AWM41 1067 - [Official History, 1914-18 War: Records of Arthur G Butler:] Nursing - Dress - Correspondence with Miss I I Lindsay - Note by Sister E Vickers Foote

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AWM 41
NURSING
DRESS:  CORRESPONDENCE WITH MISS I.I. LINDSAY
NOTE BY SISTER E.VICKERS FOOTE
[1067]

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Duntroon,
F.C.T.
30th June, 1933.
XXXXXXXXXX
XXXXXXXXX
XXXXXXXXX
Dear Miss Lindsay,
Accept my best thanks for kind
response to my enquiry.  It is just what I wanted.
We have had a pleasant three weeks
at home, but I have not seen much of the hospital.  They
have had several more Caesarians and are beginning to
fancy themselves in this line of practice.  Joan's boy
has thrived wonderfully up here.  I don't know what
his Grandmother will do without him.
With kind regards,
Yours sincerely,
Miss I. I. Lindsay,
"Balgay,"
30 Carlisle St.,
ROSE BAY.

Balgay
30 Carlisle St.
Rose Bay
Sydney
27.6.33
1
Dear Colonel Butler
I am so sorry for delay in
answering your letter. I have
been away for a little while.
All the members of the
Australian Army Nursing Staff
wore red capes over grey uniforms
While on duty sisters & staff
nurses wore white aprons, or
if at a C.C.S. & laundry was
difficult, grey aprons could
be worn. Matrons never
wore aprons. On the epalet
epaulettes of our red capes,
we wore our rank, matrons
3 stars, sisters 2 stars &

2
staff nurses 1 star. Matrons
wore brown cuffs, sisters & staff
nurses white cuffs. We wore colour
of our unit on our sleeves like
the troops. A chocolate star
with a green stripe for 1^st A.G.H.
red for 2^nd A.G.H. & blue 
for 3^rd A.G.H.
Diagram, see original document
The Regulars & the 2 A.I.M.S
wore their rank on their
sleeves low down near the
cuff 2 or 3 red stripes according
to rank, & the matrons wore red
cuffs.  Sisters & staff nurses wore
white aprons over their grey
dresses while on duty. Matrons
grey dresses & never aprons.
All ranks of the Regulars

3
wore the red cape.
All ranks of the 2 A.N S
wore a grey cape with a
2 inch red boarder all round
(grey cloth or serge)
Diagram, see original document
The Regulars were generally
given the best positions in
France, all the ^Imp hospitals I
saw had Regulars as matrons
& the staff would consist of
N a few other regulars
& a number of 2As etc &
Territorials etc. This gave some
people the idea that only
Australians or Matrons wore
red capes.
I hope I have made this all
clear.  I am not much good at
describing things, but if I

4
have not made it clear
enough let me know & I
will write again.
I have done a little specially
in a private hospital since
I came to Sydney. Later on I
hope to get a position.
I hope you are well, &
not having it too cold in 
Canberra
Yours sincerely
Ina I. Lindsay.

[*Note - please 

return these 

photos*]

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Duntroon,

CANBERRA. F.C.T.

16th June, 1933.

Dear Miss Lindsay,

I have to acknowledge and thank you for your

letter of the 31st May and your good wishes, which I cordially

reciprocate.

I will see that the Album is well looked after

and returned in good order and condition.

I have had great difficulty in ascertaining

the nature of the British uniform. Apparently all members of

the Q.A.I.M.N.S. in the war did not wear the red cape. Could

you tell me what were the exact differences in the uniform

between the various British nurses and between the Australian

nurse and the Q.A.I.M.N.S. Did all members of the Q.A.I.M.N.S.

wear the red cape or was it confined to Matrons or to members

of the Regular Service?

I saw a good Caesarian at the Hospital on

Monday last. They have had a regular run of them.

Kind regards,

Yours sincerely,

Miss I.I. Lindsay.

"Balgay,"

30 Carlisle Street,

Rose Bay. N.S.W.

____________

[*Note - return

these photos*]

Balgay

30 Carlisle St.

Rose Bay

Sydney

31.5.33

Dear Dr. Butler

Keep my album as long

as you wish. I do hope some of

the photos will be useful for your 

book.

Yes, the enclosed about the 

red capes is quite all right.

I am looking foreward very

much to reading your book

some day.

Mick my black & white cat

transferred with me from to

Sydney from Canberra. He can't

quite make Sydney out, but

seems happy.

I wish you good luck & 

the best of health.

With very best wishes

Yours very sincerely

Ina I. Lindsay

VIII

File - A.W.R.S. E53/3/-

ACCOUNT by SISTER E. VICKERS FOOTE, A.A.N.S. (late with Q.A.I.M.N.S.)

May 1915.

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[*Work in Book.

Hospl abated

No 17*]

"  .   . We wore the British uniform, and had British rates of   

pay.  .  . We disembarked at Alexandria, reported to Miss Oram, Matron-

in-Charge. She used to visit the Hospitals and I liked her very much.

I think she was the most impartial person I have ever met. The

Australians were welcomed, and we all like very much being with the

British .  .  . Nothing could have been more pleasant than the relations.

They were told by the Matron, 'These Australians have come many

thousands of miles from home, make them at home with you'. I went

first to 17th General at Alexandria for a short time only. - Surgical

cases in tents, femurs, abdominals etc. The conditions there were

terrible - overcrowded. We had to do the sterilising for this

appalling lot of dreadful cases in a saucepan, and nurse them in marquee

tents. The cases were mostly in an awful condition, many of them

straight from the Peninsula.

The orderlies were good thoroughly trained men, only

not enough of them. One nursing orderly and 2 general duty orderlies

to two marquees of 24 beds in each.

The Medical Officers were scarce. It seemed to me one

M.O. would have several marquees. You would often not see a M.O., even

for bad cases, till 5p.m. 

There was a big proportion of 'Aussies' among the

patients. [The 'Aussies' are good patients. There were crowds of

New Zealanders, more than 'Aussies' , at No. 17.] The cases came in by

Hospital Ships and transports (not many Hospital Ships). No Thomas'

Splints - limb on old bits of board, and put up roughly in field

dressings. Many not touched till they got to us. I can understand

this as I was on the Hospital Ship afterwards, and found you could only

touch the worst cases. We were too understaffed on the ships for

rushes. The Medical Officers at the hospitals had plenty of work, and

worked day and night. [There were no Australian Medical Officers, all

British.]

Item control

Australian War Memorial

005172311