Diaries of Signalman W H L Woodgate spanning November 1941 to October 1945 - Part 2










To Malaria Centre with 19th [*10/4/44 MON*]
dose of bug. The food here is
terrible we receive abt 1/2 the
issue of the lines. A big ramp
theft or gross incompitance by
all concerned is evidently the
cause of it. Will approach
B.J. at first opp or so the [[N's?]]
a scandal worth a chapter
The food is still low & [*TUE 18/4/44Z8]
noise still on. Have clicked
another positive slide 786/112 [[?]]
IN AGH another dose [*9/5/44 TUE*]
of the bug. The move
to the jail is on &
some of sigs in today
Mail has been in rcd
nil POW 807 ALL. F. FORCE. IN
move in to gaol today [*12/5/44 FRI*]
& sleep on concrete table
the food is awful POW810
22nd dose of malaria & we [* 27/5/44 SUN*]
move to the huts 826/118
Move to the Changi Jail [*12X/6/44 FRI*]
To THE MESS Room of B. 47B Mess
All settled in meals are
an improve & POW 831[*2/6/44*]
Im in M.3 ward of the AGH [*31/7/44 MON*]
with malaria again
everything looks rosy
& speculation runs high
some of "A" Force chaps are
in. Stan is still in Thailand
win another bet today from
Jan Boon a case of KROPAK
also case Ginger POW890
In M2 AGH 27th dose of malaria [*12/8/44*]
the place is alive with
bugs 300 odd out of the bed before
I got into it. & POW902
Positive slide today & its a good [*20/8/44 SUN*]
dose. Designing a boat
The food now consists of rice
& veg stew (not too much vegs) &
a few modern [[guls?]]? (fish)
This is our 130th weekend & 910th day
An "EGG" for breakfast, a present [*23/8/44 WED*]
from Major Hughes. Eggs are $1.50
each now last night some of
the lads had a feed of "dog". We
are hopeful of getting own meat
very sooon now & POW913
Another egg today - what a feed? [*WED 30/8/44*]
A lesson in meat curing.
Finish the boat design & POW920
Out to Karangi to the [*5/9/44 TUE*]
stash in the old Indian
Camp not bad place
food light POW926
TWO LETTERS YEST.Y. THE DINNER [* 27/9/44 WED*]
TODAY 1/2 PINT PLAIN RICE
HOPING RETURN CHANGI POW 948
WK 135 -3
Still at KARANGI. ONLY [*11/10/44 WED*]
3 RETURNS PER MONTH. NOW
HAVE WORKED IN GARDEN
SINCE SUNDAY. THE INDIAN GUARD
CAUGHT AT THE PAW PAWS & POW
962 07 137th wk. 25th Bucks Birthday
1010 A.R.P. best medicine yet [*SUN 5/11/44*]
65 in before 5th Nov & POW994 141st WK
GUY FAULKS DAY - CELEBRATED
Return to Changi today [*11/11/44 SAT*]
into con depot 1000 day
today & the 142 week
Return to jail tonight [*13/11/44 MON*]
have talk with Major Hughes
Bob in hospital
Off with bruised foot [*SUN 19/11/44*]
The tobacco withdrawn
POW 1008 WK 144 = 250
To MALARIA centre another [*MON 27/11/44*]
dose of bug 1016 0f 145
Another Air Raid alarm
To The Cells again 32 4/5 [*THUR 7/12/44*]
draw 50C. A good tea as
they go POW 1026 of 146
We work a full day acct [*SUN 24/12/44*]
XMAS day off. I hurt the old
hernier & so POW 1043-149 wk
XMAS DAY & at 10am [*MON 25/12/44*]
I go into A.G.H. with a
strangulated rupture
at 11am. Gummy Collins
a reprobate of the 30th is
brought in smashed
by a fall from a coconut
tree. dear coconuts
& so XMAS DAY & a big feed
I am able to eat OK & 1044
AND STILL THINGS HAPPEN [*TUE 26/12/44*]
A BLOKE CUT HIS THROAT
9AM BUT NOT GOOD ENOUGH
THE LIGHTING STRIKE A RAIL 1 DIG1[[NUP?]HIT
All hungry again miss
out on the broadcast
Today I click 29th dose [*WED 27/12/44
of bug. BT+- puts my
opp off till the new
year. Gummy dies
at Y front POW 1046
And so to KARANGI again to [*MON 1/1/45*]
have my opp. good lurk this
jazzing from place to place
The morale very high this year
Have been here since 30th
C/O ducked this "am" & they play
till they get burnt POW151
Turn over of Shanghai $190 [*2ND TUE 2/1/45*]
Lew Cole gives his first lecture
weigh today 8ST 9LB
My opp today all over [*MON 8/1/45*]
& feel good No [[spruke?]] &
no after affects at all
Come to in an Air Raid
@ 2/30pm & so POW 1058 of 151 wk
B.A.R 11/1/45 1/3
Opp coming on good. Things [*SUN 21/1/45*]
all very quiet. Dose of brits
POW 1071 wk 153. Changi mob
arr today.
EXCITING WEEK. A JOB FELL TO BITS & SUN 28/1/45
I UNEARTH ANOTHER RACKETT. GET UP
TOMORROW & POW 1078 / 164
Weight today 8s.3lbs a loss [*TUE 30/1/45*]
of 6lbs in 3 weeks
BIG DAY. & A VERY AMUSING ONE. [*THUR 1/2/45*]
SCARE'S & EXCITEMENT. ALSO WORMS
A TRY FOR CHANGI NEXT LOAD 1082
Returned Changi 12/2/45 17/2/45 SUN
get 3 mths con depot
The ration is down
again. Get easy job
works 2 hrs day. meet
Ted Walkerton. planes
all this week 1099/157
Two big do's since arrival one [*SUN 4/3/45*]
man near me hit 5 places 4
in hospital wounded & 12
treated @ R.A.P. Close calls 1113/159
WE WRITE HOME. NO ISSUE R.C. [*21/3/45 WED*]
YET. FURPHY GOOD TUCKER NOW
VERY LIGHT. POW 1131/162
RET TO JAIL. MORE RED CROSS IN [*POW 1146/164 FRI 6/4/45*]
FEED SUNDAY. ALL QUIET
OUR. SECOND R.C. DAY. RAISINS. IN RICE [*SUN 15/4/45*]
FISH. DOOVER. FOR. BREAKFAST.
GOOD. USUAL. HASH DINNER. TEA
STEW. PORK & BULLY. PASTY. SALMON. DOOVER & A
CHOCOLATE & BUTTER CUP. VERY NICE. POW 1148/164
FIRST. MAN. TO DIE. HERE ACCT
AIR RAID INJURIES.
FRIDAY. WE. PULL. A. CHAP OUT. OF [*22/4/45 SUN*]
BORE HOLE. AFTER. HAVING A
CHECK PARADE OF. HIM. LAST
NIGHT. SUNDAY & WE. HAVE.
ANOTHER RED. CROSS. DAY. I. hAVE
BEEN. ON. ROAD FOR A WEEK. 5
CIGS. PER. MAN. HAVE. BEEN
ISSUED. THE JAPS. LET. THE. FOOD
IN. OK. BUT. TAKE BLOODY. FINE
CARE. THAT. IT. DOES. NO. GOOD
BY. THE. WAY. ITS ADMIN'ED TO
US. A RISE OF 10% IN OUR RICE
FROM TOMORROW & POW 1162/166
I. MOVE. TO. NO2 CAMP TODAY [*SAT 26/5/45*]
TOM. EVANS. WITH ME. THINGS
HERE. ARE. GOOD. NO. BS. POW SUN 1797/171
OUR. FIRST. DAY. OFF. IN. 5 WEEKS [*SUN 1/7/45*]
THE SCROUNGE. NOT TOO GOOD THESE
LAST. 3 DAYS. A BIG CHANGE. OVER ON
& 1000. MORE. MEN. MOVE IN. TO THIS CAMP
FOOD HERE. hAS. BEEN. GOOD. FURFS. OF MOVE. TO
MAINLAND. hAVE HAD 3 DAYS LIGHT WORK. TAPIOCA
$4 A LB. CIGARS OLD 3c NOW UP TO 85c POW 1232/17
B.KYNE
229 HAWTHORN R
CAULFIELD
Ken Percival
Rye Park
Via Boorowa
N.S.W
W.R. Millet
Atherton
Nth Queensland
NAME - Books - AUTHOR
MY FRIEND FLICKA (MARY O'HARA)
THE YEARLING ( )
THE BLACK TENTS OF ARABIA -
THE LAND TAKERS -
THE LENIENT GOD - (NAOMI JACOB)
Bas van der Mur.
Oud Tjandi 32
Semarang
E.H. Schetters
Batavia
11 Baty.
DON SUTHERLAND
LEICHHARDT ST
BOWEN
NQ
C.E. Hill
86 North Road
Hull
East York
Eng.
23/4/42 24/4
F 3.60 F 4.50
Milk 3.0 M 4.0
CIGs 2.10 C 2.70
8.70 11.20
ON HAND 7.20 7.20
CHANGE .30 ALF. CIG 1 M 3.0 = 4
9 .0 11.20
I owe 5 1 TIN FISH LOST
1 @ 1.50 sold
__________________________________________
1 FISH = 1.50 8.30 Started
2 MILK = 4.0 $9 owed $4
2 FISH = 2.80
________________________
Balance MON
Notes 3.85 Stock Cigs 65c
SIL 2.95 1.00
Cop 36 Fish 1.65
7.16 1.50
stock 5.15 M 2. 0
12.31 5.65
xxxxxx my cigs $1
11.31
Mr. Roy Lee
2606 Granada
Los Angeles
Calif.
U.S.A.
U.S.D. Houston.
Frank Rhodes
Paola,
Kansas
B. LANCASTER
17 COMMERCIAL ROAD
SOUTH FREEMANTLE
23/4/42 24/4
F 3.60 F 4.50
Milk 3.0 M 4.0
CIGs 2.10 C 2.70
8.70 11.20
ON HAND 7.20 7.20
ALF. CIG 1 M 3.0 = 4
11.20
CHANGE 30
9 : 0 I owe 5 1 TIN FISH LOST
1 @ 1.50 sold
__________________________________________
1 FISH = 1.50 8.30 Started
2 MILK = 4.0 $9 owes $4
2 FISH = 2.80
Balance MON
Notes 3.85 Stock Cigs 65c
SIL 2.95 1.00
Cop 36 Fish 1.65
7.16 1.50
stock 5.15 M 2. 0
12.31 5.65
my cigs $1
xxxx 11.31
Mr. Roy Lee
2606 Granada
Los Angeles
Calif.
U.S.A.
U.S.D. Houston.
Frank Rhodes
Paola,
Kansas
B. LANCASTER
17 COMMERCIAL ROAD
SOUTH FREEMANTLE
LETTER RECORD
HOME 1 2 29/12/41 34567
ED.G 1 29/12/41 34
MRS PEAKE 1 29/12/41
BILL JONES 1 29/12/41
TOBY NEWTON 11/7/41
1
HARRY & RON 1? 2 6/2/41
PLAS∧MA QUIN
FOR MALARIA
_______
W.H. Lewis
5 Little Young St
Ayr
Nth Queensland
Re Atherton Table
Turkey Dingoes
10934
MICHEAL. A.J
76 0/1 A.T.S. CRESSY
R. QMS
S.C.S.T.D.
Block 17
VO. FARRER
LEWIS. S. COLE
TYABB SMOKED FISH
RCOO980 PROO606

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