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Memoirs of Ruth Hooper

items 16 of 28 items
  • wcu_ww2-456.jp2
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  • and as it was impossible to get any rest in the crowded rooms where, when you sat or lay on your small bed was all the room you had, a doctor who was also one of the internees, through manuevering with the Japanese Commandant, got a permit for me to move out of the crowded room and stay with Carr in the shack. I still worked in the hospital when I could, holding friends in my arms who were dying of starvation – some begging even for beans. These little things I was able to do, of course helped to sustain me. Our food was so short Carr and I counted grains of rice. We shared and shared alike and each tiny mouthful was measured and treasured. Santo Tomas was surrounded by barbed wire and at the entrance gate was a Japanese Garrison. We dared not get near the fence for in doing so you would be punished as well as everyone in camp. The Japanese Commandant daily had a roll call to be assured no one had escaped. We assembled in lines while he took his time as to when this would be done. We stood in the sun for hours, many of the elderly with ankles, legs and knees swollen to almost the bursting point. There were three men, one a very dear friend of ours, who tried so hard to negotiate with the Japanese for the Red Cross and other Organizations to let us have more food and medicine. This done no good as these men who had tried so hard to help us were taken out and shot. We never knew why. There were loyal Filipinos who tried to help us, some were hanged by their thumbs until they died. We still dared not say anything but had to keep our thoughts and feelings held close inside. The walls, the trees, even the ground seemed to have ears. You heard no laughter, you saw no children play. You did see see some of the little ones searching the garbage cans outside the Japanese quarters for food. A few
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Object’s are ‘parent’ level descriptions to ‘children’ items, (e.g. a book with pages).