In the Shadow of the Rising Sun: Surviving a Prisoner of War Childhood by Olga H

Description: In the Shadow of the Rising Sun by Olga Henderson Now in her 90s, Olga Henderson lives a quiet life in Eastbourne. In February 1942, aged 10, she was living in Singapore when the city fell to the Japanese Imperial Army. Sent to the notorious Changi Prison and subjected to unimaginable cruelty, this is the harrowing story of her life as a prisoner of war and how she survived against all the odds. FORMAT Paperback CONDITION Brand New Publisher Description "When they heard the allies were coming, we were given extra rice to have the strength and energy to dig our own graves."In February 1942, ten-year old Olga Morris and her family were living in Singapore when the city fell to the Japanese Imperial Army in the biggest defeat in history of the British Forces. Turned back at an evacuation ships gangway as the bombs fell, Olga and her parents and siblings were forced to take their chances and hide out until, captured by Japanese soldiers, they were sent on a forced march to the notorious Changi Prison.Theres a certain stereotype of the British in Singapore in the 30s and early 40s, which Olga Morris – Henderson as she is now – definitely did not fit. Her family was not part of the privileged Raffles Hotel set, with their big houses and servants. Her father worked in construction, building roads, the citys hospital and a mosque. Olga and her siblings grew up in Johor Bahru, a diverse part of Malaya just across the causeway from Singapore, amongst children of all faiths and cultures, who played together without a thought to race or class. It was a very happy upbringing.All that changed in 1942. Olga was playing with her guinea pigs when a British Army officer arrived to tell her mother that the family had just 20 minutes to pack what they could and get out. The Japanese were ten miles away. Olgas mother grabbed the family photograph album and they ran...Three years of captivity followed. Three years of disease, malnutrition, deprivationand oppression. Olga and her friends bravely raided the vegetable plot; "dodging the searchlights" and sometimes enduring severe punishments. She stood alongside the other women and children through the ordeal of Tenko in the blazing sun. They were used as slave labour. Halfway through their captivity, Olgas ten-year-old brother William was put into the mens camp, where he suffered terribly cruelty that scarred him for life.February 2022 marked 80 years since the Fall of Singapore and at last Olga is ready to tell the story of her years as a child prisoner of war. Its a story of great fear and deprivation; of a childhood utterly lost to conflict. Its also a story of class prejudice and unkindness that didnt end when Olga was freed from the camp and returned to England as an unwanted refugee.Yet moments of humour and camaraderie also live on in Olgas memory. The camps girl guide group held clandestine meetings, where they worked on sewing a quilt. The Changi Quilt is now held at the Imperial War Museum in London, as an emblem of the guides courage and faith. As Olga says, "We always felt the end of the war would come, we lived for it, from month to month and tried never to lose hope." Details ISBN1915306426 Author Olga Henderson Pages 272 Publisher Mirror Books Year 2023 ISBN-10 1915306426 ISBN-13 9781915306425 Publication Date 2023-07-06 UK Release Date 2023-07-06 Format Paperback Imprint Mirror Books Subtitle Surviving a Prisoner of War Childhood Country of Publication United Kingdom AU Release Date 2023-07-06 NZ Release Date 2023-07-06 Audience General DEWEY 940.547252095957 We've got this At The Nile, if you're looking for it, we've got it. With fast shipping, low prices, friendly service and well over a million items - you're bound to find what you want, at a price you'll love! TheNile_Item_ID:142693208;

Price: 23.44 AUD

Location: Melbourne

End Time: 2025-01-16T03:14:51.000Z

Shipping Cost: 0 AUD