Re: Pat Ritter. Books
Posted: Tue Feb 16, 2016 9:38 pm
'His Life Worth Living' - Page 69:
TUES JAN 4: 12 months since I had first malaria & here I am again. Much better now & starting to come back on dry food. Told today Sikh guards have been taken off. Japs have M.G. fronts along coast where we get salt water & barb wired. Supposed to be red X ship in hope so.
SUN JAN 10: Back better again & will soon be finished my course. Concert Party gave show in the ward yesterday. Weighed today 9.2.
SAT JAN 16: Was disch from hosp on 14 & came back to unit. M.O. next morning gave me week N.D. No pay either. Food is lacking but cooks are doing a very good job with rations available. No meat whatever now & think deficiency diseases will break out again shortly. Unit seems to be quite happy there being 20-60 Bty & 18th R.H.Q. Blow is in charge of our Bty & Hunt in charge of Regiment. We have own library & ham dressers, Tailor, Boot Repairers & broom factory latter functioning for past month & makes brooms from bamboo & coconut palms. Do an excellent job & supply mainly Hosp. Fair amount of sport – football, cricket, volley & basketball. Good to be back with own crowd again although met some very good acquaintances in other Units in general mix up. Was in a quiz team last night against other Bty & won quite easily. Weather exceptionally cold for past fortnight & have been wearing woollens. News although suppressed seems to be excellent. Dutch are being taken away 600 each day as from 14 & it is rumoured we are next. Dentist is inspecting all men. Must comment on excellent treatment in Hosp now. It is indeed excellent & although there is discrepancy in food occasionally the attention & treatment is the best one would get anywhere. Three weeks ago RX officer & Maj Wyatt were caught outside & were imprisoned at Changi. Maj Wyatt is up hosp with appendicitis now with 24 hr guard & other is in sol confinement.
MON JAN 23: Very disastrous week for me. Big outbreak of diarrhoea & of course I had to get it being weak still from malaria. Cause suspect type of food poisoning. Quite a number sent to Hosp. I was in M.I.R. for 2 days & more N.D. Feel very different about food. I did a starve for 3 meals. Mates came to rescue with some shallots which helped the rice down. Large number of men going down with worms & Mal. Lot of men have sore mouths due to diet deficiency. Hosp authorities expect thousands in next 3 months. Vol collection by men on pay day which was sufficient to pay N.D. men 30 units. 2 Chinese caught by Japs doing Black Market work outside & were beheaded & stuck up on wire in warning to all inside wire.
FRI JAN 29: Rumour of capitulation of Germany. Am on L.D. now. Had 2nd Dysentery needle. Going to Music Class now. Puts in time. Food still very light though cooks doing the best they can with what they have. Issue by Japs consists of 1lb rice, small amount of sweet potatoes & pumpkin. Very lean diet. Buy few things with pay but I will miss 3 wks. Japs have not inspected us for past 2 days. Some talk of broadcast home by 4 of Reg from Queens Party incident during week in half. Fellow had $120 stolen & eventually was found on another fellow in room. They got awful bashing up. Eventually got 28 days in detention.
SUN FEB 1: Man who was missing was in area whole time. Ordance chaps fed him & sheltered him each night. M.P. got him 5 days afterward. Week later one of our chaps missing. Been away 2 days now & no sign. No reason & wore sand shoes. Presumed Japs picked him up in area after lights out. Excellent news from Russia. Germ seems to be on last legs. Local – still plenty of lessons going on. I go to Music Apprec twice week. Cel Concert came over & I had reserve ticket. Was excellent programme. Brig concert terrible affair. Major Bucknell back with unit. Wonderful fellow. Very heavy weather for past 4 days. Japs ordered parade 2 mornings ago & we had to get up at 6 am in heavy rain. It was cancelled but can be on any time. Saw unusual scene in infantry lines. Top floor cleared & dancing taking place. Good dance band & large number of men dressed in woman’s clothes. Caste of Turn dancers select your partners for dance & seem to be enjoyed by all.
SUN FEB 14: Had Jap parade yesterday. Called at 10 mins notice & had to march to Hospital Padang, waited until 2pm then Japs came to take film of us. Rain interrupted quite a lot. Number of Jap soldiers some with bandages on others with sticks limping made very convincing picture of victorious Jap Army. Very good propaganda with Jap ashes in white boxes & battle flag. Feel contemptuous of whole turnout. No lunch & in our present weak state missing one meal is like starving for whole week. Nearly week since Japs issued us with anything but rice & we have had to exist on what we could buy with amenities. Hope he does not get us out again for film taking. 3 mornings are enough. Man who was missing turned up with excuse of loss of memory. Don’t think his tale will hold water after the psychiatrist gets on to him. Churchill think war will finish in 9 months hope we will last long on this tucker. Foresee grave results if Nip doesn’t improve rations. Think myself he has not the food to give us.
WED FEB 24: Went on first tractor party today for nearly 3 mths getting wood about 2 miles away now near sea & other side of gaol. Long pull. Started craft week ago & have been along to club few times, find it most interesting & will help me to become familiar with working when we come out of here. Went to local coral concert last night & found they had improved a good deal since Christmas but they are still very mediocre. One redeeming feature was Padre Foster Henry who sang a few songs. He has excellent voice. Seems to be wave of Communism flowing through camp & I would not be surprised if when we are released from here most of us will have “Red” tendency. Men working on road near gaol saw European women going down to ocean for swim. They seemed to be in good spirits & looked well. I saw the men today & they look well. Some were a bit sickly. Few boys with them. Japs have altered time for evening parade to 7 pm. The Europeans were guarded by Sikh police some of which had rifles with bayonets & others with long staffs. Our food seems to be very light stuff & we all have very slim figures. Padre Foster H gave a talk on Singers during week which was interesting. He seems to have met most famous singers. News still seems to continue good. Think Stalin very upset about no second front being opened up. During his speech celebrating 21st ann, of Soviet regime. He mentioned it again when all were congratulating him on his victories. Have drawn couple of maps on wall to indicate advance of Reds & they have made wonderful recovery.
THURS MARCH 4: Have new job now on slop cart. Put time in. Another move back over 18A. Just our flat & move only temporary. Have electric light which is great convenience & advantage. Large convoy came in this morning. Heard lecture one Brit. Guana last night. At Xson as usual & this weeks talk was on Ceylon, excellently given. Last weeks talk was on Dope smuggling in Singapore & I think best lecture I have ever heard. O. Operatives & organization. P. Prevention & patrol. I. Investigation. Information. U. Utopia. & M. Method & Marijuana. Each story in itself & given by Inspector of Singa Customs. Jap supply of food very light & we pay 30c amenities now receiving 55 cents per pay. All mine goes on peanuts & bananas. Regt has instituted small race game to try & get enough cash to pay our fellows in Hosp. Succeeded this week. Although do not agree with method the result is satisfactory. Levy of 10c made by A.I.F. for white bait & rice polishings. This is of course as it should be.
MON MARCH 8: Big news in air. Another party for W. 2,500 A.I.F. & 2,500 Eng leaving within few days. No malaria or dysentery for last 2 mths men not going so will not be going. Will take most of our fit men to fill quota. Maj. Buck. will be staying & will be in charge very likely. Black Jack looking after his own men again. Very few of his own men going. They appear to be taking over Garden Party. 1900 go to Blakam Mute Island on a working party. A scheme being worked up to have big Re Union dinner when we go home. Some talk of Sub Branch of R.S.S.I.L.A. consisting of 2/10 men alone. About 1500 men working in Garden & they are getting 5c per day extra. Garden Control in hands of Black Jack completely now. Big area under cultivation but not much coming off it for us. Must be going to Japs. Forgot to say that 14 days ago we had dysentery test. Rather embarrassing in open but everyone had to be done so novelty soon wore off. We have also had Typhoid & Dysentery injections so Japs seem to be afraid we may get some in the place where the party is going. Best news of all is that mail is in, about 60,000 letters. Postal Unit are sorting it at gaol & we should get it within a few days. Hope mine will be there. Supposed to be 4 mths old but will be new to us.
TO DOWNLOAD THIS BOOK: CLICK HERE: http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/591980.
TUES JAN 4: 12 months since I had first malaria & here I am again. Much better now & starting to come back on dry food. Told today Sikh guards have been taken off. Japs have M.G. fronts along coast where we get salt water & barb wired. Supposed to be red X ship in hope so.
SUN JAN 10: Back better again & will soon be finished my course. Concert Party gave show in the ward yesterday. Weighed today 9.2.
SAT JAN 16: Was disch from hosp on 14 & came back to unit. M.O. next morning gave me week N.D. No pay either. Food is lacking but cooks are doing a very good job with rations available. No meat whatever now & think deficiency diseases will break out again shortly. Unit seems to be quite happy there being 20-60 Bty & 18th R.H.Q. Blow is in charge of our Bty & Hunt in charge of Regiment. We have own library & ham dressers, Tailor, Boot Repairers & broom factory latter functioning for past month & makes brooms from bamboo & coconut palms. Do an excellent job & supply mainly Hosp. Fair amount of sport – football, cricket, volley & basketball. Good to be back with own crowd again although met some very good acquaintances in other Units in general mix up. Was in a quiz team last night against other Bty & won quite easily. Weather exceptionally cold for past fortnight & have been wearing woollens. News although suppressed seems to be excellent. Dutch are being taken away 600 each day as from 14 & it is rumoured we are next. Dentist is inspecting all men. Must comment on excellent treatment in Hosp now. It is indeed excellent & although there is discrepancy in food occasionally the attention & treatment is the best one would get anywhere. Three weeks ago RX officer & Maj Wyatt were caught outside & were imprisoned at Changi. Maj Wyatt is up hosp with appendicitis now with 24 hr guard & other is in sol confinement.
MON JAN 23: Very disastrous week for me. Big outbreak of diarrhoea & of course I had to get it being weak still from malaria. Cause suspect type of food poisoning. Quite a number sent to Hosp. I was in M.I.R. for 2 days & more N.D. Feel very different about food. I did a starve for 3 meals. Mates came to rescue with some shallots which helped the rice down. Large number of men going down with worms & Mal. Lot of men have sore mouths due to diet deficiency. Hosp authorities expect thousands in next 3 months. Vol collection by men on pay day which was sufficient to pay N.D. men 30 units. 2 Chinese caught by Japs doing Black Market work outside & were beheaded & stuck up on wire in warning to all inside wire.
FRI JAN 29: Rumour of capitulation of Germany. Am on L.D. now. Had 2nd Dysentery needle. Going to Music Class now. Puts in time. Food still very light though cooks doing the best they can with what they have. Issue by Japs consists of 1lb rice, small amount of sweet potatoes & pumpkin. Very lean diet. Buy few things with pay but I will miss 3 wks. Japs have not inspected us for past 2 days. Some talk of broadcast home by 4 of Reg from Queens Party incident during week in half. Fellow had $120 stolen & eventually was found on another fellow in room. They got awful bashing up. Eventually got 28 days in detention.
SUN FEB 1: Man who was missing was in area whole time. Ordance chaps fed him & sheltered him each night. M.P. got him 5 days afterward. Week later one of our chaps missing. Been away 2 days now & no sign. No reason & wore sand shoes. Presumed Japs picked him up in area after lights out. Excellent news from Russia. Germ seems to be on last legs. Local – still plenty of lessons going on. I go to Music Apprec twice week. Cel Concert came over & I had reserve ticket. Was excellent programme. Brig concert terrible affair. Major Bucknell back with unit. Wonderful fellow. Very heavy weather for past 4 days. Japs ordered parade 2 mornings ago & we had to get up at 6 am in heavy rain. It was cancelled but can be on any time. Saw unusual scene in infantry lines. Top floor cleared & dancing taking place. Good dance band & large number of men dressed in woman’s clothes. Caste of Turn dancers select your partners for dance & seem to be enjoyed by all.
SUN FEB 14: Had Jap parade yesterday. Called at 10 mins notice & had to march to Hospital Padang, waited until 2pm then Japs came to take film of us. Rain interrupted quite a lot. Number of Jap soldiers some with bandages on others with sticks limping made very convincing picture of victorious Jap Army. Very good propaganda with Jap ashes in white boxes & battle flag. Feel contemptuous of whole turnout. No lunch & in our present weak state missing one meal is like starving for whole week. Nearly week since Japs issued us with anything but rice & we have had to exist on what we could buy with amenities. Hope he does not get us out again for film taking. 3 mornings are enough. Man who was missing turned up with excuse of loss of memory. Don’t think his tale will hold water after the psychiatrist gets on to him. Churchill think war will finish in 9 months hope we will last long on this tucker. Foresee grave results if Nip doesn’t improve rations. Think myself he has not the food to give us.
WED FEB 24: Went on first tractor party today for nearly 3 mths getting wood about 2 miles away now near sea & other side of gaol. Long pull. Started craft week ago & have been along to club few times, find it most interesting & will help me to become familiar with working when we come out of here. Went to local coral concert last night & found they had improved a good deal since Christmas but they are still very mediocre. One redeeming feature was Padre Foster Henry who sang a few songs. He has excellent voice. Seems to be wave of Communism flowing through camp & I would not be surprised if when we are released from here most of us will have “Red” tendency. Men working on road near gaol saw European women going down to ocean for swim. They seemed to be in good spirits & looked well. I saw the men today & they look well. Some were a bit sickly. Few boys with them. Japs have altered time for evening parade to 7 pm. The Europeans were guarded by Sikh police some of which had rifles with bayonets & others with long staffs. Our food seems to be very light stuff & we all have very slim figures. Padre Foster H gave a talk on Singers during week which was interesting. He seems to have met most famous singers. News still seems to continue good. Think Stalin very upset about no second front being opened up. During his speech celebrating 21st ann, of Soviet regime. He mentioned it again when all were congratulating him on his victories. Have drawn couple of maps on wall to indicate advance of Reds & they have made wonderful recovery.
THURS MARCH 4: Have new job now on slop cart. Put time in. Another move back over 18A. Just our flat & move only temporary. Have electric light which is great convenience & advantage. Large convoy came in this morning. Heard lecture one Brit. Guana last night. At Xson as usual & this weeks talk was on Ceylon, excellently given. Last weeks talk was on Dope smuggling in Singapore & I think best lecture I have ever heard. O. Operatives & organization. P. Prevention & patrol. I. Investigation. Information. U. Utopia. & M. Method & Marijuana. Each story in itself & given by Inspector of Singa Customs. Jap supply of food very light & we pay 30c amenities now receiving 55 cents per pay. All mine goes on peanuts & bananas. Regt has instituted small race game to try & get enough cash to pay our fellows in Hosp. Succeeded this week. Although do not agree with method the result is satisfactory. Levy of 10c made by A.I.F. for white bait & rice polishings. This is of course as it should be.
MON MARCH 8: Big news in air. Another party for W. 2,500 A.I.F. & 2,500 Eng leaving within few days. No malaria or dysentery for last 2 mths men not going so will not be going. Will take most of our fit men to fill quota. Maj. Buck. will be staying & will be in charge very likely. Black Jack looking after his own men again. Very few of his own men going. They appear to be taking over Garden Party. 1900 go to Blakam Mute Island on a working party. A scheme being worked up to have big Re Union dinner when we go home. Some talk of Sub Branch of R.S.S.I.L.A. consisting of 2/10 men alone. About 1500 men working in Garden & they are getting 5c per day extra. Garden Control in hands of Black Jack completely now. Big area under cultivation but not much coming off it for us. Must be going to Japs. Forgot to say that 14 days ago we had dysentery test. Rather embarrassing in open but everyone had to be done so novelty soon wore off. We have also had Typhoid & Dysentery injections so Japs seem to be afraid we may get some in the place where the party is going. Best news of all is that mail is in, about 60,000 letters. Postal Unit are sorting it at gaol & we should get it within a few days. Hope mine will be there. Supposed to be 4 mths old but will be new to us.
TO DOWNLOAD THIS BOOK: CLICK HERE: http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/591980.