Diaries and documents of John Dominic Palandri - Part 23

July 1^st.  Rugby game with 329 on on Sunday but only 25 to go, including a Basket.Ball team.
In the match this afternoon the Probables won handsomely 14-0, and played fairly well.
The Japs announce completion of their preparations to invade Australia.
July 2^nd.  Had and enjoyed a game of Basket.ball this morning, but paid for it afterwards, as
my back stiffened up to quite a marked extent, with a certain amount of pain.
July 3^rd.  The bugs were a bit cheeky last night, but we managed to get our sleep in quite well. They
are becoming a nuisance, reminiscent of Greece, and the lads in some rooms
cannot sleep on their beds, but have to get down to it on stools, tables, 
black-out shutters, or
just the floor. The sooner we're away from this camp the better, otherwise we'll be driven out. A strong rumour
is amongst us to the effect that 180 are to go to Wuhlheide early next week, but 'Stabbie' pooh poohs it, as he
states that the one spare completed barrack is without water, light, beds, tables, and stools. He told us though
that Bill Hurst was transferred suddenly, yesterday afternoon, to IX A.
July 4^th. - Annan was away with the XV for Wuhlheide by the time I woke this morning. [[Cűrhiem?]]
[*4*] have been complaining of P.O.Ws. on sporting trips cluttering up the Sunday trains, and as
a result, to-day's party left at 0700 hrs., are staying overnight and coming back on Monday morning
early, after a concert to.night - good idea. Fr. Scarborough was to have come today, but did not arrive, so that
I found that I had declined the Rugger trip for nothing. Wrote letters to Glad and Ines, cards to Lorna & Jack?
and to Mr. Troy. At check.parade we learned that our lads won 10-8, though no news was available of the
Basketball results. Jolly good, that! Am continuing with Peter Fleming's "News from Tartary" and find
it very interesting.
Heard later that we lost at Basketball 11-3.
July 5^th  Definite news at last that 130 men are leaving to.morrow for Wuhlheide 329, and a fair
portion of the evening was spent in sorting out hospital - and Reiner-papers belonging to, and
writing brief notes on, the members of the party, to be sent on with it. Finished "News from Tartary"
which is excellent.
July 6^th  Only item of interest was that Stabbie asked me if I should like to go to Wuhlheide. He
suggested, in answer to my query re Doc. Annan's position, that, as senior M.O. in the camps,
I should go, and so it was agreed between the three of us. Seems a bit tough, however, to let Annan,
more or less a visitor here, stay and do my work, "holding the baby", as it were. Occasional bugs evident in our
room lately
July 7^th. -  Wonder of wonders - I received two letters to.day, from Glad & Mum! They were dated 25^th
[*2*] and 16^th March respectively. Mum's was more or less general - she had just returned from Perth
where all were well, Ines at home on holiday, and a bit worn out. Dad & Mum both O.K.. Two
letters to Mico, but no answer yet, and she is not allowed to send him parcels. Glad's was very cheerful, told me that
they are all well, Mrs. B still with her and that Nell still in St. John's, undiagnosed. News of Jack Thursull at last, a P.O.W. in
Borneo, and Bill Cawley on service somewhere. I'm vaguely disquieted by the letter, however, and feel horribly uncertain
as to whether I've offended Glad. She mentions that, since parcels are reaching me, she will send more, explains that she has
not done so to date because I asked her not to, and hopes I don't think she's neglecting he me. As though I could! Apparently
London's request that she let Ron send next-of-kin parcels has upset her a little, especially since she's not certain who he is.
I suppose I've blundered and messed things up, though God Knows that was no suggestion of mine. How I wish I could see Glad!
A lovely snap of Glad, the lads, and Mum was included. Glad looks gorgeous and the Kids grand, and Mum the same as ever.
July 8^th. - Quiet day, weather just so.so. Some summer!
Started making handles for my wooden box, only one without them. Found a little
colony of bugs in one of my bed-'biscuits', so Hewitt and I gave it the once-over, then put the
legs of both beds in tins of water.

July 9^th. - Spent most of the day making those handles from iron rods, then attached them to the box,
which I strengthened with metal strips all round - a good solid job.
Big battle in Russia.
July 10^th. - Amused myself doing some chess-problems. Brief report in local papers that we've
landed in Sicily. Zngs become rather more offensive
July 11^th. - Padre Scarborough came this afternoon, Confession, Mass, & Communion. Wrote letter to
[*3*] Glad, going my best to explain the business of the parcels, and a card to Mum & Dad, telling
them I'd try to get permission for them to send parcels to Mico. This I did by writing to
the A.R.C.S., Melbourne, explaining the position, and asking them to do their best. Confirmation of a big
Anglo. Canadian-American landing in Sicily. Battle in Russia going great guns.
50 men going to Wuhlheide to.morrow, neither Annan nor I to move with them.
July 12^th. - All quiet
July 13^th. - Received a pencil.written note from Les to.day, quite cheery, apparently pretty
well occupied with his work. Frank & Allan are with him, and Max not far
away. Tells me the rest of the crowd at Lamsdorf seem to be getting along well.
July 14^th. - Certain amount of unpleasantness with three Orderlies to.day, one of whom, a L/Cpl.,
appeared to be the chief offender and seemed to have instigated the others not to
obey orders conveyed to them from Cpl. Carr to clean parrage in A. Block plus latrines
& bath. and wash-rooms. Had to punish them by awarding fatigues.
Luft. alarm from 0110 to 0210 to.night (14^th-15^th.) very low clouds, and fire from heavy A.A. away
to north.
July 15^th. - With dental party to Wuhlheide 329, which gives the impression of being a spacious
[*1.1P*] and good camp. Everybody there is in the pink. Returned to find a letter from
Mrs. Troy, London, and a parcel from Glad sent through Albert's Book Shop, Forrest Place.

The contents, intact, were 100 fags and six books - Cronin's "The Keys to the Kingdom", "Kipps" (H.G. Wells)
"The Quest for Corvo" ( A.J.A. Symons), "The Ragged Trousered Philanthropists" (Robert Trussell), "Eastern Nights"
(Allan Bott), and "But Soft: We Are Observed" (Hilaire Belloc). The parcel was addressed to me at Kokinia,
and appears to have been chasing me for the best part of two years! Forgot to mention that the
parcel contained a 1 oz. packet of Captain Fine Cut. Received notice to.day that we are to
attend at 1330 hrs. on Monday at Stalag to see Obestalsagt Wiecke.
July 16^th - Spent quite a lot of the day in reading "The Keys of the Kingdom" and found
myself absorbed in it from the first minute until the last.
Fifteen men to go to Wuhlheide on Sunday for football.
Bugs are now pretty fierce - not possible to sit in easy.chair or at table for five minutes during day without
being attacked.

July 17^th. - Finished "The Keys of the Kingdom". Jolly fine piece of character.portrayal, mainly of
Father Chisholm, but also the minor characters. It held my interest from cover to cover,
and it's impossible to feel out of sympathy with Cronin's appeal for tolerance and charity.
However, the same criticism may be levelled at him here as in "The Citadel" - he appears to have been
unfavourably impressed by the bad points of a number of priests (doctors, in "The Citadel"), and there
is undue stress laid on these points. It leaves the impression that what he writes may be applied to the
majority of members of the clergy, an impression not softened by his excellent deliveration of Fr. Chisholm.
Wonder if Cronin's a Catholic? Later I began "The Quest for Corvo" - an unusual book, and
interesting enough.
July 18^th. -  Quiet all day, news seems to be good from all fronts. Wrote letter to Glad, and
[*3*]cards to in-laws and Mrs. Troy.
The bugs have the initiative all along the line.
July 19^th - Away again with the dental party, and Dent refilled a cavity in 5₊. During the morning
Neale took me over to the Sports Ground and showed me all over it. The whole thing was
very interesting. The grounds themselves are excellent - there are two quite good football pitches
and a large one with tiers of seats around it, together with cinder.track, jumping pits, etc., and which is
used for Rugby. There is a permanent gefangener Kdo. looking after it which pleases the caretaker no end, as he
is happy to see the ground sprucing up.again. They're putting into order an open.air boxing-ring also, for a
contest to take place next Sunday. Gritty way they have of spending the morning.
July 20^th. - Left at 11.30 hrs. to go to Stalag, and spent from 1330 until 1700 with him - M.O. & D.O.
from Kdos. and Foxy from hospital. No definite news as to fate of spare M.Os. if and when
all camps go to Wuhlheide, but thinks they'll all stay there, otherwise he'd have great trouble
getting them back to staff various camps in event of splitting-up of 329. He promised, on the bug question, to
have barracks fumigated in all affected camps. Big Commando raid rumoured to have taken place in
Norway
Harvesting has started in the fields alongside the wire.

July 21^st. - All quiet. Caught best part of ten bugs in room during day and twenty between
"lights out" and going to sleep. There are anything from one to six every morning in
each bed when Hewitt makes them up.
July 22^nd - Not possible to stay comfortable in room because of bugs, so we sat outside for most of the
[*1-2P.*] time - it was a sunny day, anyway. Received a letter from Ines, dated 23 Jan 43,
very cheerful, and two book parcels from B.R.C.S., one containing a '21 edition of Bing's
"Compendium of Regional Diagnosis", the other a 7-vol. set of the 1942 edition of Jameison's "Illustrations
of Regional Anatomy". It's very good, and as Eric C. is trying hard to get a copy of Spalteholz, I may sell
him mine. Russian & Sicilian fronts going great guns - 15 km. west of Palermo
Lost the unbreakable glass to my Rolex, which messes things up a bit.
The two book parcels were sent on 5.1.43 and 27.11.42 respectively.
July 23^rd. - Another letter from Ines to.day, dated 14^th. Feb. Cheery, as with the last, and looking forward
[*1*] to holidays. Says she had a X.Mas card from Ray Jacobs, probably in the N. Territory with the
Commonwealth and thanked her for the parcel she sent me last year. Charlie Cunningham is, or
was, up there, too, and Fr. Stinson was at the [[?]] and enquired about me. Glad had returned home with the
kids. Hewitt washed the walls and floor of our room with a disinfectant mixture, which kept the bugs at bay
until nightfall, but they were out again then, full of go. Harvesting going strong, the team comprising a few Germans
of both sexes, a couple of Frenchmen, and two or three strapping Ukrainian lasses, who are the centre of interest for
almost everyone in camp. What has happened to them in imagination in the last few days is just nobody's business.
Palermo has fallen.
July 24^th. - News of continual bitter fighting at Catania, with the fall to.day of Trapani & Marsala.
Playing this afternoon for the Medicals in the Knock.Out Inter. Commando Football
Semi Final Annan took a lovely toss and seems to have damaged one of the cruciate
ligaments in his left knee. It was certainly pretty sore by nightfall - the lads got into the final 3-1
We bagged 21 bugs from our walls between 10 p.m. and "lights-out" at about 10.20!!

July 25^th. - Sunday, 12 of the lads, those contestants, were up at 0500 to go to Wuhlheide for the
[*4*}boxing. Hot day. Fr. Scarborough came in afternoon - Mass, Confession & Communion, and
at afternoon-tea was shaken to have me catch a whopping big bug from his sleeve. He
had the itch for the rest of his stay. He told us that shortly a new padre is to arrive in Stalag, a Welsh
Congregationalist named Thomas, whom he knew slightly at [[?Offlag]]. Says he's quite a good goalie.
Wrote letters to Glad & Ines, cards to the Kids, and to Fr. Berry's parents, asking news of him.
July 26^th - Early up to go to Wuhlheide, but the[[porter?]] was not available till an hour past time.
However, we got there at a little after ten, and I spent most of the morning talking to W.O.s &
N.C.O's who have lately left the 'holiday'-camp at Genshagen. Two of them were from the
2/11, C.S.M. Collins and Sgt. Kaplin. The first is from the Broken Hill Hotel in Vic. Park, the second from
Como, and we had a great yarn. Had a game of Bridge later, no new, and then away home.
To.day's great news was the resignation of Mussolini and the fall of the Fascist Party in Italy, a new
government being formed under the leadership of Marshal Badoglio. Anything
may happen now yet, on
the other hand, nothing may happen for a long time, as the Germans are well established in the provisionals.
Strong rumours that Goering has flitted. This evening Annan and I shortened our line according to plan
and retired to prepared defensive positions - in other words we shifted our bed to the barrack wash-house to get
away from the bugs.
July 27^th. - Spent a fair bit of the day doing German.
July 28^th. - Air.raid warning this morning for about half-hour but saw nothing. Heard from
[*1*] guard later that the raid was over Oranienburg, about 25 km. N.E. of Berlin. Later in
afternoon, after coming in from a fooball.match I'd been watching, I found a letter waiting
for me from Glad, and it was marvellous. It was written on April 17^th, very cheery, said that Mrs. B. and Nell had
been xx were there for Easter - so that Nell must be much better, that everything is going well, and that Gerard Heffy
had written, though she was not certain of exactly where he was. Ken Cowden's father has died. Best thing of all was a
snap of Glad and David, presumably on the beach at Busselton, and Glad looked marvellous. Dad there (Stanley St)
for Easter Booking