Harry's Story

28 May 1945

Still at War

28 May 2025

Had another pleasant day on the farm.

It appears that one of the Dutch Other Ranks was caught lighting a cigarette from a home made electric lighter. He got such a beating up as to render him unconscious, and, in order to prove that he was so, they tried live coals on the bottoms of his feet. The Dutch Officers were also lined up and given a bit of a beating (including the Doctor).

Rumour has it that smoking has been stopped for a week. Whether this applies to the Dutch only is not yet known - though the Dutch have had to hand in their cigarettes.

We can now heave a sigh of relief as there is nothing in the rumour of Churchill resigning.

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7 July 1945

Had a shock for the evening meal; got a small portion of tinned salmon with the rice but we but there was no stew as vegetables did not arrive at the Camp. The latest rumour is that we have now got Singapore, Malaya and Java and are in Sumatra. Also

6 July 1945

At about midnight last night it sounded as if hell had been let loose in the New Officers Hut, and we were preparing for a good beating up. It finally turned out that these Officers were pulled out to go and unload a lorry load of nails, wire, etc. The

5 July 1945

Quite a few incidents of stealing of cigarettes and beatings up have occurred lately with the Guards, who are the culprits. They went to the Other Ranks Hut, next to ours yesterday and turned over all kits and took away about 16 packets of American cigarettes. Five men were caught

4 July 1945

Another raid last night with plenty of aircraft passing over for some considerable time so I guess they got it thick and heavy somewhere. There is an interesting rumour going around to the effect that there has been a big naval battle and that the Japanese fleet is practically non-est.