Rain and typhoony. Electricity off for a while. French in am, some other girls have now joined. ((These classes were held in the upper gallery of St Stephen's Hall.))
I should have had 4th injection but electricity off therefore no sterilizing could be done.
Thought I was going to lose my fountain pen this morning((i.e. I was writing my diary with it beside the P.O. Club)): two Japs came along and had their eyes on it - but nothing happened.
The Detroit News begins front page serialisation of Gwen Dew's 'I Was a Prisoner of the Japs.' It begins:
I was hunting for war. I found it. I wanted to know what war looked like thorugh a woman's eyes. Now I know. Horror, destruction, torture, hunger, death. I want to tell you in Detroit what it means if war comes to your front door.
Source:
http://www.albionmich.com/history/histor_notebook/S_Dew.shtml
Anne ((Muir)) told of her experiences during the war where she had been a V.A.D. nurse at St Albert’s - normally a monastery run by Italian Fathers. They, according to Anne, proved to be most unsympathetic and in fact quite objectionable: it seems a pity they were not turned out of the Colony with the other Italian fathers when Italy entered the war in her stab - in – the - back manner. Anne had had news of Gordon’s death some days before the surrender and shortly after a seriously wounded Japanese officer was brought in and she had to help nurse him. She said it was difficult for her not to feel very bitter against the man, though of course she knew he was not personally responsible for Gordon’s death. Poor Anne, what an ordeal for her. She said that though he was seriously wounded he kept up his part of pretending to know no English. When he was thirsty he pointed to his lips and said, “Makee leetie wet please,” and yet a day or two later when he was almost dying he said in good English, “May I have a drink of water please?” He seemed to trust those who were trying to save his life.
When he died, they laid him out and covered him with a Japanese flag - apparently all Japanese soldiers wear their rolled up flag about their person. Anne said that when St Albert’s was taken (a day or two before the surrender) she peered out of the window at the advancing Japanese. They were very skillfully camouflaged, having their helmets and tunics covered with nets into which they had stuck sprays of leaves and small bushes which, on the green and bushy hillsides, made them quite indistinguishable from the rest of the landscape. They wore rubber soled boots (with a cleft for the big toe) which made their movements completely silent. Anne said that when they closed in on the hospital it looked as though the whole hillside was moving and these soldiers uttered shrill cries like shrill bird cries, and as they came nearer she could see their black beady eyes peering out from amongst the screens of foliage in their helmets. She said it was absolutely terrifying to see them. Then in a moment they were swarming all over the hospital.
The officer in charge of the regiment asked almost at once about the wounded Japanese officer and when he was shown him, laid out under his national flag he seemed satisfied at the treatment the dead man had received, and the hospital staff think it was chiefly due to this that they escaped the horrible experiences suffered by some of the V.A.D.’s in other hospitals. Anne said that some of the soldiers had even smeared their faces with mud. Everyone had to stand to attention while the hospital was examined, or searched, including every patient who was physically capable of standing. Mrs Pritchard and Pam were there too and the Blacks.
Reichtag having trouble re where-abouts of Hitler. Germans falling back in places on Russian Front.
Repatriation in the air.
Much cooler.
24 years ago! Surely we'll be able to celebrate our Silver Wedding together. We have had so much separation the last 8 years - over 5 years apart and in the last 3 years only 4 months together. I wonder where we'll meet. Things are going as well as can be expected but I feel it will be some time yet before we are free. All my love always L.O. Darling. Billie.