Hot, cool breeze.
Veg. came in but no papers.
Much conjecture re fate of 3rd.Parcel. Everyone feeling well fed at present, a splendid feeling.
Chopped wood.
With Steve pm.
Broom died.
General Sutton in a bad way due to malnutrition.
Rumour persisted re Germany’s collapse 15th. Rice 20Y per lb in Camp. Chicken raffle 1575.
Cooler, fine.
Thiamin.
Papers issued.
Allies enter Germany through Siegfried on 85 ml front. Neuchatel captured 13th. Belfort Gap being approached. Soviets enter Checho Slovakia [sic] 13th. Heavy bombing of Mindanao continues. US forces drove 8 mls into Germany E of St Virth in direction of Pruss/Prum?. Maastricht captured 14th. Praga, suburb of Warsaw captured 14th. Advance made into Coriane S of Rimini. Pacific Offensive commenced according to Chinese paper, landings made Palao & Merotai.
Liver pm meal.
With Steve pm. Nice mug of tea & a smoke.
Cloudy, windy & cooler.
Thiamin.
Back order salt made up.
Allied Airborne Troops landed on Dutch German border 17th. N. bank of Rhine. Metz attacked. Battle for Warsaw commenced. Soviets made a deep breach in German line N of Bauska.
With Steve pm.
Majority of people no smokes now
Squally NE cool.
4 Cigs = 1 Tin Corned beef. Took a couple down to Steve & Mary.
Workers oil & sugar issued.
Progress being made on Pililion Angaur & Morotai Islands & the Japs admit that it is all in preparation for big scale landings in the Philippines. Allies now through Siegfried Line & 20 mls from Cologne. Paratroops landed in Holland reinforced.
Electric supply to be resumed shortly , so say the Japs.
With Steve pm.
NE Squalls, cool.
Chopped wood.
Thiamin.
3rd parcel issued. A few smokes would round off our degree of pleasure & satisfaction.
Eindhoven & Bologne captured. Russians & Bulgarians cut down into Salonica.
With Steve pm.
Shik yin & pui cho ker ho. [Cantonese? Sik Yin & Bui Cha Gei Ho? A cigarette & cup tea very fine? (my guess!)]
Hot, light breeze.
Thiamin.
Chopped wood.
4oz oil, 1.06oz Sugar, 1oz Tea & 1oz Curry Pwdr. issued.
Chopped up more wood for Rita.
Hitler takes over Supreme Command. Nancy captured 19th.
With Steve pm. Nice shower after.
Paper again tells us electric power & tobacco supply to be resumed.
Air-raid alarm 9.50pm. Plane around about 10 but nothing happened. All-clear 10.45pm.
Hot.
Saw Dr. Thomas re oedema. Better, off Thiamin & on Vitamin capsules every other day for 1 wk.
Lessons with Gemmel. ((Probably Miss Gemmell, a teacher, though there was also a fellow prison officer Mr Gemmel in the camp.))
1yr since Canadians left. I wonder how many of them will trouble to remember.
Chopped wood.
With Steve pm. E there too.
Barnett won chicken.
Heard Air-raid alarm 9.50pm & all clear 10.10pm but nothing happened locally.
Jap holiday. Autumn Festival.
Planes over early am but no bombing or opposition except searchlights that were switched on much too late.
Cut grass.
Few words am re unnecessary noise.
Sky overcast 3pm. NE wind.
Tried “Kam” meat loaf, most excellent.
Lorry & provisions 6.30pm.
Germany capitulated 22nd? No more papers to be sent in (rumour)
With Steve pm.
Lights on 7.30 to 9.30 pm first time since 19th Aug.
Humid, overcast. W wind.
Filled up cracks in Stone’s room. ((Not sure which Stone he is referring to))
Chopped wood.
Salt fish, veg & papers arrived.
Philipppines declare war on Anglo US 23rd. 500 planes bombed Manila. No E. news.
With Steve pm.
Humid, overcast.
Air-raid early am.
Had to go to H.Qs at 2pm to read R.C. message sent by Marj. (Why they cannot be given to us heaven knows) All is well with them both bless ‘em.
With Steve pm.
Lorry arrived 7.15pm with wood.
Finns break off Dip. relations with Japan 23rd.
Hot, SW wind.
Making wheel-barrow, somewhat difficult due to lack of tools.
Procured a little Suk Yin so went down to Steve & gave him some.
Chopped wood.
With Steve pm.
Painted bath.
7 Jap planes patrolling.
Hot. S wind.
Wheelbarrow.
Chopped wood.
Lorry arrived 5pm with Canteen gear. No cigs.
Workers cigs issued.
With Steve pm.
Air-raid alarm 8.50. All clear 9.30pm.
Hot. NE wind, cloudy.
Chopped wood, Finished wheel-barrow & repaired trolley.
Steve sent me up 5 cigs.
Tried the parcel butter today 100%!!
With Steve pm. Kids learning to write their alphabet.
Humid, E wind, cloudy, showery.
Letter cards for the kids.
Last showing of “Call it a Day”.
2 matches issued.
Canteen No.2.
With Steve pm. They gave me more cigs. Pkts being sold for Y30.
The local paper (recently taken over by the Information Bureau) does its best to make Allied efforts seem to no avail, but close study makes it obvious that the Japs are as much in the dark as to truthful news of Europe as we are & their Pacific news has been edited in order to suit themselves & anyone else willing to believe them. Today is the one I drew in the sweep for Germany’s collapse.
Cooler, E wind, cloudy.
Very poor rations. Issue of vitamin tablets commenced.
Tiffin coffee with Mrs. Brown. ((MW Brown?))
Altered wheelbarrow for C. Jones.
No lorry, no news, no smokes.
With Steve pm.
Full moon.
Dutch complain re woodchopping in quiet hour.
((Not sure who C Jones refers to.))
Cooler, NE wind, cloudy.
Chopped wood am.
Oil, tea & sugar issued.
Poor meals today.
Lorry arrived 5.45pm. No cigs blast their bloody hides.
With Steve pm.
Smoking papia [sic - papaya?] leaves.
Electric current suspended again.
Overcast, warm, NE wind.
Employed shifting workshop am & pm.
Chopped wood.
Lorry arrived with firewood & milk. No cigs.
With Steve pm.
All war news good but our position here is deteriorating due to Jap inability to procure supplies.
Warm, breeze from NE.
Shifting workshop + then brick carrying 1170lbs.
2 lorries came in with wood etc. but no cigs.
Poor inadequate rations.
With Steve pm fixing up double bunk ex riverboat.
Warm, overcast later NE light breeze.
Bricks 1170lbs & woodchopping.
Excellent news from all fronts. Russians land on smaller island (Gagoe) in Riga Bay. Siegfried line penetrated further, Eupen captured, Germans retire from pillboxes to other strong points in rear. Pililion airfield in use by US.
Took couple of smokes to Steve at noon, cup of tea.
Paper announces birth of 12 snakes to a coolie woman in a “certain” hospital.
Lorry arrived with wood, no cigs.
With Steve pm, pablum, coffee and suk yin.
Warm, variable wind. Overcast pm.
Carried bricks 1170lbs.
Lorry arrived 6.30pm but still no cigs.
With Steve pm no smokes.
Cake & raisin wine with Webber, his 50th. birthday.