AWM41 1066 - [Official History, 1914-18 War: Records of Arthur G Butler:] Nursing - Experiences of a Sister of the AANS [Australian Army Nursing Service] with a British Unit (Bessie Belstead)

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AWM 41

Butler Colln

 

AUSTRALIAN ARCHIVES

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NURSING

Experiences of a Sister of the A.A.N.S. with a British Unit. (Bessie Belstead).

 

[1066]

Experiences of a Sister of the A.A.N.S. with a 

British Unit -

 

I have been attached to two British Units - one, a

C.C.S. (of which more anon) &, the other, one of those

most difficult of all units, where, the Medical Officers

& Orderlies are British & the Nursing Staff Australian.

I spent four sad months there & as far as I am

capable of judging, these mixed units are one of

the biggest mistakes that we have made -

From our point of view, we had all the disadvantages

of both B.E.F. & A.I.F. & the advantages of neither -

I may have been unfortunate in the particular

Unit to which I was attached, but, of the 100 Sisters

on the Staff I think not one could be found

who was not glad to pass on when her time came.

Australian Sisters have been & frequently are

very happy when with an entirely British Unit.

But a Hospital should be either B.E.F. or

entirely A.I.F. as regards those in Authority or in

my opinion the result is disastrous.

I next was sent to a British C.C.S. & worked there

for two months - Four Australian Sisters

went up there together but one was shortly

transferred to Italy & the other two after working 

through all the rush of the Cambrai push went

down sick, &, here was I, a lone Australian

in the B.E.F. - Four months previously this

would have struck terror to my soul, but, those

four months had taught me many things & I was 

more than satisfied to be where I was.

Matron - Sisters & Medical Officers were all most

kind & courteous to me & I was sorry not to

be able to be with them for longer, but

 

[*11/4/19*]

my leave was very overdue & the Matron did not

like to apply for leave for her own staff until I 

had had mine -

One point which struck us very much was the

wonderful organisation in the receiving 

& evacuating of patients.

I was up there at a very busy time & at times it

was absolutely heart breaking & one longed for dozens

of pairs of hands & feet & to be able to do more -

more & yet more.

I arrived at the C.C.S. about 10 pm. after travelling

from 5 a.m. & it was after m.n. before I could turn

in to my little stretcher bed in a bell tent - It was

bitterly cold & the guns were very near so sleep

did not visit me very much -

The next a.m. the Matron took me to some huge

marques & said she wanted all the patients dressed

before 10 a.m. - "Can you get them done Sister?" she

asked - I looked at the stretchers - in long rows

everywhere - "I'll try" - I murmured - But

in spite of trying I was not able to do it & another 

Sister came along to help me. & all those men went

down on the next train.

Then came a night of guns so loud that the Huts all

shook & we all lay waiting for - we knew not what -

& close by at Peronne were ambulances all ready

to move us back if necessary - but, Fritz didnt

quite reach us - & the next few days were a continuous

stream of wounded each one seemingly as bad as

he could be - Eight Theatre teams were working

day & night yet it seemed impossible to cope

with things, & the men were such bricks, lying

on their stretchers waiting for their turns on the

operating table & looking round one realized

that this was war indeed.

If we had had time to think we would have just

been weeping hysterical women - but, we only

had time to do - & not enough for that.

It was only afterwards that we thought & realized

how as a matter of necessity we had done little or

nothing for those who were dying just to have a few

more moments to give to those who had a chance -

Later when things quietened down a little I

had a German Boy in my ward & at first he

would take nothing in the way of food from us but

he soon got to know us - He was most hurt

because we called him "Fritz". "Don't call me

Fritz call me Joseph" he pleaded & so Joseph he

was until he was well enough to be moved to the Base

I spent Xmas at this C.C.S.- & as I could not be

with my own unit was very glad to be there -

Early one morning we motored for some hours & 

then trained on to report for further instruction

& on reporting was so very fortunate as to be

told to rejoin my own unit & so ended up

six months experienced with the B.E.F. in France -

Bessie Belstead

Sister A.A.N.S.

with Q.A.               9

Experiences of a Sister of the A.A.N.S. with a 

British Unit. 

_____________________________

I have been attached to two British Units - one, a C.C.S. 

(of which more anon), and the other, one of those most difficult of all 

units, where, the Medical Officers & Orderlies are British and the 

Nursing Staff Australian. I spent four sad months there and as far 

as I was capable of judging, these mixed units are one of the biggest 

mistakes that we have made. From our point of view, we had all the 

disadvantages of both B.E.F. and A.I.F. and the advantages of neither.

I may have been unfortunate in the particular Unit to which I was 

attached, but, of the 100 Sisters on the Staff I think not one could 

be found who was not glad to pass on when her time came. Australian 

Sisters have been and frequently are very happy when with an entirely 

British Unit. But a hospital should be either B.E.F. or entirely 

A.I.F. as regards those in authority or in my opinion the result is

disastrous.

I next was sent to a British C.C.S. and worked there for two 

months - four Australian Sisters went up there together, but one 

was shortly transferred to Italy and the other two after working 

through all the rush of the Cambrain push went down sick, and, here 

was I, a lone Australian in the B.E.F.  Four months previously 

this would have struck terror to my soul, but those four months had 

taught me many things and I was more than satisfied to be where I was.

Matron, sisters and medical officers were all most kind and courteous 

to me, and I was sorry not to be able to be with them for longer, but

my leave was very overdue and the Matron did not like to apply for 

leave for her own staff until I had had mine.

{ One point which struck us very much was the wonderful organisation 

{ in the receiving and evacuating of patients.

I was up there at a very busy time and at times it was absolutely 

heart breaking and one longed for dozens of pairs of hands and feet 

and to be able to do more and more & yet more.

I arrived at the C.C.S. about 10 pm. after travelling from 5 a.m. 

and it was after m.n. before I could turn in to my little stretcher 

bed in a bed tent. It was bitterly cold and the guns were very near 

so sleep did not visit me very much.

The next a.m. the Matron took me to some huge marquees and said 

she wanted all the patients dressed before 10 a.m. "Can you get 

them don, Sister?" She asked. I looked at the stretchers - in long 

rows everywhere - "I'll try" I murmured. But in spite of trying 

I was not able to do it and another sister came along to help me

and all those men went down on the next train.

Then came a night of guns so loud that the huts all shook and

we all lay waiting for - we knew not what - and close by at Peronne -

were ambulances all ready to move us back if necessary - but, Fritz 

didn't quite reach us and the next few days was a continuous stream 

of wounded each one seemingly as bad as he could be.  Eight theatre 

teams were working day and night yet it seemed impossible to cope

with things, and the men were such bricks, lying on their stretchers 

waiting for their turns on the operating table, and looking round one 

realised that this was war indeed.

If we had had time to think, we would have just been weeping 

hysterical women - but, we only had time to do - and not enough for

that.

If we had had time to think, we would have just been weeping 

2.

It was only afterwards that we thought and realised

how as a matter of necessity we had done little or nothing for those 

who were dying, just to have a few more moments to give to those 

who had a chance - Later when things quietened down a little, I

had a German Boy in my Ward, and at first he would take nothing 

in the way of food from us, but he soon got to know us. He 

was most hurt because we called him "Fritz". "Don't call me "Fritz' 

call me 'Joseph!" he pleaded, and so Joseph he was until he was well 

enough to be returned to the Base. I spent Xmas at this C.C.S.

and as I could not be with my own unit, was very glad to be there.

Early one morning we motored for some hours and then trained on to 

report for further instructions and on reporting was so very fortunate 

as to be told to rejoin my own unit and so ended up six months' 

experience with the B.E.F. in France.

 

(Sgd) Bessie Belstead

Sister A.A.N.S.

Item control

Australian War Memorial

005172310