大象传媒

This story has been added to the People's war website by Marie on behalf of Betty with her permission. Betty fully understands the sites terms and conditions.

Betty worked as a nurse based in Sydney towards the end of the war. This is a copy of a letter written to her parents on August 16th 1945

Isn鈥檛 it marvellous 鈥� the war over at long last! Though it will probably be a long time before we鈥檙e back to usual again. I finished my night duty yesterday morning, and was just leaving the hospital when the good news came through 鈥� Chris and I went into Sydney and met a lot of English Navy chaps and two girls who came out with us, and we went up to their office (on the 9th floor of a big block) right in the heart of the city. It was an amazing sight 鈥� I鈥檝e never seen so many people pushing their way around, dancing and singing, throwing streamers and confetti everywhere, and showers of paper 鈥� torn up telephone directories, toilet rolls and anything they could get their hands on - being thrown out of windows all the way up the street. Cars, buses and trams were packed to overflowing with crowds of people just going nowhere in particular 鈥� all singing and cheering 鈥� the whole city seemed to have gone completely mad.

I鈥檓 afraid Chris and I didn鈥檛 feel very much like cheering at first 鈥� we both wanted to burst into tears 鈥� but when we鈥檇 sent cables home and met up with the English gang we felt better and joined in the general rejoicing! I鈥檇 love to have been in London though! I鈥檇 bet it was wonderful! In the evening there was a party, just across the harbour by ferry (all English people too!) and we had such fun playing all the silly party games 鈥� including 鈥渟queak piggy鈥� and murder! We went back to Sydney on the midnight ferry and were surprised to find everything was quiet. We went to Martin Place (the centre of the city almost like Picc. Circus) and there was not a soul in sight, not even a policeman! The streets were ankle deep in paper of all kinds, but everywhere was deserted. They certainly wouldn鈥檛 pack up so early in London! I stayed the night with Eileen, and this morning she went to see the Victory parade 鈥� I鈥檇 had enough of crowds so I stayed an extra hour in bed! After lunch we came out here to Lindfield where I鈥檓 staying 鈥榯ill the weekend. This is a most pleasant suburb of Sydney 鈥� almost English, with nicely built houses and lovely gardens. The house where I鈥檓 staying belongs to some really sweet people 鈥� the father is Australian and the mother English. There are two boys 鈥� one in the Army in New Guinea and the other in the RAAF over here. The daughter who is about my age, has just been married to a RAAF pilot recently returned from England. The house is a big bungalow, very comfortable and the garden very neat and well kept 鈥� masses of roses, camellias, daphue (most wonderful smelling, you must try to grow some at home) and all kinds of flowers. They鈥檝e a tennis court too and nicely kept lawns 鈥� almost as good as ours! It鈥檚 grand to be in a proper house again after the poultry farm鈥� at Herus Bay ! (?)

The weather is glorious now, too hot in the afternoon for anything but a cotton frock, and all the spring flowers, pussy willow and fruit blossoms are out. It seems off to have snowdrops, roses, lilac, tulips, sweetpeas and everything all out together 鈥� and I nearly forgot, the grass verges by the roads all covered with freesias which smell so marvellous and nasturtiums, all wild!

Oh dear, I seem to be near the end of my space and I鈥檝e hardly told you anything 鈥� I鈥檒l write again in a day or so and tell you more. Maybe it won鈥檛 be long before I鈥檓 back in England 鈥� though I鈥檇 like you all to see Australia as it is now!

Lots of love to you all

Betty xxxxxxx

Betty eventally got back to England in 1947.

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