australian television information archive

Episode 2.01

December 1942

The women have been split into two groups for the march, with Sylvia, Blanche and Nellie in the second group. Bea has become demoralised and listless after her continual effort over the prior months, and also by the slow degradation in her eyesight. Speculation about the new camp is rife, but the instead of going to the camp, the guards march the women down for a surprise day on the beach, which is richly enjoyed by all.

The march continues on, for several days. There continues to be elation and despair from the list of names from the men's camp. The guards get lost, and the group is forced to backtrack. At one overnight stay, the group picks up Joss Holbrook and Edie, both sick elderly women who have been left by a previous party of guards for the current group to pick up. Joss immediately asks if anyone knows anything about her friend Monica Radcliffe.

Debbie, bitten by a spider on the beach, dies. The guards try to move on without burial, but the women refuse to move until it's done, insisting that it's only right that she be given a Christian burial. Marion, cleaning up Debbie's possessions afterwards, finds a Star of David and realises that the Bowens were really Jewish.

Others die as the journey continues before they finally arrive at the new camp on New Year's Day, 1943.

Episode 2.02

1 January 01, 1943

The women arrive at the new camp and are processed in. Joss continues to look for news of her friend Monica. Kate, having enjoyed the trek to the new camp, finds herself more resentful of the confinement, and decides to hide the fact that she's a nurse until she knows what things will be like. Marion is in despair from the aftermath of Debbie's death and the continued weight of responsibility. Ulrica discovers that she is the only nun in the camp, which causes her consternation. Sally is deeply depressed, and Christina tries to get her more interested in living.

Dr Natalie Trier comes and inspects the new internees, and they are released from their new hut to be greeted. Lieutenant Nakamura is the commandant, but he speaks no English and the camp is really controlled by the official interpreter, Miss Hasan. Miss Hasan has a reputation for tantrums, but generally leaves the internees alone if the work is done. After being greeted by Lieutenant Nakamura and Miss Hasan, the group is met by Verna Johnson, who is in charge of distribution, and meet Daisy, a British orphan who works as Verna's servant.

The new camp has mattresses, running water, a choir, gardens, traders (when the prisoners are good), and a cat that belongs to Verna. The women are given temporary clothes, and the old ones taken out for boiling and disinfection, but are later informed by Verna that the old clothes have disintegrated, and that they will have to repay her for the 'temporary' clothes that they have. The loss of their clothes (practically the only thing most of them have to call their own) infuriates the women. They are also informed that they are expected to repay the camp funds for the food rations consumed on the first day as the Japanese didn't issue any for them, and also for the mattresses, and that there's a swear box for people caught swearing. The women realise that Verna runs the internees and takes her cut on everything that happens in the camp.

They are also informed that the women in the new camp work off-site at a factory, making headgear for Japanese soldiers, and they will be expected to join the work crews soon. Christina is put on a truck to another camp to act as their interpreter. Marion is reunited with her old school chum, Lillian Cartland, and her son Bobby. Lillian obsesses about Bobby's health and diet. Bea, hospitalised, resents Dr Trier's detached treatment of all the patients, including herself, and even more upset when no visitors are allowed for the first day, and only for half-an-hour on all following days. Bea is also upset with the continued deterioration of her eyesight. All of the women are confronted with the realisation that they must start over in this new camp.

Episode 2.03

2 January 1943

The women continue to chafe at conditions in the new camp: the loss of their clothes continues to infuriate them, and the camp rules, the swear box, the discipline committee all seem unnecessarily restrictive.

Lillian explains to the new camp internees that the rich will pay them to do their chores for them. When Verna announces that the committee has decided to use Red Cross monies to pay for the mattresses and that the new internees won't have to pay for them, Bea, Rose, Marion and Joss decide to ask for their group's monies to be kept aside: Verna may be the camp leader and representative, but she is not the leader of the group from the old camp. However, Miss Hasan rejects Ulrica's and Marion's petition for separate leaders: all contact should come from Verna, and only Verna.

The women start to settle into their new life and make some plans: Ulrica discovers that a priest comes over from the men's camp to hear confessions, and Kate and Rose decide to try to get news from Bernard and Tom. Dr Trier arranges a special diet for Bea, so that Bea will become and stay well enough to treat the ill. Bea discovers that Dr Trier is keeping data on all the prisoners, and that she hopes to use the data to publish a study after the war. Marion asks Lillian if Lillian can get her some paper for her diary. With Christina gone, Daisy tries to get Sally to focus more on life. Joss and Kate set up in the shoe making/mending business. And Dorothy approaches the guards, offering to trade herself for cigarettes and other small luxuries.

Verna warns the group that there's going to be a search. Bea warns Marion to hide her diary. When Verna overhears this, she offers to hide it for Marion, but takes the opportunity to read it before returning it. Verna offers Marion a position on the disciplinary committee; during their discussion, Marion realises that the committee members are not elected, but appointed by Verna.

Dorothy, having established contact with a guard called Shinya, is distressed that he keeps giving her cigarettes but refusing her offers of repayment. They finally agree on English lessons as an acceptable trade. Lillian is appalled when she realises that Dorothy sleeps with the guards.

All of the prisoners are ordered to make themselves pretty for a propaganda photo, and are loaned new clothes and a touch of makeup for the occasion. Sally, still out of sorts and angry at the Japanese, fakes illness, slips into the commandant's office, and commits suicide. This ruins the Japanese plans for the day. Kate, wanting to help prepare Sally's body for burial, reveals that she is a nurse.

Episode 2.04

15 January 1943

Having agreed that Sally was insane at the time of her death, the internees bury her in Christian ground. Punishment details are announced, with only Ulrica and the ill being excused, but Ulrica insists on working too. The first shift at the factory leaves the women exhausted, but Rose thinks that some men from the men's camp may be working in another part of the factory and schemes over contacting them. Rations are cut for the first time at the new camp, so that the troops at the front may have more; this makes Lillian even more obsessed with Bobby's diet and health.

Lillian arranges for Marion to teach the children; Dorothy continues to teach Shinya English. Bea continues to be angry that visiting hours, even for the dying, are limited to half-an-hour a day, and decides that she really doesn't like the limitation imposed on patients' rights by modern medicine. Verna and Van Meyer sound each other out and spend some time together, and Van Meyer becomes Verna's hairdresser. Van Meyer finds out from Verna that Joss is actually Lady Jocelyn Holbrook, which makes Van Meyer fawn over Joss; Van Meyer also tells Daisy that Joss is a Lady.

Ulrica looks forward to the priest's visit the next day; although concerned over the condition of her gown, she is too tired to clean it. Joss slips it out while Ulrica is sleeping, and washes it for her. In confession, Ulrica confesses that she helped with Sally's burial service because her love for Sally was greater than her horror at Sally's sin. Her penance is to not speak to the others (other than items related to work), and to restrict her contact with them, as they have led her away from God.

Josh suspects that Dorothy may be pregnant. Dorothy later confirms this to some of the women, and the women are concerned over possible reprisals against them for Dorothy's indiscretions. Ulrica is the only one who tries to comfort Dorothy. Dorothy is convinced of the hopelessness of trying bring the child to term, even if she wanted to, especially considering Violet's fate. She tells Ulrica that she wants to terminate the pregnancy, causing Ulrica to break her silence.

Episode 2.05

Shinya becomes concerned over Dorothy's behaviour. Bea tells Kate about the pregnancy, and the women discuss what to do. Van Meyer is horrified that the baby was fathered by one
of the guards, but the rest of the women accept it. What causes division is the argument over whether abortion is acceptable or not, especially considering the medical conditions in the camp.

All prisoners are given extra duties; Dorothy's involuntary protest gets her heavy duties.

When Daisy becomes ill with dysentery, Van Meyer agrees to act as Verna's maid.

Ulrica, convinced that Dorothy and her potential sin are more important than her penance, tries to convince Dorothy that abortion is wrong. Dorothy says that it's either abortion or suicide. Dr Trier notices the concern over Dorothy, and mentions it to Verna, who pries it out of Van Meyer. Verna offers Dorothy an abortion; Dorothy accepts. Verna gets the money from Miss Hasan (who wants it repaid), and makes the arrangements. The decisions made, Ulrica tells the other women to support Dorothy, whatever their personal opinions. The abortion is started the next day, but the announcement of a visit by the new district commander causes Miss Hasan to send the women from Marion's hut to the factory, and hide the abortion proceedings in a storeroom.

The new district commander turns out to be Major Yamauchi, promoted from his position as their previous commandant. Miss Hasan comments that the women from the old camp are undisciplined, but realises her error when one of the children recognise him. Yamauchi is unhappy with the command structure of the camp, and replaces Lieutenant Nakamura with Captain Sato, also promoted from their last camp. Captain Sato conducts a surprise roll call when the group from the factory returns. Bea plans to cover for Dorothy's absence and take her chance with punishment for 'forgetting to include her on the sick rolls'. Dorothy, not wanting Bea to run the risk, insists on attending the roll call, but collapses partway through. After her abortion, she becomes depressed, but eventually recovers.

The priest visits again, and Ulrica confesses that she broke her previous penance and also that there was an abortion. The priest, concerned that Ulrica is making decisions without the guidance of the church, arranges for Ulrica to continue her internment at a convent. As she leaves, Ulrica tells Bea that, while she knew how to be a nun, the women in the camp had been teaching her how to be a woman.

Episode 2.06

31 March 1943

Shinya tells Dorothy that some of the soldiers from the camp are being transferred to the front.

Lillian hopes that she and Bobby will be included on a repatriation list, and asks Marion to check with Yamauchi during his visit the next day. Marion's request for an interview with Yamauchi is denied by Verna, however he notices her during his inspection and agrees to see her. Marion asks for information on the other prisoners from the first camp, information about Christina's whereabouts, and information on the repatriation list. Yamauchi replies that he is too busy to concern himself with the fate of the prisoners from the first camp, that he will look into the matter of Christina, and that the repatriation list should be handled through Verna. Verna punishes Marion and her hut by refusing them dinner that night and breakfast the next morning.

The next day, Verna tells Marion that two new internees will be added to her hut. At the end of the factory shift, Christina is brought back to rejoin the group, although she must report to Yamauchi's office down the road from the camp every day. And Blanche is transferred from her current camp to their new camp, bringing news of their old friends (Sylvia dies from cholera the first month in the new camp, but Nellie is alive and well and running the sickbay).

Christina and Blanche have to make some adjustments to living in the new camp, but it's made easier by the support of their friends. Blanche discovers that Debbie has died, and blames Rose for telling about their escape attempt, but later discovers that she misses her friendship with Blanche. Blanche meets Joss and, determined to defy the Japanese, they team up.

Rose is still trying to figure out a way to contact the men's camp. This becomes unnecessary when, working at Yamauchi's office, Christina is approached by a member of the underground, who contacts the men's camp and brings back word that Bernard and Tom are both alive and at the camp.

Lillian has been giving part of her rations to Bobby. Bobby gives some of his food to one of the other children. When Lillian finds out, she has a fit. The repatriation list comes through and Lillian and Bobby aren't on it; Dr Trier is.

Episode 2.07

22 April 1943

Christina brings a note from Bernard to Rose, arranging a rendezvous the night of the Emperor's birthday, when the guards will be distracted by a large party the Japanese are planning. Christina is nervous about the risk both she and the man in the underground are running, and wants to stop acting as a courier. Joss asks Christina to contact the underground for resistance purposes, and Christina refuses. Yamauchi, suffering from stomach problems and unable to eat much, gives his uneaten food rations to Christina.

Verna puts Van Meyer on the discipline committee. Marion objects, and gets the committee to agree that future selections will be held by vote. Lillian continues to give part of her ration to Bobby and obsess about his condition. Lillian asks Dorothy to ask Shinya for extra food for Bobby. After Joss is punished for trying to steal guards' underwear, Joss and Blanche make plans to disrupt the birthday celebration. Rose, discovering the plans, asks Blanche to delay their execution, so she and Bernard can meet with less risk.

On the Emperor's birthday, the repatriates leave the camp. Dr Trier has asked for her repatriation to be cancelled, but it is too late and she must leave. The Japanese forbid the repatriates to bring any notes with them. Dr Trier decides to try, but asks Bea to keep a copy just in case, and asks her to add to them as needed. Bea worries about coping with Dr Trier leaving, especially with her bad eyesight, and feels overwhelmed by the responsibility. Kate thinks about becoming a doctor when they're released. The internees are given soap and extra rice rations. Shinya sits out the Japanese party, and Dorothy keeps him company, talking about life in their different cultures.

Rose tries to make herself up for her rendezvous. Blanche slips in, gives her some lipstick she stole from Van Meyer, and offers to escort her through the forest to the rendezvous. Rose and Blanche slip out of the camp. When Bernard meets them at the hut, Blanche slips back to camp. Bernard gives Rose a bottle of Vitamin B, and tells her to tell Kate that Tom sends his love — he's been unable to reply to her notes because he's been in solitary. He's also seen a newspaper clipping: the Allies are gaining ground. He also reports that Sally Markham's husband Peter died a while back from diphtheria. Bernard
and Rose agree to get married.

Josh accidentally reveals the rendezvous to Kate, who hasn't heard replies from her notes to Tom and is distressed at not knowing of the plans. Marion discovers Blanche sneaking into camp and deduces the rendezvous. Later, Sato breaks up the soldiers' party and sends them to search for Rose and Bernard. The camp watches the soldiers leave, and shots are heard from the forest.

Episode 2.08

30 April 1943

Due to the ill-fated rendezvous, Sato decrees the following punishments: rations are cut until the Japanese know how things were arranged and who helped. Emotions in the camp run very high. Lillian still obsesses about Bobby and has taken him out of classes. She gives him most of her rations, and works extra hours for food for him.

Rose is brought back, shot in the back; Bernard is dead. The entire camp chips in items for the surgery needed for Rose, even Verna miraculously producing a bottle of disinfectant. Bea and Kate operate on Rose; when Bea realises she can't focus enough to operate, she turns the operation over to Kate and assists her. Afterwards, Bea feels old, used up. Rose recovers consciousness, but is paralysed and without feeling from the waist down. Yamauchi arrives and questions Rose. When she refuses to answer, Miss Hasan tries to hurt her, but chooses points where Rose has no feeling. Rose confesses that she passed notes back and forth through the latrine walls at the factory. Satisfied, Yamauchi leaves. Rose tells Kate that Tom is alive, and rations are restored to normal, thanks to Rose's confession.

Dorothy teams up with Joss and Blanche and distracts Shinya while Joss and Blanche plant rats in Verna's hut. Shinya tells Dorothy that the guards at headquarters said that Rose and Bernard were informed on. Blanche, who blames herself for not staying on lookout, speculates that Christina is getting extra food from the Japanese. Speculation runs rife over who the informant is, and suspicion falls on Christina. Joss and Marion prevent physical retaliation against Christina, but she is to be brought before the discipline committee.

Daisy having fallen ill again, Lillian is acting as Verna's maid. Verna spreads word about the Christina's supposed guilt. Christina is worried about the hearing before the disciplinary committee. Yamauchi is still having stomach problems and continues to give Christina his rations. He notices that she is worried about something, but thinks it is about Rose and tries to offer her comfort, speaking of honour. Honour becomes Christina's defence at the hearing, which delivers a verdict of Not Proved.

Blanche visits Rose, but it's terribly awkward, and she leaves quickly. Afterwards, her taste for pranks — and for life — are gone. Joss finds out from one of the children that Verna is giving fish to her cat, and tells Marion. Marion is furious, and joins Joss in her pranks.

Lillian gives Bobby an egg. Marion later discovers Lillian giving Bobby yeast and a banana, and has it out with Lillian, discovering that she is the one who betrayed Rose and Bernard.

Episode 2.09

12 May 1943

The other children refuse to play with Bobby.

Dorothy and Blanche trap Lillian and cut her hair. The others are rough on Lillian, tripping her in the mess.

In an attempt to make amends, Blanche asks Christina to the dance, but is turned down.

One of the children tells Dorothy that Shinya is the one who shot Rose. She confronts him, and it's true. Shinya tries to rebuild his friendship with Dorothy, but she rejects him, and sleeps with the other guards to get cigarettes.

Marion approaches Verna about getting Lillian and Bobby transferred out of the camp, and finds that Verna's already spoken to Miss Hasan about it. Yamauchi and Marion talk. He agrees to the plan, and confirms Bernard's death. Lillian and Bobby are transferred out before morning roll call. Lillian sends for Marion to say goodbye, and wants to tell her where the extra food came from, but runs out of time when Verna comes in. When Blanche discovers that Lillian is gone, her anger and her spirit return.

Two months pass. Joss is still looking for word on her friend Monica. Christina finds out that Monica is dead, having died of heart problems early in her captivity. Marion realises she misses being the leader. Bea wonders where the disinfectant for Rose's operation came from. Van Meyer cuts open her mattress and makes a pillow for Rose. Rose asks Van Meyer to cut her hair, but is refused. Joss and Marion spot a native outside the wire, who arranges a 'postbox' to pass messages between Kate and Tom.

Joss still wants to contact the underground, but Blanche refuses, saying that she doesn't want to end up like Rose. Blanche goes to Rose and cuts her hair for her. Rose's urine becomes infected. Blanche asks Bea to euthanise Rose, arguing that they did it for Dorothy's baby. Rose, wanting to die quickly, refuses food. When Miss Hasan finds out, she gets very mad and says that no one will eat if Rose doesn't: they don't want another suicide. Rose capitulates and eats. Later, the evening of her birthday, Rose asks Bea to kill her. Bea still resists it. In the morning, Bea tells the hut that Rose died peacefully in her sleep.

Episode 2.10

3 September 1943

The drought affects the internees in their camp: tap water is for drinking only, everything else must be hauled from a water hole. The work load is increases, with even Verna ordered to do manual labour, especially since she still owes Miss Hasan for Dorothy's abortion. Daisy's hands blister from the work at the factory, complicated by the extra work she still does for Verna.

Bea's eyes are still worse. Joss resists going to her for a tooth extraction, and Blanche has a hurt leg, but tries to get medicines from the guards instead of going to Bea.

Blanche turns Joss down when Joss proposes a new prank. The guards search the camp again and burn miscellaneous personal possessions, including (unknowingly) Marion's diary. Angry, Marion agrees to help Joss sabotage the truck that takes the internees to and from the factory. Yamauchi's stomach is worse, and he collapses in his office. After he is taken out, Christina straightens the office and finds a letter from the Red Cross. She returns to camp and tells Marion about the letter. Marion sends her back to learn more. Christina finds out that the parcels should have arrived at the camp on 12 April. Marion confronts Verna, who says that the parcels were sent to a convent on Japanese orders, due to Rose's night with Bernard.

Letters from the resistance state that the Allies have landed in New Guinea. Blanche tries to seduce one of the guards, but fails. As a consolation for herself, she arranges for some bootleg liquor to be smuggled in for her hut, and has a party.

Marion finds the disinfectant bottle from Rose's operation. She realises that the parcels should have arrived on 12 April, and the Emperor's birthday was 29 April. Christina returns to the office, and Major Yamauchi is back at work. Marion is delighted, because she wants to arrange a confrontation over the Red Cross parcels.

Shinya tells Dorothy that he is being transferred to the front, and asks her forgiveness for shooting Rose. She forgives him. Shinya tells Dorothy that Verna is the one who arranges for the guards to search the camp. Angry, Blanche and Kate bring Verna to the hut for questioning, where Marion charges Verna with charging the internees for the contents of Red Cross parcels that belong to them by right; Daisy confirms that she's seen Red Cross parcels in a locked storeroom. The women nearly riot, but order is restored when Verna agrees to tell Marion the truth: she says she did it, but under Miss Hasan's orders.

The next day, Christina heads to work with orders to ask for Yamauchi's intervention. While she is gone, an Allied plane, attempting to bomb Yamauchi's headquarters, also bombs the camp. Shinya and the cat die; Sato is injured. Some of the women break into the storeroom and use the Red Cross parcels to treat the wounded. Yamauchi arrives in the middle of the chaos and forcibly stops it.