大象传媒

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I was born on 7 May 1930, one of 6 children (5 girls, 1 boy). My father worked as Commissioner of Excise for Madras in Southern India. He passed away when I was 5 years old and as we lived on a large plantation, my mother sent all of us to board at a nearby catholic convent school (St. Joseph鈥檚 Convent) which ws run by French nuns. The convent was very near the harbour in Vizag.

In 1941 the Japs declared war on the USA and as Vizag was a natural harbour, preparations were put in place to defend it in case the Japs came. My two older sisters Mary and Anne had left the school leaving myself and two other sisters, Louisa and Rosie, at the Convent. The convent was closed due to the war but we had stayed on as my mother was finding it hard to manage the plantation.

In May 1942, when we were playing on the terrace, I saw planes flying in formation. I as filled with amazement and wanted to carry on watching but the nuns rushed us all downstairs to rake shelter. As I was running, I saw the bombs being dropped from the planes and lots of light. I was filled with excitement and fear as I didn鈥檛 realise the impact this was to have on my life.

Soon after, the convent was taken over as a military hospital. The nuns and the remaining boarders were evacuated to Jeypore, Orissa. They took us in a closed truck up the winding eastern ghats. I was terrified as I couldn鈥檛 see where we were being taken and it was very dark inside. Some of my friends were sick and I was crying because I didn鈥檛 know where I was going.

Amazingly, this change provided me with the happiest childhood memories as Jeypore turned out to be a peaceful haven far from the war. We all stayed here for two years and lived in houses and I loved it as it meant we had our own bedrooms as opposed to the usual dormitories. The classes were held under the mango trees and when the wind blew, little mangoes fell and we all ran around collecting them. The nuns allowed us a lot more freedom and treats. My sisters and I were allowed to have a pet Mynah bird which was wonderful as we had never had pets before.

Even though life was peaceful, I was constantly reminded that the war was still going on as we would often see soldiers in jeeps. The soldiers would wave at all us girls, blowing kisses at us, we would call them 鈥淗unny Bunny Watch Wave鈥� as we were told they were from the Black Watch Regiment.

When the war ended, the nuns came back to the convent in Vizag and life became normal but I yearned for the happy times we spent in Jaypore.

Josephine Thomas of Windsor, Berkshire

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