POWs gave lectures on a wide range of subjects related to their pre-war interests and expertise, which collectively amounted to an extraordinary depth and breadth of knowledge. The men learned new languages and studied history to compensate for the lack of newspapers, books and radio. They were desperate to focus their minds and keep their memories sharp when the spoken word was the only freely available form of communication or record-keeping; detailed reminiscences and explorations served this purpose. John and the kongsi were active in the universities, but also kept their group very tight. Their friendships were based on mutual respect and trust, but the group was really cemented by their intense intellectual and linguistic study. When the day’s physical work was done, they retreated to their dark bamboo huts to debate philosophical, religious and political ideas late into the night. And a few of them also retreated into their diaries, their private documentation of camp life.

That John was an effective chronicler of the physical, mental and social aspects of camp life can be seen by comparing the details of John’s descriptions of events and relationships with the surviving diary of one of his companions, Jim Richardson, and to the ideas of fellow prisoner Ian Watt (‘Ian White’), who was later to become a professor of English at Stanford University.

Richardson writes in a matter-of-fact style that mixes information about events, the people he met and the Japanese that, with editing, would not seem out of place in Railroad:

‘Sun 1st: [August 1943, Tarsao Camp] Heavy rain all morning. Late breakfast due to no bamboo for fire. Swine of a Nip cook wouldn’t allow food to be cooked until all of day’s firewood was in. All fit men turned out 0800 to collect bamboo etc. George and I collected wood for our fire; rain put it out. Not a hope of keeping it alight. George and I walked up to 207 km Camp of the main Takanun to see Officer’s Working Party. Only 26 now working out of original 104. Sickness rate very high. They get fairly good rations including 7-8 oz meat per day. Have been worked very hard and beaten up by a bloody set of Nips. About 300 deaths out of 1500 troops; cholera, fever, dysentery etc. Met Smith, Sam Taylor, Bill Richardson of Malay Regt, Jackson of 11th Div, Robert Woods of 122 Field R.A., Sailor Clare, Eric Roger, Tom Williams, Dicky Bond and many others. Heard all their news and told them mine. They rather expect to go down river later. Saw “Kechil” Carr, Doug Weir, Col Young, Jack Masefield in another section of Camp. Nips had rush job unloading barges in evening. I detailed to take troops down so I called off, thank the Lord (i.e. got out of the unloading). Had dinner 2145; Bloody people!’ (Richardson IWM, Documents. 1705: 62).

Jim Richardson did in fact spend some evenings helping John to edit Railroad.