Diaries of Signalman W H L Woodgate spanning November 1941 to October 1945 - Part 8

[*SAT 20/6/42*]
[[?]] WRITING 1200 THE MONK IS MISSING & HANG
ME. IF MICK ISN'T OVER PLAYING WITH THE
OTHER ONE. WELL WE ARE DUE FOR A LAUGH NOW
& AGAIN & HAVE SURE HAD OURS TODAY. WE
HAVE ALL WRITTEN OUR CARDS HOME AND CAN NOW
ONLY HOPE FOR THE REST. I TRIED TO GET A SERVICE
UNIFORM YESTERDAY AND MADE ENQUIRIES AT THE CLOTHING
DEPOT AS TO THE POSSIBILITIES. LEIUT YOUNG TOLD ME THAT
I COULD GET ONE WITHOUT ANY TROUBLE. ALL I HAD TO DO
WAS TO GET A CHIP FROM THE UNIT Q.MSTR & GET A
TUNIC & PANTS TO MY OWN LIKING. I TOLD HIM THERE & THEN
THAT IF SUCH WAS THE CASE I WOULDN'T BE IN THE RACE
WELL I CAME BACK & WITH OLD POP JOHNSTONE WENT UP
TO THE Q.MSTR "AND WASN'T IN THE RACE" THERE ARE HUNDREDS OF
UNIFORMS IN THE STORE & SOME ARE "BEING CUT UP FOR CAPS" —
THIS AM ON MY WAY TO THE GARDEN I SAW A SIGHT WHICH
PULLED ME UP SHORT. OVER AT THE ANTI TANK I SAW —
A LOOT CUTTING LOGS INTO BILLETS A GUNNER SPLITTING THEM
& A CAPT CARTING THE PIECES TO THE COOK HOUSE. IF EVER I GO
INTO ACTION AGAIN I'LL FIGHT WITH THAT MOB. ALWAYS DID
KNOW THAT THEY WERE THE ONLY MOB WHO HAD CONFIDENCE
IN ONE ANOTHER & NOW I KNOW WHY. I TOOK A [[?]] OF
CONFIDENCE. ON THE 11.3.42 & NOTE. THE PM I WENT TO THE
BEACH FOR SALT WATER. ONE BLOKE WENT SCROUNGING
FOR CIGARETTES AND RAN INTO THE GUARD. HE
RAN & THE GUARD RAN FASTER. THE CHAP
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[*SAT 20/6/42*]]
SLIPPED INTO THE CREEK & AS HE DID THE
GUARD CAUGHT UP ON HIM & WHACKED HIN A
COUPLE OF BEAUTS WITH A WADDIE. HE CARRIED
ONE ACROSS THE CHEST ONE ON THE BACK & THEN
TO CAP IT OFF HE PULLED HIM OUT OF THE CREEK
BY THE HAIR OF THE HEAD. MINE COULDN'T HAVE 
STOOD THAT. ALTOGETHER IT HAS BEEN AN INTERESTING
DAY. TR-PACKING & ITS RIGHT TO LIFT NOW & NO NEED
TO UNDO IT UNTIL I REACH AUSSIE. EVEN IF ITS 12
MONTHS TO WAIT & SO I'LL CLOSE. p.o.w. 125 BY TORCHLIGHT
[*SUN 21/6/42 THE 18TH WEEK*]
WILL FIRST ENTER MY WORLDLY POSSESSIONS & WHERE THE ARE
MAY FACILITATE GETTING AT THEM. 1^ST HAVERSACK.
1 PAIR SHOES 1 SHIRT 1 GUERNSEY 1 TOWEL 2 PAIR BLUE SOCK
OLD MONEY BELT ENVELOPES & PAPER. 2ND PACK. TYPEWRITER
2 PAIR PYJAMAS 1 PAIR SHOES 3 PAIR SOCKS TEETH (3) PENS (2) WATCHES
1 SHIRT 1 LONG PANTS 1 PAIR SHORTS 2 SINGLETS 3 HANKY
1 FINE GUERNSEY Q HOLDALL 1 HOUSEWIFE 1 JACKNIFE
3. KIT BAG 1 ELECTRI DRILL 1 TIN POWDER 1 BAG U/CLOTES
1 PAIR SOCKS 1 SHEET ALIMINIUM 1 PAIR PYJAMAS 1 SEA KIT
CONTG 2 PAIR SOCK 1 PYJ PANTS 1 TOWEL 1 U/PANTS 1 SINGLET
1 BAG HANDKY'S BLANKETS GRND ROLLED & ATT TO
PACK R'^S GROUND SHEET IN KIT BAG MESS GEAR
CARRIED.
72
 

[*SUN 21/6/42*]
AND THE OVERSEAS PARTY IS SUSPENDED. I THOUGHT
IT WOULD BE HAVE HAD A FEELING ALL ALONG
THAT WE WOULD NOT GO. INSTEAD WE ARE WARNED
FROM REVELIE TOMORROW TO STAND BY FOR A
WORKING PARTY TO SINGAPORE. I AM ON IT. WELL
IT MAY BE A GOOD CHANGE AND IT MAY NOT? BUT
HAVE THE BAGS PACKED IN ANY CASE. SO NOW FOR IT.
DINNER IS OVER AND A VERY LIGHT MEAL IT WAS. JUST PLAIN RICE
WITH MILK. NOT MUCH WHEN BREAKFAST WAS ONLY RICE PORRIDGE.
THE MEALS ARE SLIPPING A BIT HERE LATELY ALTHOUGH OUR
RESERVE ISSUE IS SUPPOSED TO BE ^BEING USED UP. & WE CONTRIBUTED
A DOLLAR & SOME TO THE BUYING OF EXTRAS. I WENT TO
MASS THIS MORNING. THE LITTLE CHURCH ACROSS THE
ROAD LOOKS VERY NICE. NO WxALL THE GRASS HAS
BEEN CLOSELY CUT , AND A LITTLE HEDGE HAS BEEN
PLANTED AROUND IT. THE PATHS HAVE BEEN LAID OUT
GARDENS PLANTED HERE AND THERE, & SEATS HAVE
BEEN PUT IN. ABOUT 100 MEN ATTEND MASS EVERY
SUNDAY, & THERE ARE DEVOTIONS ON SUNDAY NIGHTS.
HAVE JUST FINISHED READING A BOOK "THE FIGHT OF THE
FIRECREST" A YACHTING BOOK & IT STIRS UP THAT DESIRE TO
DO A BIT OF SAILING MYSELF.THE CHANCE MAY BE ABOUT
AND IF IT PRESENTS ITSELF I SAIL. TRIED TO GET OFF THIS DAMN
PARTY BUT WASN'T IN THE RACE. AGAIN THE OLD MONEY
SCANDAL TURNS UP. THERE WAS A CREDIT OF $32 IN OUR

[*SUN 21/6/42*]
COOK HOUSE FUND & THIS WAS USED TO PAY MEN
WHO HAD JUST CAME BACK FROM HOSPITAL AND NOW WE
ARE GOING AWAY AND WILL NOT SEE ANY MORE OF
THE BENEFITS WE HAVE PAID FOR. TRUE SIG. MANAGEMENT

AGAIN ON TOP OF THAT THERE IS STILL A HALF TIN OF
FISH TO COME OUR WAY OUT OF THE PREVIOUS MONEY
THEY TOOK FROM US. WE MAY NOT HAVE MUCH SAY HERE BUT
I'LL CERTAINLY START A BALL WHEN WE GET BACK. WE THOUGHT
WE'D GET A GROUSE DINNER TONIGHT. BUT INSTEAD OF
GROUSE IT WAS ONLY GRASS; RICE, & A PIECE OF RATHER
NICE PASTRY. HOPE THERES SOMETHING ON FOR SUPPER.
THIS IS PROBABLY THE LAST ENTRY I WILL MAKE IN
THE OLD "CHANGI" BARRACKS' IN THE WAR SCARRED
AND BATTERED HOMES OF THE MARRIED MEN OF
THE GORDON HIGHLANDERS. THEY MUST HAVE
LEAD A WONDERFUL LIFE HEAR. I WONDER WILL THEY
EVER COME AGAIN? LETS HOPE & THAT THEIR HAPPINESS
WILL NEVER BE BROKEN BY BOMBS AGAIN. I HAVE A RATHER
SOFT SPOT FOR THE PLACE AND HAVE HAD SOME FUNNY EXCITEM
HERE & WILL BE GLAD TO COME BACK IF EVER THE OPPTY
PRESENTS ITSELF. YOUNG VOGELE BACK FROM HOSPITAL TODAY.
HE HAD MALARIA & LOOKS DONE UP. ITS A HELL OF A PLACE
FOR DESEASE ETC. WELL THE DAY IS DRAWING TO
A CLOSE & I MUST TEE UP ON THE PACKS FOR A QUICK
GETAWAY TOMORROW. SO GOODBYE CH^ANGI & SO ENDS P.O.W. 126
OF THE 19^TH WEEK.
74
 

[*MON 22/6/42*]
127
And So in the fullness of time the
revellie goes @ 0730 & I am up & down for
a shower [[back?]] shave & down to breakfast
@ 8.30 this as usual consists only of
ground rice & not too good at that.
The dishes washed. Putin the kit bag
& then a wrestling bout between me & the
"D" in the eyelets. Eventually I got it home
only to find I have left a towel out.
Into Syme Harris's kitbag it went
he doesn't know it yet. At 9.20 we are
all set to go & out on to the road for
roll call & march off. Its raining
like blazes and with the slickers
over the bundles & packs the party
looks like an evacuation from
flanders. We get so far as the
clink & dump ourselves under
the verandah of same to wait
the arrival of the trucks which
are to take us to our new home
& job. I am quite comfortable here
& only have to stir about every
half hour for "Rice Water" I just
75
Butted a smoke when Syme came
back from "A Rice Water" went to sit
down & dabbed his hand on the still
hot ash. We eventually [[un?]] him
from the rafters above & after cooling the
air off mostly with laughter, we settle
down again to wait the pleasure of the
[[?]] @ 11.00 we are still waiting. I have
not felt anything but exhaltated at
leaving today. feel that this is the
first step on the road home.
We depart at 11.30. 30 men to a truck.
Packed like sardines. Singapore
is back to work. all along the
route the road is dottedhere
& there with stalls. seeing all
kinds of things dear to the heart
of the boong & the digger (but we
can't get a go at it now.) &
some of ^the sights sure make our
moths water. We arrive at 12.30 &
are quickly into our quarters which
were once the billets of Indian
troops. There are quite a lot of
Diggers here & we are right in
76
 

The busy part of a village
or suburb of Singapore. Trolley
buses run on one side of us
and on the road at an angle
to the bus line is a very busy shop
center. The absence of the white
man is very noticeable & the
nearest to white are the Eurasians.
They are a great class of people
Quite an argument going on
Some say we will not be on
the overseas party some say we
will. I believe the latter. One thing
we will be able to buy a bit
again cigs 20^c bananas 1^c Pines 10^c
and we get paid tomorrow which
is handy as I only have 51 cents left.
They say the job is rather heavy &
I intend to work this lazy feeling off.
And have just made a good start. We
have just finished pulling down a
"Shithouse" it was a beauty 40 "SQUATS"
And am now again on the flat
of my back writing this.
77
Hope its readable to anyone else.
And as I write, being pulled in on
one side of me are cars & trucks
four at a time. Some have wheels on,
some tyres others on the hubs & some
1 hub 3 wheels & so on. Some of the
cars here [[???]]
we are to pull them to pieces. Its a
shame & a wanton waste [[?]]
here, being brought in on the other
side, motorcycles & sidecars [[?]]
of them. We hear that the place
is [[blockaded?]]. Who these lads
heard it from I do not know but
they all tell the same story.
We also have wire round us & in
some places there runs "NO MANS LAND Anyone
who throws a parcel thru the wire
will ^be dealt with thru the [[?]]
about Quite a lot of things today
& what to expect [[?]] 1700 and
if I keep this up I'll run out of paper
So will close down Till lights out.
We had a good tea & a good yarn
And so to Bed for the end of P O W 127
78
 

[*TUE 23/6/42*]
And so the first night in the
[[?]] hut is over and while
yet it is dark revellie goes
and we slowly come to [[?]]
again. This caper is "upta" getting
up in the dark. Breakfast is
at 8 a.m. & we are ready to move 
out @ 8.40 am. My luck is in today
and I do not have to go out so 
I shift all my gear & bunk up
on the deck. I was on the
bottom floor last night. I met
a chap last night who comes
from Murray Bridge & knows
Drew Allen very well went to
school with him. Wonder
how Drew is going. Also all
the other lads. Tis a very
wet day & the bed (on the boards)
is very comfortable & ↑  Listen a
call for 4 more men    ↑ I am
going to stay on it all day
if possible. More trucks
& cars a getting pulled in today
79
[*TUE 23/6/42*]
Last night a Chinese
funeral passed here. Talk
about a row. The bugles &
trumpets the blow make one
hell of a row. The cemetery is
up about ¼ mile further
along the road & there
are many fine statues etc
in it. A great wave of
home sickness seems to have
engulfed the lads here on
every side one hears talk of
home. I do not know whether
it is the rebound of the overseas
furphy re home or what.
But I am not unaffected
myself. Very much the other
way & have not thought of home
so much since I have been here.
And the day goes slowly
thro to a close. Nothing
doing. But have a very
comfortably? filled belly
and now must close. POW 128
80
 

[*WED 24/6/42*]
And today is our first
day out on the job. Some job
to chinese High School Wharf
Ford works Bucket [[??]]
lifting busted & broken Motor
bodies. Many graves surround
the place. Do not finish till
7 pm tea @ 8.generally good
day & see plenty. will [[elaborate?]]
[[?]] when oppty presents. O O W 129
[*THUR 25/6/42*]
And same day. The
wind seems to be blown
out of the job & things are very
quiet. The corp got his head busted
today. We get home a
bit earlier & I buy some tobacco.
I am now stoney broke for the
first time & its not a nice feeling.
I still have 2/4 in Aus money but
no other cash anyway pay
day on the 6th. See quite a bit of
the island etc on these
trips, and enjoy [[?]] very [[?]]
And so tiredly to bed on P.O.W. 130
81
[*FRI 26/6/42*]
Must get the old pen filled
today. When we come in we
have just finished break & are
waiting for the busses to
take us to the job. May click
a fresh job today. I have shifted
my sleeping Qrs from downstairs
to up stairs. And its not to
good a change the place rocks
like hell up here & every [[bump?]]
& movement by anyone wakes one
up. The last two days we have
been home too late at night
to be able to write much.
And now at 7.45 p.m. have finished
Dinner & am ready for parade
& [[?]] have no money to buy
anything so do not go to the
market. So will write a while
We were out at Bukit Tema
today and what a job. We worked
in mud up to our boot tops
all day long carrying engines
chassis & other parts & stacking
82
 

[*xxxxxx*]
them in various heaps
ready for despatch. I gave
myself a crack in the right
shin today, and strange
to say didn't get time to
swear. There is an old
chinese lady who comes
round there & sells pineapple
2 for 1^c. I had 6^c worth thro
the day. The trains are running
again out there & are well loaded
to & from. Saw a beaut little
Riley today only done 9 miles
& its a write off. I hope we
come good there are heaps of
beautiful cars & trucks [[?]]
Thousands of them in some
[[?]] places. The lads are
having quite a heated
argument regarding the
authenticity of the news. We
see quite a lot of the
[[?]] times. Well so
much for POW 131 So hoping
all are well & for the best I close
83
[*SAT 27/6/42*]
And today I saw what I
have expected to see for
days. Digby got a smack
across the chops. A Beaut
I am getting myself into as
good a nick as I can
and soon? We had a very
mixed sort of day. Sometimes
we worked hard & sometimes
rather easy. We finished early
& were home first. Much to
our high content. The back up
no system I suggested to our
orderly officer the other day is in use
for the first time tonight & quite
a bit of squealing among the
back up hawks. Wonder what
they had for tea at home tonight
We had rice & stew. got a few
pieces of pineapple today & one
banana fritter. They'll be on the menu
at home I bey. Went out past Cathay
this am. Its in use again. A few
clods thrown today & so ends POW 132
84
 

[*SUN 28/6/42*]
And so to the [[??]]
[[?]] of P.O.W.ism. And of All
the surprises that may have
occurred the one that arrived
today knocked the stilts
clear from under me. We had
to answer a questionnaire
of which I will attach a
copy. And of course we answered
it in our best diplomatic
fashion. Was out at Puna Vista
today & had a wrestle & a
loss & a win. Generally a
very heavy day. [[?]]
lumping tons of [[scrah?]] of
Sunday. But thats that. We
are home rather early but
by time we had tea answered
that ? showered etc it is rather
late and Am very tired.
Dreamt of home again last
night . Since about mid of this
month have dreamed often
of Mother & Wife? & so will close POW
133
85
[*MON 29/6/42*]
Today I cop quite a neat
job out at the Ford Works
helping Boongs to build a
Bath room & Kitchen for Jap
officers. What a come down
for the "Great White Race" as
we have been foolishly & egotistically
lead to believe.
By our Rotten degenerative
British Jew slave drivers
& usurers. I am not ashamed to
work with the chows matter of
fact I enjoy it. Am able to get
a little of their slant on things.
We hear today that Java had
been retaken.? And back to
the little pen again the lead is
just about done in the pencil &
have plenty of ink left. Tis not a
very good possy to write her
and the day is getting late
had a very easy day & two
good feeds a cigar from Les.
Chandler 3^c worth [[cookies?]] P O W 134 IS OVER
86
 

TUE 30/6/42
And today is our holiday again
We talked lying on our backs
most of the morning. had
[[?]] mins sleep at dinner time &
a good dinner. done some washing
back on the bunk again. hadd
drink of Bonox and feel fine.
Should be fit for work tomorros
Am getting fitter & harder every
day. We talked racing systems
all the morning & most of this
pm have just got me a cup of
tea not too bad? And hope
to sell my watch that I bought
from Frank Jesse. it has started
[[?]] a bit lately. We have
hadour cigarette issue. HONEY DUE
Wish it was a honey tin at home
I had just picked up. We have been
thinking up schemes for immediate
cash & we have decided to sell to
the guards some warm photos and
are asking a pretty warm price
and we may get it & Buy some cigs
& are [[happy?]] again & 135 P O W is
over.
87
[*WED 1/7/42*]
And back to the grind again. We
today we go out to the Ford
Works and work there & its
a grouse job. Various ones
are working Mine & we meet
up some good friends. Its
the easiest job on the list.
hope I click it tomorrow.
Back home & I sell my watch
$3 To a chap I know. Too late to
by anything cept tobacco. I am
writing this by the torch light
and its not so clever so will
close P O W 136. On the Sounds of the day
[*THUR 2/7/42*]
A noisy night last night &
slept very lightly back
to the Ford today & I was
bored stiff. We work on
the top of a hill & the view
is beautiful looking out
and seeing beautiful green
hills & smoke rising here
and there. Someone had a good
furphy today "Java" is ours. Pine [[?]]
& Bananas tonight & P.O.W. 137 off.
88
 

[*FRI 3/67/42*]
And out again for the fords
where we make a road. I was
on the [[?]] all day & had a
very easy job again. A bit of
excitement today. We have a market
here & as usual there is always the
half shrewd mug who will make
a mess of things, only in this
case they made a mess of themselves.
Two of them were dealt
with a couple of quid & returned
to Changi and the best thing
that ever happened. Both [[?]]
bludgers and only lower our
prestige in the face of all
Another bloke tried to put over
a package of cigs swapped to
boongs for 30 boongs & he got
caught. No good news much.
the Egyptian episode looks
bad & so do a few others.
Wonder when we are
going. To take a treck
go to Bona Vista tomorrow
The jobs are getting boring 138
89
[*SAT 4/67/41*]
Today I was out at Bona
& twas a heavy day.
Hurry Harry was on the
job all the time. we were
home late as usual
The chopping of the boongs heads.
Most of time occupied
cleaning up. otherwise she's
just about done lot of explos
flying about there & P O W 139 [[?]]
[*SUN 5/6/42*]
Again to the Bona Vista job
What I like about this job is
that we have a knack of
being taken out by a different
road each day and today we
go out past the Cathay right
thro Singapores Busiest centre
We finished the job today & the
5 boongs finished also. May
get a spell tomorrow or
the Ford works again News
tonight "we are forcing Fritz
back in Libia Timor has been
retaken. Japan bombed"? Bill
is in hospital with the BRITS
And I'm tired So P O W 140 of 20th
week closes
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