Diaries and documents of John Dominic Palandri - Part 1

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[*Offiziers-Lager IVD

39

F.U.

geprüft*]

[*Offiziers-Lager IVD

39

F.U.

geprüft*]

Agenda

Thursday
January

1

1942

New Year's Day - last one at Km 38 on

Egyptian side of border.wire, this one at

Stalag VIIIB, S.E. Germany, next one?

No developments re extra men into

35-38 Barracks. Went across to 37A and

gave greetings to S.M. Greet and

Corp. Sullivan, and saw about six men

stripped to u-pants and singlets boots having a

snow.fight. Great fun while it lasted.

Filled with the spirit of the Season, I

popped out in afternoon and offered posten at

compound gate a steaming hot cup of tea.

He looked as though he needed it, but he

turned it down flat - the guard's are

scared stiff to accept anything from

gefangeners for fear of being seen - heavy

penalties, so don't blame him for refusing.

Played poker this evening, lost a few

marks - hands in general only medium.

January

2

Stayed in for an hour or two then

Lt. Col Bull asked me to get him official

numbers of men in each barrack in my

compound and those sleeping on bottom

boards; got them in early afternoon.

Rest of day uneventful. Talk yesterday

of declaration of war by U.S.A. on Spain

due to help to U.boats and occupation of

country without opposition - Some rumours

going about. Bridge to.night.

[*2*]  2  January

3

John's birthday to.day, five years old!

God bless his heart. Like to be home, and

how! Nothing doing all day except

excellent talk by S/Sgt. Ogden & review

of '41.

In afternoon received two letters from Glad

with a photo of John & Mark, and on John's

fifth birthday, too! They look fine. Glad

told me that Reg W. and Bunny W. have

their majorities as has also Gerald Brennan.

Good luck to them. Hoped that the comb. she

is sending me may be warm, as it's probably

cold with us by now Brr!!

Poker again to.night - spanking

hands all round, full hands as thick as

fleas. Finished a bit up. Percy McDonald

starts off with pat 3s, straight - full hand!

January 

4

Told to.day that the RAF sgt. and his

pal who got away on X.Mass eve and

were recaptured were paraded before the

men of their compound as an example of

the futility of the attempt, and were

greeted by a storm of cheering.

January

5

Slushy as blazes, thawing last two

days, played poker all afternoon till

dinner, lost a few marks. During

evening read and played bridge.

January

6

Got up late, v.cold to.day, freezing,

flurry of snow in afternoon.

This evening were given a series of

six 10-20 minute talks by various members

of hut - Padre Brown, one of F.A.U, John Warren,

Mick Phelan, Sandy Bardwell and Dick Lorraine

on a variety of subjects - v. interesting.

Asked by L.Col. Bull to prepare list

of 2/7 in Stalag VIIIB with classification

so that they and others will be ready to

fill places of any ex-Dunkirkers who

may be repatriated.

January

7

Spent most of morning and afternoon

with "Staff" and the lads checking up

list. Find that we number over 90.

Realised the date late in the day. Thought

it was the 6^th - Married 6 years to.day.

Wonder how Glad is? God bless her.

Played poker to.night and dropped

4 marks.

January

8

Cold to.day. Steady fall of snow

Slept in till close on midday. Wonderful

news ? authentic of Stalin's speech and

reported successes of Russians - Warsaw,

Odessa, Danzig, Oslo & Narvik, and

"Taking over" of Australia by U.S.A.

Quizz competition this evening

between batmen & F.A.U. and officers.

Excellent questions but rather stiff.

Finished Thorne Smith's "Rain in the Doorway"

awful bilge.

January

9

V. cold last night. Had to put on

underwear & sweater. Got up early

and spent all day almost preparing

pastry for meat-pies & fruit-tart.

They turned out well.

During evening Lt.Col. Bull was told

to provide 2 M.Os. and 2 orderlies to go

to camp not far away for unspecified

time "till arrival of Russians" - Very

ambiguous term, might mean arrival

of prisoners, M.O.s, or Russian forces, but

looking for a change with two of our

own men, and work to do, Max & I

volunteered. Bill Foreman & Steve.Wright

were only others, they won toss, and are

to go on 12^th, don't know whether

we're lucky or not.

January

10

Heard in a.m. that last night's job is

to a Russian lager where typhus is severe,

living - conditions poor and no Red + parcels.

If these things be true then Max & I

actually won the toss. Bill & Steve are
getting ready. During afternoon Hutt and

I "short-anned" half of our compound

and found a largish no. of men with

dead eggs in their clothes - bloody careless

Impromptu set of debates this evening, one-man

teams, 5 mins each, names drawn

from hat - "Should Aussie be taken over by

U.S.A.", "That this house approves of swearing",

"That this house is in favour of early to bed

and early to rise", "That pretty wives are to be

preferred to plain ones" "That cremation is to

be preferred to burial" "That the censorship

should be abolished" - Very large element 

of doubt as to honesty of ballot since those

chosen were particularly suitable to each

subject. Still v. v. cold. Rumours emanating

from Jerry guards (?) that Jerry morale is poor.

Collected new wooden case from S.M. Greet

January

11

In bed all morning, finished compound

with hut this afternoon - snow thick and

frozen. Total no. of men with eggs - 73,

rather high, alive in only one case.

Played bridge in evening, and so to bed.