Diaries and documents of John Dominic Palandri - Part 19

December 
17
Did not sleep so well last night, 
nightmares again
[*2*]  

December
18
Wrote home to-day, letters to Glad and
Mum and Dad. Heard noises
issuing from direction of bath-room,
took it to be batmen & F.A.U.
doing a spot of pretty good part-singing
but found that it was organised
carol-practice for Christmas. Must
have a dash at it to-morrow. 

[*3*]  

December
19
Red.letter.day - first letters from home, sent
across thru' good offices of
T.S.M. Greet. This morning Jim Henshall, Selwyn's
batman and mine stayed in bed after passing
a bad night thru’ flu, otitis, etc. though
rather improved this morning. Nipped across
to 35-38 Compound then went to the Riviere
to visit Fr. Berry and Webb, and amongst
other things, groused to them about lack of
letters etc.. - Stethoscope is excellent passport.
After carol-practice and lunch was
playing bridge when a S.Sgt. or S.M. came
in, enquired for me, and handed me an
envelope - I nearly hit the roof & messed
up the hand I was playing horribly!! Two
letters in it from Glad, one from Mum & Dad,
glorious snap of David - everyone's fine, including
Hazel. They first got news of me through Berlin
broadcast of names of English Officers on June 30
- only 18 days after official news that I was missing
Lindsay Male was 2/7. - Indescribable relief to get
home news, I feel on top of world. Don't give damn
for anyone!
[*2*]  

December
20
Wrote another letter to Glad and one to
Dad and Mum, telling them all about
receipt of letters - two were dated, Mum's
31 July, one of Glad's 20 Aug, other without
date.  Another look around with
Capt. Hutt, saw Fr. Berry again should be
out soon, and popped in on Alan King.
Glad mentioned Matt Bernard G., Frank W.
Ewen H., Phil T., all got out, and that
Reg. W. is quite well. Nance has a son
and his is on the way, and that that the 2/7
is still going under Lindsay Male. Jock
received more cards from home to-day
and everything is O.K..
Played poker in evening and won
10 Mks. 

December
21
Wrote another card home to-day, just
to keep up the good work, and asked
for another print of David's snap for Lou.
From Capt Allan of the Reviere I
borrowed Windisch's "The New Photo School"
in English and find it excellent.
December
22
Nipped over and saw Padre Berry again.
Fun of the world to see Roger Elleson
to-day, eyes fairly glowing as he waded
through a packet of 8-9 letters. I
know how he feels.
Was over to see the lads Staff,
Pud, & Fred, and while there Fred
was hauled off to see the Stabsarzt
to be told that his 21 days are to
start to-morrow. Tough for Christmas.
If I get through must give partics.
of attachment to H.Q.

December
23
Light snow to-day. May be seasonal
for Christmas. Decorations going up at
a great rate under paternal eye of
Stanley Sykes
Visited by Carol-singers from another
hut and by concert-party.
Possibly the best performances in O'Neill's play
were Nobby Clark as "Yank", Percy McDonald as
"Cocky", and Padre Bill Hurst as "Drisc". Anyhow
it was extremely good, and could be put on in
any company, should be put on for rest of camp
if officers aren't shifted too soon. It and the
Wodehouse would go far towards making a
good programme. Quiet after settling down
in bed at 11 o'clock. Selwyn said "Think of it
Bert, your kids will be getting into their X-Mass
stockings now" What a thought!
During this night an air force sergeant made
a successful break from the RAF compound.
December
24
Heavy carpet of snow this morning.
After seeing Corp. Sullivan yesterday, made
further efforts to-day to get remainder of
lads of his hut disinfested and sent
back to 38A but had no luck. He
brought me a loaf of bread, bless his heart!
Saw Fr. Berry again. He's to stay in over
Christmas - enteritis. Bad luck.
Excellent news to-day and previously
re Russia (near Polish border) & Lybia
- Bengasi fallen. Rain washing away
snow. X.Mass parcels opened. V. good.
Excellent concert party came to us from
men. Six barrels beer with us!! Hope
it's the real McCoy. Theatre in other end
of hut - Excellent programme including
titbits of one-act play of Eugene O'Neill
"East-bound for Cardiff", another by
Wodehouse, Sandy Bardwell in solo sketch.
Carol-Singers of our own did our first effort. 

[*3*]  

December
25
Christmas day dawned cold, but no snow. Up to
sing Carols again at about 7 then tumbled into bed
again and finally up at about nine. During day
visited the lads in their various barracks and
admired the decorations which very good & very
ingenious, made out of all sorts of this & that. Saw
Corp Sullivan & S/M. Greet, latter of whom gave me two
tins of tobacco for Percy N and me, then showed me
wooden attaché case, one of his lads is making for
me - very good. Carols in the morning at the
Reviere, presents to Padre Berry & Webb there, then
back to barrack where officers had prepared X-mass
dinner for batmen & F.A.U. I was one of waiters &
they did themselves proud. X-Mass Red + parcels
were excellent. In afternoon we had damned good
tea at one long table with officers from Riviere and
a dinner at night which would have done justice
to many civvie tables - sardines on toast, beef pudding,
roast pork, roast potatoes & peas, X-Mass Pud & choc. sauce,
cheese & biscuits, coffee & beer. Father Christmas came
in after loyal toast (Padre McConchie) and gave out gifts
from X-Mass tree. Some of speeches were very good.
Buffet supper later - too full to move. Wrote to
Glad, Mum & Dad & Ines, & Boxshalls. Thinking a
hell of a lot of them to-day, especially of Glad & Kids
would give anything to be with them just to see them
again. I bet I'll be a much better hubby &
daddy when I get the chance again. Hughes-Stanton's
menus (very good) were raffled. I missed out.
[*Brisk fall of snow in p.m. - ground covered in half-hour.*]
December
26
Slept in, cold as blazes, plenty of snow
about, got up at about 1 p.m. Together
with many others, and went into hut.
30 in our compound, where the lads
turned on quite a good 2-3 hour
concert, but rather too smutty for my
tastes. As we were short of fuel, our
own hut was like the inside of a
frigidaire, for which reason the mock
trial, in which I was to be the
accused, Dr John Manton, was postponed
from this evening until to-morrow.

December
27
Sept in again to-day, nothing else
to do and damned cold. Another case of
typhoid reported from across the road in
23-26 compound which means further
tightening-up and lengthening of duration
of restrictions. Reported that German guard
has lost 12 men in the epidemic as
against our two. Said that some of their
men working amongst the Russian
prisoners live in the barracks with the
rest of the guard, and so are probably
the cause of the severity of the disease
amongst them.
Trial took place this evening and
I was "acquitted".
Duplicate Bridge-Tourney this afternoon,
played with Joe Dodgshan but did not
do so well.
December
28
Another sleep-in, then went across
to 35-38 Compound with Capt Hutt
and inspected the 40 or so men, among
them Corp. Sullivan who had returned
to 37A after disinfestation.
Nothing much to report for the rest
of the day, except for further snow
and continuation of low temp.
News that Germans have given up
hope of evacuating their troops from
Lybia. 

December
29
Most unaccountable thing in my life
occurred last night - dozed fitfully on & off
and did not get to sleep till 6 a.m. Slept
in in consequence. Thought queer things -
various ways in which it might happen that
might get about ₤10,000 Sterling, get it home,
invest it to bring in about ₤600 per annum 
to allow me to take Glad and the kids to
Melbourne to repeat the last few years of my
course - grand thoughts, but no good for
sleep.
Keith Lawrence received a packet of 13
letters to-day, thrilled to bits.
Played enjoyable night's poker and
won a few marks.
Roger Elletson set series of hands for
N-S v. E-W. Played with Ron Stewart, and,
with luck, did well. Very interesting hands
December
30
Last night a R.A.F. sergeant got in between
inside & outside wires of his compound to
scrounge wood, was caught by searchlight,
put up his hands, put them down again,
was shot through neck, shot again &
killed.
Better night's sleep but not quite up to
scratch.
Was cook to-day. Got up late and
started in on peeling & mashing spuds,
did not get out of pyjamas all day.
Further rumours of Russian advances, and
calls on German civilians to send furs &
woollens to troops at front. Rumours of
Rumanian capitulation, and hosts of others. 

December
31
Another disturbed night, not so bad as that
of 28-29. Up reasonably early, not too early.
Last day of '41. With Jock Webster recalled our
last Hogmanay on the Egyptian side of the
wire at K 38 with B.Section of 2/3 L.F.A.,
polishing off 2/3 bottle of whisky and a double
rum-issue. Saw that one in very well, rather
different this time, though we're still together.
Who knows? Next one may be in Nedlands!
With Hutt checked over accommodation in 35-38.
and find trouble, as transfers-in & expected
transfers are more than the barracks can take.
Nipped over to Reviere, spoke to Harry Bray and
Syd Fison there, Alan King, then Fr. Berry & Webb
Came back to barrack to find that Syd had
given Max and me 50 G.Flake between us — jolly
decent of him. Speaking to Staff Lawrence thru'
wire moved over to him from road & found
myself feet deep in snow in ditch — was it cold!
He had no news. Quite a number of officers got
letters to-day - v. happy. — Debate to-night on
state of post-war Europe, v. good. Saw New Year
in
[*Offiziers-Lager IVD
39
F.U.
geprüft*]

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