Vivian Bullwinkel shortly before she left for Singapore
"Vivian decided they should take a chance and surrender to the Japanese at Muntok headquarters, a few miles away. Kinsley immediately agreed, saying 'If it comes to the worst I hope the Japs do a better job of it this time.'
"They began the long, exhausting trip to Muntok, Kinsley dividing his weight between Vivian and a cane.
When they reached the headquarters, they had a few moments to say good-bye.
'I want you to know that I admire you very much,' Vivian whispered to Kinsley, 'and I feel a great pride in having had you as a companion.'
'I would never have made it thus far,” Kinsley replied, 'if it hadn’t been for you. I used to look at you and wonder, what with everything that happened to you, where you got your strength from to go on. You set the example, you made me determined to be like you.'
A car pulled up to take Kinsley away..."
From "Vivian Bullwinkel: Sole Survivor" from Women Heroes of World War II: The Pacific Theater.
No comments:
Post a Comment