This is the sad but inspiring story of a group of women in the POW camps in south east Asia under the control of the Japanese during the Second World War. Novels such as Nevil Shute’s ‘A Town like Alice’ touch on the story of these camps but I have never read an account that gives so much detail of this horrific episode in human history. Japanese occupation is not talked about in the UK in my experience. I had a neighbour as a child who could be sharp spoken and I remember being told, in tones of dread, that they had been a prisoner of the Japanese but no details were given.
It is important that this story is told, from the chaos and suddenness of the Japanese invasion of Singapore to the rescue four long years later after peace had been declared. What these women endured and the bravery of the Australian nurses in facing the many challenges of their situation is worth recording.
I found the book difficult to read. Although the story is told in an upbeat way, the hardship and the cruelty are overwhelming. I admire Heather Morris for having the strength to delve into these difficult stories and to research the background to the novel so thoroughly. It was also helpful in a complex and constantly changing situation to have the focus on a few strong characters.
I would have liked more background on the historical context of the Japanese invasion and the pressures being brought to bear on the commandants of the prison camps but perhaps this is an angle that will take more time to surface, there is so much pain on both sides, given the final ending of the war with the bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki.
Congratulations to Heather for researching these accounts and turning them into a story. As many others have done, I honour the work of the Australian nurses, and the courage and bravery of those imprisoned with them. The story is a tribute to those who hold onto hope in the face of fear and defeat.
Letitia Mason 