War Diaries (February 23) (nonfiction)

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War Diary entries for February 23.

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Diaries

Mother Mary Cecilia Bailly: February 23, 1865

Charlie Carney, a young man that has been in our service several years, goes off on the night train to escape the draft. Poor boy, where does he go[?] I do not know.

—General Superior Mother Mary Cecilia Bailly (diary)

Dorothy Pugh: February 23, 1943

Bed bathed P.M… Mrs C as an audience – not a very pleasant job – still all was well. P.M. very sweet.

—Dorothy Pugh, Winston Churchill’s wartime nurse (diary)

Mirjam Bolle: February 23, 1943

Half-Past Midnight

This is no life, but hell on earth. My hands are trembling so much I can barely write. This is all getting too much. This is more than anyone can bear. Another transport is leaving this evening. I had planned not to go to bed too late. Aunt Dina is staying with us at the moment. I already wrote to you that she stays at our house during the day because she has been left at home on grounds of illness and now she fears being taken away, which is what happens in all of these cases. At home on Saturday morning, she got such a bad crick in her back that she couldn’t move, not even in bed. It was awful, because it meant she wouldn’t be able to come and stay with us on Monday, as Jews aren’t allowed in taxis.

We decided to wait and see what Sunday would bring, but her condition didn’t improve. She was then brought to our house by private patient transport, that’s to say on a stretcher in an ambulance. It was terrible to see her stretchered in like that, but we still laughed, because fortunately there’s nothing wrong with her apart from her bad back.

When the ambulance pulled up at their doorstep, neighborhood women rushed out to ask what was happening. Lea said: “My aunt has become unwell, and because she can’t stay with us we have to have her picked up in this way. And would you please excuse me now, for Mother isn’t at home either.” This is the kind of act you have to put on because it would be unwise to reveal too much. Well-intentioned gossip could fall on the wrong ears. Aunt Dina is staying with us now and is already doing much better. She sleeps in Grandmother’s bed in the passage room. Since Friday, Mr. Vromen has also been living with us. He is sleeping in the back room, our former living room.

—Mirjam Bolle, civilian (diary)

George Beck: February 23, 1945

Out of the two thousand that left here by rail fifty odd are reported seriously ill and have to return, the rest had to get out at Meissen and march. God help us if we have to do the same.

—George Beck,1st Battalion The Duke of Wellington's Regiment, prisoner of war (diary)

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