Walter Pollock and James Richardson move from Farley Road to No 1 Temple Hill, which is where Malaya Command HQ (MCHQ) staff are housed.
9th April 1942: Pollock becomes 2nd-In-Charge in MCHQ cookhouse.
12th April 1942: Pollock & McNiece out on Purchasing Party. Had a good haul – Bread and Coconut Oil. Had fried bread for supper, excellent. Morning chopping wood.
3rd May 1942: Glorious day. (Richardson) busy preparing lectures all day. Pollock shaved off his beard and looks very cadaverous. Pollock and John out to 11th Div for stores, but no luck. However good haul in the evening. Poor rations again: rice and little else. Hibiscus in sea-brine still popular in our group. Really helps down the rice and “rice porridge”.
17 May 1942: Remembrance Service for those who fell in Malayan Campaign. Our room had a “bumper” day; bread fried in coconut oil and jam on top; bully beef, fish, sweet potatoes and cucumber for suppoer. Guess the stomach felt pleased to receive a varied diet and some vitamins.
1st June 1942: Working in garden. Swimming, Mess meeting and Mess Committee. Sqd/Ldr Taylor, Capt Service and Lt Pollock appointed as cookhouse officers.
14 June 1942: Busy in garden. S/Ldr Taylor and Pollock made an excellent curry eith veg 9soinach, sweet potatos leaves, beans and tapioca leaves0 chillies and ginger. All from the garden. Voted a huge success as a curry tiffin.
20 June 1942: A big day. Japanese postcards supplied, one per man, to be sent home with news of our being POW. “I am a P.O.W. I am well and well treated. Love to all. JAR (James Richardson)”
3 July 1942: Understand that doubtful if our Emergency Regular Commissions (to 2nd Lts) got home to London.
8 July 1942: Large-scale air manoeuvres; some 70 planes over. One flight, triangular 27 – very fine as they returned flying very low. Gunnery practice and target planes out. Gramaphone; pianoforte concerto in E Flat Minor of Tchaikovsky; excellent. Pollock surpasses previous efforts in cooking.
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