germany.

October

16
Woke at 0600 hrs to find ourselves in

Vienna Siding. View of St Stephens Cathedral

in distance - bowl of hot soup - quite good

City clean apartment - houses & &, neat homes

& attractive gardens. Spoke to squad of

French prisoners working on line. In Eng

since last May - seemed fairly fit.

Travelled all day through Austria,

most beautiful & productive we have yet

seen. During morning through gorges
& over ranges beautiful country all

possible under cultivation. "Black Thursday"

at pontoon - Father Berry the destroying angel.

Reafforestation  going on. 14.00 hrs reached

Melk with a fine monastery. Country

has a fine church in every village

every few miles. Fine looking but

apathetic people. Many women in fields

Root crops ++ Travelled along Danube for

over an hour - several castles. Stopped at

dark at Minz.

October

17

Travelled all night and woke at

Regensburg. Now in Germany. Travelled through

hills & farm-land to Neuremburg at

13.00 hrs with large Stadium in process of

construction. [[?Strapped]] till 1900 hrs with

rain throughout. Now three days without

walk. Latrineless men in trucks for 24 or

more hours-one guard suffered consequences

Rations only fair, things generally bloody.

Oct. 21

Quiet day. Paid again - Why, I dont know.

Oct 22

Nothing much doing - one nice A&S.H lad

on failing to get a pullover from store told Sgt Stanning

to "Stuff his f—g pullovers up his f—g a—e!"

We're to collect a summary of evidence for possible

presentation to Gov. after war - probably entail stoppage

If all pay from date of crime. Alternative is to have 

him punished by Germs & warn rest of camp about

paying respect to N.C.Os.

Oct 23

All quiet

December

5
Stayed in until almost mid-day,
loafed about during afternoon, played
cards for an hour or so, but not for
long, as head felt heavy. No appetite.
Alan King came across from hospital
with news that "Pash" Prestedge is a
proved case of typhus, while Jones and
Adams are in as suspects. The
Camp- Commandant came through the
barrack during tea, looked us over
and told us that two of his N.C.Os
had died of typhus "brought in by.
your Russian friends." The C.C. appears
by all accounts to be a fine type of
man.
December
6

November
17
Sheila of local cook present in Rivera - quite

a stir
November
18

FEBRUARY 2nd Month—1942
7 SATURDAY  Sunday  38-327
A day in camp. My cold or flu is
rather heavy on me. The moon
arose last night, a very thin crescent
with a brilliant star just
beneath it. An elephant has
invaded my creek and pool and
has crushed down vegetation on

all sides. Fed the fish with meat

on bones once more. I have lost

my pocket knife at last. Nancy

gave it to me many years ago

and I treasured it. [[?Won]] 15 [[?]]

at [[?Contract]]. Jap photographers are

making much of this railway. It

would appear that this is the only

constructive work they are doing

in captured territory 

1942—28 Days FEBRUARY

8 SUNDAY Monday 39-326

My dear Nancy's birthday anniversary.

May God Bless her and help her

in her arduous work of raising

our 3 loved ones and looking after

our property without assistance.

She is 35 years old - in her prime.

How we will have fun together

when I am released. The separation

and our experiences while apart

will increase our ability to live

our lives very happily together.

Celebrated Birthday by reading Charles

Barrett's "Australia - My Country." It is

a delightful echo of the past. I am

familiar with almost all the

setting. Nancy will love it -

when I present her with a copy.

August
15
Nothing doing to-day. Bit fed-up as
usual
August
16
Commenced louse-inspection at about 10a.m. and
when the greater part of it was finished, we were
interrupted by the air raid alarm. Nothing came of
it, however, much to our disappointment, but we took
advantage of the break to have lunch, then finished
the job in hand

FEBRUARY   2nd Month—1942 

11 WEDNESDAY Thursday 42-323

A Nip holiday - The anniversary of the

beginning of this era 2603. Started 

to read "Richard Carvel" by Winston

Churchill - a story of the American

War of Independence. Watched a

Baseball match played by the yanks.

9 or 10 men to a side 3 bases, pitcher, catcher,
an 3-4 fields. 3 strikes out, 4 no balls and

striker takes one base. Complete run counts
1. 3 out and sides change. 9 innings each,

strikers in rotation. foul ball is one

outside 1^st and 3^rd base. Ball caught

on full is out. Lieut Hamilton Lamb

is along at [[?]] camp with [[Prowers?]].

He wrote the poem against the Dutch.

Rex & I  were beaten at bridge by

Wokeran & Hesse. Most Asiatics do

not grow hair upon their face & body.

1942—28 Days   FEBRUARY

12 THURSDAY Friday 43-322
and so the  year rolls

on. I enjoy writing up this diary

every morning as I think of it as my

letter to my dear wife, and can 

visualize reading it page by page to

her in the comfort and seclusion of

our own home. When I sing the old 

songs we use to enjoy together I

feel that Nancy is near, that I am

singing them to her and will soon 

really do so. I picture myself

making love to her as I did when

we first met - by songs which seemed

to express my feelings so much

better than mere words.

Yesterday and today I feel much better

the flu is leaving me. I am not so

tired, and my tongue is not sore.

December

7
One more sleep-in.
Evened-up at other end by staying
up and reading Wodehouse till 1.15
in a.m.. Several days since last
fall of snow, and a commentary on 

the temperature is the fact that
masses of it are still lying about.
December

8
Quite enough. Slept in all morning
again - This will look terrible on
reading it in time to come, but
honestly there is so little to do that
it is a remarkably good way of
filling in time
Usual Type of day, played bridge
until about 2230.

FEBRUARY     2nd Month—1942
15 SUNDAY Monday 46-319

A holiday Received pay but after

paying all debt I have only $3.20

left. A yank had to run the gauntlet

for being drunk last night- a Jap

instruction. I am now feeling very

well and of course more reconciled

to the life. I hope now that this

war will be ended by next Christmas

A race meeting was held in the afternoon

Bamboo course, a barrier, judges

box, hurdles, wooden horses with head

tail & 4 legs, jockeys, caps & jacket, tote

with puttee indicators, bookies, coffee

stall, a governor & friend with wives and

a naval aid, bamboo field glasses,
a lance and wire chariot, [[letter?]] and
wheel barrow taxi service, the band,
a boxing booth between races, (cont)
1942—28 Days FEBRUARY

16 MONDAY Tuesday 47-318 
"Ladies Toilet" "Gents
Toilet", ladies, "guest women", clerk 
of course, 3 stewards including myself,

weighing machine (height), etc. Japs
provide shorts and shirts - darkish
native uniform - for the needy.
A day in camp and back to the
old routine. Every morning 20 or so [[?]]
waggons go E laden with rice hay right
out to the yoke. They pass just after
daylight and must supply elephants
horses & yaks. Yarned with the Dutch
and Fitzsimmons about the efficiency
and capabilities of native races. Burmese
now pick up tools from our camp
daily. Japs are tightening up everywhere
[[?]] for workers back in camp, warning
visit by sentries.

FEBRUARY 2nd Month—1942
17 TUESDAY Wednesday 48-317
Clothing issued is very small. Lovill
6' 4" is really comical. Half our hut
was stripped of [[?ataph]] and I am left
outside. The end wall and eaves afford
me protection from the sun and as
there has been no rain for months
I should be comfortable. Heard joke
about the 2 clergymen who happened
to meet at breakfast the morning after

their first night of married life. - "
Delightful Spot." "Yes but so amazingly
concealed." Started to read "These days
of travail" by PRIOR (?) - a story of
German domination of Austria, Tirol
and the Jews. Stung by a bee on the
arm. My clothes and footwear are
in a deplorable condition - ragged and
stained the colour of mud from lack of soap

1942—28 Days FEBRUARY
I8 WEDNESDAY Thursday 49-316
The bush fire about 2 kilos north is
a very brilliant sight at night. It
is steadily burning its way in this
direction. Increased my exercises to 100
times the easier movements, 20 times the
harder ones and 200 for the arms bend
and stretch. Rumours are rife that Roskov 
& Kharkov have fallen to the Russians and
that they are now recovering lands lost
the year before last. The threat to Aust
does not appear to have come to 
anything and I am greatly relieved.

Rex is not yet well and looks thin
and pale. Heard from Fitzsimmons
that Adrian Knowles was lacking in
guts to deal with the Japs as interpreter.
Played bridge with Graham, [[??]]
& Trevellyan.