AWM41 1063 - [Nurses Narratives] Amy Eliza Wright

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AW 41

AWM 41

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A.E. WRIGHT.

A.W.M.

LIBRARY

Classⁿ N^o 373.2

[1063]

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 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^o. 1. A.G.H.
1 118
32.
Egypt
A.E. Wright 
I arrived in Alexandria on
Oct 4^th. 17, after a rather uneventful
journey on 'The
Wiltshire'. Sixty members of
the A.A.N.S. had left Australia
to be joined by forty others
from India & Egypt, thus forming
the 4^th unit to staff British
hospitals in Salonika.
However on our arrival at Suez,

we found that we were to reinforce
Imperial nursing staffs
in Alexandria.
I was one of seven, who were
sent to 78^th B.G.H, a tent hospital
at Hadra, about two
miles out of Alexandria.
It seemed strange at first
living amongst people, who
knew so little of Australia,
&, at first the English & Scotch
Sisters seemed to have a hazy
idea that we were quite a
different people from them.
After nursing our own boys
at Base Hospital at home the
Tommies seemed a very quiet
lot. But, as one gets to know &
understand the Tommy, one
learns that he is not quite so

quiet as he looks. He is not so
sunshiny as our Digger, but his
sense of humour is just as keen,
& his patience & endurance 
beyond praise.

2
During the stunts (Gaza, Jaffra &
Jerusalem) the work was very heavy.
Convoys always seemed to make
a point of arriving at night & we
were on duty from 12 midnight 
till 4 a.m on these occasions, after
working all day. When the work
was not so heavy we went on
duty at 7 a.m. & off at 8 p.m,
with three hours off in between.
A few months later our hospital
moved to Belah; & on April 8^th 17
the staff went that most interesting
journey across the great
desert, arriving in Belah at 4 a.m
on Apr 9^th. At first the glorious
flowers of Palestine, the deserted
gardens, with their lemon, orange,
pomegranate & cedar trees were
a great delight to us. But Summer
came, scorching grass & burning
flowers. Camp Sins swept across
the plains, laden with sand &
evil odours & we realized a little
what the desert could mean.
Salonika 
We came a 'thud' on May 29^th
when we had orders to leave
for Salonika. From time to
time hair raising tales of all
the sisters there had to endure
had reached us. But, as is usually
the case, the realization was
not so bad as the anticipation.
It was fiercely hot when I arrived
at 42^nd B.G.H. on the plains of
Ushantar. This was a Dysentry
hospital, to accommodate two

3
thousand cases, & was almost invariably
full. One took it as a
matter of course, that all patients
had Malaria, & lived in constant
dread of developing it oneself. Influenza,
Dysentry & Malaria were often
responsible for the shortage of staff, &
at these times patients, who should
still have been cot cases in other
circumstances, would do orderlies'
work & with wonderful patience &
endurance help nurse comrades, who
were too ill to leave their beds.
Winter came with more sickness,
rain, mud & snow. Vardar winds
now froze us instead of scorching us.
But the Bulgars had been defeated,
then Turkey & Austria. Armistice was
signed & we were to have leave
in England.
In February we saw the last (the best
portion) of Salonika, with its dirt & disease,
its intense heat & bitter cold, its inconvenience
& monotony, but also its
beautiful hills & Olympus in the
distance.
After three weeks of glorious leave in
England, Scotland & Ireland, I came
to this hospital, where I have spent a
very happy time. Living amongst Australian
sisters, working with Australian staff,
enjoying English Summer & scenery, &
nursing our own boys 'will do me'.
Amy Eliza Wright.

Item control
Australian War Memorial
005172307