Annie's Day by Apple Gidley
The Coffee Pot Book Club Blog Tour
Annie's Day by Apple Gidley
Today, it’s my turn to host ‘Annie’s Day’ by Apple Gidley on the Coffee Pot Book Club Blog Tour. There’s an excerpt below, but first - the blurb!
War took everything. Love never had a chance. Until now.
As an Australian Army nurse, Annie endures the brutalities of World War II in Singapore and New Guinea. Later, seeking a change, she accepts a job with a British diplomatic family in Berlin, only to find herself caught up in the upheaval of the Blockade. Through it all, and despite the support of friends, the death of a man she barely knew leaves a wound that refuses to heal, threatening her to a life without love.
Years later, Annie is still haunted by what she’d lost—and what might have been. Her days are quiet, but her memories are loud. When a dying man’s fear forces her to confront her own doubts, she forms an unexpected friendship that rekindles something she thought she’d lost: hope.
Annie’s Day is a powerful story of love, war, and the quiet courage to start again—even when it seems far too late.
Universal Buy Link: https://books2read.com/u/mZJq05
Vine Leaves Press Paperback Buy Link: https://shorturl.at/cUXbU
The Excerpt (number 3 if you are following the blog tour)
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Chapter 3 - Singapore Burning, 1942
A sweet scent, she wondered if it was jasmine, drifted over Annie to mingle with the cigarette smoke. Tiredness and nerves kept at bay by a smoko. She yawned. Bombing raids had become a daily occurrence, and shelling—one of the first had landed on the Tan Tock Seng civilian hospital, a travesty that had angered everyone. The day before had been long as they moved patients and as much equipment as possible from their burning CCS unit to the Swiss Rifle Club at Bukit Tinggi.
Annie drew on the cigarette, her eyes narrowing as the tip glowed. A pinprick of red against the dark night, although a few stars shimmered between the leaves of the mahogany. She struggled to understand why Singapore town glittered in the distance, as if festooned for a party. Why hadn’t a black-out been implemented? At least try to make it harder for the swarming Japanese planes. Cicadas set up their orchestra, a welcome change from the whine of plane engines overhead. Annie rotated the red and white Turf cigarette packet in her hand and said, “I wonder if we can get these here? I’m almost out.”
“How would I know?” Verna blew a smoke ring and leant against the tree. “You’re as bad as Iris!”
Annie’s laugh was defensive. “No, I’m not!” She yawned. “So much for two hundred beds. I heard we’ve got over a thousand.”
“Troops from the mainland.” Verna coughed. “An Argyll and Sutherland Highlander came into my ward yesterday. He said they blew the causeway up after they’d crossed. He reckons only ninety came across, from about 880 when they went to Malaya. What’s the date today? I’ve lost track.”
“February 1st.” Annie replied. “That explains the lads we admitted this morning. They came over last night from Johor, in boats. Do you think blowing the causeway will stop the Jap advance?”
“My bloke didn’t think anything would. He said they’re like ants— ploughing through everything.”
Verna, her voice sombre, asked, “Annie, do you ever think about what happened on Christmas Day? In Hong Kong? At St. Stephens?”
“No!” A spasm rolled across Annie’s shoulders. News had filtered out about the college being used as a hospital. Where patients had been bayoneted by the Japanese, before British and Chinese nurses were gang raped, before having their throats slit. Other captured medical personnel had later been dismembered and slaughtered like animals in an abattoir. “At least, I try not to. What’s the point?”
“I do,” Verna said. “Most of the time we’re too busy to think, but now, out of the wards, away from the patients, I can’t help it. Especially with the Nips just across the Straits.”
“I try not to think about that either.” Annie drew smoke deep into her lungs and stayed silent.
“What kind of person allows his men to behave like that?”
“I dunno, ducks. If the Japs wanted to force capitulation, I suppose striking terror is a good way to do it. I heard somewhere that the orders came from the Emperor’s uncle.”
“If they did it in Hong Kong, they could do it here. A white flag means nothing to them.” Verna shuddered. “We’re a hospital in a rifle club. In their eyes that would make us fair game. Except we’ve got no guns. Nothing. We wouldn’t be able to save our patients. Or ourselves.”
“I imagine there’ll be a lot more horror stories when this is all over.” Annie looked up as planes whined overhead. “That’s why it doesn’t help thinking about it now.”
“Nope, ’spose not.” Verna looked at her friend, then flinched as the crump of a bomb reverberated from further down the hill. “I wish I could be as calm as you, Annie.”
“I’m not bloody calm.”
…..
The citadel that was Singapore, despite declarations in London that it could never happen, continued to crumble under the relentless Japanese onslaught. The next day, February 10th, they heard the last RAF planes roar overhead to the perceived safety of Sumatra in an attempt to save what remained of their squadron.
Then the day the Australian nurses had dreaded arrived.
“What’s going on?” Annie, one of the last to enter, slipped into the back of the hall between Florence and Verna. She could see Iris’s red head nearer the front.
“Another move probably.” Verna spoke out of the side of her mouth as Matrons Drummond and Paschke walked in.
“Good afternoon,” Drummond began, her eyes drawn and weary, taking in the rows of nurses. “It’s been a difficult few months. Thank you for your dedication. I know rumours have circulated about General Bennett not wanting nurses to evacuate because of the effect it would have on the men’s morale. Something we supported.” She paused, “However, despite my protestations, General Percival has ordered that all nurses leave Singapore. The Japanese are close to surrounding us and cutting off any exit.”
A bubble of shocked and angry voices burst out. “Leave our patients?”
“We can’t do that.”
“That’s not right.”
“I’m not going.”
“What happened to ‘patients first’?”
“Who’s going to look after the men?”
“That’s running away.”
Matron Drummond let the babble subside. “There is a ship, the Empire Star, leaving within hours that can take 53 of you. The remaining 65 nurses will leave tomorrow morning on the Vyner Brooke. So, ladies, I need volunteers prepared to go now to step forward.”
No one moved.
The matron, a proud smile lifting the tired lines on her face, sighed. “Sisters, despite the confusion with regard to ranks in the AANS, you will be court-martialled if you refuse an order.”
Still no one moved. Verna clutched Annie’s hand and squeezed as she reached for Flo.
“Very well.” The matron looked at the women in front of her, took a deep breath, then gestured to one side of the room. “This side will leave, now.” She again ignored the protestations. “Pack what you can. You will be transported to the wharf in an hour. The rest will board the Vyner Brooke during the night for a dawn departure.” Her voice wavered. “You’ve done Australia proud. Now, quickly, girls, gather a few things and do not forget, despite what our orders are here, that the patient always comes first.”
Shock mirrored in their faces as Annie, Florence and Verna looked at each other. Annie saw Iris turn, searching, then push her way towards them from the other side of the hall. They hugged, then moved away, their eyes brimming.
Author Bio
Apple Gidley, Author
Anglo-Australian, Apple Gidley's nomadic life has helped imbue her writing with rich, diverse cultures and experiences. Annie’s Day is her seventh book.
Gidley currently lives in Cambridgeshire, England with her husband, and rescue cat, Bella, aka assistant editor.
Author Links:
Website: https://www.applegidley.com
Twitter / X: https://x.com/ExpatApple
Facebook: https://www.facebock/apple.gidley
Instagram: https://www.instagram/apple.gidley
Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/applegidleyauthor.bksy.social
Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/stores/author/B00J7WPI3Q
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/httpwwwgoodreadscomapplegidley