A Tayside woman has told how her folks dodged fighter aircraft bullets and took refuge in storm drains on how to their wedding when Japan attacked Singapore.
Captain Jack Ennis – a military medical professional – and nurse Elizabeth Petrie got married simply 4 days before Britain surrendered Singapore to the jap on February 15 1942.
After best a few days, Jack and Elizabeth were interned throughout the struggle.
The military publication of Captain Jack Ennis.The couple's daughter Jackie Sutherland from Milnathort has been recalling the stunning routine that adopted which saw Jack despatched to Roberts Barracks with militia personnel, even as Elizabeth, along with some three,000 civilians, would be 'housed' in the bleak cold stone walls of Changi Gaol which become at the beginning built for fewer than 600 prisoners.
The couple had been separated and after assembly for half-hour at Christmas 1942, they didn't see each and every different once again except September 1945.
Jack became born in India in 1911 and qualified as a doctor in London earlier than he back to British India to installation pathology capabilities in Malaya.
Elizabeth become born in 1912 in Edinburgh where she knowledgeable as a nurse within the Deaconess health center.
offered the probability to shuttle, she took a submit as Nanny in the a long way East to look after the younger toddlers of Rob and Rosamund Scott.
Mrs Elizabeth Ennis.Mr Scott had been posted to the far East as a rising diplomat.
Jackie stated: "In 1941, Rosamund and the babies left for Australia and mum returned to nursing in Singapore.
"She turned into despatched to work in a small hospital 'up-country' where she met Jack.
"below a year later, simply 4 days earlier than Singapore fell, they married.
"now not every person is desktop-gunned on the way to their marriage ceremony.
"however my parents have been.
"Twice.
"Dodging bullets fired from the attacking fighter aircraft, they took refuge in the deep storm drains in conjunction with the highway.
"a few days later they were separated to POW internment for the next three and a half years."
Captain Jack Ennis.After the give up of Singapore, hundreds of Allied servicemen grew to be prisoners of the jap.
They have been subjected to a brutal regime of violence, callous neglect and forced labour.
From 1942 prisoners had been pressured to construct the Burma-Thailand railway, which grew to be frequent as the 'loss of life Railway' for its high mortality price, amongst each defense force prisoners of war, and civilian forced labourers.
Map of Changi penal complex advanced.For the children, in selected, Changi Gaol turned into a most sinister region with excessive concrete walls.
To retain some of the younger women occupied and entertained, Elizabeth set up a girl e book enterprise beneath the strict scrutiny of the guards – with many restrictions, including no saluting, and no countrywide Anthem allowed.
Jackie stated: "Begging threads and small items of fabric from worn out clothes, sleeves and hems, Elizabeth taught the ladies patchwork.
"She turned into very surprised – and intensely touched – when, on her birthday, a couple of months later, the publications introduced her with a patchwork quilt to make use of in her cell.
"each and every e book had embroidered her identify within the centre of their 'rosette'.
"This quilt grew to become the inspiration for the 'Changi Quilts', three extra patchwork quilts.
"each six inch rectangular was reduce from a rice sack, and then embroidered via a girl in Changi.
Copies of quilt embroidery from probably the most quilts."the first achieved quilt became introduced to the jap guards, dedicated to the 'wounded Nipponese troopers with our sympathy for their suffering'.
"When the quilt became authorized, the different two quilts were despatched to the guys's camp."
right here, the quilts took on a plenty greater important role, both as a method of getting messages to loved ones in the different camps, and as a exhibit of spirited defiance; the signature on every embroidered patch recognized a woman who turned into alive and well.
For some men, recognising the signature or design changed into the first confirmation that they had had that their wife, sister, mom, relative or chum was alive and interned in the jail.
In 1945, Jack and Elizabeth had been reunited and returned to Britain on the SS Monowai, which changed into the first ship to repatriate into Liverpool.
penitentiary pictures of Captain Jack Ennis.submit-warfare, Jack ran pathology services for the Durham community of hospitals, also taking up forensic work all the way through north-east England.
After retirement from the NHS he worked in Australia earlier than at last retiring to Edinburgh.
Elizabeth continued her hobby within the girl publications, fitting County Commissioner for North-east England.
She died in 2003 aged 93,
Jack died in 2007 aged 96.
They remained close chums with the Scotts.
Rob who was knighted in 1955 and Rosamund were Jackie's godparents.
Jackie stated: "In put up-war years, many visitors to our home have been also former internees (FEPOW).
"So many in fact, that my more youthful sister concept everyone's fogeys had been imprisoned, just a part of growing to be up.
"They had been an in depth community, even more so as the executive of the time discouraged talk of the struggle within the a ways East.
"In may also 1945, Britain had come in the course of the highs of VE Day and didn't need to be reminded the warfare had continued unless Japan surrendered on the 15th of August 1945.
"As a put up-war baby, i'm exceptionally fortunate that my fogeys survived captivity. The quilts at the moment are in museums – Imperial struggle Museum (IWM), Australian war Memorial and purple cross Headquarters.
Sandals from Captain Jack Ennis."For my family unit, we produce other precious mementos – amongst them, my father's wartime diaries, identification cards issued by way of the jap, smuggled notes, common sketches and cartoons, a pair of wooden sandals, and, most touchingly domestic, a pair of bamboo knitting needles from Changi jail.
"i'm so completely satisfied that activity in FEPOW continues to upward push.
"For loved ones, students and researchers, there are actually many online substances together with CWGC, COFEPOW, IWM, Legion Scotland and Forces war information.
"because the Scottish coordinator for COFEPOW (children of a ways East Prisoners of war),
"i am chuffed to aid where viable for it's 'with the aid of sharing information and giving it away, that we honour these men and girls and they're going to not ever be forgotten'."
Retired army Colonel Andy Middlemiss, who served in every single place the realm within the King's personal Scottish Borderers for 33 years said: "What an extraordinary, and difficult technology our forebears have been.
"My father came domestic simplest once in six years of war, and that turned into after being evacuated from Dunkirk.
"my very own regiment took bad casualties in Burma, within the Forgotten army beneath the legendary Slim.
"Jackie's fogeys embody that extraordinary stoical perspective – ready three long years to get their married lifestyles going once more, after so lengthy in jap captivity – uncomplainingly.
"these days, some americans moan about donning a face mask in shops.
"The medical professional and nurse simply gave of themselves for others all those lengthy years in POW camps.
"What a lovely illustration they set.
"What great americans they have been to serve others.
"VJ Day 75 marks the conclusion of six terrible years of suffering and sacrifice on either side – may additionally we never forget people who died, and served to permit us to be free today.
"these days within the Kohima cemetery, among the many 1,378 grave markers, is the famous Kohima Memorial with its ancient inscription: 'if you go domestic, tell them of us and say, for your day after today, we gave our today.'"
(The couple first met on June 29 1941)
July four 1941 – 'With Elizabeth again this night, absolutely delightful, both seem to benefit from the jungle, the river, the insect noises – I do trust i am falling in love'.
February 7 1942 – 'Day opened peacefully adequate. Dive bombing on P. Ubin as general. About 1.45 p.m. at lunch 27 (fighter planes) went over and loosed about one hundred bombs. All circular mess, flooring heaved like mad. Hell. T block hit above my Lab, many injured and killed.
Mrs Ennis turned into presented with a certificate in recognition of work with girl courses in Changi Gaol.dead and demise all over the place operating theatre floor, the surgeons tried challenging to get on with their job, dhobis, water carriers, naik killed.
(Nursing) Sisters stood it neatly.'
February eleven 1942 – 'Sisters evacuated. Elizabeth doesn't go.
Elizabeth and i are to be MARRIED. particular licence from Colonial Secretary and Sir Shenton. possibility bombs and shells. On the manner Elizabeth and i computer gunned at Gillman, twice in huge air raids.
The deed carried out by way of Mrs North-Hunt, Registrar widely wide-spread here.
Left Elizabeth at 20 C.G.H. (Changi commonplace sanatorium), to Tyersall – the awful fire. Burned to the ground, every little thing long past, about one hundred seventy sufferers, all bad instances as smartly
It turned into lousy, every hut gone, my truck, one GP left. nevertheless shelling once I got there.
My first evening again with darling Elizabeth.'
March 2 1942 – 'Elizabeth and that i slept in Room 21, The membership, – too many bugs and mosquitoes for comfort. Our last evening – for a way lengthy? All packed to head. lousy ill feeling.
a really quick farewell backyard Whiteways, too sudden in reality to leave my darling wife behind. Away about 1.30 p.m. with the aid of car at head of convoy of 11 vans. Japs a little bit tricky close penal complex, permit us through after parley. large parade at Changi for Jap inspection, what a group of British troops.
Sleep on my stretcher.'
March 20 1942 – 'Spent one of the crucial day in work and made an effort at repairing the salvaged chair.
starting to despair a little pondering of Elizabeth and mother all day. think quite hungry as does every person else before meals – blasted rice.
additionally getting a trifle weak, otherwise smartly and thank goodness there is adequate of labor to maintain me occupied.
Dysentery and flies still up. greater cases of ankle oedema are performing daily.
Malaria about the equal.
a long feel about Elizabeth tonight – how I long for my darling.'
Sandals from Captain Jack Ennis.may also 17 1942 – 'Bloom is the happiest man within the camp; he's had an extended note from his spouse, mention of Elizabeth in it to say she's smartly. Made me think particularly jealous, wonder why my darling couldn't get a observe to me?'
July 1 1942 – 'Visited Southern area and checked out greater lists of internees names, Elizabeth's was still absent, walked lower back exceptionally fed up. but – pleasure of joys, there turned into a word from my darling on my table. I delayed to open it, did everything else first, then sat all the way down to a primary study of it. ask yourself which of my letters she has obtained, can't rather make out. Hers must have been dated about twenty eighth. Bloom obtained one too and so did the others. Oh I feel decent, Elizabeth, must thank you without delay for this.'
December 25 1942 – 'Shortest half hour of my existence
Woke very early, lots singing all over of carols, we even heard a band on the hill above us. We bring together at office at 10.0 a.m. for the ambulance, it fetched civilians looking very sick, then the journey down. We hung about for eleven/2 hrs, 26 in all, we checked and re-checked then marched to south wall of 'H.M. reformatory 1936' where we met once more my very own DARLING – what a sensation! 12.30 – 1pm and it's in every single place and finished until when??'
July 25 1945 – 'There are extra skeletons going for walks across the camp than ever before, and others, simply lying on their beds from one scant meal to the subsequent – rations are very low.
everyone is very positive, though if we don't seem to be relieved or killed in a couple of months, death will come on a pretty good percentage anyway. additional food for the worst is almost exhausted now and our medicines are once more very low.'
August 15 1945 – 'The Emperor broadcast that that they had surrendered at 1200 hrs these days, but at 1400 hrs the air raid sirens went here in Singapore and fighter planes went up as typical.'
September 5 1945 – 'at last I see Elizabeth once more – however what a short while, three hours, and i turned into rushed from one region to a further to see Hugh and Rob (Scott) and all the others – but I most effective desired to look you, darling. Am I jealous?'
September eleven 1945 – 'Left Kranji at 0700 hrs., aboard SS Monowai by way of 0900 hrs. E came aboard little later.
Impressions – small vessel 11000 heaps, 1189 aboard, about 800 P.O.W. and internees from Sime highway camp. On S.M.O. guidelines we're on little or no to eat, very, very hungry first day. Ship, or its M.O. don't have any theory as to our health state. Water scarcity aboard. Very crowded, sixteen to a cabin is ordinary, very hot and stuffy. No cold drinks or water accessible to fulfill our craving. No deck space, no deck chairs, no cosy corners.
Elizabeth, as standard, is awfully cheerful about it all.
Sailed at 1300 hrs.'
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