JOHORE BAHRU near British "Fortress" Singapore, Dec. 1941
On the hospital patio, Ann sat patiently. She had said she would, and the second Singapore Sling was as good as the first. She could tell there was slight heat rising from the discussion at the nearby table of off duty medical folk who had beckoned Allan over. Standing, Allan couldn’t help but look down at the generally quiet blonde nurse beside him sending electricity through his arm where it slightly touched her shoulder. They smiled, and she said, “You suggested such dangers were to become commonplace?” with an interrogative tone.
“What I mean is the Japanese are in Malaya. They have been in Siam and French Indochina for some time.”
Responding, the more vocal doctor said to enlighten, “Oh, you just got here. We have brought in new aircrews with their fighters and the pride of the fleet went up the coast two days ago to shoot up those Japanese landings. Those two beauties will get it done. The Prince is almost brand new!”
Allan looked straight at the man with just enough of a pause to unnerve him, and inquired calmly, “You haven’t heard then?”
All eyes turned to him, and Allan reported, “Prince of Wales and the Repulse went down yesterday off Malaya, east of the Kuantan River’s mouth, mercilessly bombed by Jap planes. You may be getting survivors in here any moment. The destroyers are bringing them in.”
There was a gasp, and the blonde looked up in a way that revealed calm and nervousness at the same time, and inquired, “Why did you mention Nanking?”
“It was very bad there.”
“We heard a little in the States. You were there?!”
“Yes.”
“Why should we worry about that here?”
“It really isn’t the subject for here, . . and now. It was very bad, and . . because of H.M.S. Prince of Wales and Repulse.”
“You don’t need to scare these ladies, Yank.”
“She asked; they’re nurses.”
“They are hospital nurses, not battle field medics.”
“They will soon see the worst of it and be heroic nurses. Don’t shield your women so.”
Standing up, the British doctor who had become the most adversarial and was obviously slightly drunk, said strongly, “Look, just because you want to spend your time with your little Negro …”
“Watch your mouth!” said so strongly no physical gesture was needed or presented, and the table froze in silence for a brief moment.
Ann finally stood at her chair, but not to leave. It was as if to assist if needed.
The blonde looked up and said, “Captain?”
“Not here.”
“Then at your table perhaps, if I would not be interrupting.”
Another nurse, an Australian, put in, “Tell us, Captain.” Her land was nearby and she was feeling the threat with the news of the two ships’ fate. The hot breath of Japanese conquest would soon be felt on many necks. The woman was alluring with the interesting accent, scattered soft, pale freckles, and beautiful red hair that he knew would have been longer if her nursing hadn’t prevented it.
Reaching in his left breast shirt pocket, Allan removed the small clear envelope containing the one picture he could not forget, wanted and didn’t want to forget, and his hand wanted to tremble as he handed it to the American girl beside him, feeling the connection of country.
An audible gasp emanated from the pretty face and she drew her hand to her mouth to cut it off, her eyes were as wide as saucers as if she had seen a flying saucer from another world. All eyes were on her in silence, and the Aussie nurse stood and walked behind her chair so as not to wait. She reacted similarly, hand to mouth in surprise and shock.
Jenny looked up, and there were tears in her eyes, and she asked, “Is this real?”
“I was there, I saw it as it happened. I was standing with the photographer.”
“And you did nothing?”
“I was restrained by friends and a Jap soldier who all knew I would be killed and could not stop it. There were a hundred Japanese soldiers around us.”
“And the child?”
“A similar fate, . . with the same stroke.”
Jenny was crying silently now, and the nurse who was standing asked, “Why would they let this out? It is incriminating.”
“I actually think they were proud of their work. They may want to intimidate us all. Some of these things make it home and into their newspapers. I’m a serious amateur and took some too, from hiding. Some of mine are blurred from trembling hands.”
“How many?” asked the visibly shaken attractive Australian, still standing behind Jenny’s chair.
“Untold thousands, all ages. The Yangtze river flows through that city and turned red. I saw it just before we flew out. We flew over it.” Not even having seen the image, the belligerent doctor reacted, “The bloody hell, these young women shouldn’t …”
“These ‘young women’ are nurses trained for these things doctor,” stated the Australian nurse with a firm expression and staring down the other. “We don’t need your help telling the Captain what we think.”
Looking at the Australian nurse, who had made the strong statement about her profession, and knowing the strength of the Aussies, Allan said, “In Ukraine there are girls just out of their teens and as delicate and pretty as you manning T-34 Russian tanks against the Nazis.” Her mouth dropped a little, and he sensed a reaction from the others just out of his sight, and Allan continued, “My copilot, a worldly Frenchman, has a journalist friend working for one of your papers from Down Under. He met two very young girls, the driver and the gunner for a T-34. This is growing and it will be everybody’s war.”
Turning to the standing doctor, Allan added, “You brave men here for the Empire . . you make preparations for these ‘young ladies’, your colleagues. They assaulted every girl, every female in Nanking . . . of every age, even little girls. Those new aircrews and planes? That little Jap fighter will fly circles around them and sweep them from the sky. Then Singapore will be bombed mercilessly. Then they’ll swarm out of the Malayan jungle and across the causeway. Your big guns are fixed permanently toward the sea. They aren’t coming from there, and airplanes will rule in this war anyway. Those of you who do not get out or die here better steel yourselves for several long years of near starvation in prison camps. And steel yourselves for watching each other struggle with death there with none of your medical tools and supplies. We, America, have to rebuild our navy to come back and rescue you, and your own men, your Commonwealth forces are locked in a death struggle elsewhere with Hitler.”
Allan then nodded a good day to them all, looking at each of the nurses, and he turned and walked over to the standing Ann, and they both sat back down.
“That appeared to go well,” Ann said jokingly. “You brought them to their feet.”
Nodding and smiling wryly, Allan replied with a forced cheerful smile, coming all the easier because it was her, “Let me take you to dinner somewhere.”
“All right.”
“Well let’s go then.”
“Not ‘til I see that picture, or do you believe in shielding your women, too.”
He warmed inside at her use of the possessive, sensing she meant it mutually.