Kind Major Suga

We knew nothing of the news on the outside but unknown to us our English Tommies had made a ration, we heard later, out of milk tins. We got used to hearing the drones of the Japanese planes and the standing out in the sun, and learning about missing prisoners who had been recaptured and severely punished or shot. We never had paper or pencil to write with. In our hut the Japs had kept big bags of rice. I remember things running over my legs and catching glimpses of fat rats. Today, if I saw a rat, I would swoon.

Major Suga, the commandant, was somewhat protective of us. When he was away the soldiers would be rougher but they did not touch the Sisters. Mother Bernadine onceasked the Major why he was kind to the Sisters. This is what he said, “I was educated in America and was taken ill. I was admitted to hospital and one Sister was very good to me. When I was well and was leaving the hospital I thanked the Sister and told her I would like to give her a gift. The Sister said it was her duty to care for me and she did not want anything. When I persisted she said yes, she would like me to do something, ‘If ever you come across a nun in distress please help her’. So when he came across our forty nuns he did his best.