Pat Ritter. Books

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'His Life Worth Living' - Page 47:

MON MAY 4: Salt water party today. Party of Infantry seem to be off to Singapore. Feeling is strong we will be free before long. The 18th May or thereabouts has been mentioned. Got 3 nuts on salt water party which we all enjoyed after tea. Went to lecture on Trade Union in evening and after tea went to one on Market Values. Singapore party tomorrow about 2000 going. Supposed to be Bukit Timor but no one knows.

TUES MAY 5: Singapore party went away 7.30 this morning. All rest in our battery 64 missing together. A lot more room in building now although bugs still very bad. A very good lecture by Major Cousens International Affairs which gave us much food for thought. Lecture on Ads after tea. Am on wiring party tomorrow down near Changi Gaol. 3½ mls away so fairly stiff march.

WED MAY 6: Away early this morning on wiring party after early breakfast? Rice and milky water. Lunch. Plain rice. Rotten job undoing a prison fence and very long day. Went scrounging in evening, away from party and got four nuts. Often fellows got chased by Chinamen. Gave Lionel 2. Felt very tired when I got back to camp but after rest was O.K. again. Went to A.I.F. concert after tea. Rice & veg stew. Am getting very thin but if rumours are right then we should not be here much longer. Latest is that six Portuguese ships are lying off Singapore waiting to take us away. Hope it is right but do not think it is possible.
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'His Life Worth Living' - Page 48:

Chapter 7

THURS MAY 7: A.I.F. ration party today so another long walk. Hope it is only one trip. The rice is delivered by truck to the camp now so we only collected meat, fresh meat, flour, sugar, salt and few bags fresh vegs bought with canteen funds. I scrounged little salt and brown sugar.

FRI MAY 8: Got relapse of malaria again with high temp. Went into R.A.P.

SAT MAY 9: Much better this morn. Dose of quinine and Atebrin seems to take temp away quickly. Rumour very strong that we are going away in near future. Next Fri is mentioned. Another rumour of big battle in Solomon Isles. Huge losses to Jap with no loss to ourselves. Chiang Mai check advancing on all fronts. Peculiar thing here in R.A.P. known as Officer boarding Resid. There are 1 Col., 1 Major, 2 Sap, 6 Lieutenants, 1 Sergeant, 5 Gunners. All Officers have diarrhoea rest have malaria or dengue fever. This rumour of battle in Sol. Is. is supposed to come from B.B.C. news. Figures are 16 cruisers, 8 destr, 2 air craft and the rest. Rather long day today just lying in bed. Still, thoughts of civilization in a few weeks time is very stimulating. The cook here is doing a noble job. Trying to cook little dainties to tempt the appetite out of very little. I notice we get extra ration of yeast in here. Surely they don’t think I will contact beriberi. Quite a number of cases from Singapore in hospital. It is not a nice thing and is caused I think mainly by too much rice and not enough green vegs. Thank heaven I have always hated rice and my appetite for same is not big. Some of the fellows here are never satisfied with it but they eat just as much as they can. I am to be issued with 3 mths supply of Atebrin so it looks as if there is something in the wind. We also today were given a few things such as soap and razor blades salvaged from the kitbags. Not much hope of my wallet I am afraid.
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'His Life Worth Living' - Page 49:

SUN MAY 10: Still in R.A.P. but much better. Rumour has it that we will be divided into groups A1 B2 C3 to go home. Hospital ships will go straight home and the rest will go to Timor where we will stay for a month. Interesting to see if these rumours are true. Everyone very animated. Had good meal this evening first for couple of days and felt much better after it. Think I will make my first meal just plain bread and butter. I will appreciate it just as much as the best money could buy.

MON MAY 11: Well again but fairly weak. Will be let out this morning. Well it looks like we will be leaving tomorrow. I don’t know how I will go but I won’t be able to walk into Singapore that is certain. The doc wanted to keep me for another day but I thought I may be parted from the mates so he decided it would not make any difference. Everyone very busy packing but I do not think we will be moving. I am packed ready but will not be walking. Went to concert in evening – last one too by the speech and cheers for party. They certainly did a very good job.

TUES MAY 12: We are not going away now until Friday. Will be messing with the trp again today. Everyone A1 were assembled on Barrack Square for rehearsal. All are formed in Infantry now and our little mob are in 8 Plat. So it seems we will be parted for a while. We are evidently going in the second lot a week later for they have told us nothing about being ready or when we are going. The men are busy getting ready for big march to Singapore and cooks are busy cooking what they can in the shape of pastry and bread with what little flour they have. She seems to be going to be a mad scramble on the island and all sorts of precautions will have to be taken. Malaria will be the biggest job for me but with the course of quinine I am going on with now and the 3 mths supply of Atebrin I should be able to keep it off.
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'His Life Worth Living' - Page 50:

WED MAY 13: Another general parade this morning on which Callaghan addressed the parade for last time. He seemed to express doubt as to going back to home on this trip. He seemed to make out it is another working party for Japs. Spirit of men still as high as ever never the less and everyone confident we are going to Timor and thence home. Nothing done about B2 men yet. Some talk of us going on hospital ship. I am not cheered with the prospect of parting with Jerry. They seem to be going away definitely tomorrow and things are going to be very quiet. I flat with him. Everyone busy going over their kits. More parades. One thing about our crowd, if they do get a chance they bung on parades. I bet the Japs wouldn’t have a parade a week. Last parade last night was at 10.30 “To see if the packs were properly packed.”

THURS MAY 14: Everyone going away, turned out at 5am this morning to dump their packs in heaps to be picked up. Later at 6am 30, 3 ton trucks came and picked them and a large number of men who were the final party to go to Singapore. I think we will have to move out of this building into A/T. It will be much better. Well all the fit men have gone and only we crocks are left. They left 40 to a truck and very tightly packed but very happy never the less. They had a good lunch of stew, a little stronger than usual, with their rice and a bun. Each man of our unit had 2 buns emergency ration in case the Jap lets the men down, for he promised to feed them en route, they have a little tinned stuff and biscuits put by. Things are very quiet here now but we may not be here very long. There would not be more than 15,000 men left now and 1000 of those at hospital. Afternoon the longest I have known since I have been in Changi but it had its compensations at tea time for we had a REAL MEAT PIE with ROAST SWEET POTATOES and TEA with milk and sugar in, the PEARS with rice. Surely food for the gods. Too good for us anyhow after all the weeks of eternal rice. We also had 2 buns which I could not eat and which I kept for supper when I am told we get COFFEE. A day to be remembered for although the meat in the pie was tinned tongue it was delicious and the first real taste of meat for 3 months. There are 25 Gunners altogether, 20 Officers and the rest N.C.O’s making about 80 in all. Tomorrow the a/15 and A/T are coming into the same building so we will very likely go back to ordinary fare again. I wonder how the boys are getting on in Singapore I understand they went straight to the boats and will be sailing, destination unknown, at midnight. I think the place will be Timor alright where they will be camped pending an exchange of prisoners. We are with the convalescent class here and there is a possibility we will go home in the hospital ship. I hope Jerry makes the trip O.K. for he is a very good scout and the only one who did not change or alter with the times under which we passed which is more than can be said of most of the men here, for, with the tightening of belts and shortage of smokes, men get very short in the temper, yours truly included. But Jerry is always the same and is never put out. He is deliberate in his speech, verbose perhaps, but what he says is usually well thought out and he rarely makes a mistake. Which I suppose is not surprising considering he holds a high position in the National Bank. He is what I would term “A good fellow” and I was very sorry to be parted from him. Learned today for the first time of the terrible casualties we inflicted on Japs at Bukit Timor Village during the last few days of the war here. 5,000 killed. Shows how determined they were to take the place. But we were outnumbered at least 5 – 1 and very tired from 3 weeks fighting with very little rest. Even then we did not lose the Battle for the Jap realizing he would never get us to give in by fighting us, used that other dreadful weapon. Firing on the civilian population of Singapore – a mob of about 1,500,000 crammed in a space the size of a small town where every shell that fell must kill people. We had to give in at this stage. But there is still a doubt in our minds. Why did “they” not allow us to keep firing when the Japs were landing on the Island and why did they not allow us to destroy our guns before handing them over to the Jap. These and a host of other questions will have to be answered eventually and I well say it will be a very interesting story, one which will reveal quite a lot. For there can be no shadow of a doubt that if we had been allowed to fire when the Japanese were landing in Kranji and other places then we would have held them off for a few days more at least. We had coffee and biscuits for supper which was very much enjoyed. Had long yarn with Jules on matters pertaining to war and Jap and he found them mostly very good at Bakit Timor, where he was working. Got some interesting facts from him and also learned he was on a burial party for 3 A.I.F. whom they found. It appears the party working there are still finding remains even after nearly 2 months. It was here the Jap suffered his biggest losses namely at least 6,000 dead and according to him the Jap is building the road and monument as a memorial to the Jap dead.
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'His Life Worth Living' - Page 51:

FRI MAY 15: Very hot night last night and the mosquitoes were very bad. Another excellent breakfast of meat pie and Bonox gravy, sweet rice and milk, biscuits and tea. Really splendid and I think too good to last. Readjustment of men today. No duties on ground, Light D on first and duties on top floor. I am still on ground floor but am feeling really good again. 2/15 and A/T are moving in this morning so we will be a bit of a crowd again. Saw men who are on duty flat out keeping up to work cleaning up old bed and burning rubbish. My kitbag seen unopened in store. Some chance of getting it back. Beatty says another small party going to Singapore to meet the last party from Bukit Timor. These about 1500 will be the last to leave before the hospital ship. We should leave on 25th or 26th. Seems awful long time ahead. Bugs seem to be very bad on lower floor but I should not be here very long now. We have a pendulum clock here which strikes the hour. Goodness knows where it came from, but it has quite a homely affect striking away through night.

SAT MAY 16: Cup of tea after check parade – no milk or sugar but refreshing. Food otherwise back to what it was a month ago. Still had a good time while it lasted. Under 2/15 management now and not so good. Very hot these days and we have had no rain for over fortnight. Put on light duties today although feel well enough to go on full. Started on Atebrin. Rumour going around that only A force went away other day. B force standing by and then C force goes. I may be one of these and not go in hospital ship.

SUN MAY 17: Communion before breakfast and after we went over to store and got some kit bags from store. Mine was among them but everything of value had been taken. Got most of my papers back and quite a few other things. Collected a few useful clothes together in case I need them in colder climate. Most of kit bags had been ratted by our own men of ordinance so will have to be thankful for what I have. Had some most delicious rice and bully rissoles. Best since I have been P.O.W. and at evening meal we had nearly a civilized meal. After tea went on lawn and heard a choir, home made, sing. Rumours that 7/10 A.G.H. are packing up.
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'His Life Worth Living' - Page 52:

MON MAY 18: Have a permanent duty now. Ration party. About an hours work each day. Big party of men found to be P.O.W. at Kuala Lumpur, about 150 of them mostly 2/19 and 2/29 with a few 2/15. These men have been reported missing believed dead. Good news for their people. Should have news of our going away today. Time dragging very slow. Another issue of clothes this day and if I can possibly carry away what I am getting I will have a fairly good kit. Getting variety in cooking of rice now but not the quality. Plenty of cups of tea through day but no milk or sugar. Brought meat in this evening, about 30lb by the look of the joint for 180 men. All waiting anxiously for news of departure date. We have daily issue of yeast now instead of every 3 or 4 days. It is the only antidote of beriberi. Has in it B1 vitamin which our food lacks.

TUES MAY 19: Very restless night, bugs very bad. Went to English camp to get few comfort stores, amounted to 10oz pine per man and little soup. Went to concert in evening but drizzled with rain so came home wetter seeing it. Very cold all evening and through night.

WED MAY 20: Very fresh this morning and I feel well. More kit bags to sort. Very little of original gear in kit. No definite news of when we are leaving. Still on light duty. Played cards all evening. Rumour has it that Russians broke through to 3rd line of defence of Germans and captured 88,000 prisoners. We have to be on water by 25th June and we are leaving some time next week, probably Tuesday.
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'His Life Worth Living' - Page 53:

THURS MAY 21: Went for rations today again. Sugar very short being 31/2 lb for 161 men. In evening played bridge and later went for meat. 72lb mostly rib so a lot of waste in bone. Japs have built a guard house on hill evidently to try and stop boys going for tucker. Does not seem to make a great deal of difference for stuff comes in just same and prices are high. Cigarettes are most expensive and boongs are about $1 for 20 and normally these are 5 cents a packet. They smell atrocious. Rumour has it that we will be leaving here next Mon or Tues. The first lot of soldiers Force A are at Timor and are to act as hostages while we go straight to Fremantle. We will be Main Force. The lot at Timor will stay there until the exchange of prisoners is to the satisfaction of the Japs. Parade before L.C. Callaghan tomorrow for all Medical Units. I suppose this will be the last parade. Rumours all men in Singapore have handed over tools to English trps and are standing by for embarkation.

FRI MAY 22: A week since the boys left and it seems a year. I think we shall hear something tomorrow. Very quiet day went for long walk in evening.

SAT MAY 23: Yes we heard today. Another overseas party. Destination unknown and number unknown. Every fit man available to go. Dr very busy reclassifying. Most of our lot will be going and it will be very likely next Mon or Tues. Will have to start thinking of packing up soon. Had bit of row with one of mess Ord. He accused Geo Strachan of backing up out of turn. He was not there so I took up cudgels and accused same M.O. of overdoing himself. Caused quite an uproar. Somebody else accused somebody else of backing up and result uproar. Tea time R.S.M. came down and order was restored. Still it gave M.O. a bit of a start. Notice on board this afternoon to effect that 2,000 men to stand by for overseas working party, 500 of whom will be A.I.F. The authorities seem to have worked the same dodge on last party when 6,000 were wanted but they took 1,500 and rest were English for working party in Singapore. I wonder why they don’t make a statement for all sorts of rumours fly around. Tonight’s special Orange is in the Naval Base and last party arrived at Saigon safely, rather conflicting rumours. Still everyone seems certain that we are leaving for home next Tues or Fri. Went for long walk with C. Watson after tea.
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