Letter From Hilda Cope to Mrs Irvine

PR82/8
L'Hospital, Notre dame
des greves Parame,
Ile et Vilane  May 26^th 1915.
[*PS
We do not 
know when we
will leave
here.
It all
depends on
the war.
H.C.*]
Dear M^rs Irvine
You were a dear
to write me that nice
newsy letters. It is
lovely to hear news of
ones friends when one
is so far away.
By the same mail

as yours I got letters 
from various other Sydney
friends & I couldn't understand

where they had got my
address from, until I
had read your letter
telling me you had put
some of our news in the
telegraph - I must thank
you for that nice fat
Australian mail -I really
haven't time to write to
half the people I should
like to. -
We are terribly busy
here - Every day I am
working hard at hospital
with the others - Sometimes
one wonders will the stretchers
ever stop coming in with
their miserable burdens.
 

It a dreadful dreadful war.
We have just got word to have
500 beds in Parame & St
Malo by Saturday again.
Last night a trainload
of 90 blesses came in.
Some of their wounds in a
dreadful state - Their dressings
hadn't been changed since
they had been hastily fixed
up on the battle field &
some of them absolutely "crawling".
Poor fellows they hadn't
seen any water to wash with
for more than a week.
The French & Belgians
need our care so much,
they have so little.
The English are so much
better equipped in the way
 

of hospitals, Ambulances etc.
some of our rooms ∧ here are
like the "Arabian Nights"
The Morrocans in them
all have their heads
swathed in different coloured
handkerchiefs - They are
such amusing creatures
& love telling one how they
xx killed the "Boschs" as
they call the Germans.
My husband starts
operating early in the morning
& is going all day long.
We only see each other at meal
time - He had rather an
interesting case the other day on a
mans arm. The bone had been
smashed up & blown away, so he
boiled a piece of sheep bone for 10
minutes each day for 3 days &
 

5
pushed it up between the
mans own bone - It could not
be wired as the mans own bone
was like a bit of glue, it
was so soft - When he took
it down to look at it the
other day he found the
bone had "union" & the man
is beginning to be able to move his

wrist & arm - He is a postman
in N. France & said
he would give a year of his 
life to have the use of
his arm again -
He always goes by the
name of "mouton" man &
if ever he is wanted &
cannot be found they
just ba-ba-ba- for 
him -
 

Forgive this awful scrawl but
I have so little time for letters
& always have my home
letters every week -
Best wishes to M^rs
Craig, Tempe, & M^rs Dudley
White, when you see them.
Aren't the casualties among
the Australians awful.
My two brothers are there &
each day one wonders
what news one wil hear.
Love for yourself & I am
so delighted you are having
a good rest now. Its splendid
for you - (Remember us to yr niece)
Affec. ^ly Y^rs
Hilda Cope

 

Letter from
Mrs (D^r) Cope
to M^rs Irvine
23 Craigend St Darl
 

Mrs Irvine