Mother’s written and told me that they’re going to drive down and take me out for lunch on Boxing Day. I feel so touched – they’ll probably use up every last drop of their petrol ration. Bunty’s told me that she’s got her ward – Officers’ – making streamers for Christmas.
“I doubt Sister Rook will let anyone put streamers up on our ward,” I said to her. We were curled up on my bed.
“Get that dishy doctor to ask her.”
“Who do you mean?” I asked. I wasn’t really listening. I was watching how my breath hung in the air – it was freezing in our room. I burrowed deeper under the blankets.
“Kitten, I despair of you, really I do,” Bunty said, grinning and pulling the blankets back off me. “Lieutenant what’s-his-name.”
“Venables,” Marjorie said promptly.
“See, Marjorie knows, and she’s not even working on your ward. Don’t tell me you haven’t noticed?”
I just smiled sweetly at her and pulled the blankets totally over my head.
Monday 25 December
Woke in time for Christmas lunch, which we had in the VADs’ mess. The long tables looked so pretty – holly and candles on the starched white tablecloths. Our cooks had done us proud; just like at home we had turkey and all the trimmings; there was even Christmas pudding – about a mouthful each. One of the VADs who’d been on leave had brought back crackers. Someone tried to put a paper hat on, but she couldn’t get it on over her white cap.
Soon the whole table was shrieking with laughter – hats toppling off caps. Then Madam came in and we whipped them off. Her face creased into a big smile as her gaze swept the tables. I think she was pleased to see our happy faces.
We’d barely finished our meal when all the lights went out. Pandemonium! A tree had toppled over in the high winds, bringing down one of the lines near the hospital, and all the power failed. Later we found out that in the midst of it all, an emergency appendix was brought in and they had to operate by hurricane lamp. The poor VAD on duty had to sterilize all the surgical instruments on top of primus stoves as the sterilizers weren’t working. At least – being Christmas – it was the only operation they had to do today.
After lunch, I popped into the ward to wish our patients a happy Christmas. I gasped when I pushed open the door. It was festooned with greenery and many of the patients had cards by their beds. One of them whipped out a sprig of mistletoe from behind his pillow and asked for a kiss! So embarrassing! Another gave me a bar of chocolate. I felt really pleased and handed round the cards I’d got for everyone.
Lieutenant Venables was there, too. He waved at me across the ward and then he came over to wish me a happy Christmas. Then suddenly I remembered what Bunty had said about him and I felt this huge blush flood my face. I don’t know what he must have thought of me.
Tuesday 26 December
Writing this hurriedly before going on duty. Heavenly day. When Mother met me at the hospital she told me there was a surprise waiting for me in the car. She had a big smile on her face but I couldn’t guess – so I rushed out ahead of her.
Inside the car, two faces beamed out at me. Father – and Peter!
It was absolutely my bestest Christmas present ever!
Monday 1 January 1940
I’m writing this at home. I finished my first bout of night duty a few days ago and so I have four nights and days off – bliss!
Father’s away, and Peter of course has gone back to France. We don’t often talk about the War, but on Boxing Day I’d asked him to tell me what it was like across the Channel. Not a lot’s been happening, he told me. No one’s fired a shot yet, except in training. His unit’s been busy digging anti-tank ditches and spreading wire and he’s also been working on the roads. He looked awfully tired, but fit. He pretended to be shocked when he saw me and said that my arm muscles were bigger than his!
“I doubt Sister Rook will let anyone put streamers up on our ward,” I said to her. We were curled up on my bed.
“Get that dishy doctor to ask her.”
“Who do you mean?” I asked. I wasn’t really listening. I was watching how my breath hung in the air – it was freezing in our room. I burrowed deeper under the blankets.
“Kitten, I despair of you, really I do,” Bunty said, grinning and pulling the blankets back off me. “Lieutenant what’s-his-name.”
“Venables,” Marjorie said promptly.
“See, Marjorie knows, and she’s not even working on your ward. Don’t tell me you haven’t noticed?”
I just smiled sweetly at her and pulled the blankets totally over my head.
Monday 25 December
Woke in time for Christmas lunch, which we had in the VADs’ mess. The long tables looked so pretty – holly and candles on the starched white tablecloths. Our cooks had done us proud; just like at home we had turkey and all the trimmings; there was even Christmas pudding – about a mouthful each. One of the VADs who’d been on leave had brought back crackers. Someone tried to put a paper hat on, but she couldn’t get it on over her white cap.
Soon the whole table was shrieking with laughter – hats toppling off caps. Then Madam came in and we whipped them off. Her face creased into a big smile as her gaze swept the tables. I think she was pleased to see our happy faces.
We’d barely finished our meal when all the lights went out. Pandemonium! A tree had toppled over in the high winds, bringing down one of the lines near the hospital, and all the power failed. Later we found out that in the midst of it all, an emergency appendix was brought in and they had to operate by hurricane lamp. The poor VAD on duty had to sterilize all the surgical instruments on top of primus stoves as the sterilizers weren’t working. At least – being Christmas – it was the only operation they had to do today.
After lunch, I popped into the ward to wish our patients a happy Christmas. I gasped when I pushed open the door. It was festooned with greenery and many of the patients had cards by their beds. One of them whipped out a sprig of mistletoe from behind his pillow and asked for a kiss! So embarrassing! Another gave me a bar of chocolate. I felt really pleased and handed round the cards I’d got for everyone.
Lieutenant Venables was there, too. He waved at me across the ward and then he came over to wish me a happy Christmas. Then suddenly I remembered what Bunty had said about him and I felt this huge blush flood my face. I don’t know what he must have thought of me.
Tuesday 26 December
Writing this hurriedly before going on duty. Heavenly day. When Mother met me at the hospital she told me there was a surprise waiting for me in the car. She had a big smile on her face but I couldn’t guess – so I rushed out ahead of her.
Inside the car, two faces beamed out at me. Father – and Peter!
It was absolutely my bestest Christmas present ever!
Monday 1 January 1940
I’m writing this at home. I finished my first bout of night duty a few days ago and so I have four nights and days off – bliss!
Father’s away, and Peter of course has gone back to France. We don’t often talk about the War, but on Boxing Day I’d asked him to tell me what it was like across the Channel. Not a lot’s been happening, he told me. No one’s fired a shot yet, except in training. His unit’s been busy digging anti-tank ditches and spreading wire and he’s also been working on the roads. He looked awfully tired, but fit. He pretended to be shocked when he saw me and said that my arm muscles were bigger than his!
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