{"id":2127,"date":"2013-08-04T19:54:07","date_gmt":"2013-08-04T09:54:07","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/wepidgeon.com\/pidgeonpost\/?p=2127"},"modified":"2015-08-03T12:04:45","modified_gmt":"2015-08-03T02:04:45","slug":"war-letters-borneo-3-aug-1945-weston","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/wepidgeon.com\/pidgeonpost\/?p=2127","title":{"rendered":"War Letters &#8211; Borneo: 3 Aug 1945, Weston; Jeep train to Beaufort"},"content":{"rendered":"<h6>W. E. Pidgeon<\/h6>\n<h6>c\/o Public Relations<\/h6>\n<h6>1 Aust Corps<\/h6>\n<h6>3 Aug Friday [1945]<\/h6>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Dear Jesso,<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Am in a stinking little grey bleached place called Weston &#8211; arrived here after 4 1\/2 hours in another barge and the trip was just as hot and dull as that from Brunei.\u00a0 Soft lotions of frankiness and myrth would be more beneficial to my skin than these down pouring blasts of heat.\u00a0 Yesterday in Labuan we took a day off and lazed in the sun and surf and under the coconut palms while the China Sea sent sweet cooling winds to dry away the sweats.\u00a0 It seemed so cool, although it was 87 degrees (symbol) in the shade of the tents that Cliff and I just sopped up sun in a big way.\u00a0 Half an hour after retiring to the tent I took on a particularly choice hue of Alizarin Crimson which makes a very striking colour combination in juxtaposition to my green shirt, and makes for a very tender shoulder, not the sort of shoulder on which to sling the many and weighty packs I am lugging around.\u00a0 We got up at 5.30 this morning, and waited till 8.15 for the barge to pull out.\u00a0 Of course this barge must miss contact with the 12.00 jeep train that runs from here to Beaufort.\u00a0 So we are waiting again.\u00a0 Just a mere 2 hours for the next.\u00a0 2 hours as lively as one could wish for &#8211; just as if you were on one of those unattended railway stations out west.\u00a0 This jeep train is, I believe, as I haven&#8217;t yet seen it, a collection of motley old carriages and trucks pulled along a light narrow gauged line by a jeep which has had its ordinary wheels replaced by a railway type.\u00a0 Weston is a hive of activity &#8211; three natives just staggered past.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Beaufort 8.30 pm.\u00a0 So far this is a bastard of a place.\u00a0 After a really stinking day we have been unloaded into an old evacuated house to which clings a rare odour of old Chinese or Japs.\u00a0 (At least that is what I presume that is what it is).\u00a0 To cap matters there&#8217;s no even a bleeding light in the whole flaming joint.\u00a0 Consequently I&#8217;m writing this in a Salvation Army social tent housing at the moment 25 lively tea drinkers and one cud-chewer which is me.\u00a0 The tables groan under the weight of many cuppas (or rather tinnas), the conversation is subdued but constant &#8211; the radio more than holds its own against all other noise.\u00a0 Four other diligent letter writers compete with my silence.\u00a0 It&#8217;s all very much like the lounge of an hotel only the liquor is tea (or whatever it may be &#8211; I am completely baffled by the taste) and the only occupants naturally are men.\u00a0 It is quietly social.\u00a0 And is the only place wherein I can find light enough to write this letter.\u00a0 Incidentally I am the only baldy in the place, and for that matter one of the few I meet in the whole army under the rank of Colonel or Brigadier.\u00a0 Nevertheless the fruitful climate of Borneo has brought forth on any arid head a fine crop of 4 or 5 brand new hairs.\u00a0 These grow straight and bravely upright down the centre of\u00a0 the field.\u00a0 My continuity of thought is breaking down under the strain of trying to hear what everyone is saying.\u00a0 The tea is evidentially encouraging them to compete with the volume of the wireless &#8211; the general level of noise has risen by 100 percent.\u00a0 I think I&#8217;ll have another go at the brew that is coming out now &#8211; it seems to have some stimulating virtues from what I can here.\u00a0 It&#8217;s hot and wet &#8211; it tastes sweet and has a dark cloudy look\u00a0 &#8211; but I still don\u2019t know what it is.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">The jeep train was worth the trip even if there is little in it as a serious drawing job.\u00a0 Perhaps a comic sketch.\u00a0 The steam engines which used to draw the trucks and carriages have broken down and are under repair.\u00a0 The ubiquitous jeep takes their place and draws up to 3 cars behind them. The one we came up on consisted of first a flat top truck, next an ordinary one, and lastly a box car for the rations.\u00a0 Chinese and Malays occupied the first, and soldiers the second.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter  wp-image-2131\" src=\"http:\/\/wepidgeon.com\/pidgeonpost\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/08\/jeep-train.jpg\" alt=\"jeep train\" width=\"600\" height=\"231\" srcset=\"https:\/\/wepidgeon.com\/pidgeonpost\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/08\/jeep-train.jpg 600w, https:\/\/wepidgeon.com\/pidgeonpost\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/08\/jeep-train-300x115.jpg 300w, https:\/\/wepidgeon.com\/pidgeonpost\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/08\/jeep-train-500x192.jpg 500w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px\" \/><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">It is an interesting trip.\u00a0 The narrow gauge leads the train by disused paddy fields through long and delightful tunnels of tropical green.\u00a0 The rubber trees meet in an arch overhead and the undergrowth that has been growing in the plantations for the last 3 1\/2 years forms walls of fern and palm and flowering lasiandra which brush the body as you pass.\u00a0 As a rule the track itself is carpeted in grass and only the polished lines indicate the way ahead.\u00a0 An intimate green pathway over which our trucks clunkety &#8211; clunk with all the noises save that of the great asthmatic huffing of a real train.\u00a0 Natives stand aside for us to pass and look just like the line people back home &#8211; but you miss the cry of &#8220;Paper! Paper!&#8221; At occasional clusters of houses in the plantations we pull up at a station and unload to the screechings and joviality&#8217;s of the Chinese.\u00a0 I shall continue the train trip further onto Papar in a few days time.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Am looking forward to getting a letter in a few days.\u00a0 I hope that you are both all right &#8211; also Mum.\u00a0 How&#8217;s the pool and fitties?\u00a0 Have you been giving the Coyes a rest.\u00a0 I am feeling very holy and very well &#8211; don&#8217;t care if I don&#8217;t have a drink at all and certainly have no desire to collect myself any more hangovers.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Lots of love dear &#8211; tell little Graham Poppa thinks often of him always when I see the kids up here and there are thousands of them.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Love<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Bill<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_2145\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-2145\" style=\"width: 600px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.flickr.com\/photos\/wepidgeon\/8895435169\/in\/set-72157633819143343\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\" wp-image-2145\" src=\"http:\/\/wepidgeon.com\/pidgeonpost\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/08\/4-Borneo-and-Morotai-9-Weston-1.jpg\" alt=\"Possibly along the Padas River near Weston, Borneo\" width=\"600\" height=\"329\" srcset=\"https:\/\/wepidgeon.com\/pidgeonpost\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/08\/4-Borneo-and-Morotai-9-Weston-1.jpg 600w, https:\/\/wepidgeon.com\/pidgeonpost\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/08\/4-Borneo-and-Morotai-9-Weston-1-300x164.jpg 300w, https:\/\/wepidgeon.com\/pidgeonpost\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/08\/4-Borneo-and-Morotai-9-Weston-1-500x274.jpg 500w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px\" \/><\/a><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-2145\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Possibly along the Padas River near Weston, Borneo<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<figure id=\"attachment_2144\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-2144\" style=\"width: 600px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.flickr.com\/photos\/wepidgeon\/8896059492\/in\/set-72157633819143343\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\" wp-image-2144\" src=\"http:\/\/wepidgeon.com\/pidgeonpost\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/08\/4-Borneo-and-Morotai-9-Weston-3.jpg\" alt=\"Possibly along the Padas River near Weston, Borneo\" width=\"600\" height=\"334\" srcset=\"https:\/\/wepidgeon.com\/pidgeonpost\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/08\/4-Borneo-and-Morotai-9-Weston-3.jpg 600w, https:\/\/wepidgeon.com\/pidgeonpost\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/08\/4-Borneo-and-Morotai-9-Weston-3-300x167.jpg 300w, https:\/\/wepidgeon.com\/pidgeonpost\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/08\/4-Borneo-and-Morotai-9-Weston-3-500x278.jpg 500w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px\" \/><\/a><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-2144\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Possibly along the Padas River near Weston, Borneo<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<figure id=\"attachment_2146\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-2146\" style=\"width: 600px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.flickr.com\/photos\/wepidgeon\/8896058154\/in\/set-72157633819143343\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\" wp-image-2146\" src=\"http:\/\/wepidgeon.com\/pidgeonpost\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/08\/4-Borneo-and-Morotai-9-Weston-2.jpg\" alt=\"Possibly along the Padas River near Weston, Borneo\" width=\"600\" height=\"327\" srcset=\"https:\/\/wepidgeon.com\/pidgeonpost\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/08\/4-Borneo-and-Morotai-9-Weston-2.jpg 600w, https:\/\/wepidgeon.com\/pidgeonpost\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/08\/4-Borneo-and-Morotai-9-Weston-2-300x163.jpg 300w, https:\/\/wepidgeon.com\/pidgeonpost\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/08\/4-Borneo-and-Morotai-9-Weston-2-500x272.jpg 500w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px\" \/><\/a><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-2146\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Possibly along the Padas River near Weston, Borneo<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<figure id=\"attachment_2139\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-2139\" style=\"width: 600px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.flickr.com\/photos\/wepidgeon\/8896070896\/in\/set-72157633819143343\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\" wp-image-2139\" src=\"http:\/\/wepidgeon.com\/pidgeonpost\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/08\/4-Borneo-and-Morotai-9-Weston-12.jpg\" alt=\"Padas River Ferry\" width=\"600\" height=\"326\" srcset=\"https:\/\/wepidgeon.com\/pidgeonpost\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/08\/4-Borneo-and-Morotai-9-Weston-12.jpg 600w, https:\/\/wepidgeon.com\/pidgeonpost\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/08\/4-Borneo-and-Morotai-9-Weston-12-300x163.jpg 300w, https:\/\/wepidgeon.com\/pidgeonpost\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/08\/4-Borneo-and-Morotai-9-Weston-12-500x271.jpg 500w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px\" \/><\/a><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-2139\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Padas River Ferry<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<figure id=\"attachment_2142\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-2142\" style=\"width: 600px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.flickr.com\/photos\/wepidgeon\/8896060862\/in\/set-72157633819143343\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\" wp-image-2142\" src=\"http:\/\/wepidgeon.com\/pidgeonpost\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/08\/4-Borneo-and-Morotai-9-Weston-4.jpg\" alt=\"Possibly along the Padas River near Weston, Borneo\" width=\"600\" height=\"356\" srcset=\"https:\/\/wepidgeon.com\/pidgeonpost\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/08\/4-Borneo-and-Morotai-9-Weston-4.jpg 600w, https:\/\/wepidgeon.com\/pidgeonpost\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/08\/4-Borneo-and-Morotai-9-Weston-4-300x178.jpg 300w, https:\/\/wepidgeon.com\/pidgeonpost\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/08\/4-Borneo-and-Morotai-9-Weston-4-500x296.jpg 500w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px\" \/><\/a><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-2142\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Possibly along the Padas River near Weston, Borneo<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<figure id=\"attachment_2143\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-2143\" style=\"width: 600px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.flickr.com\/photos\/wepidgeon\/8895440333\/in\/set-72157633819143343\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\" wp-image-2143\" src=\"http:\/\/wepidgeon.com\/pidgeonpost\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/08\/4-Borneo-and-Morotai-9-Weston-5.jpg\" alt=\"Possibly along the Padas River near Weston, Borneo\" width=\"600\" height=\"374\" srcset=\"https:\/\/wepidgeon.com\/pidgeonpost\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/08\/4-Borneo-and-Morotai-9-Weston-5.jpg 600w, https:\/\/wepidgeon.com\/pidgeonpost\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/08\/4-Borneo-and-Morotai-9-Weston-5-300x187.jpg 300w, https:\/\/wepidgeon.com\/pidgeonpost\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/08\/4-Borneo-and-Morotai-9-Weston-5-481x300.jpg 481w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px\" \/><\/a><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-2143\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Possibly along the Padas River near Weston, Borneo<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<figure id=\"attachment_2138\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-2138\" style=\"width: 600px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.flickr.com\/photos\/wepidgeon\/8896069676\/in\/set-72157633819143343\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\" wp-image-2138\" src=\"http:\/\/wepidgeon.com\/pidgeonpost\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/08\/4-Borneo-and-Morotai-9-Weston-11.jpg\" alt=\"Padas River Ferry\" width=\"600\" height=\"376\" srcset=\"https:\/\/wepidgeon.com\/pidgeonpost\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/08\/4-Borneo-and-Morotai-9-Weston-11.jpg 600w, https:\/\/wepidgeon.com\/pidgeonpost\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/08\/4-Borneo-and-Morotai-9-Weston-11-300x188.jpg 300w, https:\/\/wepidgeon.com\/pidgeonpost\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/08\/4-Borneo-and-Morotai-9-Weston-11-478x300.jpg 478w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px\" \/><\/a><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-2138\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Padas River Ferry<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<figure id=\"attachment_2137\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-2137\" style=\"width: 385px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.flickr.com\/photos\/wepidgeon\/8895446637\/in\/set-72157633819143343\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-2137\" src=\"http:\/\/wepidgeon.com\/pidgeonpost\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/08\/4-Borneo-and-Morotai-9-Weston-10.jpg\" alt=\"Padas River Ferry\" width=\"385\" height=\"600\" srcset=\"https:\/\/wepidgeon.com\/pidgeonpost\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/08\/4-Borneo-and-Morotai-9-Weston-10.jpg 385w, https:\/\/wepidgeon.com\/pidgeonpost\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/08\/4-Borneo-and-Morotai-9-Weston-10-192x300.jpg 192w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 385px) 100vw, 385px\" \/><\/a><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-2137\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Padas River Ferry<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<figure id=\"attachment_2136\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-2136\" style=\"width: 600px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.flickr.com\/photos\/wepidgeon\/8896067408\/in\/set-72157633819143343\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\" wp-image-2136\" src=\"http:\/\/wepidgeon.com\/pidgeonpost\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/08\/4-Borneo-and-Morotai-9-Weston-9.jpg\" alt=\"Padas River Ferry\" width=\"600\" height=\"377\" srcset=\"https:\/\/wepidgeon.com\/pidgeonpost\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/08\/4-Borneo-and-Morotai-9-Weston-9.jpg 600w, https:\/\/wepidgeon.com\/pidgeonpost\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/08\/4-Borneo-and-Morotai-9-Weston-9-300x188.jpg 300w, https:\/\/wepidgeon.com\/pidgeonpost\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/08\/4-Borneo-and-Morotai-9-Weston-9-477x300.jpg 477w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px\" \/><\/a><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-2136\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Padas River Ferry<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<figure id=\"attachment_2135\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-2135\" style=\"width: 600px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.flickr.com\/photos\/wepidgeon\/8895444243\/in\/set-72157633819143343\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\" wp-image-2135\" src=\"http:\/\/wepidgeon.com\/pidgeonpost\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/08\/4-Borneo-and-Morotai-9-Weston-8.jpg\" alt=\"Padas River Ferry\" width=\"600\" height=\"375\" srcset=\"https:\/\/wepidgeon.com\/pidgeonpost\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/08\/4-Borneo-and-Morotai-9-Weston-8.jpg 600w, https:\/\/wepidgeon.com\/pidgeonpost\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/08\/4-Borneo-and-Morotai-9-Weston-8-300x187.jpg 300w, https:\/\/wepidgeon.com\/pidgeonpost\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/08\/4-Borneo-and-Morotai-9-Weston-8-480x300.jpg 480w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px\" \/><\/a><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-2135\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Padas River Ferry<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<figure id=\"attachment_2134\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-2134\" style=\"width: 600px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.flickr.com\/photos\/wepidgeon\/8896064856\/in\/set-72157633819143343\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\" wp-image-2134\" src=\"http:\/\/wepidgeon.com\/pidgeonpost\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/08\/4-Borneo-and-Morotai-9-Weston-7.jpg\" alt=\"Padas River Ferry\" width=\"600\" height=\"379\" srcset=\"https:\/\/wepidgeon.com\/pidgeonpost\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/08\/4-Borneo-and-Morotai-9-Weston-7.jpg 600w, https:\/\/wepidgeon.com\/pidgeonpost\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/08\/4-Borneo-and-Morotai-9-Weston-7-300x189.jpg 300w, https:\/\/wepidgeon.com\/pidgeonpost\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/08\/4-Borneo-and-Morotai-9-Weston-7-474x300.jpg 474w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px\" \/><\/a><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-2134\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Padas River Ferry<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<figure id=\"attachment_2133\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-2133\" style=\"width: 600px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.flickr.com\/photos\/wepidgeon\/8896063540\/in\/set-72157633819143343\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\" wp-image-2133\" src=\"http:\/\/wepidgeon.com\/pidgeonpost\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/08\/4-Borneo-and-Morotai-9-Weston-6.jpg\" alt=\"Padas River Ferry\" width=\"600\" height=\"372\" srcset=\"https:\/\/wepidgeon.com\/pidgeonpost\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/08\/4-Borneo-and-Morotai-9-Weston-6.jpg 600w, https:\/\/wepidgeon.com\/pidgeonpost\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/08\/4-Borneo-and-Morotai-9-Weston-6-300x186.jpg 300w, https:\/\/wepidgeon.com\/pidgeonpost\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/08\/4-Borneo-and-Morotai-9-Weston-6-483x300.jpg 483w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px\" \/><\/a><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-2133\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Padas River Ferry<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<figure id=\"attachment_2140\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-2140\" style=\"width: 600px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.flickr.com\/photos\/wepidgeon\/8895450173\/in\/set-72157633819143343\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\" wp-image-2140\" src=\"http:\/\/wepidgeon.com\/pidgeonpost\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/08\/4-Borneo-and-Morotai-9-Weston-13.jpg\" alt=\"Rail carriages used by the Jeep Train\" width=\"600\" height=\"328\" srcset=\"https:\/\/wepidgeon.com\/pidgeonpost\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/08\/4-Borneo-and-Morotai-9-Weston-13.jpg 600w, https:\/\/wepidgeon.com\/pidgeonpost\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/08\/4-Borneo-and-Morotai-9-Weston-13-300x164.jpg 300w, https:\/\/wepidgeon.com\/pidgeonpost\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/08\/4-Borneo-and-Morotai-9-Weston-13-500x273.jpg 500w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px\" \/><\/a><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-2140\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Rail carriages used by the Jeep Train<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<figure id=\"attachment_2141\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-2141\" style=\"width: 600px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.flickr.com\/photos\/wepidgeon\/8895451463\/in\/set-72157633819143343\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\" wp-image-2141\" src=\"http:\/\/wepidgeon.com\/pidgeonpost\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/08\/4-Borneo-and-Morotai-10-Papar-1.jpg\" alt=\"Along the Jeep Train line between Weston and Papar\" width=\"600\" height=\"369\" srcset=\"https:\/\/wepidgeon.com\/pidgeonpost\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/08\/4-Borneo-and-Morotai-10-Papar-1.jpg 600w, https:\/\/wepidgeon.com\/pidgeonpost\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/08\/4-Borneo-and-Morotai-10-Papar-1-300x184.jpg 300w, https:\/\/wepidgeon.com\/pidgeonpost\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/08\/4-Borneo-and-Morotai-10-Papar-1-487x300.jpg 487w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px\" \/><\/a><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-2141\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Along the Jeep Train line between Weston and Papar<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<figure id=\"attachment_2132\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-2132\" style=\"width: 600px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><a href=\"http:\/\/trove.nla.gov.au\/ndp\/del\/page\/4726490?zoomLevel=1\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\" wp-image-2132\" src=\"http:\/\/wepidgeon.com\/pidgeonpost\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/08\/AWW-1945-09-08-p17-Jeep-Train-Copy.jpg\" alt=\"AWW 1945-09-08 p17 Jeep Train - Copy\" width=\"600\" height=\"191\" srcset=\"https:\/\/wepidgeon.com\/pidgeonpost\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/08\/AWW-1945-09-08-p17-Jeep-Train-Copy.jpg 600w, https:\/\/wepidgeon.com\/pidgeonpost\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/08\/AWW-1945-09-08-p17-Jeep-Train-Copy-300x95.jpg 300w, https:\/\/wepidgeon.com\/pidgeonpost\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/08\/AWW-1945-09-08-p17-Jeep-Train-Copy-500x159.jpg 500w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px\" \/><\/a><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-2132\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">All aboard the jeep train for Beaufort, The Australian Women&#8217;s Weekly, 8 Sep 1945, p17<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The jeep train was worth the trip even if there is little in it as a serious drawing job.  Perhaps a comic sketch.  The steam engines which used to draw the trucks and carriages have broken down and are under repair.  The ubiquitous jeep takes their place and draws up to 3 cars behind them. The one we came up on consisted of first a flat top truck, next an ordinary one, and lastly a box car for the rations.  Chinese and Malays occupied the first, and soldiers the second.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[929,62],"tags":[1045,1068,378,992,1067,995,1069,994,1071,1070,65,1984,245,58],"class_list":["post-2127","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-borneo-jul-aug-1945","category-war-letters","tag-barge","tag-beaufort","tag-borneo","tag-brunei","tag-china-sea","tag-cliff-eager","tag-jeep-train","tag-labuan","tag-papar","tag-salvation-army","tag-war-correspondent","tag-war-letters","tag-wep","tag-weston"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.4 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>War Letters - Borneo: 3 Aug 1945, Weston; Jeep train to Beaufort - Pidgeon Post<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/wepidgeon.com\/pidgeonpost\/?p=2127\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"War Letters - Borneo: 3 Aug 1945, Weston; Jeep train to Beaufort - Pidgeon Post\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"The jeep train was worth the trip even if there is little in it as a serious drawing job. 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