AWM41 1054 - [Nurses Narratives] Sister E Vickers Foote - Part 4

From then I want to join the A.I.F:
We nursed no Austⁿ at 21-∧ then & I was
getting homesick for Aust^ns, so, though
the British were all right, I wanted to
get back to [[Aungs?]] The way I did it-:
I had to go back to Aust'a and
re enlist. I tried to transfer in
Egypt, but they would not allow it.
It was an awful shame, & very
ridiculous, as I had not asked
to join the British. I went back in
the Mongolian - left Pt Said June 13^th/17.
We got ^nearly as far as Bombay- (nearly 45
miles off) & we were mined- it was
Exciting all right! - Noon. Sank in
less than 15 minutes: out of sight in
that time! The getting off was fine:
there was a big list on one side -
We had had good training beforehand:-
it was just like a rehearsal:- no
confusion - the ships officers were
splendid:- Amazing. The fact that
only 30 were drowned speaks for itself.
15 minutes & a Monsoon blowing!
It was awful in the small
boats in the great sea:- We could
not save a thing. There were only
2 other sisters - going home to reenlist
(sister Disbard & Mawson) they get on
all right too. The majority on bd

were private passengers.
We were out for 9 hours & made
for land! - We could not see land
we were 40 miles out: We made
for land - rowing & sailing. landed on
the Mainland - about 100 of us
ultimately - it was difficult to land
our ^boat capsized - there were rocks
on the shore, & it was pretty dark:- two ^2 got
drowned landing.
We had some biscuits, & water- it
was desert ^country with a few natives huts.
& tents. We camped in our life
belts in tropical rain - smashed up
a couple of boats & made a fire.
We had one case badly burned ^by the explosion - he
died - Mr Louis Combe was in the
boat which capsized - he got para
pneumonia & died in Bombay. One man refractured
an old fracture:- we had
to tear up our clothes for bandages
& put him in splints.x
We were that night - next day -
the following night & all next day
before we could move. We had
biscuits & water, a ^got rice from the
natives- xxxx ^Some of the men walked
off to get into a village - but
It was by then morning of the third

day that we got in touch with
a village. We got stretchers for
the wounded men. The rest of us
walked 12 miles -: we had precious
little on - our feet were tied up
with sail cloth - sail cloth bonnets
on - &c that sort of thing.x
We came to a little village - the head
of the village was awfully good. Cd
speak a little English - we were
given a welcome! there was a
minesweeper out from ^coast opposite this village, &
we got in touch with him; & we
were put on board her. In a lighter
We filled her up- chock a block - &
came to Bombay - We nurses went
to the Austⁿ. "Victoria War Hospital",
Bombay - Australians there certainly
The Matron & all sisters were Aust^ns.
They were very good to us. They had lots
work to do ∧there really, but the patients there ^at that time were
wounded Turks, & they had crowds at the
time.x From there we went next day
by the "Malta". Neither the British, or
the Austⁿ Authorities cd give us any
money - or anything ^at all The P&O. ^kindly gave
us £10 Each: & that is all we
have ever heard of, to make up
for our losses. We reached
Aust^a by "Malta" - via Dutch East

Indies. Changing on to
the Dutch Packet at
Singapore. The trip from
then was fine - stopping at
Singapore - Java. day in two days
& got ashore - Got motor cars -
& drivers there: anywhere - had most
interesting ^(time x). The only thing was,
we had no clothes! Which was
a bit inconvenient - & no
money to speak of!
At Melbourne we reported to Miss
Richardson & Genl. Fetherston:-
Genl Fetherston tried to get something
in the way of tea money through the
Red X - but it hasn't eventuated!
Then we I went home to my people for
5 wt weeks; & then to no 11, ^AGH Caulfield.
to work. x
No 11 Caulfield. The work was good
but the Hospital, I
could'nt stand:- too much of a
show place altogether:- it
rather disgusted me. After having
work here:- it was too artificial
after the Real thing- to spend your
time scrubbing fl taps & polishing
up, when there was work to do,
I was only ^there 10 days. x The Matron was Miss Hills x
The kind of cases were nearly all – x

Note on Allowance for Uniform
[*[A.I.F*]
Allowance when ∧ you enlist for the four
re. - the whole outfit £17? We
get no allowances afterwards
for replacements, like the officers
do.
British xxx You get your uniforms
They gave us the uniform- (costs
more than £10/ - & then you get
£10 a year to replace. This
arrangement is much better than ours.]
X chronic cases
the spinal wards were full. We
had an awful lot of "shell shock"
wards & wards of them.
The whole thing was show - I
hated it - I would never consent
to go out there again..
Some of the shell shock cases were
really bad - men who could not
speak a word - but some of them
looked as well as anyone. I didn't
like the way the work was done -
the work wasn't taken seriously -
the whole thing was ^seemed designed for show: done
to impress. I was glad to get
away from it. The Med Officers
& sisters nurse none had been away

and they did'nt work
anyone who had
been away: & made things
not too happy for them.x
Personally. I was trusted, & seeking very
gladly. the conversations with Enlistment.
Genl. Fetherston said I was to go out
to Caulfield & get my 2^nd star
& wrote about it, and was told I would
have the second star: I put it all
& have a letter and my paybook
marked up as Sister. When I had
been working in England I was as
sister, I was told to revert to staff
nurse, & my pay as sister was deducted!
I have had [[??]] made to implement
in the A.I.F. in that way, that
I am sorry I joined up the Aust; I
was happy working with the
British; but wanted to be with
Australians: I have paid for it!
I came over after 14 [days, in Oct.² 1917,
in the Aeneas, with Reinforcements.^Reinforcements. I went
to Southall worked there 5 months. O/c Col.
Purdie - Matron Findlay. The work is at times
solid. Esp. the double Amputn cases:
There is very little discipline among the boys
they must be allowed a lot of latitude. But
the boys were very happy & loved being there.
It is wonderful how the boys like being
nursed by Austn nurses It is hard work they
couldn't be ^always. I came to the No 3 A.G.H in May, 1918,

and have been here ever since.
xxxxx xxxx At times the work
has been very hard. In the
rushes tremendous: but usually
steady a lot had plenty
of time off.
The hardest & worst ^work I have
had, was at Gallipoli: on
the Hospital ship: & at No 21
at Alex.. We wd get 1800
-2000 cases. The work was
very hard there: & one felt
one was doing something.
A An illustration of how the British treated
xx at Alex: ^sure - is the fact that (No 21) the Matron gave me
In Ronald Ross's ward of dysentry.
He was a very nice man indeed to work
for - he explained everything & why we did it
gives most interesting clinical tables (eg the Hot [[?]] bath [[?]] )
We had Mr Victor Horsley also at
No 21 Alex. & Heath. I will

never regret being
with the British: I
had fine opportunities
of securing work, & we
were treated with
kindness - & consideration;
a confidence was placed
on us x
ASB
29/4/1919

Item control
Australian War Memorial
005172298