Поющие в терновнике

           EuropewasalongwayawayandHitlerwouldhavetomarchhisarmiestwelvethousandmilesinordertoinvadeAustralia,butJapanwasAsia,partoftheYellowPerilpoisedlikeadescendingpendulumaboveAustralia’srich,empty,underpopulatedpit.SonooneinAustraliawasatallsurprisedwhentheJapaneseattackedPearlHarbor;theyhadsimplybeenwaitingforittocome,somewhere.Suddenlythewarwasveryclose,andmightevenbecometheirownbackyard.TherewerenogreatoceansseparatingAustraliafromJapan,onlybigislandsandlittleseas.

           OnChristmasDay1941,HongKongfell;buttheJapswouldneversucceedintakingSingapore,everyonesaid,relieved.ThennewscameofJapaneselandingsinMalayandinthePhilippines;thegreatnavalbaseatthetoeoftheMalayanpeninsulakeptitshuge,flat-trajectoriedgunstrainedonthesea,itsfleetattheready.ButonFebruary8th,1942,theJapanesecrossedthenarrowStraitofJohore,landedonthenorthsideofSingaporeIslandandcameacrosstothecitybehinditsimpotentguns.Singaporefellwithoutevenastruggle.

           Andthengreatnews!AlltheAustraliantroopsinNorthAfricaweretocomehome.PrimeMinisterCurtinrodetheswellsofChurchillianwrathundismayed,insistingthatAustraliahadfirstcallonAustralianmen.TheSixthandSeventhAustralianDivisionsembarkedinAlexandriaquickly;theNinth,stillrecoveringinCairofromitsbatteringatTobruk,wastofollowassoonasmoreshipscouldbeprovided.Feesmiled,Meggiewasdeliriouswithjoy.JimsandPatsywerecominghome.