AWM41 1072 - [Official History, 1914-18 War: Records of Arthur G Butler:] Interviews containing accounts of Nursing experiences in the AANS [Australian Army Nursing Service]. These nurses were interviewed by Matron Kellett - Part 11

Conflict:

First World War, 1914–18

Subject:

Documents and letters
Nurses Narratives

Status:

Awaiting approval

Accession number:

AWM2021.219.131

Difficulty:

HMC

Miss M. Magee.

A.A.N.S.

--------------------

I embarked on the "Mooltan" in June, 1917, with 300

other sisters on board, bound for Salonica. We reached Suez on

the 14th July, and entrained for Alexandria, where I was on duty

in various British Hospitals, relieving the English sisters, who

had not been able to have time off, owing to the stress of work.

They were very well equipped Hospitals, and we were very kindly

received.

On the 12th August, we left on the "Osmanich" which was

afterwards torpedoed, for Salonica, which we reached after

forty-eight hours, a record trip. We were met by ambulances and taken

to the 50th General, which we took over from the Canadians.

It was a large, well equipped hutted Hospital, and we

worked under very good conditions. The fire occurred shortly after

we arrived, and food was very difficult to obtain, as so many of

the food ships were torpedoed.

Our cases were mostly malaria and dysentery, and they

responded very well to the treatment.

There were a few amusements in the way of visiting concert

parties, etc.

I remained there for four months, and was then transferred

to the 42nd General, which was a large infection Hospital at

Kalamaria.

It was on the seashore, and as it was a new Hospital, and

only just being organised, the conditions were not very good; the

weather was also bad.

The mud was awful. The site on which the hospital stood

had previously been condemned as a dump for horses and mules on

account of the mud, and it was with difficulty that we got from tent

to tent.

I was there for about four months, and was then transferred

to the 50th General, where I remained until it closed, and then

embarked for England.

On arriving in England, I had a fortnights' furlough, and

was afterwards sent to No. 3 A.A.H., Dartford, where I am now

awaiting transport to Australia.

The work here is very light, as most of the patients are

also awaiting transport to Australia.

--------------------------------------------------------------

HMC

Miss Ida Mason.

A.A.N.S.

--------------------

I embarked on the 25th April, 1917, on the "Karoola"

with 30 other sisters as passengers. We called at Durban, and

then at Cape Town, where we took on board 200 tommies, from

German East Africa.

At Sierra Leone, our next port of call, we were allowed

ashore, and the people there were very good to us.

We arrived in England, and after embarkation leave, I

was detailed for duty for France, to the 25th General, Hardelot,

which was a large skin Hospital. I found the skins very interesting,

and though the cases did not require heavy nursing

of the badly wounded, they needed a great deal of attention, and

it was continuous work.

The patients responded wonderfully to the treatment, and

were most grateful for any attention given; they were not really

difficult to manage.

All of the 'up' patients went to a Central Dining Hall,

but being so well. it was difficult to get sufficient food to satisfy

their healthy appetites. There were plenty of amusements in the way

of concerts, etc.

It was a large British Hospital with an Australian Nursing

Staff, and an R.A.M.C. male personnel, and the two services worked

very well together.

We were very comfortably billeted in French Villas.

I remained here until December, 1917, when I went to

England, to No. 2 A.A.H., Southall. This was the limbless centre

for the Australian soldiers, and most of the cases were re-amputations.

Here we worked under very good conditions, and were again most

comfortably billeted.

I remained there until it closed in May, 1919, and then was

transferred to Dartford, where I am now awaiting transport to Australia.

-------------------------------------------------------------

HMC

Miss H. S. Mogg.

A.A.N.S.

------------------

I embarked on the 12th June, 1917, on the "Mooltan"

with 300 sisters bound for Salonica. We dis-embarked at Suez,

and entrained for Alexandria. We stayed here for 10 days, and

then received orders to entrain to Aden.

We embarked at Aden for Salonica, and reached there

on the 30th July. Arriving at Salonica we were taken in ambulances

to the 66th General Hospital, which was situated in the hills at

Hortiach.

This was a large tented Hospital capable of taking

1,600 patients. We were the first sisters to join this Hospital.

It had been managed with R.A.M.C. orderlies previous to this.

It was a very well equipped Hospital, and we worked

under very good conditions, the R.A.M.C. personnel being most

considerate for us. We were billeted in tents.

Most of our cases were malaria, some of them of a

very severe type. we had some surgical cases, but they were

not of the severest form, as we did not received them here direct

from the line.

We remained here until November, when we moved down

nearer the town on account of weather conditions. I was then

transferred to the 42nd General Hospital, which was at Kalamaria.

This Hospital was fairly well equipped, but the weather

conditions were very bad indeed, sand and mud being almost up to

our knees. We felt the cold very much indeed, as the heating

apparatus was very primitive, just a few oil stoves being procurable.

The food was fairly good, and we had many amusements, concerts

at the Motor Transport Base.

We stayed here until April, when the whole camp moved

to Uchanta. We were unfortunately situated on the edge of a ravine,

where the mosquitos lived and breeded. It was that many of

the sisters contracted malaria and were invalided back to Australia.

The Hospital was well equipped, but I felt the heat very

much indeed. The work was rather heavy, as we had many malaria and

dysentery cases. Our time off duty varied according to the stress

of work.

We remained here until November, when we again moved to

Kalamaria, and I stayed here until December, when I was transferred

to the 52nd General Hospital.

This was a hutted Hospital, and very well equipped. It

was here that the special wards were for malaria, where

they were trying special treatment.

I remained here six weeks, when i crossed to England,

and after furlough, joined No. 3 A.A.H., Dartford, where I am doing

relieving duty my transport to Australia.

----------------------------------------------------------------

Miss M.A. Murray,

A.A.N.S.

-----------------------

I embarked on the 31st August 1917, in the "Wiltshire"

as a passenger. There was no duty on board. We arrived at

Suez on the 6th October and entrained for Port Said where I

joined the 31st British Hospital. We were six Australian sisters

loaned to the British. They were very good and showed every

consideration. The work was very heavy indeed as it was just

after the Gaza stunt. We had no time off duty at all for

two months owing to the stress of work. The conditions under

which we worked were fair and also food was only fair. I found

the heat and flies most trying. I remained here for four months

when the whole unit was moved to the barracks at Abbassia, Cairo.

Here we worked under better conditions. Being a large

Barracks it lent itself admirably as a hospital. I felt the heat

much more here. As the work was not so heavy we had every

second half-day off duty and one day a week. We stayed here

until the 14th A.G.H. took it over from the British in June.

I was the detailed for duty at Salonica.

I left Port Said on the 17th June and reached Salonica

on the 21st not having sighted any submarines. We were strongly

convoyed.

On reaching Salonica we were taken in Ambulances to the

42nd General Hosptial. Here we did not work under good conditions.

It was a tented Hospital. The cases were dysentery and malaria.

It was very unpleasantly situated on the edge of a ravine where

mosquitoes swarmed. It was here that a number of the sisters

contracted malaria, many of them being invalided to Australia

absolute wrecks.

I felt the extreme heat and cold most intensely, and the

Vardar winds were terrific. They would blow for three days

on end. Whilst blowing it was with great difficulty we kept the

tents up, these being frequently levelled to the ground. I stayed

there seven months.

In March I was transferred to England. We crossed to

Taranto, Italy, by boat, it then took us ten days to get from

Italy to Le Havre by train. We had three days in Rome and three

days in Paris, which we thoroughly enjoyed. We reached England

on the 16th March and after three weeks furlough I was detailed

for duty at No. 3 A.A.H., Dartford, where I am no relieving duty

awaiting transport to Australia.

--------------------------------------------------------

HMC

Miss E. R. Morey.

A.A.N.S.

------------------

I embarked on the 7th November, 1917, on the

"Nestor". This was a troopship bringing over 1800 troops and

six sisters.

There was very little sickness on board. We

reached Suez about the 19th December, and entrained for Cairo.

We were billeted at the 14th A.G.H., Abassia,

for about 10 days, when we were sent on to England. After

fourteen days furlough, I was detailed for duty at No. 3 A,A,H,,

Dartford, and am still there.

We were extremely busy at Dartford, during the

influenza epidemic, when we lost a lot of patients, but since

then, the work has been very slack, owing to most of the patients

just waiting for transport to Australia.

We are working under very good conditions, being

a large well equipped hutted Hospital, and we are very comfortably

billeted, each having a separate cubicle.

The patients are very well provided for in the

way of amusements, theatre parties, river trips, concerts, and

Uchre tournaments.

------------------------------------------------------------------------

HMC.

Miss M. MacKay.

A.A.N.S.

---------------------

I embarked on the 6th December, 1916, on the "Orsova", and came

straight to England. After about seven days, I was detailed for duty in

France, and when I reached Boulogne, I was sent to No. 4 B.G.H., Camiers;

I was one of the sisters loaned to the British there, and we had a good

reception. They were very kind to us, but the work was very heavy indeed,

and we had practically no time off duty. The Hospital was not very well

equipped, and we had to improvise in many ways. The food was good and fairly

plentiful. The patients were all severely wounded, and as they were nearly

all acute, there were no amusements. I was there for six months, when I

was transferred to No. 3 A.G.H., Abbeville. The work here was sometimes

heavy, but often slack, and the Hospital was fairly well equipped. We were

able to get plenty of food, and a Y.M.C.A. provided amusements for the

patients.

We were bombed quite a lot, but fortunately no bombs fell on the

Hospital, and the dug-outs were not completed until after the bombing was

finished. We were very comfortably billeted.

I was not evacuated with the other sisters during the retreat, but

was ready to leave at a moments notice, when patients arrived in great

numbers, and we were forced to stay, as they were most severely wounded. The

work was very heavy, owing to the severity of their wounds, and the shortage

of Staff. The conditions continued for a few weeks, until we got back some

of our sisters.

When the Armistice was signed, the work was very heavy, owing to

the epidemic of influenza which occurred then and in which we had many

deaths.

I remained with No. 3 A.G.H., until it disbanded, and then I crossed

to England, and after furlough, I was billeted at No. 3 A.A.H., Dartford,

where I am now awaiting transport to Australia.

------------------------------

HMC.

Miss C. McNaughton.

A.A.N.S.

-------------------

I embarked on the 7th July, 1915, on the "Orsova" and came over

on duty. I came straight to Egypt, disembarked at Suez, and entrained

for Cairo, and went to No. 2 A.G.H., Ghezirah. I went on duty next morning.

I was in a medical ward, and the work was extremely heavy. The

Hospital was very well-equipped, but the mess was awful, and the sleeping

accommodation was very bad. From there, I went to Lemnos, to No. 2 Stationary,

about September, 1915. Here again the food was dreadful, for

patients and sisters alike. It was badly equipped and we worked under

bad conditions, also there was a good deal of sickness amongst the sisters.

After about five months, I went to No. 2 General, Ghezirah, and

here the conditions had not improved. We left there in March, 1915, for

France, and arrived at Marseilles in April, and came to Muso. This was

only a temporary Hospital, and I did not do duty here.

When the Hospital moved, I went to No. 8 Stationary, Boulogne,

which was a British Hospital. Everything here ran beautifully. It

was well equipped, well organised, and very convenient, and we were

excellently received by them. I did surgical work, and it was very

heavy. From there, I returned to No. 2 A.G.H., which was by then

established at Wimereux. We were billeted in tents, and as it was a most

severe winter, we felt the cold extremely. The conditions were not at

all good, and we had no fires. The work was not very heavy, and after

the huts were erected, the conditions improved, and we were later very

comfortably billeted, having stoves in each cubicle.

After eight months, I went to No. 2 A.C.C.S., which was a very

comfortable tent, and shack Hospital. We were billeted in shacks and

the conditions were good. I did theatre work, which was most interesting,

but very heavy. the patients were brough straight into the theatre in

their khaki. After six months, I came over to England, to No. 3 A.A.H.,

Dartford, which was a most comfortable Hospital, and was excellently

equipped. The work was very interesting.

From there, I went to the Queen's Hospital, Sidcup, which was a

British Hospital. There were five Australian Sisters loaned there.

This was a special hospital for facial work, and was very comfortable.

After nine months, with the Australian section, I went to No. 3 A.A.H.,

Dartford, where I am now awaiting transport to Australia.

-----------------------------------------

HMC.

Miss McLean.

A.A.N.S.

---------------

I embarked on the 19th May, 1917, on the "Khiva" as a

passenger, and after a most uneventful voyage, I arrived at

Bombay.

While there, I went on duty at the Colaba British Hospital.

The Matron there was an Indian Regular, and we had an Australian

Nursing Service, and an R.A.M.C. male personnel. The Hospital was

very well equipped and beautifully situated. Here, we took in everything

in the way of surgical and medical cases.

After ten days there, I went on the Hospital Ship "Takada".

We did the Gulf trip several times, and brought patients down from

Mesopotamia. We also took British patients to Africa. We had a

very nice time on board, and were not very busy.

After nine months service, I again went to the Colaba

Hospital. I was there for two months, and then received orders

to proceed to Deolali, where I remained for five months.

It was fairly well equipped, but very isolated, and away

from everybody, and consequently we were not so happy as we might have

been. On account of the severe drought in India, food was practically

unobtainable. We had British tommies and officers there, but later

we took Turkish prisoners. Some of these were in a very bad state

when we had them, but they all got on as well as could be expected

under the bad circumstances.

After six months, I received orders for England, and went

from Bombay on the transport ship "Kaiser 1 Rind". When we got

as far as Port Said, we dis-embarked, and went to Cairo, where we

remained on duty for a fortnight at the Citadel. It was an exceedingly

nice Hospital, and we had a good time there.

I again received orders for England, and we crossed to

Marseilles, and then to Le Havre, and finally arrived at Southampton.

After disembarkation, I went straight to No. 3 A.A.H., Dartford.

Here we were received very warmly. The next day we reported to

Miss Conyers, and after fourteen days leave, I again reported to

Dartford. I did a fortnight's duty here, and was then transferred

to No. 2 Command Depot, Weymouth, where I remained for five months.

This was an Australian Hospital, and we were extremely

comfortable. We were billeted in shacks, and each room had a stove.

We took in surgical and medical cases there, but the work was not very

heavy.

I then returned to No. 3 A.A.H., Dartford, where I am still

on duty, while awaiting transport to Australia.

--------------------------------

HMC.

Miss Walter McNulty.

A.A.N.S.

-------------

I embarked in July 1915, on the "Orsova" with troops. We had

one epidemic of measles on board, and I specialed two sisters. I arrived

at Suez, and entrained fro Cairo, and joined No. 2 A.G.H., and was there

for a month. I then returned to Australia on transport duty, taking back

some wounded on the "Ulysses". I re-embarked on October, 1915, and arrived

at Ghezirah, at the end of November, bringing troops over the second time.

I was in the surgical ward, and worked under very good conditions. the

patients were all severely wounded. After two months, I went to Ismailai,

No. 1 A.S.H., where, until the Romani Stunt, most of t he work was from the

troops on the desert, but during the stunt, we got the severely wounded.

Also a number of strained hearts, and blistered feet from the great march

across the desert.

The conditions were good, and the place was very well equipped.

The Hospital had previously been a large French convent. We were billeted

in separate houses, very comfortably, and were extremely well looked after.

We had every 2nd half day off duty, when we were not busy, but when busy,

we had no time off at all.

Bands from the different Battalions round about, and concert parties

were in the habit of providing amusements for the Hospital. The

heat was intense, and working under the verandas, we felt it greatly.

Here again we had dysentery and enteric cases.

From there, I crossed to England, and did night duty on the Hospital

ship "Letitia". We had medical and surgical work, chiefly from

Mesopotamia. After relieving at various Hospitals, I was detailed for

duty at No. 3 A.A.H., Dartford. Dartford Hospital was a pre-War Infection

Hospital, and is beautifully equipped, although the surroundings

are not pleasant. In the early stages the cases were not heavy, as they

were Australians transferred from all the British Hospitals. We also took

in the accidents from the Aerodrome, which was close by the Hospital. The

food and amusements were good, and we had a concert two or three times a

week in our own concert Hall. The Australian Red Cross looked after us

remarkably well, and we could get anything we wanted from them.

I stayed there for eleven months, when I was transferred to France,

to No. 5 Stationary Hospital, Dieppe, which was a small Hospital, principally

for local sick. There was an Australian Nursing staff, with an

R.A.M.C. male personnel. In my opinion, having the mixed services is not

a wise proceeding.

I went from there to No. 3 A.G.H., Abbeville. This was a large

hut and tent Hospital, where we had excellent work, getting the men straight

from the line. The cases were very severe but we worked under good conditions.

The food was good, and the amusements, also, a Y.M.C.A. providing

most of the latter. Here again, the Australian Red Cross did excellent

work. We were very comfortably billeted in shacks, and the huts were well

provided with heating apparatus, in the form of stoves. It was due to the

Pioneers, that we had a good hot water supply.

After that, I crossed to England, and subsequent to a fortnight

furlough, was sent to No. 3 A.A.H., Dartford, where I am now awaiting

transport to Australia.

---------------------------------------------------------

HMC.

Miss A. McKinnon.

A.A.N.S.

-----------------------

I embarked on the 12th June, 1917, on the "Mooltan"

with 300 other sisters bound for Salonica. I disembarked at

Suez, and entrained for Cairo, from which place I went on to

Alexandria.

I stayed there for five days, and then embarked on

the "Gorgon" for Salonica, which we reached in five days. On

our arrival, we were met by ambulances, and taken to the 60th

General, at Hortiach, which was a large tented Hospital,

principally for malaria.

The conditions were only fair, as the place was not

yet organised.

After one month here, I was transferred to 52nd

General Hospital, which was a special Hospital for malaria and

surgical cases. It was a large hutted Hosptial, and we worked

under improved conditions. It was very well equipped, but the

food was not very good on account of the fire, and the ships that

had been torpedoed.

We had practically no amusements for the boys, but all

of these things improved later. The Australian Red Cross were

very good to us, and sent us food and supplies from Egypt.

I remained there for nine months, and was then transferred

to the 42nd Dysentery Hospital, which was at Uchanta, and

not well situated for a Hospital. It was on the edge of a ravine,

and the mosquitos abounded there. It was here that so many of

the sisters contracted malaria, and great number s of them were

evacuated to Australia.

I stayed there about six months, and the whole camp was

then transferred to Kalamaria, which was a short distance from the

town. The conditions here were not good, and the site on which

the Hospital was situated, had previously been condemned as a dump

for horses and mules.

I stayed there until we handed it over to the British, and

was then sent to the 52nd General. I felt the winter here very

severely, as we had no fuel whatever for the heating apparatus.

After two months, I was transferred to England, and after

twenty-one days furlough, I was sent to No. 3 A.A.H., Dartford, where

I am now awaiting transport to Australia.

I should like to add that the British were very good to us,

and I liked working with them very much indeed.

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Sam scott

Last edited on:

31 March 2025, 12:07 pm

Last updated: 30 March 2025