大象传媒

Lt. Scanlan was in charge of the Forty-ninth Brigade鈥檚 mortar platoon and as he was attached to Brigade HQ, I saw him often and we became very friendly. I seemed to have developed what I thought was flu, perhaps because I was wet for most of the time I was in the jungle. I arranged for a driver to take me to the doctor, with whom I was also very friendly, and was seen immediately as he was not busy. I asked him to give me something to take for flu but he looked at me, laughed, and told me I had caught malaria. I thought he was joking but he assured me I would be back to see him in a day or two. I was, and if anybody has had malaria, you will know how I felt. The next thing I knew, I was being taken to hospital. I found out later that it was an American one but by that time I did not care whose hospital it was. I cannot describe how I felt, but I just thought I was dying. The nurses came and gave me quinine four times a day, and after two days I started to feel a little better, and could sit up and be aware of what was happening around me. I got friendly with an American in the bed opposite me and we got talking, sharing our experiences so far. On the fourth morning I was sitting up in bed, when who should walk in but Brigadier Rodham. Because he had his red tabs on his shirt plus his hat with the red and gold braid round the brim, all eyes were on him as he strolled up to my bed and asked how I was. I told him I was feeling much better and would soon be back to the brigade, and he then said he would send in a basket for fruit for me. I am still waiting for that fruit! I was very pleased he took the time to come and visit me as I knew how busy he was.

Time went slowly in hospital but the next day I had another pleasant surprise when in walked Lt. Scanlan. He said I would have to go to a convalescence camp but I told him I didn鈥檛 want to and that he would have to do something to get me back to HQ. He said he would see what he could do, and the next day came back to tell me the good news that he had managed to work it with the brigadier which made me very pleased. I said my goodbyes and thanks to all the nurses, and returned to the brigade. I felt much better being back there and I went to find Lt. Scanlan to thank him for his help. I then reported back to the brigadier but I did not mention that basket of fruit! He was pleased to see me back and told me he had to leave shortly to report to higher officers in Delhi but could not take me with him. He hoped to return in a few days.

We left on the third day and before starting off, the brigadier gave me a bottle of whisky and one of gin as he said he wouldn鈥檛 be needing them. He also gave me about 20 rupees. I had not expected all this as officers were not supposed to pay their drivers/batmen. We started down the mountain road but although there were frequent landslides, we were lucky and did not encounter any mishaps. It still took quite a time to reach the bottom but from there on the road to the Brahmaputra river was fairly good. To get to the ferry, which the brigadier had to catch, we had to drive through a throng of people who, however many times you hooted the horn, would simply not move. We were moving very slowly when I noticed on one side of the road a Chinese battalion, probably waiting to go back into action in Burma, and we waved to each other. When we finally reached the ferry, I saluted the brigadier and said goodbye to him before setting off alone back up that mountain road to Brigade HQ. Whenever I met other traffic coming in the opposite direction, it was very difficult to pass safely, and I suppose the journey took me about two hours in all. I was very pleased when I was eventually back in camp and off that road, and sleep was most welcome that night!

JHANSI

The next morning I was up bright and early, as I always had a short run before breakfast. On meeting Lt. Scanlan I told him what had happened, and when he heard that I did not know what I was going to do while the brigadier was away, he suggested that I went home with him as he was going there on leave. I was worried that his parents would mind but once he had assured that they would love to meet me, I accepted his invitation.

His parents lived in a place called Jhansi which was about three to four days train ride away. Before boarding the train, Lloyd (as I now called him) suggested we get ourselves some food as he was not sure of the quality of the food on the train so into the restaurant we went. Boy oh boy, was that curry hot! The jug of ice-cold was a great help! Although Lloyd, as an officer, could go first class, he travelled with me in third class which is where I, as a private, had to go. The seats were all slatted and very uncomfortable but we managed. On the journey we passed very near the Taj Mahal which looked magnificent. I only wish I could have got off the train and gone inside. It is something one reads about and I have actually seen it. Someone told me it is on of the eight wonders of the world and I can well believe it.

On arrival at Jhansi station we got a taxi to Lloyd鈥檚 home. His father (a train driver) and his mother (a housewife) greeted us and made me feel like one of the family. They lived in a beautiful villa in a large compound, and I felt very much at home with them. His sister was also there. Lloyd had his own room and his father had put up an extra bed for me. His mother employed a cook and a bearer/cleaner so she did not have a lot to do in the house. I do know she made her own chocolates and they were delicious. She would put them on the veranda in trays to dry and tell us to help ourselves whenever we fancied one. Each day Lloyd and I would go for a long walk, and usually have a swim in the river which was not too far away. Lloyd was very friendly with the family in the next villa and sometimes we would join them for a swimor walk. Life was very pleasant away from the war and the three weeks went by very quickly. I wanted to buy Lloyd鈥檚 mother a little gift as thanks for the wonderful way she and his family had treated me, so we went into the village where I bought her a lovely little silver trinket which pleased her very much. After saying our goodbyes, we left for the station only to be told that our train had been delayed. We finally arrived back almost a week later than we should have after an uneventful journey.

To read part 14 go to: A7356486

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