'His Life Worth Living' - Page 55:
THURS MAY 28: Another day for Jap. Had a good day in morning. Just one load gravel. Rained all day. In evening had to carry cement, sand and gravel for concrete. Had stand over Jap and in the end he got on my nerves. I felt like hitting him. Would very likely get shot if I did. Rain made things very uncomfortable and came home very miserable. Had good meal for tea, stew with lots of leaves and little meat but could have eaten as much again. Some Japanese just bastards some very good. Saw a large dump of petrol when getting gravel. Can’t understand why it was not destroyed. There are a lot of Jap graves all along Bukit Timor Rd. Also saw British Bomber being carted to Singapore. Looked as if it had been on ground for long time and was evidently destroyed on ground. Scored a pkt of lollies after tea. Must have been about 40 in lot but too many mates. I had 9. Fellow waited ½ hr until Jap guard went away and then threw them over wire to me.
FRI MAY 29: Off to good start to Bukit Timor. Had a good job today, put pipes down for water to guard hut. Did not do too much work and had descent Jap over us. Brought us down bucket of tea. It was very sweet and enjoyed by all. Knocked off early and it was said Jap had bad news. I think it’s just a rumour. That’s 40c we have earned. Noticed that Singapore seems to have got a good lacing judging by town end of Serangoon rd. Every house and shop had a shell or bomb fall on them and some were razed to the ground. All the roads seem to be patched up.
SAT MAY 30: Back to Bukit Timor today. Struck a good job in morning loading sleepers on to lorry. We got them from bridge supports and I knocked the spikes out. Did not do much lifting. The bridges were not damaged very much. Bad job all through. In evening got another load of sleepers and then went to stn. Making new ramp and fooled around until they knocked us off at 6pm. Had trouble with transport and finished up by running out of juice and had to push about ½ mile and another truck came from camp to our rescue. Got home 7.30pm and had mess immediately such as it was.
SUN MAY 31: Queer day today. All Nippon’s affairs seem to be mixed. First only 1 truck came for 80 men. Then when we got to Ford park there was no work for about ¼ of us so we sat down and proceeded to do nothing all day. It was a good spell and we made the most of it. Had the good luck to pinch 2 tins of milk from the back of truck won in Egypt. Rained coming home and all got wet. It appears that all main soldiers had day off today and only low class soldiers left. Certainly the brains seemed to be away.
MON JUNE 1: Struck another good job today. Went to Mandai Rd for sand and had to paddle in creek for it but had descent Jap over us. He went and got us a cup of coffee each. 10 of us and it was good and sweet. In evening had to carry bag of cement about 200 yds up hill. Rooted me but stood it better than some. Then went for more sand. Jap went on the hunt for bananas and pines but could not find any. Sikhs gave us a couple of coconuts between us. Not so hungry tonight as usual. We passed the oil wells and saw they were well and truly blown up and burnt. 48 of them and each would hold ½ million gallons. Total wreck now. Saw the turn off to first gun position on Mandai Rd and it brought back memories of 4 months ago. Notice Japanese are making park alongside camp. Hope we have not to dismantle them. I did not think it possible to get so many wrecked vehicles in such huge areas. The polo and surrounding grounds are full and various other open places. Had skin and short arm inspection after tea. Latter rather ridiculous.
TUES JUNE 2: Fortunate in getting good boss again today. Was digging trenches, foundations for building digout. Did not work very hard. Struck the dishes coming from Jap mess and had Dixie full of meat stew. It was wonderful. Afraid dignity suffered but it will have to suffer while food is around. Have felt full ever since. Jap sprung surprise on us today. Got us side and half of beef and young piglet about 50lb rations for 5 days. Should be all right if we get our share. Can’t complain about food today. Saw place in drain where I took shelter from M. Gunning aircraft. Looks harmless now.
WED JUNE 3: Same job as yesterday but only worked in morning. Found a shady corner and sat down in evening. Did not do much in food line and very hungry this evening. Japs have double guards everywhere, first time we have seen any. Supposed to be a manoeuvre. Rumour that Russia has declared war on Japan 11pm last night. Maybe something in it the way the Japs are acting.
THURS JUNE 4: Ran into bit of bad luck this morning early. Got caught taking tin of jam. Got couple of slaps from one Jap across face and then taken to guard house. Was confined to guard hut until Fri evening. Got no meals at all first day but was not ill-treated except for lot of throwing off by guard. Think we had guards sympathy although they have queer sense of humour and I think would only
if our heads rolled in dirt. The other fellow and I fully expected to be flogged at least. Had to sleep in hut with guard on duty all night. Floor was of blue metal fist big, very hard on back. Not much sleep. About midnight boss of guard woke us up and sneaked us a piece of pine each and then a dish of rice. Was feeling very hungry at time.
FRI JUNE 5: Still in guard house and had some sleep. Mate did not do so well. Has no shirt and skeeters very bad. Not hungry now. Looks as if we will be in here for rest of day. Had scraping of guard tin for breakfast. Did not appease appetite. Slow morning and none of our fellows came near us. Lunch time and no feed so called M.P. Tommy from gate and told him. He sent for interpreter. In meantime Jap gave us some rice and cucumber. Had good fill of it not knowing when our feed would come? Later in morning Jap Commandant CATO came and gave us a talking to and told us next time we would be handed over to M.P. That means execution. Then told us we would be free when our party went home. We were definitely unlucky in being caught for practically all the other fellows had something and the English are taking things as half carcases of beef and full cases of milk and bully. Have to be very careful not to be caught again for I think they will shoot us at least because we got off very lightly with just a bit of starving. Fellows very curious as to treatment when I got home. After tea was paraded to Major but of course not charged. Told us to lift as much as possible but to be careful not to get caught. Last night 2 men A.W.L. also and Japs got on to them. Everyone up until 9pm. Btn parade at dusk with large evidence of civs. Major gave us talking during which he said if there was any hope of escape he would help us but there was none. Also said again to mob to lift all they could but not to get caught. During talk boree was dragging tins down street and several of natives shouted out to them to stop! Be quiet! etc in English as they could not hear what was being said. Wonder what they thought of it all. The crowning piece of all of course was during the whole of the talk Jap was walking up and down lines counting men but of course could not understand a word. After seeing guard through night am certain Jap would never be surprised. Guard does 24 hr duty and have patrolling pickets also. Curfew enforced and all cars held up at barrier. Order by officer came around 4 times and complete black out enforced. Jap very alert whole time. 2 Men still away at btn parade.
SAT JUNE 6: Could have stayed home today but went out. Thought I may be able to get something extra. Went way up to Johore Bahru to get oil. Trip very interesting for first time we had seen what damage we had done. Town was well battered but not razed. Gov building was bashed a bit esp the tower. Causeway was blown up for 15 yds near town and Gate was well blown up. Main rd bridges to Nevere were well blown up and must have caused lot of trouble. Oil from wells ran right down to Straits and must have been one mass of flow. Trees destroyed. Brought 1 load of dieseline in morning and one in evening. Had lunch at 3pm but got extra from Japs. Got home very late but good tea on stewed pork and I had plenty. Very tired this night and think I will sleep well.
SUN JUNE 7: Only 50 men wanted today but thought I might as well go for get nothing staying in camp. Cleaned up heap of rubbish and scored plenty of meat stew at lunch time. Came home at 2pm and had sleep in evening. Boys got large number of cigarettes over wire today. Still quite full at tea time and did not eat any rice. I also got hold of some potatoes and will hang on to them. Rumour that Changi all packed up.
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