大象传媒

Annette Le Page was a nurse who had trained in London. She came from Guernsey, which had been occupied by the Germans, so she was out of contact with her home and family. The following is an extract from the diary which is in the form of the letters which she could not send to her family.

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June 1943
The summer is going 鈥� the heat becomes more trying each year. I shall be glad when the cooler weather comes.
The news is getting better and better 鈥� I have asked Matron if there is any possibility of returning to the U.K. to be nearer in the event of a release coming for your all. I am assured I shall be remembered.
I have spent June 28th 鈥� July 22nd in sick rooms 鈥� spent a fortnights leave in Alexandria 鈥� I was not very happy 鈥� my stay in sickroom was cheered by receiving three messages from you, but I missed Margaret & Padre Collier went to S.A. I felt 鈥渁lone鈥�
I saw Molly Forbes & Marjorie Braines (Both Barts) quite a lot & also Hedley Nicolle the organist I went out with him & had a real G鈥檚ey gossip 鈥� Capt Bourne & Yvonne Blampied fianc茅e, also came around to the Y.W.C.A.
I loved the sea-bathing & saw two other Barts contemporaries now married & living there but I wasn鈥檛 sorry to leave Alex.
Oct
Having been doing light duties since August 鈥� I am now on Night duty on Officers ward again. I saw the Principal Matron today (Oct .19th) when she visited the hospital. She assured me that I would not be forgotten.
A week later
I must report at No. 9 on Thursday Oct 28th to go home. My feelings are very mixed 鈥� I want to go 鈥� but to be able to go to England and not home! Alas 鈥� however I shall be nearer you & ready to go to you at very short notice.
Nov. 12th
I have been here in transit living in a base hotel 鈥� one of the finest buildings in the world 鈥� I have a beautiful room with two French windows opening on to a balcony 鈥� The moon is full tonight 鈥� the view is wonderful 鈥� over an expanse of desert 鈥� the hills in the background. The citadel and the Pyramids silhouetted against the sky 鈥� I have completed my preparations for a homeward bound journey. It will be lovely to see them all again. The 鈥淔amily鈥� have been wonderful to me 鈥� Amy & Bill & Em in particular 鈥� but that isn鈥檛 really fair to say it 鈥榗os I鈥檓 not a good correspondent.
At Sea Nov. 27th
Nov 13th was quite a happy Birthday 鈥� I was awake at 6.15 am 鈥� walked to the window and around the balcony to the effect of the Sunrise behind the Pyramids 鈥� my thoughts were travelling for miles over the sea and continents 鈥� I then opened my birthday parcels 鈥� which I had given for to be opened on Nov.13.
We left on Nov. 17 鈥� exactly three years after we had sailed from the Clyde 鈥� The train Journey to Alex was quite comfortable, we were called at 3.am. 鈥� breakfast was a terrific scramble 鈥� we packed up our bedding and tried to squeeze everything we needed, to last us until we reached our destination, into our suitcases, as we should not see our heavy baggage for a long while.
We arrive at the docks 2pm 鈥� and embarked at 5pm. on a Dutch ship Tegelburg. 鈥� a luxurious liner 鈥� 90 passengers in peace time, but we were 200 first class passengers with nearly 3000 altogether. The food was very good the first few days but whilst anchored outside Scicily in P.Augusta 鈥� we gave of our food to another ship, which meant as we were anchored for seven days 鈥� thus prolonging the journey quite considerably which meant 鈥� well not quite such good food. It was quite a novelty to be warned of meal times by the playing of a dulcimer by one of the waiters.
I had often pictured the journey home 鈥� but this is not at all as I had pictured it 鈥� the war not yet over and no home to return as yet, but I am terribly thankful that I shall be nearer so that I can come home as soon as it is possible.
The journey has 鈥� so far 鈥� been quite uneventful, and we are little more than 24 hrs from port 鈥攚hich this time means 鈥� British Isles. Quite where we will land is not known, Great excitement pervades the ship at the thought of getting home for Xmas 鈥� I have not yet made up my mind where I shall spend it 鈥� but most probably at Parsons Green.
I am just longing to look see them all 鈥� I am so thankful too that I still have hope of seeing Auntie Clare
It is very mixed feelings that I take this journey 鈥� my love and my thoughts are with you in Guernsey. 脿 Bientot
Dec 21st
We arrived at Glasgow on Thurs. Dec 9. 鈥� we entrained at 12 mn Dec. 10. 鈥� when we awoke at 8.30am 鈥� the countryside was a marvellous picture as it was all covered with a heavy frost. I got out of the train at Northwich 鈥� but the icy cold air hurt my nose & chest so much that I hurriedly re-entered the carriage. We eventually arrived at Abergele at 5pm on Friday Saturday Dec. 11th. We had quite a warm welcome & were taken to our respective billets. Ida Bere & I went to a Mrs Parry who was very kind to us, and fed us exceptionally well, Ida & I made up our minds to see as much as we could while we were there. We both went to the English services at the Welsh church. We had a great welcome from the Minister & the stewards 鈥� They announced a fellowship meeting as a carol service held at a private house, Both Ida & I thought that we would like to go, so we did so. It was a very happy little meeting and discovered that our hostesses were Baptists 鈥� the meeting was a mixture of Methodists, Baptists, & Congregationalists 鈥� who gathered together week by week to have an English service & the Methodist trustees had opened their Church for them & they came under the circuit.
We walked around Betsw y Coed & Llandudno & Conway 鈥� it was glorious 鈥� the country was marvellous, with the frost making it more beautiful than ever.

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