大象传媒

I was 15 when the war broke out. I left school the following year, learnt shorthand and typing and then got a job with the 大象传媒 working in Langham 鈥� opposite Broadcasting House 鈥� as a secretary in the press department.

I remember I would often be asked to stay late to help translate messages that came in from the boys at war in the Far East. There would be a whole lot of wax cylinders and we had to get the speed right to hear the message. We would listen to the message, type it up and send the message to the boys鈥� families.

The messages had been recorded by the reporters who were out in the field with them. I remember hearing that one young man had fainted before he had managed to give his message because he was so excited.

The messages were pretty mundane. They couldn鈥檛 say very much in their message; they couldn鈥檛 say where they were or describe what they鈥檇 been through. Messages said things like 鈥淚鈥檓 longing for the next time I get some leave鈥�; 鈥淭hinking of you lots鈥�; 鈥淭hank you for your parcel鈥� or 鈥淚 hope you had a good birthday鈥�.

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