[*25th*] Anzac Day & Easter Sunday. Attended church this morning
when Special Anzac prayer was read. Meals have
been good in honor of Easter. Pork soup at lu
midday with quite a bit of pork in it, duck soup at
dinner, a bread issue nearly 1/2 lb per man & ab about
1/4 paw-paw each. Small quantity of cigs (Sterles) & rolo
cigars came in. First proposal was to issue to those
who had ordered them but then Gens. Percival, Ter Poorten
and Wainwright met together & decided that they be
issued pro rata to squads. Our lot was issued to our
supply officer & he came down to our end of the
room later to obtain the view of the Australians
as to method of distribution. Various views were
expressed & I expressed the opinion that they should be
divided pro rata. Taylor turned on me instantly
& said "shut up & go to sleep". I have no idea of the
reason of the outburst but am getting very
fed up with his dictatorial manner. I am afraid
we will have a flare-up soon. A few minutes
later he was awfres extremely rude to poor old
Gen. Seals (U.S.A) who is 67 years of age. He really
is about the rudest man I have ever met!
[*26*] T. perfectly friendly today just as if nothing whatever
had happened! Very good night but last night only up
twice at midnight & five o'clock. Air raid alarm
(whether practice or not I don't know) sounded at
midnight & all lights went out. Tea order came in
today but in issuing it we were informed that we
cannot keep any more tins so in future all tins
empty tins must be returned. Life here in this
camp is very monotonous - up at 0630 - roll call
0700 - breakfast 0730, dinner 1200, supper 1730 &
roll call at 2000 - lights out at 2100. Apart from
the walking around the small area - 8 times round
to its mile - there is nothing to do except play Bridge
or read. I am thinking of settling down to a
regular period of about 2 hrs writing of my experiences
since I left Aust. (for the information of the family)
as a mental exercise. The climate still continues
very pleasant - clear warm mornings, cloudy
dull afternoons with a cool breeze & then still
nights. Unfortunately the heavy clouds which
come over every afternoon make the nights when
the breeze dies away very oppressive & stuffy.
It is strange to think that today is Easter Monday.
I wonder if "Oakbank" is being held & if so if the
family have gone to it. I do hope my
darlings are not too miserable & lonely without
me.
[*27*] Easter being over meals have dropped back a bit
today although still better than they were before
Easter. The weather seems to be settled into bright
sunny mornings with cloudy cool afternoons. Then
with nightfall the breeze drops & until about
midnight it is very close & oppressive. By morning
all clouds have disappeared again. Opened my
apple pudding from my Red Cross parcel toady.
It was absolutely delicious. Curious example of
how small & littleminded - or rather selfish - this
life is making us all occurred today. In this
room are we Australians & Torrance (Canadian) & three
Americans. At first there was one form to sit on
& we had two padded seats, leaving all of which
we had leaving the Americans sitting on boxes
or their beds. Then a little while ago another
[*April 27 contd*] form came in which the Americans took. I usually
arrange the room immediately after morning roll-
call, lift the seats down from tables etc. Today
one of our officers asked me to make sure that we
got the good form as one of them is rough &
splintery & let the Americans have the latter!
There was another earthquake shock last night
although I did not know as I slept through it. It
is the second since we arrived in this camp.
It is certainly the place for earthquakes, A Bridge
tournament has been arranged which I have
entered for with Trott.
[*28*] Usual bright morning but clouds did not come
over until late in the afternoon instead of about
midday. Meals worse than yesterday. Another
sugar & cocoa issue today of the usual size. It
really makes a wonderful difference to our meals,
Japs issued an order today that no hot water may
be used for washing clothes or heating soup bowls
or food. The problem of washing clothes is becoming
acute. I am almost out of washing soap & now
that hot water is prohibited I can't imagine how
I can get my clothes clean. A year ago if I
were told that I had no soap & no
hot water for washing my clothes I would
have expected a bad outbreak of skin disease
but so far there seems to be no sign of
anything of the sort. Am sleeping very well
now & dream of Rose & the family practically
every night. It is glorious whilst the dream lasts
but oh I feel so utterly lonely when I wake
up. I will never be able to tell my beloved how
utterly & completely I love her & long to be with
her again - and yet I have a feeling (which
amounts for some reason almost to a certainty)
that I am destined to see more fighting before I
am again with her. Rose my dearest I know
we will be together again but it is terribly
weary waiting and must be so awful for
you.
[*29*] Today is the Emperor of Japan's birthday. There has
been no ceremony at all but we have had a
little extra in for meals, Both midday & evening
soup had a little pork in it - enough to give it
a good flavour & to provide quite a bit of fat on
the top. It has been another beautiful morning
but became very overcast and blowy in the afternoon.
[*30th*] Very wet all day until about five o'clock in the
afternoon. I have got an attack of diarroeha
which is very painful & so must go without
most of the "greens" which are about all
the soup consists of these days. Since the opening
of the Red Cross parcels nearly everyone is hard
at work making cooking utensils out of the
tins. Pudding bowl idea is the only feasible
one & many weird & wonderful puddings -
rice, cocoa, sugar, vegetables, curry & meat all
mixed together for example - are sent over to the
cook-house for cooking. I haven't tackled
anything of the sort yet as the articles are
nicer to me just as they are. Put in a
letter today drawing attention to the fact that
my two sheets have been stolen & asking for
more. Black-out which has been enforced for
last few days was lifted temporarily tonight.
Hope it is of a genuine "blackout" & not just
practices. Ben Vigilant guard 3:30-4:30
[*May 1st*] Uneventful day. Bright & clear all day.
[*May 2nd*] Attended church in morning. Officer conducting
same urged us in lieu of a sermon to think a little
on the subject of the collect of the day which
urged restraint from malicious talk & thoughts.
A very appropriate reminder which I must
keep in mind & carry out as I am afraid I
am becoming a bit "warped" in my thoughts
about some of the chaps & the irritating things they do!
As I have written before, probably I irritate some
of the other chaps just as much. Meals have
slipped back to a very bad level again. We
were told today that no more Alsi Bono cigs.
will be supplied to us & the supply of any
other sort is a little uncertain.
[*3rd*] Have started the cooking craze myself. Made a
cooking pot this morning & this afternoon put in a
pot of curried rice & beef. Have almost exhausted
the contents of my individual parcel. Apart from the
two tins of sugar & one of golden syrup which I
have put away for emergency, I have only the
margarine left. Had a long talk to Gov. Gen
of N.E.I. about conditions of industrial & social
life in Australia during my morning walk.
Stomach still a little bit upset but not so as to
seriously inconvenience me. Lights failed yesterday
evening & we were in complete darkness until
about 2030 hrs. Had a very restless night
last night full of confused dreams about home
& things back in Australia
[*4th*] Dysentery inoculation today. Played our first round with
Trott in Bridge tournament. Won 1540 up. Uneventful
day. Had a headache & very sore arm after the
inoculation. Officer who was Camp Comdt. at
Karenko when we left visited here today & did
a tour of inspection.
[*5th*] Very bad night last night. Feel terribly depressed
and am sure something dreadful has happened
at home. Three times in the night I woke up to
a dream that Rose was calling me & wanting me
because she was in some awful trouble. This
lack of news from home becomes almost unbearable
at times like this. Cannot shake off the
feeling Rose is in terrible need of me.
Red Cross sugar and cocoa was issued again
today. Issue of cocoa about the same but sugar
was slightly more.
[*6th*] B.P. from Karenko visited here today & came around & had
a yarn with most of us. Reports that everyone is
well at Karenko . Had another brush with T. Vigilant
guard tonight 0030 - 0130. Stomach trouble has
completely cleared up. Another big batch of newspapers
came in today but it is impossible to learn from them
any reliable news except that things in Tunisia seem
to be going well. Played second round of bridge
tournament & won by 2410 points. Eyes are troubling
me a lot & I have had to practically give up
reading which makes the days very, very long.
[*7th*] Supply of coffee & Fruit essences came into camp today
& we each received about 1 lb coffee & big bottle of
fruit essence - also supply of lavatory paper which
was long overdue. Still no cigarettes. Had a very
glorious cold bath after my walk this morning.
Have been keeping off them owing to extreme
thinness but weather is getting warmer to now.
[*May7th(contd)*] Inspection of Nippon issues - blankets, pillows, food bowls,
sheets, etc today & shortages noted again. Whilst at Karerko
everyone had to either make a will & give a written
statement that he had already made a will. Today
they were all returned together with a bigger
sheet of paper & we were ordered to copy them out
again on the big sheet, as I have left a will
in Adelaide leaving everything to Rose, I did not
attempt to make another will. Still feel very
depressed about Rose & the family & cannot shake off
feeling that something dreadful has happened.
[*8th*] Again feel very depressed. Perhaps one element in it
is that I feel damnably lonely here - apart from
the loneliness of being so long away from Rose & the
family. I miss my good friend Col Searle very
much indeed. There is nobody here whom I feel I
can ever make an intimate friend like Searle
was. I have never been able to make friends easily
and the other Australians here - except xxxx Trott
don't appeal to me at all. They seem to spend most
of their time (i.e. M&T) in whispering together
in corners. Today we had an issue of "cookies", eleven
each & they were very acceptable indeed. The
committee controlling the Red Cross issue has decided
to cut down the issue of bully beef. We have been
getting three 12 lb. tins per week, xxx and two 1 lb
M&V tins per month. We are now to get 18 lbs
of "bully" per week & 1 tin of M&V. I think it is a big
mistake as I am just beginning to pick up a
bit of strength again. I hope they will reverse
their decision soon. We are all much enjoying a
cup of coffee as often as we like. Lost bridge tournament
game today by 560.
[*9th*] Another glorious day today. Attended church this
morning. The climate here so far shows promise of
being very wonderful. The day's generally are bright
& warm (but with a cool breeze nearly every day.
After dark the wind drops nearly every night &
then commences again before dawn. The hours from
midnight onwards are always cool so far & I have
never had less than 1 thick blanket on some time
during the night. Meals are still very poor
indeed the soup seldom containing anything at
all except vegetables. Tonight was an exception
as they brought in some ducks which gave tonight's
soup a little more body. However 10 small ducks
amongst 120 is not very much! My eyes are still
worrying me very much indeed & I find it difficult
to read much. There is not much left to do and I
am hoping for a supply of notebooks to come in
when I will start writing my recollections of the Syrian
Commission of Control & similar incidents so as to
keep my mind occupied.
[*10*]Fine morning but in afternoon blew up with heavy
angry looking clouds. However nothing eventuated.
Black-out started again tonight. So far as we
know it is only practice & so is a damned
nuisance as it is very monotonous in the dark -
or semi-dark as heavily shaded lamps are allowed -
all nig evening. Heard of an enlisted man in
camp who had a pipe and 1/4 lb English smoking
tobacco which he was willing to dispose of. Opened
negotiations but hurriedly ended them as he wants
£20 sterling for same - and says he can get it
from the Americans. Wind died down at night &
we it became muggy & oppressive. Apparently there is
a real shortage of water as all water in washing
taps was turned off except during early morning
[*May 10th (contd)*] & evening. Cigarette position is now very acute as I
only have about 20 left after various borrowings & gifts.
[*11th*]Unpleasant weather - sunny but very muggy. In afternoon
clouded over again. Water shortage took new form today
as when I went to have my bath after my morning walk
I found the water turned off. Meals continue at a shockingly
low standard apart from the Red Cross issue. The soup
is nothing but vegetable water - with very few vegetables
most onion tops - (very seldom onions themselves) & green
tops of the other vegetables with a very few carrots etc. No
sweet potatoes now for a fortnight. We would
undoubtedly be starving if it wasn't for the Red Cross
supplies. Promise of bread tomorrow which will
make a bit of a difference but the standard
generally is nothing like sufficient to maintain
our strength. Have had a headache for 2 or 3 days
which I am sure is due to eyestrain form reading
as I badly need new glasses.
[*12th*] Another bread issue today - quite a big one, much of it
was heavy & soggy like the last lot but it tasted
absolutely wonderful. One wonders how troops under
normal conditions would re-act to an issue of
bread such as this. I feel there would be nearly a
riot - and yet to us it is an absolute luxury. Blackout
practice ended last night, Water is evidently pre very
scarce as it was turned off again today for a long time.
Vigilant guard for me tonight 3.30 - 4.30.
[*13th*] Blackout practice was resumed sometime during
the night & it was utterly black when I went out
on vigilant guard. My eyes are getting steadily
worse and I can hardly see to write now - let
alone read. I put an application in today for special
medical testing of my eyes & supply of new glasses &
Col. Devham endorsed it that I was in urgent
need of same owing to my severe my short sightedness. I
hope it is only a passing thing & will clear up with
normal conditions ! Today return was called for
for setting out particulars of one servant & batman
for each of the following, Lt- Gen's Percival & Heath, Sir
Harry Trusted, Sir Percy McElwaine, Sir Shenton Thomas,
Sir Mark Young, Major Gen McRae(retired) medical, Lt Gen
Wainwright, Major-Gen's Sharp & King (M.S.A). Gov. Gen
of N.E.I. Gov. Spits, Lt Gen Ter Poorten, Major Gen Van
Rees (medical). The report is that they are to be
moved out of this camp - rumor has it to Japan.
Did a deal today of about a lb. of sugar for a
pipe. It only remains now to get some tobacco to
put in it.
[*14th*] A thoroughly disappointing day. Another issue of Red
Cross parcels was due - also three tins of "bully"
beef & two of M&V. However the Nippon authorities
for some reason refused to unlock the store & so
we couldn't get anything. They had one tin
of M&V in stock & so we issued that but the gloom
that descended on the camp could be felt very
easily ! Played Cpl Van Rees in the tournament &
after a hard match finished 1170 up. Hot, dry
day & water was turned off nearly all day. Couldn't
have a bath & couldn't even clean teeth at night.
[*15th*] No water on, again this morning. They couldn't even
fill the boiler for morning tea. Still no sign of the
authorities opening the Red Cross store room & meals
today have been absolutely dreadful. The worst
I have had since being taken prisoner. No strength
or body in the soup, just a very little green tops of
vegetables.
