Click for complete Play about Dorothy Nixon, Changi

Excerpt from Radio Play Looking for Mrs. Peel.

Dr. Williams: Mrs. Nixon. I've heard from Dr. McIntyre that BBC broadcasts are being received in the Men's camp. Such good news for us. With tensions in the camp at such a pitch. I hear you were involved with the scuffle in the Carpenter's shop.

Dorothy: Dr. Williams! Yes, I never thought I'd need a Sikh guard to protect me from a fellow internee.

Dr. Williams: Were you hurt?

Dorothy: No,just kicked a bit and bitten on the arm. Have to laugh, looking back. Mrs. Lancaster had a vicious disagreement with one of the other Eurasions and ran to complain directly to Tominago. I tackled her at his door, but too late, she'd already flung it open and caught him in the shower. Tominaga's guard came out and we all fell to the floor in a heap, Mrs. Lancaster myself and the Sikh, all this with Tominaga screaming blue murder in in the background. Of course, I got the blame for the intrusion, being Women's Representative. Was ordered to keep my women under better control. I blamed it on overcrowding. Spent a day in the lav with the two women as punishment. Lucky I was there, they would have killed each other otherwise.

Dr. Williams: Hopefully this BBC business will improve moral. Dr. MacIntyre says you are running the racket in the women's camp. I volunteer of course to be one of your distributors.

Dorothy: Cecily, I've chosen my distributors already.

Dr. Williams: Who are they?

Dorothy:Only I know that. None of the doctors.

Dr. Williams: None of the doctors? But we doctors have been the camp leaders from the beginning. The Nipponese authorities respect us. Where would the camp be without our expertise in nutrition and tropical disease. Besides, we are ideally placed to pass on information to the general camp population.

Dorothy: I'm sorry Cecily. I'm not denying the tremendous contribution you and the other doctors have made to our general well-being. But it's my call.

Dr. Williams: At least tell me who the distributors are.

Dorothy: Sorry, Cecily. I wouldn't give that information even to Adrian.

Dr. Williams: You wouldn't tell the Men's Camp Representative. He must have been outraged. He believes that the women's camp is under the jurisdiction of the men's camp. You do so enjoy crossing swords with him.

Dorothy: Men never think women can do anything.

Dr. Williams: Why all this cloak and dagger secrecy? It's only BBC Broadcasts.

Dorothy: They are strictly forbidden, remember?

Dr. Williams: Yes, but the Nipponese Authorities are perfectly content to know as little as possible.

Dorothy: Yes, but things can change fast. Diary Entries