Description
Object description
British civilian nurse at Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Birmingham, GB, 1/1940-1/1944; volunteer served with Friends Ambulance Unit attached to Middle East Relief and Refugee Administration in Egypt and Palestine, 2/1944-5/1944; served with Friends Ambulance Unit attached to United Nations Relief and Rehabilitation Administration in Italy and Dodecanese Islands, Greece, 1944-1945; served as nurse with MT 19 Team, Friends Ambulance Unit in China, 1946-1948
Content description
REEL 1 Background in Coulsden and Croydon, GB, 1919-1939: family; education; family's religious outlook; degree of knowledge of conscientious objector uncle Hubert Peet experiences during First World War; opinion of League of Nations; reading 'Punch' magazine; cousin John Peet's involvement in Spanish Civil War; question of dilemma faced by pacifists during Second World War; degree of awareness of Nazism in Germany; reaction to outbreak of Second World War, 9/1939. Aspects of period as nurse at Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Birmingham, GB, 1/1940-1/1944: start of training as nurse at Queen Elizabeth Hospital, 1/1940; opinion of training received; experiences of bombing; contact with Friends Ambulance Unit in Birmingham; reasons for joining Friends Ambulance Unit.
REEL 2 Continues: Aspects of period as volunteer with Friends Ambulance Unit attached to Middle East Relief and Refugee Administration in Egypt and Palestine, 2/1944-5/1944: voyage from GB to Egypt, 2/1944; initial impressions of Egypt; uniform worn and rank system; organisation of Friends Ambulance Unit; training at Mahdi Camp; move to refugee camp in Jaffa, Palestine, 3/1944; presence of Greek refugees in camp; move to Kataba Refugee Camp in Palestine; measles epidemic in camp; question of adapting to dealing with refugees; relations between different groups of Yugoslav refugees; brief move to El Shatt Refugee Camp in Egypt. Aspects of period as volunteer with Friend Ambulance Unit attached to United Nations Relief and Rehabilitation Administration in Italy, 1944-1945: move to Bari, late 1944; contact with American service personnel; move to Rome; impression of Italian civilians and work in outpatient clinic in Rome.
REEL 3 Continues: attitude towards children's party being filmed by American personnel. Aspects of period as volunteer with Friend Ambulance Unit attached to United Nations Relief and Rehabilitation Administration in Dodecanese Islands, Greece, 1945: sight of German prisoners of war on Rhodes Island; move to refugee camp on Karpathos Island; dealing with casualties from explosion aboard Greek vessel on Karpathos Island; state of islanders health; work at Terme Hotel Hospital on Rhodes Island; physical condition of starving patients; language problems; meeting husband and marriage; return to GB; impact of wartime experiences on pacifist beliefs; opinion of Friend's Ambulance Unit morale; relations between male and female members of Friend's Ambulance Unit; decision to go to China with Friend's Ambulance Unit. Aspects of journey from GB to China via India, 11/1945-2/1946: voyage from GB to India; train journey across India; attending prayer meeting with Mahatma Gandhi in Calcutta, 12/1945; flight to China, 2/1946.
REEL 4 Continues: Recollections of period as nurse with Friend's Ambulance Unit in China, 1946-1948: initial impressions of China; question of handing over of hospital to Chinese; description of hospital at Kutsing; Friend's Ambulance Unit's convoy supply work; duties in hospital at Kutsing; medical facilities and supplies; living conditions for Chinese civilians; military situation between Nationalist and Communist Chinese; opinion of American military personnel; memories of Bob McClure; capture of Friend's Ambulance Unit personnel by bandits including Lord Hugh Russell; diversity with Friend's Ambulance Unit in China; question of numbers of women and Quakers in Friend's Ambulance Unit; move of Friend's Ambulance Unit to Henan Province; arrival in Zhengzhou; story of being bitten by rabid dog.
REEL 5 Continues: evidence of Japanese devastation; treatment of Chinese by Kuomintang; American supervision of work to straighten Yellow River; Friend's Ambulance Unit work in Henan Province; nature of civil war clashes in Henan Province; relations between Friend Ambulance Unit personnel and missionaries; degree of awareness of work of British United Aid to China group; preparations to go to Yan'an in Shaanxi Province with Medical Team 19 (MT 19); composition of Medical Team 19 (MT 19) and attitude towards being part of it; connection of Medical Team 19 (MT 19) with Marshall Plan and other relief organisation; question of supplies taken to Yan'an; flight to Yan'an and character of terrain.
REEL 6 Continues: site of effects of Japanese bombing in Yan'an; presence of General Chu The in Yan'an; presence of foreigners in Yan'an; memories of Mao Tse Tung's wife Jiang Qing; clothing worn in Shaanxi Province; meeting Zhou En Lai and Mao Tse Tung; description of cave dwellings in Shanxi Province; relations between civilians and Communists in Yan'an; nature of society in Yan'an; description of International Peace Hospital; work of Medical Team 19 (MT 19).
REEL 7 Continues: story of operation on General Shao Chi's jaw; facilities and equipment in International Peace Hospital; teaching English; Communist Party control of Medical Team 19 (MT 19); lessons in basic hygiene; opinion of work carried out in Yan'an; pregnancy; Communist indoctrination sessions for local civilians in Yan'an; living conditions for civilians; contrast between behaviour of Nationalists and Communists; witnessing elderly women with bound feet; question of water supply and later improvements; improvements for women under Communism; relations within Medical Team 19 (MT 19); recreational activities.
REEL 8 Continues: use of American recreational facilities; relations with Chinese civilians; memories of Dr Li Bing; Chinese attitude towards Medical Team 19 (MT 19)'s pacifism; learning of assassination of Mahatma Ghandi from interpreter; setting off on march from Yan'an; conditions on and route taken on march; transporting supplies and equipment; commandeering of local civilians homes for hospital; primitive arms available to Communist 8th Route Army; conditions on march; methods of transporting equipment and people; method of crossing Yellow River.
REEL 9 Continues: weather conditions; living conditions for peasants in Shensi and Shansi Provinces; description of manufacture of Chinese footwear; attitude of Communists towards opium; relations between Communists and civilians; problems of finding wood; use of human excrement for fertilizer; smallpox epidemic and degree of water borne diseases; setting up hospital on arrival in new place; attitude of local civilians towards western medicine; training and role of Chinese medical staff; 'Barefoot Doctors' scheme; Chinese attitude towards medical profession.
REEL 10 Continues: facilities in temporary cave hospitals; condition of wounded Chinese troops on arrival in hospital; method of plastering patients' legs; problems with providing blood transfusions; attitude towards service; manufacture and use of artificial limbs; petrol supply; patients' rations; organisation of march; threat from wolves; problems with bed bugs and lice; shortage of medical supplies; relations with hospital administer Mr Li; her teaching role; estimate of contribution of Medical Team 19 (MT 19) in China; coping with pregnancy on march; birth of her son, David, 15/11/1947.
REEL 11 Continues: further details of birth of son, David, 15/11/1947; obtaining supplies for baby son; looking after baby son on march back to Yan'an; Chinese New Year celebrations; witnessing treatment of landlords by Communists and villagers; attitude of villagers towards Communists; reception on return to Yan'an, 1948; lessons learnt from time in China; importance of understanding Chinese standards and culture; question of attitude towards time spent in China after return to GB; question of equality in areas controlled by Communists.
REEL 12 Continues: leaving Yan'an, 8/1948; character of journey from Yan'an to Tientsin; witnessing affluent lifestyle in Tientsin; question of having been in Communist controlled areas; move to Peking and visit to Forbidden City; political atmosphere in China, late 1948; return to GB from Shanghai. Reflections on service with Friends Ambulance Unit in China, 1946-1948 and return visits in 1974 and 1978: media interest in their experiences in China; opinion of media coverage; opinion of Communist victory in China, 1949; invitation to return to China, 1978; reception for former International Peace Hospital personnel; continuation of Friends Ambulance Unit programmes by Communist Government.
REEL 13 Continues: contrast between visits to China in 1974 and 1978; return visit to Yan'an; conditions in Shanxsi and Shaanxi Provinces during 1970s; impact of experiences in China; degree of danger working in China during Chinese Civil War; attitude towards service in China; attitude towards war/peace issues and nuclear weapons; reads poem written by husband in China; question of financial situation on return to GB, 1948.
