AWM41 1045 - [Nurses Narratives] N F S Smith - Part 1

Conflict:
First World War, 1914–18
Subject:
  • Documents and letters
  • Nurses Narratives
Status:
Awaiting approval
Accession number:
AWM2021.219.105
Difficulty:

Page 1 / 11

Bntler Co 6
65 222 Dundand 2 Septamkr st 19.19 te to envintent Colletor Meait Kisbory lustation War Records hetie to respeg to you 9 preonal exueie of t a ans. I have with little which may to y come in you all the time I feel kn is very titte that I can write that bill to on wti to any but my mnmediale friends of all my appreee thos which land out ot clearly a my mmoy an my hensor once purhge because they wer my first expiines of atie ho ot t b ace. What I have to till about henos has he don'tt te) told my many tim for atter eson than &, but as I am arked to fitbuti my eqpenc I shall de my bet though prtaps a joor bt If it would be of any anustanc I could
a ting of my explie a England & fam I spent a great deal of my trime in Hame hi a hospital at the hase. Infortunately the Atmoygher was not very toagenal. I look upon that experince as my bost huhappy one in the C.P.t. after all tough I hlue it was B.E.I may get a bey seaps of atient for my poor exfort 7 an your trl. N. F. Leloge Leith
I left anstratio on Hay 1h 1910 in the Moollan attacted to ho 8 A.S.H Of tonere he had he wes whel he werl going. kow of to had a feeling it would te Egypt. & be quite surpeised to find overbes saply pa y I for our didnt enjoy that Voyags much a continuat state of we keemed to le king samaled or hiromated & put up with mowt things cheeefully in those days - hease knew ther that it is a sole perilege to grov to the the thede hisperiual the fact upon as that hes wel no lass just kurses be accepted it quite meekly with about doo guyelad famales hipeding the first llass laters o the thought of the Value of ti diniishing our fut how purkey thre was on exun for their manay- fc arrived, t England Jue 27 910 nt thought from Plymouth to hosdon all stayed at the Sanos o Blorkey be bee about the finst Antratian listes t arrive in England. When he rentered out be higo the closk o the honet i tho days the astonishment of the people was great. & suppose that key had hre been such peaks beore te often ttopped in the steet
Street and asked the we came from and hat tended h dto He had one photgraph taken on the stips of the Britiik usm b ondetey did not hrit io made he thought thei be there hound for France co bee take heepresed when he got order for the Dardaneller Half one mbe lep swonport by the tusitile b thi hal o the Deeplinge or Eake I should call her by he English hame thi Huntgern Ther wer a good humber of boops on hosed . Weph & a hordon Eegiment remember the last menoned be anderage bea moilly kinces. the though they looked like lave sang tike angets. Mr March of the Me of Harleel being by tim was bomething to remembred got all fort o seame about sutnarnes at any eat the bost stulf has a gu affai if be all bent to one liel the whole boat hearly hind one At Alexandera we drembrted stayed toope of night there o then went on hoaed the H.SDile Castle De sept ti bar of the barcs & bee
miost comfortatle. Thos toks te not ill begd the ctaff to made trats for patient on the retuen furig. be aried at Mucos Harbone in the sally Morning 9 August 5th 19152 The bext day were transtpped to H.M.T. Limbe a that him the Hedical Depst- that sight by ishes he heded for tranport duty, & lig were detailed- they bent on hoard the tormoss saw the Luble Bay attack from the hoat o took the wounded from the Petula to hembor - tey rejoined is a few weks lates The hext morning lome M.Oso one O.C. came on hoaed o gave as kry discouraging report of the hospital equipment which had hee bent from England some time before we left had hat acrived then the food was eather seanly breal the orderlid who had accived a few bilks hpse bele alleady down with Aybentery ll day the 7th August e sat with are hat nae n hain the ty saloon of the un ady to taken off at any minate. It was hot ntil the hext right that 40 o the listers went asholl i a lighter stayd nt ashore with the scond lot on a big called the Hendoin the hext morning
at the time a did not thind it funny. but our acrival on the Island muust have been a most annosing spictails for an Onlooper One O.8. was nothing o hot a kulitary han be tele but at the fill of West Mudor by a staff segant with haguips to play in into cam. I was vy desolate at that fill the oule oprion t light king a dirted looking English smney, sanding hn a pill of omone, yo hearing luch ctories about the food from the MO's be rejoind to be those omone. Well when be tell all off the lightee. be wele told to get in hif thei to form foues. I kest say he had a hast of the jot be had forgotten whether the odd or even trumke proved to to t on the sap hle all kond!! finally be got in home gout of oide a med. Malion & Colonel leading- he passed ltual bell tuk- some doge hasked & some ben chard heae loughed which we thought was so hice of them. to her we arrived at the camp be found bounded had arrived at 6 a.m and as no equipment was the hothing was leady
eady for them, the sisties who had arrived the night befor weel frightfully mored about it all- Afte a scrap bunch a a mess tent with just a houed in the cinter belive two poles for a takle a flus in millions over eneything. We changed or tather put or an aproy + went on duly hnead but had to toe seakd whits this patients lay on the ground and waited When the bnts werl creeted he had no teds for them ao put them on Hankets on the ground to tash them and they wes all longing for a wast we had to he sall wates & any titenced he could find having t bery scage than well any I know I heare law one I wasted My hufertinate patients with hawale out of their own seall digis a Then gave them lics & ta from the same articls though loap was not truch nse. e haed one twn & I remember tearing bp thd Houses for cloths & towch. After he had wasted & fed them to dsnd their wound o trat to make them tomfortabls almost Imporsible, but still they had been through to tuch + Wee content with vry titlle Mey wee wonderful, just put up with thinge
things & heos complained The sstand did not look it but when be accoved it was a may hot day - Then was not a tis to be been. Audt eneywhere we heaely did of thinnt & had bey little water to chuck This was at the beginning take on thei was a large tondene on the rland o he had take laid on ecous tep about the hospital Mough the Iland looked hals & mimteresting by day the semt o sues vere wonderfully beautiful the hills tooked to lopt in the Valwne to loneed light it was braueformed buto Magu rland The day after our alroad vai Witon, onr n t some of t to hod.A.S.H. as they well very buy the & had ne lisher I don't think & ce realiged before how ree much letter women are with hisk people than men I was taken to a tent thei and an orderly met me, he was very borried poor thing he had bee careful to give the few pdie & chart a few rematuresfit was a hudicawad dycentiy mottyg bat it had heare artand his head epparently that the ten would like to te made to infortable. Fankets a wash

Butler Colln.

6151

[6/20] 4

AWM 41

AUSTRALIAN ARCHIVES

ACCESS STATUS

OPEN
N.F.S. Smith.
AWM
LIBRARY
[[?]] 373.2
[1045]

 

Lemnos

141/24

Dr. N.F. Selwyn Routh

Mooltan 1915 attached to No 244

arrived London June 21  -

astonishment of people  just 

at the practical uniforms -

cloak & bonnet

To the Dardanelles 1915 - H.S.

Dunbar Castle, Mudros

Harbour August 5th 1915

Transhipped L.H.M.T  "Swindon"

Disembarked - worked while

tents were erected, patients

lying anywhere in the 

meantime. No water to

wash patients, tried salt

water - no basins, washed

patients with salt water

out of Mens own dixies

Realised how much better

women are with sick

people than men.

Think there should have

been twice as many

nurses - lives would have 

been saved.

Patients with frost bitten

feet - often amputation -

many died from shock.

speak to Miss Wilma Matron. in glowing terms

 

are so. The diarist is almost always sincere in his desire to record

accurately , but he is subject to no obligation or inducement to

indicate whether he is recording his own observation or incidents

told him by friends or heard  at third or fourth hand heard at the mess-table

Thus, in  some of the diaries in this collection, scenes  described with

vivid detail, and without any warning that they are told at second

or third hand have been found to be completely inaccurate in

important details. A certain number have been written up

or reviewed long after the events, though doubtless usually from notes

made at the time in most cases the student must rely on his

experience and on internal evidence to guide him in judging what is

and what is not likely to be historically accurate."

 

Lemnos

141/24

Dr. N.F. Selwyn Routh

Mooltan 1915 attached to No 244

arrived London June 21

astonishment of people  just 

at the practical uniforms -

cloak & bonnet

To the Dardanelles 1915 - H.S.

Dunbar Castle, Mudros

Harbour August 5 1915

Transhipped L.H.M.T. Swindon

Disembarked - worked while

tents was erected, patients

lying anywhere in the 

meantime. No water to

wash patients, tried salt

water - no basins, washed

patients with salt water

out of Mens own dixies

Realised how much better

women are with sick

people than men.

Think there should have

been twice as many

nurses-lives would have 

been saved.

Patients with frost bitten

feet - often amputation -

many died from shock.

speak to Miss Wilma Matron. in glowing terms

The Official War Historian of the Commonwealth
Government (Dr. C. E. W. Bean), after his study of the
collection of private war records preserved in the Australian
War Memorial Library, wrote:-
"The private diaries in this collection furnish some of its most  
valuable historical records, but, like all private memoirs which were  
not compiled with any historical purpose, they should not be  
regarded as first-hand evidence except where it is certain that they  
are so.  The diarist is almost always sincere in his desire to record  
accurately, but he is subject to no obligation or inducement to  
indicate whether he is recording his own observations or incidents  
told him by friends or heard at third or fourth hand at the mess-table.  
Thus, in some of the diaries in this collection, scenes described with  
vivid detail, and without any warning that they are told at second  
or third hand, have been found to be completely inaccurate in  
important details. A certain number also have been written up 
or revised long after the events, though doubtless usually from notes  
made at the time. In most cases the student must rely on his  
experience and on internal evidence to guide him in judging what is  
and what is not likely to be historically accurate". 

 

N F S Smith
101/28
ADMINISTRATION [[?]]
AUSTRALIAN IMPERIAL FORCE
18 DEC 18 [[?]]
CENTRAL REGISTRY.
1519 19.11
Beaudesert
Queensland.
September 24th 1919
[[*28*]]
17117
[[?]]
[[16*E Recd*]]

To
The Assistant Collator
Medical History,
Australian War Records.
Sir -
In response to your appeal for
personal experiences of the A.A.N.S. I have written
a little which may be of some use.
After all this time I feel there is very little
that I can write that will be an interest
to many but my immediate friends.
Of all my experiences those which stand out
most clearly in my memory are my Lemnos ones.
perhaps because they were my first experience of
active service. No doubt they were very active.
What I have to tell about Lemnos has no doubt
been told very many times and by far other
persons than I. but as I am asked to
contribute my experiences, I shall do my best
though perhaps a poor best.
If it would be of any assistance I could
AWB

 

continue the history of my experiences in England,
& France.
I spent a great deal of my time in France
in a hospital at the base. Unfortunately the
atmosphere was not very congenial. I look upon that
experience as my most unhappy one in the A.I.F.
After all though I believe it was B.E.F
Hoping you may get a very scraps in interest
from my very poor effort.
I am
Yours truly
N.F. Selwyn Smith

 

1

I left Australia on May 15th on the "Mooltan"

as a mere staff nurse attached to No 3 A.G.H.

Of course we had no idea where we were going.

Most of us had a feeling it would be Egypt.

& were quite surprised to find ourselves safely 

past it.

I for one didn't enjoy that voyage much.

We seemed to live in a continual state of

being vaccinated or innoculated.

We put up with most things cheerfully in

those days - hence knew then that it is a Soldier's

privilege to grouse so when the Stewardess

impressed the fact upon us that we were "no 

ladies just nurses" we accepted it quite meekly

with about 200 grey-clad females impacting the

first-class cabins & the thought of the value

of trips diminishing one feels how perhaps there

was no excuse for these manners. -

We arrived in England Thurs 27th 1915 - &

went straight from Plymouth to London - we

all stayed at the Ivanhoe Hotel at Bloomsbury -

we  were about the first Australian Sisters to

arrive in England. When we ventured out

in uniform. the cloak & the bonnet in those 

days. the astonishment of the people was great -

I suppose that they had never seen such

freaks before - we were often clapped in the
street

 

2

street and asked where we came from and

what we intended to do.

We had our photograph taken on the steps of

the British Museum. we wondered they did not

invite us inside.

We thought then we were bound for France - so

were rather surprised when we got orders

for the Dardanelles -

Half our number left Devonport by the Themintoeles

the other half on the 'Derflinger' or rather

I should call her by her English name the

"Huntsgreen" -

There were a good number of troops on board 

a London regiment & the 5th Welsh I

remember - The last mentioned were undersized

men mostly Miners. who though they looked like

devils sang like angels. "The March of the Men 

of Harlech" sung by them was something to

be remembered.

We got all sorts of scares about Submarines.

at any rate the boat itself was a

grim affair. if we all went to one side

the whole boat nearly turned over.

At Alexandria we disembarked - stayed a

couple of nights there & then went on board

the A.S.D. Dunluce Castle -

We slept in one of the wards & were

 

3

most comfortable. those who were not ill

helped the staff to make beds for patients

on the return journey.

We arrived at Mudros Harbour in the early

morning of August 5th 1915 -

The next day we transhipped to H.M.T. [[Leirla?]] at

that time the Medical Depot -

That night six Sisters were needed for transport

duty & six were detailed, they went on board

the Formosa. saw the Suvla Bay attack from the

boat & took the wounded from the Peninsula

to Lemnos. they rejoined us a few weeks later.

The next morning some M.O.'s & one O.C. came

on board & gave us very discouraging report

of the hospital.

Our equipment which had been sent from

England some time before we left had not 

arrived - then the food was rather scanty &

several of the orderlies who had arrived a

few weeks  before were already down with dysentery.

All day on the 7th August we sat with our hats

on & bags in hand in the tiny saloon of the

Suvla. ready to taken off at any minute.

It was not until the next night that 40 of

the Sisters went ashore in a lighter.

I stayed & went ashore with the second 

lot on a tug called the "Henelon" the next
morning

 

4

At the time we did not think it funny,

but our arrival on the island must have

been a most amusing spectacle for an

onlooker -

Our O.C. was nothing if not a Military man

& we were met at the pier of West Mudros

by a Staff Sergeant with bagpipes!! to play us

into camp.

It was very desolate at that pier the only

person in sight being a dejected looking English

Tommy, standing beside a pile of onions.  After

hearing such stories about the food from the

M.O.'s we  rejoiced to see those onions -

Well when we were all off the lighter - we

were told to get in line & then to form fours &

I must say he made a hash of the job. We

had forgotten whether the odd or even

numbers moved so to be on the safe side

we all moved!!

Finally we got in some sort of order & marched!

Matron & Colonel leading. We passed several

bell tents - some dogs barked & some men

cheered never laughed which we thought was so

nice of them.

When we arrived at this camp we found

wounded had arrived at 6 a.m. and as

no equipment was there nothing was ready

 

5

ready for them. The Sisters who had arrived

the night before were frightfully worried about

it all.

After a scrap lunch in a mess tent with just 

a board in the centre between two poles for

a table & flies in millions over everything,

we changed or rather put on an aprons & went

on duty.

Several tents had to be erected while the 

patients lay on the ground and waited -

When the tents were erected we had no beds 

for them so put them on Blankets on the ground

to wash them and they were all longing for

a wash we had to use salt water & any

utensil we could find - basins were very scarce

if there were any I know I never saw one -

I washed my unfortunate patients with

seawater out of their own small dixie! &

then gave them rice & tea from the same article

though soap was not much use. We used our

own & I remember tearing up old blouses

for cloths & towels.

After we had washed & fed them we dressed

their wounds  & tried to make them comfortable

almost impossible. but still they had been through
so much & were content with very little.

They were wonderful, just put up with things

 

6.
things & never complained.

The island did not look its best when we 

arrived - it was a very hot day - there was not

a tree to be seen - dust everywhere - we nearly 

died of thirst & had very little water to drink.

This was at the beginning later on there was a

large condenser on the island & we had

water laid on & numerous taps about

the hospital.

Though the island looked bare & uninteresting

by day, the sunsets & sunrises were wonderfully

beautiful. the hills looked so soft in the various

coloured lights it was transformed into

a magic island.

The day after our arrival Miss Wilson, our

Matron but some of us to No 2 A.G.H. as

they were very busy there & had no Sisters.

I don't think I ever realized before how very

much better women are with sick people than 

men. I was taken to a tent there and an 

orderly met me, he was very worried poor thing!

he had been careful to give the few medicines

& chart a few temperatures (it was a Medical Ward

dysentery mostly) but it had never entered his 

head apparently that the men would like

a wash & to be made comfortable. blankets

 

 

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