AWM41 1051 - [Nurses Narratives] Sister Ruth S Taylor

Conflict:
China (Boxer Rebellion), 1900–01
Subject:
  • Documents and letters
  • Nurses Narratives
Status:
Awaiting approval
Accession number:
AWM2021.219.111
Difficulty:

Page 1 / 9

Bntles Cole -
rams lar one
copy H H313 HAHONa Sept 1915 - June 1916 Thie Rusey Sep for H. R.C. H.S. Kanowna conterti of te Neabrth, eight Tettees & lwelve stap nurre les Ciastralia Kelbourns) pr service abroad on July 182 1915 00 H.M. O.T. Oreova. On lin same tramspost were a senilar Stap for H.S. Narola, a lunt for le Convaleccent deptt England (of which I princed one) receicement or li lts in Eppt about 180 in rel. the Doyage Dus sueventful except a slight Monsoo to the terabon ea which caused a Elynsalleration In lin F.S. Cuits as some of ti members of trees tap were found to be apt Jor work at see on ageount of ea Sickun. Ri aleerations ls he lanowna resin stap as follow Murs Strickland Meatron. Sillest Humpheus, Reuro, Wullen, Harding, Kyla, Bull, Corkell, Map mure Leech Roberts, Croai, Barllett, Ryan, Wers, L walker, R. Walker, soan, Deyan, Cocking Mackinon the Orrowsered a Plynout te same day as his Knowna Daich Hus lue a traughs We te all tilleted at tin Ivanhoe Holet London left thee to wait (6 weeks) until our ship was pited out
eeione the . at Vitte & Albut Dect ore Tteday te last week in September 1915 & the ut of pret A e was painted At CF.S. whit wete a freen Stripe & la led cross awdslps ) at night a ow of freen lights from Stee t ster & a laye in Electric light. Our uarters were confined but comprtatie lwo ees down & e has a nice heis Room on til omad Dect shar it with l Medical office we allo had a wi on lin same deck I here to every bay a comportatly provied for et pr the p was b l pst t both for stat patient t pwoe lat. e had on oard tesides on own buit about 70 sshents (officers I men) some Aust. ReOs. rejoiing theis luits in Egypt, Some R.A.M.C. rempreements p lits at Malla, Ept, I on li emeteler the officer & men. Our Captain Das, named Swith, Capt Baujo Suick well known in his service on hs Auttalian Coar theere only a cope of ards open & lo a employed on him in making stock & prepering t then ways for the much longal M work. till aid h l at Sibrallar but landed as Malta for a few os We tok a few hore patients there ke bent on t Abxanin
dunwe lay por Senas days swaiting istrection ome dly apain & piti pet tl to b wards by native workinges. We oot he patients here amongst ohe his id officer ot Little a Queenslandes from li 16th Batt Whe had hel his sight & his Rame I sustained ohe ui had ared his ..D & s Has a parsinges wit u o a charg pair key were a fine cxample of patient devotion & fortitda temble affliction. We leps for st said waled there at duey pickee lep our full compliment of satients LB. Abou 500 altogether 250 300 lot cates I b not walking cases. My waid, le by one aft. containing 5Swingly co were all leavy hudical ates Biight Enterie Dyecutry Chest & Heart etc. Ree T.B. cares here kuised l a kight aire hard on h Promenade Deck & l Operation Leavest Surpea cres in Delta Corbn ld Ships duing woo). Te officers were in l special D. Port & D Starboard PCI Baias here all Surfical wrese B.D.H. were Convlesent Alpha a sa ward onl From Deek was lue Casualty I Dresing Station also he Listers Sick Bey. s Strckland who was a holt in herself looked after this latter her kindness has much approcated by he patients.
t he op Teatre as an up to date of small Statie on he main deck right prard & Neajor Familton & Major Lines kept bee thean seorry that pishtrip t heat was very trying teat trip (Oct te Red Sea) &he waras below aecks fot very ale air & llectric faus Were short & bi supply of see adqut. There was h kes oom walking prtieut & leat fist trep lt een a dein the wards or even cupboi cnt up fr on or even t keep it in I ford te as have entionees o tegles & hs ta Sict the orderlies were guite intrained & my pour w bery not even havin any desire to tuprov whose principal thoughts were how to Suak away & have a smok o Teat first trip by staff was one Stapdre four olderlies & a Corporal yself a me orders sphere of usefulen ended with Swabbing hi aecks a gettly really heeals I carring te tound. T ltter of coum I had to personally keep with & supervise. To far a dsenb aking with hs & we did not even carry marseue that tip, so were obliged to ao a lot of lubbing to keep the poor liinds supple
ir tere was a General Inspection every moring at ele by his Coloneef Hen Chief Officer (representing this Captain) One meals were serveet in he Mess Roon a except for diing he just came as we were from his wares is pay arenes + sprous + pey selk Caps & White Collan Dames Dar Lowed happ itll are o ap to li ea firt hip we discharged patient a Tremant Edelande (Outer Farbour) Kelbourne Syaney Brisbans & he staf were tan pranled a frlight leave lt leporied his shs sailed from Sydny Ions days depre Xas 416 I befor we left vists Dumphmys I Clifton Were transfeeg or Service & we both back Deto lt tho R.S.W. fire se Deni? Nepherson Thiss hip till fod had muich iproved + h fitting in the waas had been much hirov ae t sa (any of h oderls ohas teen rept in Csse as iuppient) had been supplemented by done O.C.D.S as they were called t as an infortunatiexperiment at he fires (Ir the work which they were expected t do Which Was Mailily pantry bock) worked excellence
were an undoubled boon bothe Setters & Patient I wried tee willing, Clever & obedient & save tey report so on being guetioned neat on our requre from that hip; at Had Quarters. owever h ere ot allowed etu which I tank he were all gennively sorry orf dolt of s had been apposed t t in the first plage. lac return trip we called for coul at Colorbo & lin patients were intertained to motor trips Apt lal C. Or li kind hip we parsed call of Roath Keeliy Ieland where i treck of li baden lies & oblained a hod view of Les. th tip Reagor Kirkwood was adptant & as hee went had settled down into More of a working proposition kings went much more smookely. Te oicely Stap had been odeeded out Ireplaced & were how partly hamed tat every way kings had ieproved tis ended my duty Wity No 3H.S. a heal had fm ay from t Staain of worken blow deek in te propecal heat Lo uch. the jist trip the work was very heavy & te condition myavourable Nt lapes Iwas very serry tleve my connection well t t. Kalh. S. Taytor Tuler

Butler Colln.
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AWM41
AUSTRALIAN ARCHIVES 

ACCESS STATUS

OPEN

SISTER R.S. TAYLOR.

A.W.M.

LIBRARY

Classn No 373.2

[1051]

 

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, is 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."

 

R.S. Taylor
1 Copy
87./17

H.M.A.H.S. No 2.  "KANOWNA".
Sept: 1915 - June 1916.

The Nursing staff for H.M.A.H.S. "Kanowna" consisting

of a Matron, eight Sisters & twelve staff nurses left

Australia (Melbourne) for service abroad on July 18th.

1915 on H.M.A.T. "Orsova". On the Same transport

were a similar staff for H.S. Karoola, a unit for the

Convalescent Depot England (of which I formed one) &

reinforcements for the units in Egypt about 130 in all.

The Voyage was uneventful except a slight monsoon

in the Arabian Sea which caused a slight alteration

in the H.S. Units as some of the members of their

staffs were found to be unfit for work at Sea on

account of sea-sickness. These alterations left

the Kanowna Nursing Staff as follows -

Miss Strickland Matron. Sisters Humphries, Munro,

Crulsen, Harding, Taylor, Bull, Corkill, - Staff nurses

Leech, Roberts, Crowie, Bartlett, Ryan, Were,

L. Walker, R. Walker, Toan, Duggan, Cocking &

MacKinnon.

The "Orsova" arrived at Plymouth the same

day as the "Kanowna" which was then a transport.

We were all billeted at the Ivanhoe Hotel London &

left there to wait (5 weeks) until our ship was fitted out.

 

2

We joined the H.S. at Victoria & Albert Dock one

Saturday the last week in September 1915 & she

was still unfinished & in a state of Great disorder.

She was painted as a H.S. white with a green

stripe & large Red Cross amidships & at night a

row of green lights from Stern to Stern & a large
red X in electric light.
Our Quarters were confined but comfortable two
decks down & we had a nice Mess Room on the
Promenade Deck, sharing it with the Medical Officers
We also had a lounge on the same deck &
were in every way a comfortably provided for
Unit for U.A.S. The food was bad the first trip

both for Staff & patients - but improved later.

We had on board besides our own Unit about

70 Patients (officers & men) some Aust. M.O.s.

rejoining their units in Egypt, Some R.A.M.C.

Reinforcements for units at Malta, Egypt, & on

the Peninsula both officers & men.

Our Captain was named Smith, Capt. Banjo Smith

well known in his Service on the Australian Coasts

There were only a couple of wards open & so we

employed our time in making stock & preparing in

other ways for the much longed for "work."
We did not call at Gibraltar but landed at Malta

for a few hours. We took a few more patients there & these

went on to Alexandria. 

 

3.
There we lay for several days awaiting instructions

& having some badly needed repairs & fittings put

in to the wards by native workmen. We took more

patients here amongst others his third officer Ted

Little a Queenslander from the 16th Batt. who had

lost his Sight & his R arm & sustained other
injuries. He had married his V.A.D. Nurse & she

was a passenger with us & a charming pair they

were & a fine example of patient devotion &

fortitude under a terrible affliction.

We left for Port Said coaled there & at Suez picked

up our full complement of Patients. L.B. About

500 altogether 250-300 cot cases & the rest

walking cases. My ward, the big one aft. contained

58 swinging cots & were all heavy medical cases.
Brights Enteric Dysentry Chest & Heart etc. The T.B.

cases were nursed in a bright airy ward on the

Promenade Deck & the Operation & heaviest surgical 

cases in Delta (or the old ships dining room). The

Officers were in the Special D. Port & D. Starboard &

C.E. & F wards were all Surgical cases. B. &. H.

were Convalescent & Alpha a small ward on the

Prom: Deck was the Casualty & Dressing Station &

also the Sisters Sick Bay. Miss Strickland who

was a host in herself looked after this latter &
her kindness was much appreciated by the patients.

 

4

The Op: theatre was an up to date if small

structure on the main deck right for'ard &

Major Hamilton & Major Luies kept the Theatre

sister busy that first trip.

The heat was very trying that trip (Oct: in the 

Red Sea) & the wards below decks got very

little air & electric fans were short & the

supply of ice inadequate. There was no Mess

Room for walking patients & that first trip not

even a Mess Table in the wards or even cupboards

to cut up food on or even to keep it in & the food

itself as I have mentioned before was often

tainted & in no was suitable for Sick men.

The orderlies were quite untrained & my four were

very hopeless not even having any desire to improve

& whose principal thoughts were how to sneak away

& have a smok-o. That first trip my Staff

was one Staff-nurse four orderlies & a Corporal &

myself & the orderlies sphere of usefulness ended 

with swabbing the decks & getting ready meals &

carrying them round. The latter of course I had
to personally keep with & supervise.  So far as
nursing & bed making sponging etc it all rested
with us & we did not even carry masseuses
that trip so were obliged to do a lot of rubbings
to keep the poor limbs supple.

 

5
There was a General Inspection every morning at
eleven by the Colonel &  the Chief Officer (representing
the Captain).
Our meals were served in the Mess Room &
except for dinner we just came as we were
from the wards, i.e. grey dresses & aprons & grey
silk caps & white collars. Dinner was served
at 7 p.m. & was a Parade & we had to appear
in full dress & up to time.
That first trip we discharged patients at Fremantle
Adelaide (Outer Harbour) Melbourne Sydney &
Brisbane & the staff were then granted a 
fortnight leave. We rejoined the Ship &
sailed from Sydney three days before Xmas 1916
& before we left Sisters Humphreys & Clayton
were transferred to Home Service & we took back
with us two N.S.W. girls Sisters Devine &
Macpherson.
This trip the food had much improved & the
fittings in the wards had been much improved
added to which the Staff (many of the orderlies
had been left in Aussie as inefficient) had been
supplemented by some V.A.D.s as they were
called. It was an unfortunate experiment as
the girls (for the work which they were expected to do
which was mainly pantry work) worked excellently

 

6.
& were an undoubted boon to both Sisters & Patients.
I found them willing, clever & obedient & gave
my report so on being questioned on the matter,
on our return from that trip; at Head Quarters.
However they were not allowed to return for
which I think we were all genuinely sorry
although most of us had been opposed to them
in the first place.
On each return trip we called for coal at
Colombo & the patients were entertained to
motor trips & aft. teas etc. On the third
trip we passed east of North Keeling Island
where the wreck of the Emden lies & obtained
a good view of her.
For this trip Major Kirkwood was adjutant
& as the unit had settled down into more
of a working proposition things went much
more smoothly. The orderly Staff had been
weeded out & replaced & were now partly trained
so that in every way things had improved.
This ended my duty with No 2 H.S. as my health
had given way from the strain of working below
decks in the tropical heat so much.
The first trip the work was very heavy & the
conditions unfavourable but later I was very sorry
to sever my connection with the unit.
Ruth S. Taylor Sister.

 

Item control
Australian War Memorial
005172295

 

 

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