Diaries and documents of John Dominic Palandri - Part 14
[*4*]
September
8
Received four more letters this morning three from
Glad and one from Ron Worthy, one of Glad's containing
a grand little portrait of David, eight teeth showing and
several others erupting. The dates were April 14th & June 4th & 30th
April 14th - David's photo, hope that others had reached me. Long
time since receiving letters from me. John & Mark full
of beans, everything O.K. Letter written one side only, told better
chance of getting through that way.
June 4th - That week received X.Mass cards & 3 letters from me,
latest dated Dec. 18th! Letter from Julie in Adelaide,
Reg seems fixed there. Ken Cowden in army. Ben & Mrs. J have
a baby a few days old. She's running his practice, too, so he
must be in the show now. Glad loves me still.
June 30th. Whole batch of my letters had arrived, told
me she had sent a cable through Vatican on
about 16th June - reached me 1st July. Sent off parcel a few
weeks before, both not allowed, so no Ingram's. She's a
gem. Told me I had received an M.I.D. Has had lounge-
suite re-covered. Mark talks of me always as "Dear old Daddy"
or "Poor old Dad"! David not talking yet, and they all
love me still.
Ron's was written June 28th and dealt mainly with
Ines's doings at the Sani, which were quite amusing,
all about their Sports Day. He dropped into an hotel
in Inverness for a quick beer, and met an Australian, who
turned out to be a nephew of the Matron at the Sani!!
Wrote out a note for Stalag complaining of my pay
Three bob down already.
[*M.I.D's also for Leo, Geoff Lumb and Hubbard.*]
September
9
Nothing to report except that I put in a second request
for transfer to Italy.
Air-raid alarm at 2315 hrs., all clear at 0045 hrs.
Cloudy night, a few planes above clouds to north of us, some
A.A. fire and possibly a bomb or two, but nothing exciting.
September
10
Quiet enough - had a nightmare, received my blade-
razor from 119 and saw Steve Ward draw a parcel which
had come from Australia - mine may not be long now.
Had clipped the old zareba short during the last few days
and wiped it out this morning, upper lip feels as bare
as a baby's bottom - first voluntary bereavement in
twelve years. Wouldn't Glad be shocked!
September
11
11 - 29 E. D. & C blocks closed down.
General news still good. [[?]] sweepers
keep us going. Talk of repat seems
to be waning.
Bridge - Tournaments weekly. A
few letters from Australia none for us
1942
Up reasonably early and away to town with the
storeman. Picked up my specs at Spandau West, got
a great-coat at Stalag, bought a stethoscope.
September
12
Hewitt let us get up late this morning, and I
was opening an axillary abscess in the Revier when
in walked the old Kommandant and Capt. Dommels.
They were both astonished that there were only five
patients in
Rest of day uneventful except that I learned on
good authority that two of my old standing, and
what I thought to be genuine cases, checked and
passed by 119, are having their complaints
aggravated and maintained by another. If I can
prove it I'll "shop" the three of them - It's hard
enough to keep men in camp for treatment which
the need without having the criminally foolish
mess up the whole show - "criminally" because
they may do themselves permanent and serious
harm.
Heard from Eric to-day that, on their way to
hospital consultation some time ago some of his men
met some RAF lads on a station -
"Gosh, are you RAF?" asks a lad
"Yes! are you English? Where were you taken?"
"On Crete" - And the rejoinder is worth quids -
"Where's Crete?" !!!
[*6*]
Sunday
September
13
Fr. Scarborough arrived at 9.45 - Mass & Communion.
Had pleasure in ticking off the three lads mentioned
yesterday, and played bridge most of the afternoon.
Reasonable sick-parade in evening, an hour more
of Bridge, then wrote letters - two to Glad
one to Ron Worthy, and another to Mrs Bromley-Davenport
of the Invalid Comforts Section of the B.R.C., & a
let note card to Mum & Dad and another to the
Australian Pay Master in London on family allowances
rates of pay, Income Tax, docking of pay of prisoners,
my credit, and whether allowances are made
for kit lost in action.
Asked Ron for a shaving-brush and a couple
of combs.
Up till the present I've retained a pair of
the pyjamas I bought at Worth's 2 years ago.
They're in excellent condition still, and I gave
them to Sgt. Stanway who has none! I have
two other pairs.
September
14
This afternoon 70 men came to us from Camps
404 and 517 - had just been deloused, quite
a number still had eggs, naturally, and three
actually had live lice!! Sent Smith across to
report this to Kommandant, who replied by thanking
me for the trouble I was taking over the health of
the men and the speed with which the inspection
was done, declaring that he would report the
lice to Stalag and would tick off the delousing
centre. When Smith told me the first part, the
only thing that prevented me from falling over
was the fact that I was sitting down.
What's come over the bloke!
Paid to-day.
September
15
Nothing new, except that I stayed in till
midday - bad back!
Had bridge in the afternoon and Gowrie
and I converted the week's deficit of -20
into +18.
Read "The Murder of Steven Kester", one of the
two books from Glad.
September
16
Ordinary - rained like hell yesterday
evening, and it's cooler to-day - winter can't
be far away. S/M. Woodfine took me down
three times at chess - I'll beat the blighter
yet.
The Old Man's at his terror-tactics
again - trying to cut down issue of soap to
one cake a month and chocolate on much
the same scale - Stanway's spitting on his
hands.
Smith got another parcel from home!
September
17
Only points of interest to-day were that
Kommandant told me my transfer application
had been turned down, and that I was
now under the rule that only two out of the
three pays per month shall be received,
At present I am in credit 108 M.
September
18
Quiet day. Stanway produced a Monopoly
set and we had a couple of games.
Must be force of habit for I could not keep
out of gaol, and kept on missing my £200
at the turn.
September
19
Smith received another parcel, cigarettes
and games, including a dart-board.
[*3*]
Sunday
September
20
Concerts appear to be finished.
1942
On this date two years ago, Glad said
goodbye at the gates of Northam Camp
after having come up with me and Myrtle
and Frank W.. The last I had seen of
the kids was John's wistful little face
pressed against the glass of his bed-room
window.
Bill Hunt was in to-day for the C. of E.
service, told me that Col. Bull had
been shifted to Offlag 4D.
Wrote letter and card to Glad, and
card to Boxshalls.
[*3*]
September
21
Up at 6.30 and in to 119 to get final
check on glasses. Saw the lads, who are all
in pink, though Allan B. appears rather thin
and pale. Wiltshire full of beans as usual,
and Fosy was jolly decent and slipped
me two tins of Player's tobacco.
Confession.
Came back at about 3 o'clock. The
local mothers must think me a bit ga-ga
because I always grin at the kids in their
prams - they remind me of my own three
little terrors. Got a frame for David, and
he looks grand.
Kommandant buggering about with the
letter issues, letters and cards brought to us
to-day - uncertain how many - have to be
away by to-morrow, so I wrote letter to Glad,
cards to Mum & Dad, & to Ron Worthy.
Before Dieppe show BBC alleged to have
asked French to keep clear of any raids to
avoid reprisals.
[*? 1
from Geneva dated Sept 15th re addressing letters here*]
September
22
Woke up late and ran into a
"blue" - Smith, my Aussie Orderly, came
to me, told me he had finished work
because of continued trouble he had had
with English lads who had originally
insisted that, not belonging to RAMC,
he was no medical orderly, and that
they wanted RAMC personnel. Apparently
something brought it to a head yesterday,
and to-day he will work no more, with
intention of forcing his ultimate transfer
to another camp, preferably of Aussies.
Walkerden will work (he's had trouble
too, though a steady chap) but won't take
charge. That leaves Livingstone, RAMC,
who's far from ideal. However, they all
set to and effected the transfer of the
M.I. room to the 2nd room of Revier.
Sailed from Fremantle two years ago
to-day. Left Glad and John on wharf
with Myrtle, Ginge and Ian.
September
23
Told Kommandant this morning that
I was short two orderlies, and that I wanted
two more, one to be a sergeant. Smith and
Walkerden saw him, he said he'd do what
he could, once they had done their work
very well, and would try to get them out
of doing 'Strafe'. Since there is no charge
to lay against them, except unwillingness
to work, they may get away with it.
They've applied for Ward, their unit-mate
to go with them should they be shifted
to an Australian camp.
Paid to-day
[*l, IP *]
September
24
26 G.H. warned to be ready to move
with P.O.Ws.
1942
Grand start to-day - Received my
first parcel from Glad and a letter from
Mr. Troy. Parcel sent on 19th Feb. contained
roll-neck pullover, 3 prs. socks, 2 prs. u.pants,
2 singlets, 2 of my silk sports shirts, 3 hanks,
1 pr. slippers, 1 facewasher, one of my old ties,
1 cake soap, 2 tins Gibbs tooth-powder, 2 t.brushes,
razor, 2 pkts blades, 1 shaving-brush, 1 nail-brush,
1 comb, Hussif, choc. & gum. The underofficer
took my tie to Kommndant on grounds that
it was civvie wear, but, if I can't keep it, I'll
try to get it and burn it - can't let Gerries have it.
Grand to get a parcel from Glad. She's a darling.
Mr. Troy's letter was more or less general. Best
wishes from him & Mrs. Troy.
350 Greatcoats, etc. from Stalag, & 32 new
men from Falkensee. Crowd of Subs waiting on
line outside to go somewhere, threw them French
cigarettes, and four pairs of my older socks.
September
25
I took over Secretary & Pres. of Mess.
1942
Nothing startling to-day.
Won against S.M. Woodfine at chess for the
first time.
In the last few days, 50-odd men came
to us from Falkensee, which now contains no
British prisoners, the other 10 or so having gone
to another camp.
[*IP I*]
September
26
26 G.H. moved off and I dropped
Presidency - Selwyn took over
1942
Received another parcel to-day from
Students' Aid Society in Geneva - a copy
of Mick's "Essentials of Mat. Med. Pharmacology
and Therapeutics". Did not ask for it, but it
must be their interpretation of my original
request for a book on Medicine - (book
posted on 9. Sept. - Sent back the slip
of acknowledgement and asked for a book
on chess for beginners and Windisch's "New
Photo School" in English.
One of Falkensee lads bought in a French
postcard, drawn almost as clearly as a photo, of a
hot party, bottle and good clean fun, the girls
wearing black stockings and a happy laugh,
and no details spared - no one with repressions
apparently. Gosh!
[*4*]
September
27
Repat party moved off suddenly in
Italian hospital-ship - Pat Noakes and
John Sherman with McDonald Rhodes,
Robby Clark, Hughes-Stanton & others.
Arguments with Moore re whether
any officers of 2/7 should stay.
1942 Sunday
Quiet enough day, seeing that I slept till
almost midday
Played Bridge afternoon and part of evening,
and wrote a letter and a card to Glad, telling of
parcel, a card to Ines, and a letter to Fred Connaughton.
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