大象传媒

On this day 5th June, 1944, I was a young nurse in a large teaching hospital. I was looking forward to being able to go home to see my family for the weekend. Work was hard but extremely rewarding, and spare time was a luxury, and a leave weekend a great event. A few hours before I was to leave my shift, the ward sister informed us that our ward was to be cleared and that all the beds had to be cleaned and remade. Everyone who was able to be discharged was, and my weekend leave was cancelled, without any reason being given. We instinctively knew that something big was about to happen but we had no idea what. There was a deep sense of anxiety and I am still aware of how silent and still the ward was. That in its self was unusual, as the ward was never that still. It sounds clich茅d to say it, but it really was the calm before the storm. Then it happened, the allies stormed the beaches, and later the next day the first casualties arrived, in huge numbers. We worked solidly for three days, snatching sleep and food when we could. And I will never forget the suffering, pain and fear of some of the young men I was fortunate to be able to help. We must never allow the world, or future generations to forget the sacrifice of so many people for the good of the world.

Margaret Phillips age 79

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