Cape Breton's Magazine

stood in my yellow slacks, and the Japanese soldiers pushed me with some other soldiers who had run into our house thinking it was to be a haven of rest and peace. "The rest of the Fathers with Bishop O'Gara were tied, hands behind their backs, and made to kneel on the floor. I had not real? ized that I had been taken for a soldier, and kept pushing myself forward to be tied up. Finally the gendarme caught hold of me gruffly and tightly tied me with the rest. The young soldier was kept at Maryknoll House--later to receive the same treatment as the other soldiers who had been captured. "We were led to a gully, still tied up. Here some of the soldiers were put to death. Then we were led off to a garage where we remained three days without a bite to eat or a drop to drink. Finally we were released and allowed to go back to our home, which was a shambles. Here we remained until January 21. The rest of the Hong Kong foreign population arrived, and altogether we were about 3000...,." Fr. Murphy: I can visualize all those things. I knew the people. My work was to try to boost their morale, to make them happy. That's why I'd have singsongs for them, and play the piano.... That was just like a kaleidoscope going across my mind all the time. (It's a long time ago.) Yeah. There's still indelible signs in my mind. (Do you remember any particular acts of he? roism?) Of individuals? (Yeah.) Not neces? sarily, because everybody was treated the same.... There was an awful lot of suffer? ing. And that's why I never ever spoke about those things. Because it'd only be boosting my own morale, if I spoke about them. (Was there much fear. Father?) Fear? Oh, there was a general aura of fear. But you just had to keep your best foot forward and not dwell too much on any of the atrocities, and just accept it, day in and day out. Whatever came, and whatever went. (Were you in Japan after the war?) Yes. I went over. And when I was in the Navy, we went into Japan. I travelled all over Japan. I never bothered going to the hospitals or anything like that. I wanted to put the war out of my mind. (Did you have a hard time putting the war out of your mind?) Not too hard. I just went about my daily duty, and things that I wanted to do my? self. And teach and give example to peo? ple. I've done that all my life. By my own living. That's why my Sisters, I think, say to me, "Your work is not finished yet." I don't know what more I have to do; what more is there to do. I guess just to give good example and to try to be as holy and good as we can, and friendly with Al? mighty God. (All through these experiences, not once did you ever waver in your faith.) Never. Never. The first day when I was tied up and they were taking us out, and I was kneeling down on the floor in the foyer of the Ma? ryknoll House, they had--they'd got the bishop out, and then two priests. And I said, "Oh, I guess they are taking them out to shoot them." And they took them out. We were in the foyer of the building. And I could hear their guns going off.... They're gone. But I was fooled; they came back again. They didn't shoot them. And that was the only time that I thought that I was go? ing to be killed. And I began to think of home, and my father and mother and the fam? ily- -how they would feel. I felt for them. END MABOU GARDENS Cape Breton's Largest Full-Service Garden Centre Grand Lake Road SYDNEY • 562-6000 Locally Owned • OPEN 12 MONTHS A YEAR! Buy All Your Garden & Gift Needs COMMITMENT TO CAPE BRETON