Nurses Narratives - Staff Nurse Margaret Elizabeth Jones

6/79
Butler Colln.
AV 41
WAR OF 1914-18
[6/20] AA

 29 Aug 17
AWM 41
AUSTRALIAN ARCHIVE
ACCESS STATUS
OPEN
STAFF NURSE M.E. JONES.

A.W.M

LIBRARY

Classn No 373.2

[986]

Salonikia M. E. Jones 67/104

in 60 Gen. Hortiach Plateau

are those of bully beef, biscuits, 

marmalade, wasps, the effort 

to get the work done, food shortage,

the dust, Vardar winds and then 

the rain.

 

The Official War Histories 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 the 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

areas. The diarist is almost always sincere in his desire to record

accurately, but he is subject to no obligations or inducement to

indicate whether he is recording his own observations or incidents

told him by friends or heard as third or fourth hand at the mess-table.

Thus, in some of the diaries in this collection, scenes described with

 detail, and without any warning that they are told at second

or third head, have been found to be completely inaccurate in

important details. A certain series also have been written up

or revived long after the events, though doubtless usually from notes

made at the time. In recent cases the student must rely on his

experiences and on informal evidence to guide him in judging what is

and what is not likely to be historically accurate".

Mr Jones             

67/104

SALANONICA.

August 1917.

The early recollections of Salonica or rather of our first

days in 60 Gen. on the Hortiach Plateau are those of Bully Beef,

biscuits, marmalade and wasps - of course there were other things

of more importance.

The Malaria and dysentery, the effort to get the work done,

the food shortage, the dust, Vardar winds and then the rain, all to

distress the poor humans who were strangers in the land.

It was in the month of August when we arrived in Macedonia

just when summer was at its worst, then in Autumn after the Autumn rains

had come, the dust quite disappeared for a time and Mother Earth looking

her best adorned with grasses and flowers.

Towards the end of November we prepared to move down to the

plain but before moving Winter had visited us and cold was fierce.

December the fourth found us on futy with the P.ofW. which

included Bulgars, Turks and a few Germans. Later a division was 

pitched for the British sick.

Malaria does not seem to worry its victims so much during the

cold weather consequently we had more time off duty and had an opportunity 

of exploring the old city of Salonique.

March 1918 we went back to old site amongst the Hortiach Hills.

We were offf duty about three weeks awaiting the pitching of the

hospital.  During those days of relaxation we picniced to the neibouring 

peaks of Hortiach or Kotos, spent much time among the flowers for

Macedonia in the Spring is a most wonderful garden of flowers.

Every flower known and some perhaps not widely known bloom

in old Macedonia. It seemed incredible that those old barren looking

hills could be one and the same in the Spring.  Later the heat of 

Summer seemed to wither all the beauty of the earth and once again

dust reigned supreme.

By the month of May Malaria had made itself known once again

and the hospital seemed to be working at even pressure.

Our breakfasting hour was 6.30 a.m. while the hospital was

in the hills and 7 a.m. during the winter months.  We of the day-staff

had three hours off duty daily except when the pressure of work was

too great to allow of any one person being spared at all, a day a month

a half day a week.

For divirsion of thought concerts were given by amateurs at

the neighbouring hospitals and convalescent camps which were attended

by the sisters providing an escort of Officers was available.

Fritz used to fly over head some-times but did not do any

thing exciting although considerable casualties had been caused by

a raid a few months before our arrival.

Recollections of golf and the sunset are among our happiest -

the latter were indeed very beautiful.  One sister wrote a poem which

seemed to put the life in the army into  a nutshell.

Our sojourn on the plain was marked by various stealing raids

the line and blanket marquees were the most raided, and one wet night

tso raiders visited the sister's lines and relieved them of a few pairs

of boots fortunately the light-fingered folk were disturbed or perhaps

the loses may have been considerable.

February 11th. 1919. we left Salonique per H.M.T. Wyreema.

The day we embarked was extremely cold, we were quite frozen before

we arrived at the right quay.  For three times did we stop at various

quays  before eventually finding the right one for embarkation.

Our few hours in Malta proved most interesting Valetta seemed

infinitely cleaner and smells were absent.  Feb.25th found us arrived at

Southhampton, three weeks leave was our portion and now for the first

time since we left Australia are we in an Australian Hospital.

(Sgd)M.E.JONES, Staff Nurse.

A.A.N.S.

Spare Copies

SALONICA.

August 1917.

The early recollections of Salonica or rather of our first

days in 60 Gen. on the Hortiach Plateau are those of Bully Beef,

biscuits, marmalade and wasps - of course there were other things

of more importance.

The Malaria and dysentery, the effort to get the work done,

the food shortage, the dust, Vardar winds and then the rain, all to

distress the poor humans who were strangers in the land.

It was in the month of August when we arrived in Macedonia

just when summer was at its worst, then in Autumn after the Autumn rains

had come, the dust quite disappeared for a time and Mother Earth looking

her best adorned with grasses and flowers.

Towards the end of November we prepared to move down to the

plain but before moving Winter had visited us and cold was fierce.

December the fourth found us on futy with the P.ofW. which

included Bulgars, Turks and a few Germans. Later a division was 

pitched for the British sick.

Malaria does not seem to worry its victims so much during the

cold weather consequently we had more time off duty and had an opportunity

of exploring the old city of Salonique.

March 1918 we went back to old site amongst the Hortiach Hills.

We were offf duty about three weeks awaiting the pitching of the

hospital.  During those days of relaxation we picniced to the neibouring

peaks of Hortiach or Kotos, spend much time among the flowers for

Macedonia in the Spring is a most wonderful garden of flowers.

Every flower known and some perhaps not widely known bloom

in old Macedonia. It seemed incredible that those old barren looking

hills could be one and the same in the Spring.  Later the heat of 

Summer seemed to wither all the beauty of the earth and once again

dust reigned supreme.

By the month of May Malaria had made itself known once again

and the hospital seemed to be working at even pressure.

Our breakfasting hour was 6.30 a.m. while the hospital was

in the fills and 7 a.m. during the winter months.  We of the day-staff

had three hours off duty daily except when the pressure of work was

too great to allow of any one person being spared at all, a day a month

a half a day a week.

For divirsion of thought concerts were given by amateurs at

the neighbouring hospitals and convalescent camps which were attended

by the sisters providing an escort of Officers was available.

Fritz used to fly over head some-times but did not do any

thing exciting although considerable casualties had been caused by

a raid a few months before our arrival.

Recollections of golf and the sunset are among our happiest -

the latter were indeed very beautiful.  One sister wrote a poem which

seemed to put the life in the army into  a nutshell.

Our sojourn on the plain was marked by various stealing raids

the line and blanket marquees were the most raided, and one wet night

tso raiders visited the sister's lines and relieved them of a few pairs

of boots fortunately the light-fingered folk were disturbed or perhaps

the loses may have been considerable.

February 11th. 1919. we left Salonique per H.M.T. Wyreema.

The day we embarked was extremely cold, we were quite frozen before

we arrived at the right quay.  For three times did we stop at various

quays  before eventually finding the right one for embarkation.

Our few hours in Malta proved most interesting Valetta seemed

infinitely cleaner and smells were absent.  Feb.25th found us arrived at

Southhampton, three weeks leave was our portion and now for the first

time since we left Australia are we in an Australian Hospital.

(Sgd)M.E.JONES, Staff Nurse.

A.A.N.S.

SALONICA.

August 1917.

The early recollections of Salonica or rather of our first

days in 60 Gen. on the Hortiach Plateau are those of Bully Beef,

biscuits, marmalade and wasps - of course there were other things

of more importance.

The Malaria and dysentery, the effort to get the work done,

the food shortage, the dust, Vardar winds and then the rain, all to

distress the poor humans who were strangers in the land.

It was in the month of August when we arrived in Macedonia

just when summer was at its worst, then in Autumn after the Autumn rains

had come, the dust quite disappeared for a time and Mother Earth looking

her best adorned with grasses and flowers.

Towards the end of November we prepared to move down to the

plain but before moving Winter had visited us and cold was fierce.

December the fourth found us on futy with the P.ofW. which

included Bulgars, Turks and a few Germans. Later a division was 

pitched for the British sick.

Malaria does not seem to worry its victims so much during the

cold weather consequently we had more time off duty and had an opportunity

of exploring the old city of Salonique.

March 1918 we went back to old site amongst the Hortiach Hills.

We were offf duty about three weeks awaiting the pitching of the

hospital.  During those days of relaxation we picniced to the neibouring

peaks of Hortiach or Kotos, spend much time among the flowers for

Macedonia in the Spring is a most wonderful garden of flowers.

Every flower known and some perhaps not widely known bloom

in old Macedonia. It seemed incredible that those old barren looking

hills could be one and the same in the Spring.  Later the heat of 

Summer seemed to wither all the beauty of the earth and once again

dust reigned supreme.

By the month of May Malaria had made itself known once again

and the hospital seemed to be working at even pressure.

Our breakfasting hour was 6.30 a.m. while the hospital was

in the fills and 7 a.m. during the winter months.  We of the day-staff

had three hours off duty daily except when the pressure of work was

too great to allow of any one person being spared at all, a day a month

a half a day a week.

For divirsion of thought concerts were given by amateurs at

the neighbouring hospitals and convalescent camps which were attended

by the sisters providing an escort of Officers was available.

Fritz used to fly over head some-times but did not do any

thing exciting although considerable casualties had been caused by

a raid a few months before our arrival.

Recollections of golf and the sunset are among our happiest -

the latter were indeed very beautiful.  One sister wrote a poem which

seemed to put the life in the army into  a nutshell.

Our sojourn on the plain was marked by various stealing raids

the line and blanket marquees were the most raided, and one wet night

tso raiders visited the sister's lines and relieved them of a few pairs

of boots fortunately the light-fingered folk were disturbed or perhaps

the loses may have been considerable.

February 11th. 1919. we left Salonique per H.M.T. Wyreema.

The day we embarked was extremely cold, we were quite frozen before

we arrived at the right quay.  For three times did we stop at various

quays  before eventually finding the right one for embarkation.

Our few hours in Malta proved most interesting Valetta seemed

infinitely cleaner and smells were absent.  Feb.25th found us arrived at

Southhampton, three weeks leave was our portion and now for the first

time since we left Australia are we in an Australian Hospital.

(Sgd)M.E.JONES, Staff Nurse.

A.A.N.S.

[[Item Control?]]

Australian War Memorial

005172231