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Re: Pat Ritter. Books

Postby patritter » Wed Jan 13, 2016 9:40 pm

'His Life Worth Living' - Page 39:

SUN APRIL 6: (EASTER SUN) Went to Holy Communion this early morn. It has been a glorious day all day. All the week it has been wet and stormy but this day has been almost perfect. If we were not so hungry we would appreciate it even more. More Church in evening and a very good sermon. Went for stroll with Jerry after tea.

Chapter 6

MON APRIL 7: Wet day. More fatigues not hard. Good rumours in evening of Manilla in American hands and we having beaten off the Japs in New Guinea. A very good concert after tea by A.I.F.

TUES APRIL 8: Water fatigue all day. Went for stroll in evening. Went to A.I.F. Concert again and enjoyed it just as much.

WED APRIL 9: Had to go out and chop some rubber trees this morning for fire wood. This is very scarce and owing to no one being allowed out without Jap P.O.W. flag we were getting very short. Could not chop for long periods and was glad when we finished. Very heavy storm in evening. Heaviest since we have been here. Some talk of free issue of various things. It appears the Japs have allowed the A.I.F. to bring stuff from contractors. We have raised $20000 but $48000 is wanted. Hope they get it. Have just read book “Rebecca” and enjoyed it. Went for a stroll in a corner of area to see “Paddy’s” market. Tinned food stuff was sold there including cheese, milk, jam, fish etc for $2 a tin. Cigarettes normally 5c a pkt were 75cent. The tinned stuff had been five and six dollars but had fallen owing to shortage of cash. These men go out at night to an Indian dump some miles away. They will be shot if they are caught so are justified in charging such big prices. I had 10/- in Canteen Orders sent by Lt George but these were not acceptable. They will be, I bet, when the cash runs out.
TO DOWNLOAD THIS BOOK: CLICK HERE: http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/591980.
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Re: Pat Ritter. Books

Postby patritter » Thu Jan 14, 2016 10:22 pm

'His Life Worth Living' - Page 40:
THURS APRIL 10: Sanitary fatigue again today. Singapore party on for tomorrow is off. Cook house piquet tonight.
FRI APRIL 11: Drew first shift last night so had a good nights rest. Have also the day off. Went to a lecture on Disease in Cattle early in evening and later a lecture on Heredity. After meal went for stroll around area with Jerry. Germany capitulated again.
SAT APRIL 12: Anti Malarial precaution job today. Had to help fill in bomb craters 1½ miles away. Very monotonous job. Several Japs passing along road threw packets of cigarettes to men. Supposed to salute. One car came along slowly but we did not take any notice of occupants. Pulled up and went off the handle about not saluting him. He was one of Indian guards. Quite over-bearing. Caught in heavy rain in evening. Went to Brigade concert but except for music very poor show. Jerry has put us down for series of lectures over 12 weeks on Social & Economic Politics.
TO DOWNLOAD THIS BOOK: CLICK HERE: http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/591980.
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Re: Pat Ritter. Books

Postby patritter » Fri Jan 15, 2016 10:28 pm

'His Life Worth Living' - Page 41:

SUN APRIL 13: Help build extension on kitchen today. We are to have Regime kitchen. Church this evening. Very good sermon. Very heavy storm in evening which blew into the church.

MON APRIL 14: On sanitary fatigue in morning and went to a lecture on Agriculture Economics in evening. Went to A.I.F. concert after tea.

TUES APRIL 15: Anti Malarial job all day, very soul searching and heart breaking. Coolies work. Went to a lecture after tea “Advertising”. Big fleet of Jap battle ships went past Island last evening. 46 counted and were heading E.

WED APRIL 16: Auger boring party in morning. Wrote an essay in evening. Title “A Scene I Will Never forget.” Went to lecture, Japan.

THURS APRIL 17: Ration party today to get rations from Japs. We are 450 men now and for 1 days issue we got 4lb salt, 16lb sugar, 4lb very poor Jap tea, 4lb fat, 16 tins unsweetened milk, 1lb rice each man, 16 tins bully beef. Not a very satisfying meal for each man yet we have lived on it for over 2 months now. Huge number of men went to Singapore today. At least 2000 English and 3 or 4 hundred A.I.F. Another big mob again tomorrow. Some talk of them building a road up to Bukit Timah and erecting a monument where English handed over to Japs. In evening men had cigarette issue. 1 pkt very cheap but very acceptable – first for fortnight at least.

FRI APRIL 18: Felt bit sick again this morning so reported to R.A.P. Touch of the old trouble I think. Heard a lecture on Digging in Egypt in evening.
IMPORTANT NOTICE: I'LL BE ABSENT FOR THE NEXT FOUR DAYS. CATCH UP WITH YOU ON MY RETURN.
TO DOWNLOAD THIS BOOK: CLICK HERE: http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/591980.

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Re: Pat Ritter. Books

Postby patritter » Thu Jan 21, 2016 3:05 am

'His Life Worth Living' - Page 42:

SAT APRIL 19: Very heavy storm in early morning, which stopped cooks cooking. Result breakfast at least 1 hour. Slept in evening and felt better after.

SUN APRIL 20: Opening of exhibition of articles made by men during enforced stay as P.O.W. by Percival. Boys put a very good show on. No end to ingenuity of some. Best I saw was set of chess men and some walking sticks. Numerous rice grinders all home made. Some very good examples of cooking with material available. We sent our cooks to see and obtain recipes. Some very good artists in camp. Church parade in evening. After evening song we had a quiz of 20 questions each. Our side won by 9 points. Some very good questions. Lionel very sick.

MON APRIL 21: Feel well again today although still very loose in bowels but have hopes of cleaning this up soon. I’m on cleaning fatigue today. Some men back from Singapore with dysentery. Say the men cannot stand up to very much work but as long as they keep going Japs do not mind. Are not getting much extra in food line than we are. Men at Happy World are doing best. Went to lecture on Economics and Political History and have enrolled in series of lectures for 12 weeks. Suppose fatigues will interrupt them. Lionel went to R.A.P. with dysentery.

TUES APRIL 21: Ration party got double issue of milk today. Q store keeping it in reserve. Went to daily lecture at 5pm. Philosophy. Went to A.I.F. concert. Excellent. Each effort seems to be better than previous. This is great effort on concert party’s part for it is keeping the men in good spirits.

WED APRIL 22: Cleaning fatigue this day. Singapore party told to get ready in ½ hour. They are to act as reinforcements for Bukit Timah crowd and seem to be 25% casualties so must be having rough time. Slept all evening. Went to same C. P. as last evening.
TO DOWNLOAD THIS BOOK: CLICK HERE: http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/591980.
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Re: Pat Ritter. Books

Postby patritter » Thu Jan 21, 2016 10:09 pm

'His Life Worth Living' - Page 43:

THURS APRIL 23: Report of big naval battle in Bay of Bengal in which Japan was forced to retire. On ration party this day and had a very long walk to get rice, sugar and salt. Had few licks of sugar and managed to get a little coarse salt. Latter better than sugar. Another big party standing by for Singapore. Went to lecture on Moral and Political Philosophy before tea and afterwards a lecture on Workings of Stock Exchange.

FRI APRIL 24: Still seem to be day out for tomorrow is Anzac Day which must be 25th. Auger boring fatigue this evening which means this morning off. Had hair cut? Very cold all day in fact the coldest day we have experienced since we have been in Malaya. Cold right up to night.

SAT APRIL 25: Anzac Day this day and I rose before dawn and went to Dawn Service. Fairly cool but a very big crowd of men present. Went to lecture on Political and Hist. Science in evening. Had a duty after tea which allowed me next day off.

SUN APRIL 26: Went to communion in morning and after breakfast went to church service. Read rest of morning. Rumour has it that battle in Indian Ocean resulted in our favour. We lost 14 ships. Japs lost 30. Jap Govt supposed to have fallen. Our fleet of Java. We are supposed to be freed in next few weeks. Hope so but I don’t hold much faith in these rumours. Our diet has been cut down by Jap. We are now receiving 13oz rice and extra flour each day 2oz. I think. We are certainly getting more buns now and I think I like the diet more with the increase in flour than here to fore. Cricket match between English and A.I.F. on old Padang today. I don’t know where they get the energy to play. I have none. Limited number of spectators allowed to cross into English area. Hauled into job in evening kit carrying. Japs have allowed us our kits back after examination but of course everything is mixed up so it is very doubtful if we will ever get our personal things back although the officer in charge says we will. Capt Gill came back from Singapore for short while today. The boys working under him sent their last issue of cigarettes out to us for they are getting plenty in there. Another fellow “Parker” came back from Bukit Timor mob and says the men are working very hard and not being fed badly and certainly not good. Went for stroll after tea.
TO DOWNLOAD THIS BOOK: CLICK HERE: http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/591980.
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Re: Pat Ritter. Books

Postby patritter » Fri Jan 22, 2016 7:25 pm

'His Life Worth Living' - Page 44:

MON APRIL 27: Auger boring off this morning. Someone has taken the auger again. Went for long stroll in morning around area. Then to lecture at 12.00 on General Farming. After lunch Cooperative Marketing. Later in evening Political Science. After tea A.I.F. concert which was very good. Feeling very well this day. Cooks getting the larger issue of flour so we are getting two buns a day. Extraordinary the difference extra bread does to man. Rice not much good to stick to man.

TUES APRIL 28: Feel splendid this morning. Even a meal of stew (once a week) for breakfast and it was my turn to back up. Did some latrine work in morning and slept all evening. Went to Advertising Lecture after tea which was interesting. Start of ad. campaign to sell Aquafit bathing costumes. Should prove worth going.
TO DOWNLOAD THIS BOOK: CLICK HERE: http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/591980.
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Re: Pat Ritter. Books

Postby patritter » Sat Jan 23, 2016 9:51 pm

'His Life Worth Living' - Page 45:

WED APRIL 29: Emperor of Japans birthday and he has given us holiday. Does not mean much in Army. I am to go down to sea to get salt water to cook with. It’s a long way but I feel well. Had good walk and feel reasonably tired. Went away from mob of about 500 and went scrounging. Got 1 coconut. One fellow got 1 nut, caught! Fined 3 pound. The area where the nuts are is English. Did not bother to go for swim. Enjoyed the nut. Went to lecture on National Wealth. Very interesting. There seem to be men in this army who can lecture on anything under the sun and give it very intelligently. No doubt army personnel is slice of citizens of country with its best and worst. The brains are very much in evidence here in this time of trial. The spirit of men during last few days has changed considerably. Don’t know if it is due to extra bun each day or the reassuring rumours. One man has bet all his money in pay book at least 50 pound that we will be home by end of July. I am not that optimistic but I think we have every hope to think we will be free by August. Went to concert again after tea which was one of best put on for some time. 1 bun, 1 piece of pastry and rice (delicious). Rice and sort of rice soup. I had a piece of nut afterwards. Had tin of pineapple between 3 men at lunch time which amounted to 9 cubes each. They were marvellous. So we had had quite a good day. Hope Emperor Tojo gets a 100 birthdays a year.

THURS APRIL 30: On cleaning drains of sand this morning. Threat of further decrease in food issue and there are food riots in Singapore. Things must be very bad for the natives to riot. They are a very poor spirited lot and would take a lot to rouse them. Read book “Cattle King Kidman” Very impressed. Went to lecture on Aristotle. Bit over my head. After tea went to second lecture Stock Exchange. Yarned over ways to cook food in bush and found a few more ways to cook mutton. Have to try them when get out again. About 11pm J T heard loud shouts and whistles in rubber. Later found out Malays are way laying our men who are scrounging and robbing them. Robbing the robbers. The Japs have been on to them and that was the whistles we heard.
TO DOWNLOAD THIS BOOK: CLICK HERE: http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/591980.
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