Puffin Magic – ‘Puff, Puff Makin’ for Road works at Singapore Golf Course

Singapore Golf Course
Construction of Scenic Drive through virgin jungle

There were 7 steam, 3 diesel driven road rollers and several tar boilers to macadamize the roads at Adam Park. One of the better-known stories to come out of this camp was how the Australian road roller drivers convinced their Japanese guard they needed ‘puff, puff makan’ or in other words, food for their plant machinery.
Once the drivers had managed to get their message across to their guard each driver would be issued with 2 gallons of petrol on a daily basis. This was then sold on the black market.
This ruse continued until a Japanese guard with a more understanding of engines put a stop to this little pantomime.

Bill ‘Bullets’ Struthers was one prisoner involved – providing many laughs for the Australians.