Bombed before breakfast! And a heavy one too. Several alarms today at supper time - a wounded plane landed here. A wire from Wanhsien today was like a slap in the face telling us to turn orphans over to govt. cable board if necessary. We just don't know what to do. Latest plan to send Simon on Sunday with the babies. Elsie + I follow a few days later. Coolies are asking $1200.00 - outrageous. Elsie + I are going to walk. Poor Clary - he is thinking so much I think its getting him down he looks so weary. - Annette, May 1943
This part of Annette's diary is so exciting - mostly because I know she makes it out ok. In May 1943, the front lines shifted and their little village was right in the center of all the action. Let's unpack this entry a bit.
A wire from Wanhsien today was like a slap in the face telling us to turn orphans over to govt. cable board if necessary. The Japanese were bombing them regularly. They received a letter saying that they had to evacuate, and leave the orphans behind. After more than two years of setting up the orphanage, church, school, and hospital, they were told to abandon the children and get out. Can you imagine?!
We just don't know what to do. Latest plan to send Simon on Sunday with the babies. Elsie + I follow a few days later. Understandably, Annette was worried and scared. Their plans changed each day, based on whatever new information they received. Here, they planned to send the orphan children towards Wanhsien (the city now called Wanzhou), with Miss Simon, one of the Chinese helpers at the orphanage and hospital. Annette and her friend Elsie would head out after with their own children (my uncle and dad included!). I'm not sure how many orphans they had at the time, but even relocating a few would be a true feat. Again, can you imagine?!
Coolies are asking $1200.00 - outrageous. Elsie + I are going to walk. The 'coolies' here were laborers who were paid to transport people and their belongings between villages. Apparently, when faced with a price-gouging situation, Annette and Elsie decided they would walk. To Wahnsien, now called Wanzhou. I just checked Google Maps and plugged in Enshih to Wanzhou. It was 204 kilometers - 56hours on foot. Two American women in their twenties, each with two American babies. Walking 204 kilometers. During an air strike in WWII. Let that sink in. CAN YOU IMAGINE?!
Poor Clary - he is thinking so much I think its getting him down he looks so weary. With all these plans swirling in her head, Annette is still thinking of her husband. Clary is trying to be strong and decisive in making plans, but at the end of the day, he will have to go ahead and leave his wife and young sons to travel on their own. I can't even imagine.
Usually, I try to rotate through each woman's diary, but we're going to stick with Annette for a bit here. This story is just getting started....