13 May 1945

We had to fall in at 1 o/c for a speech by the Commander.

He pointed out that in the past we had been working for our health, but that in future we would have to work longer and harder in order to retain our health by working for more food. He said that the food position in Japan was acute and of we did not work harder we would get less to eat.

We have now got to work from 8 o/c to 11.30 and 1 o/c to 5 o/c with 1/c hr rest both morning and afternoon.

He reiterated that we would have to be diligent and tend the crops to get the most out of them, because what we produced would go into our own stomachs (He did not say that an equivalent weight of rice or vegetables of Japanese issue would be deducted in exchange, as is the Japanese way)

There were two Alarms during the afternoon but we continued to work.