AWM41 977 - [Nurses Narratives] Staff Nurse F G Gregson - Part 2

11.

- 7 -

to the 52nd and was to have a week's rest at the Convalescent

Home at Hortiach. ... The 52nd is a hut hospital - it was 
the 4th Canadian - and is composed of huts - which are of

course warmer than the tents for winter - and have electric 

light, which is, of course, an immense boon. I think I 
still appreciate that more than anything - as it will mean 
that I shall be able to write more comfortably at night.

.... This camp adjourns the 66th (which has all been 

removed except the stores and M.Os).... This afternoon we 

strolled towards the lake and within a few hundred yards of

here are the trenches, which were used little over 

twelve months ago and there are dugouts and gun stations just 

a little further on. .... There was another bombing raid

this morning in the city. It seems to me that every little 

while the Bulgars say - "What a lovely day it is - come - let 

us bomb Salonique". Its their recreation I suppose, but as

far as I can gather no harm seems to come of it - people 

just have to be careful to keep out of the way of our 
own shrapnel, falling from the gun fire. I told you

there was a raid on once when we were at Ordnance didn't I. 
The firing was right over our heads and they made us get 

under shelter - things seem pretty bad generally from the

 scraps of news we are getting, but we have practically

 nothing and seem to be out of the world all together as far

 as war news is concerned......

 26/11/17.

..... I am writing under an electric light 
at a comfortable solid table so you know I am at 52 G.H. 

Kalamanat. We are very much nearer the city than at Hortiach?

27/12/17. The patients had a splendid day on the 25th. 
The authorities were able to get sufficient turkey, chicken 
and plum pudding to go round and the sisters supplemented

12                                                

- 8 -

their tea with trifles and cakes and jellies and fruit. 
The hospital supplied the materials and we made the cakes. 

All the sisters in turn helped to make the sponges for trifle,

and they and the patients stoned 100 lbs of raisins for 
the fruit cake and prepared the other ingredients and 
made the cakes - nearly 200 in all weighing about 2 lbs. 
each. My three fingers are still pretty sore with the 
mixing as I wore my nails to the quick.  However it 
was well worth it, the patients had all decorated their 
wards wonderfully and enjoyed themselves thoroughly....
Jan.12th, 1918.

..... Xmas Day was completely given over to the 
patients, and Boxing day we had our own Xmas dinner 
at 2 pm. all the staff - night and day - came to the one 
meal and eighty two sat down.  The other matrons were 
there with Sgt. Stephens and Capt. King the M.L.O. (an Australian 
and an Anzac who is now with the British) to support them. 

We had a delightful dinner - soup, turkey, plum pudding

mince pies - trifles and jellies and coffee and every night 
sister said it was well worth getting up for. New Year's 
Eve and New Year's Day we were entertained in two sections,

by the Medical offices of the 52nd and had another gorgeous

meal with games of various descriptions after. On the 7th 
a dinner (Anzac) was given by all the Australian men in and 

round Salonique and Matron and several sisters from each

unit were invited to be present. Special passes had to be 

obtained from General Milne, as it is against orders 
for any sister to dine away from her hospital, or to be in 

Salonique at night. All the afternoon Australians kept 
coming to the Hospital, from the various points.....
Strangely enough I had Mr. Michaelis on my right and on my

left a Miss Atkinson, a new Zealander and a most interesting

woman. She is with the Serbian Relief Fund - and has been 
for three years. She was in the retreat from Serbia, was a

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 - 9 -

prisoner in Bulgaria for seven months and is back now in Monastir
- which was destroyed by fire a day or two before our

conflagration here. 72,000 were rendered homeless up there.

She is working with the civil population. Monastir is shelled

and bombed daily and the civil casualties are many. I met a 

man from there a day or two ago and he says that the women who 
are remaining there to attend the wounded are nothing short

of wonderful. It makes one feel ashamed of being so safe 

and comfortable...... We are in British Hospitals - not 
Australian - we are on loan to the British you know and have

British medicos and orderlies. .....

18/1/18.                                                          

... It was too glorious a day for shopping so we ran 
out beyond the 60th to the Durban Pass - a most interesting 

place - where the fighting here began. There are barbed 
wire entanglements all over the places, and trenches of

course in proportion. An interrupted parapet is built 
there now and there is a Military Police always on guard. 
At the top of the pass near the city end - all wagons 
or carts are stopped and searched by the military men

stationed there for the purpose. There were quite a 
string of carts held up and being examined as we came by. 

The road leads direct to the firing lines and the 
search is made for spys etc. As we drove through the city 
on our way out, we passed a Bulgar spy who was being taken

away to be shot. .......                                         

14.
12/2/18.
..... Eight months today since we left our various
homes in Melbourne. It is really difficult to say
whether the time has passed quickly or not - on the
whole - I think it has - as far as I am concerned,
but then I have been steadily occupied ever since I
arrived here - except for my brief holidays ... Mistress
White would put me into the wards if I really wished it
but this position suits me much better than it does most
of the Sisters, and I know Mrs White likes me to be there.
I'll have to give up nursing altogether when I come home
though as I shall have completely forgotten everything I
ever knew.  Sister Jones returned from the Sisters Con.
Home yesterday, but has gone back to the wards, and I
have lost her permanently from the mess, for which I am
very sorry. Sister Horton is Night Superintendent and so
I am seeing very little of her - and as I have no close
friends here, imagine myself a bit lonely at times.
Since returning from my holiday I have been positively
dissipated - having indulged in two concerts and a picnic.

The first one was held at the 41st G. Hosp, about 10 Kilos

from here, and was a performance of "The Yeoman of the

Guard" given by the Staff Company.  It was really

excellent, & especially when you consider that every

woman in the play was a man. They get themselves up

wonderfully and some are really clever. The Jester and

the other principal character - I should think were

originally professionals, as they (former especially)

were splendid. We had a delightful drive back. I sat in

front it was full moon, and very cold indeed - As we

passed along I could not help thinking what it would be

like living in a land of peace again.  At every gate on

either side of the road were sentinels & sentrys:

practically nothing but evidences of military life for all

the miles before we got to Picadilly Circus - which is at

the entrance to the city.  It looked quite wierd to see

them outlined in the moonlight walking up & down or

standing with their guns. I enjoyed the opera and the

trip immensely. Last week I went to another concert but

it was only a short distance away - of course we always are

called for and returned for any & all of these concerts, as

one does not stroll about here on foot at night. "The

Joybells" gave this one and are the staff of one of the 

Motor Transport Companys near here. It was a very

clever and pleasant performance, it is wonderful what

splendid concerts are got up by the orderlies. They

become very proficient, many of them. Almost every

Hospital, and all Convalescent Camps & Motor Transport

Companys &c have themir permanent concert companys  -

and they send invitations for a certain number to attend

from all the surrounding Hospitals & Camps. It is good

for the men, both to have the occupation and the 

recreation.......

13/2/18..... I missed a good opportunity last week in not

attending a lecture on Salonique - strangely enough given

by a New Zealander - a Capt. Salt, who was the prime mover

in the Anzac Dinner..... I was sorry to miss the lecture -

it was immensely interesting I believe, but we had the 

Principal British Matron to dinner that night and she was

late in arriving, and everything was thrown back.

15.

March 3rd, 1918.

......... and then immediately after dinner out

into a huge waggon with about 40 others to a grand concert

which I was ordered to attend at the 660 M.T. Depot.

Talk about Concerts!!! I am sending the programme......

Here were we - in a place like Salonique, being entertained

by the Royal Serbian Band - which is the special property

of the Crown Prince of Serbia - and a pianist who is among

the greatest of the world. He was marvellous beyond words,

and the orchestra a thing to dream about, the solo violinist

was perfectly wonderful too and we couldn't help feeling

the marvel of listening to such a concert "On Active

Service". The one soloist, an Englishman, was, I should

imagine a Professional, and an operatic one at that. We

were provided with supper in the interval but that was a

very secondary consideration, and I was intensely grateful

to Matron for sending me without any option. The

entertainments out here are certainly wonderful. Right up

at one of the fronts here they have a Pantomine Company  -

as good as any you could get anywhere. The costumes cost

thousands of pounds and are exquisite. I believe it is

coming down to Salonique very soon..... We are having an

"At Home" here at Easter time, so I expect the next few

weeks will be busy ones, but I must try and get in some

personal letters. Some of the Sisters are practicing

Stainers Crucifixion, to help the 43rd on Good Friday.

March 10th, 1918.

........ Have had a busy time lately sorting out

Red X goods and equipment. Four consignments came all

mixed up and I had to sort them up round the various

Hospitals. The Australian Red X has most certainly

been good to us beyond words. Every month we have a

large consignment of food of all description from them,

which is of immense value.  Preserved fruit, Ideal milk,

Sweets, Biscuits, Jam, Tinned vegetables, biscuits and this

month cases of mutton birds.  Consequently we are able to

live quite luxuriously. Also they sent us each a large

bottle of Eau de Cologne for Xmas, and a white blanket and

pr. of flannel pyjamas each. You have no idea of the

excitement of the sisters over the white blanket. They

are an absolute rarity here. So you see although we are

so far away we are by no means forgotten, and the goods

are one and all appreciated most thoroughly.

May 27th, 1918.

...... I certainly have intended telling you all

about a rather wonderful trip we took about 6 weeks ago.

We started about 6.30 a.m. on a Saturday morning to go to

Stavros about 50 miles from here and towards the fighting

line. Our route took us past Generals corner, which

is just beyond the Durbau Pass which I have mentioned before

where the fighting here began. There are still barbed

wire entanglements on every hand and trenches and dugouts

&c. From here a short drive brought us through a small

village to Lake Langaza - and we travelled along the edge

of its entire length........ The entire distance (50 miles)

was interspersed with barbed wire entanglements on either

side of the t  road..........

16

Sisters Conv. Home.

July 7th, 1918.

...... It has been lovely having this time up here 

again I have been quite well, but as things in the Town

Hospitals are quiet, Matron is giving all the staff in 

rotation, a fortnight either up here or at the Red X 

Home..........  We had a great treat last night A Capt. 

Budden from a Convalescent camp near at hand came over 

and gave us a little causerie on music. He brought with 

him a vocalist, a violinist and a pianist. They were all

finished artists, and gave us a most excellent music....

I had no idea that a lecture on music could be made so 

interesting..... I had heard the Vocalist before at the

performance by the Royal Serbian band - and it was a great

treat. The previous Saturday Capt. Budden had given us a 

lecture on the Customs of Salonique - but it was mostly a 

discourse on Mohomadanism so was not as interesting as I 

had expected. Yesterday I went along to see a little

French Chapel (built by the Frenchmen at the Bombing 

School close by; quite a long time ago). It was some 

little distance away over hill & dale and until you 

came right on to it it was hidden in a ravine at the 

foot of a hill & surrounded by other hills. It was the

quaintest place, being built entirely of reeds with a 

thatched roof. At a little distance away it looked as 

if the whole side of the church had high pointed arched

windows with diamond shaped panes, but on getting closer

you find that it is reeds only, and that the whole of 

the church is open except for one end which is built 

right up the side of the Hill. This end contains the 

pulpit and altar, which has quite a grotto effect as it

is cut out of stone. Two large slabs of stone form the

altar, and there is a little place cut out in the centre 

where they put the real altar stone, which they bring

with them. The whole had been wreathed with Clematis

which grows all round here by the mile, and there were 

about a dozen vases of various shapes and sizes, 

containing flowers which had most unmistakedly been put 

in by men, as they were quite flat and had rather the 

appearance of those flat funeral bunches we used to see 

at the markets, except that they were composed of yellow 

and white wild flowers. The vases were, I should say, 

the most unique that had ever been consecrated to sacred 

use. They consisted of copper & brass shell cases, hand 

grenade cases (with the charge removed), petrol cans, 

kerosene tins, and even jam tins, so I think it would be 

difficult to find their duplicate in such a place. 

Altogether it was restful and peaceful, and a delightful

place to worship in, in its closely hidden ravine with 

the hills on every side. I was glad to have seen it. 

Coming back we retraced our steps over the French bombing 

school ground, skipping trenches, in every direction, 

and gazing in awe at a few unexploded bombs which were

lying in several places. We knew enough to keep a distance

from those which were intact, but after cautiously 

walking all round them, which we met in different parts, 

and which looked safe, we picked up one each, as a 

souvenir and as we continued our way, found the various 

parts belonging to them scattered about, and pieced them 

together, so we each have a bomb - complete - except for 

the detonator. 

17.

July 29th. 

........ We went for a delightful walk through the aqueduct,

to a ravine about ¾ of a mile away.  A very narrow stream

runs down it and you have to walk in single file, taking

care not to tread on any snakes, as they come down to the 

waters edge. Every little way there are Ice pits, dug by

the French. A conical hole is dug and sometimes built

up with stones to make it 15 to 20 ft. deep. This gets

full up with snow in winter, and freezes, they then cover 

it over with about a foot of dead leaves and there you are

with Ice to last all through the summer. The Ice pits are

usually beautiful spots, as they choose a place with tall

trees growing round it, Elms mostly but there are also

walnut, cherries both wild & garden, and fruit trees of

all descriptions growing on the side of the ravine.......

Hortiach village, which is intensely picturesque, with

Hortiach & Kotos behind it on one side, directly opposite

to it was Hortiach plateau with all its French & British

Convalescent Camps and Hospitals.......

31/7/18...... Exactly twelve months since we arrived,

looking back the time seems to have passed quickly, and 

I am grateful more than I can say to have kept well. I was

frightfully tired for a while but will soon be rested now,

as I am out of the Mess at last, and back in the wards.

Thank goodness! they say that complete change of work is as 

good as a holiday and I can almost believe it. Anyhow I 

know that the strain both physical & mental in the wards

(at present at any rate) is reveling to that of the mess,

although I am most awfully glad to have had the experience

of the last twelve months, I feel that any success I have

had I have owed to Emily Mills, for I always had the

Caulfield home & Mess as an Ideal up to which to live,

though conditions prevented it ever being reached of course.

Still had I not had the experience there, of what a

perfectly managed mess could be like, I would not have

known enough to do even what I have done here.

Aug. 4th, 1918.

...... Have just returned from a united service for
consecration & intermission. We went up to the 43rd General
for it. We went up to this most beautiful spot on the side
of a rise gently sloping down to the sea, with the complete
circle of hills in full view, though rather dim until the
sun had quite gone down. The patients and personnel of the
four Hospitals in the group paraded, and there were a very
large number present. The men in khaki with the patients in
their blue & white with red ties in their midst and on
either side a semi circle of sisters & V.A.D's, mostly in
white, our sisters looking especially nice with their red
capes on their white frocks. We are specially allowed to
wear white here, which is an immense boom. The service was
not very long, but impressive and we were given a splendid
address by a C. of E. padre, who seemed to be an
exceedingly human, understanding kind of man, with a very
forceful manner. We all most sincerely hope that it will
be the last "commemoration service" necessary...........

Aug. 20th. Have had an interesting time lately. The
16th was the anniversary of the arrival of the 52nd unit
in Salonika, so they had a celebration of the fact in the
form of sports for the patients, with a tea for them.

The O.C. invited the O.C. & Matrons with 50 patients from
each of the three adjoining hospitals so we made up quite
a large number altogether. The tables were set in a series

18.

of tents with open sides, and were most beautifully
decorated, shell cases, brass, containing grasses &
flowers were on every table. On the other side of the
ground were the tents for non-coms. officers & sisters,
and they were most daintily decorated too. It was a
most beautiful day, not too hot for us to go without hats,
and the caps & red capes with white dresses look
particularly attractive among the blue suits of the men &
the khaki of the officers. There were competitions of all
kinds, Pillow fighting on a greasy pole, treacle bun eating
and numerous other things, and a very large number in
Fancy dress. We made all the fancy costumes for the boys
ourselves. Sister Horton got three first prizes. One for
the most original, one for the best fancy, and another for
a race. We sent in five competitors and got four prizes.
Three special for fancy dress. Strangely enough Sister
Horton & I had the same thing for one of our boys but she
had a boy & girl and I had only a girl. My pair - a Coster
lad & lass were really considered the best dressed, but
they were entered for original instead of fancy, so of
course were not in their right class. I will try & send
you a photo of them. The one I was most interested in was
the little girl - a boy who looks about 15, and did not
need any personal doing up at all. I made him a complete
girls outfit. You would have roared at the others
interest in the various garments. It made a great deal of
pleasure for him. He just had a white frock with blue
sash, square cut neck and white net hat with blue ribbons.
General Fetherston and Lt.Col. Wilson arrived in the
morning so would naturally conclude that there was nothing
to grizzle at in Salonique. They certainly saw everything
absolutely at its best. A perfect day, the only one in
months, and the whole hospital en fete. We had a very good
concert in the evening, the only one I have attended at
the 52nd. The General & Col. Wilson spent about four days
here altogether. It was lovely to have them, and they
were very pleased with everything I believe.

20/8/1918. Just twelve months yesterday since the great
fire of salonique. We kind of expected excitement of
some kind or other but Bulgar didn't ever celebrate
it by paying us a visit. It was a full moon too, and we
generally are turned out of our beds two or three times
at least during the full moon. As a matter of fact we
turn ourselves, as we never have been ordered out yet, but
we can always hear the anti-aircraft guns in the distance
and the firing coming nearer and nearer, so that by the
time the planes are right over us, and the naval guns boom,
we are as a rule, pretty wide awake, as they make a
terrific row and are of course quite close at hand. We
were disturbed a night or two later but nothing to speak of

Sept.10th. Have just had another busy and exciting time.
A real live wedding. A perfectly good New Zealand Major
as the Bridegroom and the prettiest thing in brides that
you would want to see. I went into the mess for five days
and had another go at cooking. Materials were somewhat
hard to get - Eggs - we had to send 20 miles for and
pay 4½d. each - and the time was awfully limited, but
things turned out all right and everything went off very
well.  We gave them a little evening the night before and
had an Italian band here. It was very funny, they brought
in "God Save The King" three times during the evening.
The bewildered look on everybodys face was funny when they
had to rise to it half an hour after they arrived, and
again in the middle of supper when everyone was laden with

19.

sandwiches, cake & cups and plates, it was once more a struggle to rise to the occasion, but it was very
ludicrous to see us hurriedly dispose of cake in our
mouths & cups on the floor anywhere handy to stand to
attention. As a matter of fact the Italian band, wishing
to be very courteous was giving repetition of a medley
of National Anthems, and we, with true British stolidity
recognised none but our own. The party was very
pleasant and the wedding next evening an exceedingly
pretty one. We had a real wedding cake, made by one
Cpl. Cook, and had it decorated with the single Jassamine
flowers, all round, and real jassamine & mi....  on the top
in a big brass vase. It had three tiers and the table
looked beautiful with only brass vases & shell cases with
pale pink roses & maiden hair......... The guests were
not many, the D.G.M.S. of course and the D.D.M.S., the
A.D.M.S. and the P.B.M and many other individuals
usually indicated by initials.......

23/9/1918.  We are very very busy now all day and with
the real thing - active service - about a month ago every
spare nurse had to be lent to the 50th they were having
big Greek Convoys - but mostly medical - and in the
midst of their business we unfortunately began to get
Spanish Flu - and then on top of that the big Straffe
began. I was writing to Alice on the evening of the
18th when we had orders to report on duty to prepare wards
for a convoy of several hundreds. About 10 o'clock we
were told they would not be in till 2 a.m. so were sent to
bed to rest before being called. However about 10.30 p.m.
convoys started arriving for the 43rd & 29th which
adjoin us, and as every ambulance, and waggon passes our
hut, there was not much rest for us, especially as the
guns were very active firing incessantly. We are only
about 50 miles from the firing line you know. Things
quietened down about 12 midnight as far as the convoys
were concerned and then I had a little adventure on my
own. I had heard a scratching and knocking at my door
for about a quarter of an hour, and at last got
exasperated and concluded that it was "Rags" a dog
belonging to Miss Campbell at the 50th really, but very
devoted to Matron. It was bright moonlight & I got out
of bed, threw open my door and said "For goodness sake
Rags get out of this, I am sick of having you scratching
at my door. Instead of the dog - a hand came through my
curtain, containing a letter - I was a bit startled, but
we are used to getting messages for Matron at any hour,
so I got into a gown, switched on the light, and went
into the coridor to take the letter to her, and said in
passing that I would get a reply. I was surprised on
glancing casually to see it was a "Serb." but went and
told Matron, and she requested me to open the letter.
I did so, and found it was a most extraordinary epistle.
.... it reminded me of nothing but a good old fashioned
Valentine. I suppose he understood enough English to
hear the annoyed expressions of Matron & myself so
departed without waiting for me to return. Matron
informed the Military policeman as soon as he came round
again and he kept sharp watch, that he did not return.
He was quite harmless poor thing, but as he himself said
"he was half mad with the 7 years war, Matron reported in
the morning to our O.C. and he reported it to the O.C. in
charge of stores across the way where Serbs work, and
the poor thing has been transferred to where if he takes
to wandering at night, he will wander into men's camps &
not womens...........

20.
Sept. 30th, 1918.
..... I feel that I must write down the date at any rate,
as it is somewhat important to us being the date of the
cessation of hostilities with Bulgaria. What it will
really mean eventually of course remains to be seen, but
with such a huge houseful of very sick men it is wonderful
how a little good news bucks them up. The fall of Metz
too is such an important thing. However its all I'll do
in the letter writing line as for the last ten days we have
all been doing twelve hours duty a day when we have not
been doing fourteen or sixteen and on occasion eighteen.
So as I am most anxious to keep going I will say nothing
further than Goodnight......
October 27th, 1918.
A good deal has happened in between these dates, but any
events have been recorded in individual letters. We lost
our first Sister, which was a very great grief to the
whole of the Australian nurses, Malaria & influenza. She
was a very strong looking girl - Assistant Matron at the
42nd and a very great favourite. We are expecting to be
allowed build a monument over her grave and I also hope we
will be able to have a little dedication Service, at which
we will, the larger number of us at any rate be able to be
present. She is very greatly missed. She is resting in
the little cemetery, I told you of some months ago, very
near here. I am at the 43rd which adjoins our hospital,
and where sick sisters are sent, I am not really ill, but
had influenza during the worst of the Big Stunt here, when
we were having Convoys in morning noon & night, and one
had to hang on as long as it was possible to do so.
I managed till last Sunday, but was feeling so worn out
mentally & physically that I had to give in. My cough was
very troublesome, and headache continuous. I had several
days rest in bed, which was all I needed really, and got
up yesterday. It is really now 6 p.m. and I have just
returned from a Service held by the Bishop of London, who
was the bearer of a message to the forces here, direct from
the King. The service was held in the usual place, on the
slope beside the sea, also as usual just about sunset.
..... The Bishop stood high above the crowd and at first
glance he looked like an old old man, but when he spoke, his
verility and energy made him at least 15 years younger,
though he has not a good speaking voice, which is rather
strained or slightly harsh. He delivered three messages -
one from the King - conveying congratulations on the great
victory obtained here - and appreciation of the suffering
and endurance of the troops here from the climate, malaria
and dysentery. One from the people, and in a land where
one of the greatest of all preachers had walked and
preached and suffered two thousand years ago, he the
128th Bishop of London, gave us, most important of all, a
message from God. His address was very forcible, practical
& evangelical - I was very glad to have heard him. He
seems to have a large fund of humour as well and was not
afraid to make the boys laugh in the early part of his
address. He has addressed every force in Salonique from
here to Sofia and consecrated the first British Burial
ground in Bulgaria. He goes from here to France I believe
and is going to speak to every company under General
Birdwood's command. I was awfully lucky to be up and able
to go to the service. It seems dreadful that with so much