AWM41 989 - [Nurses Narratives] Sister Kellick - Part 1

6/81
Butler Colln.
AWM 4 1
WAR OF 1914-18
[6/20] AA
(JTS) 22/4/78
AWM 4 1
AUSTRALIAN ARCHIVES
ACCESS STATUS
OPEN
SISTER KELLICK.
A.W.M.
LIBRARY
Classn No 373.2
[989]

The Official War Historian 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 its 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
are so. The diarist is almost always sincere in his desire to record
accurately, but he is subject to no obligation or inducement to
indicate whether he is recording his own observations or incidents
told to him by friends or heard at third or fourth hand at the mess-table.
Thus, in some of the diaries in this collection, scenes described with
vivid detail, and without warning that they are told at second 
or third hand, have been found to be completely inaccurate in
important details. A certain number also have been written up
or revised long after the events, though doubtless usually from notes
made at the time. In most cases the student must rely on his
experience and on internal evidence to guide him in judging what is
and what is not likely to be historically accurate." 

Notes on work of AANS

at Salonica 1917-8

by Sister Killick AANS

& S. Nurse Wray AANS
Taken down in HMAT

Wyreema by Col A E Bath 

 Jul 1919 

(1)

Salonica Nurses A.I.F.

Sister Kellick - (2 pips)

was in 1915 "Orsova" to Eng. England via Egypt.

Sent to British - reported to Mrs McHardie

White - (Col. Harland was with us
on Orsova)  We reported to Col:
Norris - Genl Williams -
Sent to British - & some 30 more.
We were first to be lent to Brit.
& some more after.
xx Soon after a large Div of Austn
Sisters sent to British because there

there were no Austn troops to go

& they were not employable for
AIF. as no AIF units existed.
In England - except Harefield
wh war first started.
We worked with British
We had on bd - also 7 hr on the
Orsova  the staff of 2 Hospt. ships
Kanowna & Karoola
also 3^rd unit of sisters called
"Aust" - Convalesc - Depot" but
on arrival found no unit to
go to. Col Harland we thought
was to be with us in Cont. Depot
Major Mills A.E. also with us
Norwich War Hospl. It was apalling
No Austn patients were there.
There were Austns in the Northern Hospl.
There were VAD's in the Hospl. the
Nurses were crude - got together from
everywhere - VAD's were better than these
nurses. There was a tremendous
nursing Staff - it was the rule in
British Hospitals at that time

Then in 1915 [[?]] I was recalled  Mrs
McHardie White was their P.M. she
had offices at Horseferry Rd by then.
(it was prev - at Vica St)
There were a lot ^of nurses from Egypt there &
60 " Genl Hospl staff not wanted
We were then reallotted to big English
Hospl.  66 to 4^th London Genl at
Denmark Hill (2500 beds), Epsom,
Wandsworth (3^rd London Genl) I was
at 4^th London Genl.
It was well off nurses & tremendously
overstaffed w nurses - 

Ward 29 beds	1 Charge sister 2 staff nurses	A land Medical & staff 1 M/O to 29 beds full time same part time
Day	2 V.A.D.s Orderley Ward Nurses
Night	Staff nurse V.A.D.s to 2 wards Orderley

Surgical Medical - not much
acute work - good work was
sent to "War Hospitals" which was
a fresh grievance - it was
thought by the M/O's that it was
to keep in with the War Hospitals
by the war office so they sent
them the bad cases (good work) wh. 
was often not well done.
I was in 1916 March on transport to
Austa (the Suevic) - Capt Leahy
fixed her up. Major Lieut Smythe
was S.M.O.  Started from Liverpool
Capt Cowlishaw xxxxx did the freeing
up:  took back Austn  SMO. 

2
Not acute. Some cot cases.
Bunks 2 tier - 300 cases.
Some officers patients 10-12
1 SMO Capt Leahy & an other.
Lieut Smythe.
Six nurses (Miss Richardson
was on her way back to Austa.)
She came out with Genl Fetherston &
was pally with his daughter -
She was not to bright.
[Put the gun off at Dacca  4.5
were around to Dacca - boats
coming back wd pick it up
& when at sea without touching.
In Austa I was at base - then
on the Wiltshire with Reinfs.
(Rev Stacey Waddy on bd.)  We had several
meningitis on bd. -
Capt Geo Bell i/c  Capt Hughes
Capt Wills ([[I an of? &? ]]) N.S.W.)
& 2 others  & 3 sisters
[[Capt Routre?]] - Genl. Howse  We were
to go to France with 14 AGH.

But arriving in Eng. found Staff

for 14 AGH went to Egypt

& that & is not r[[equired?]] there

Some [[14?]] AGH were left with 14^th.

in Egypt pending our arrival.

We asked him confess if Genl
Howse wd let us go to France

(14 AGH was all made up of

Sisters retn. in transport).

but he said no the Genl.
wd have nothing to do with any

14' Genl Hospl. people - the

Genl had had a row re 14

AGH. - ADM Egypt -

Genl H had had a row with Egypt

& Genl H.

The only nurse transferred to Eng. was

Sister Thompson who was to

marry Major Fiaschi.

I got to Egypt in latter end of /16

to 14 AGH.  o/c was Lt Col. Thwaites
Blackburn was his 2^nd I/C.

& it was at Abassea.

An unpleasant thing happened there

Mrs Criel was Matron.

A no. of new staff nurses quite new

from Austa.

Mrs Criel picked out her own

new trainees into positions over

us - the senior nurses rebelled

& some of us were sent to to Austa

I was sent out to Austa. in March 1917

I saw Miss Richardson - things were

put right & the old sisters got
their stars all right in proper

precedence. The X Willarhra

In Our c/o was a naval man

Cr. Bracegirdle. (Aust Bridging train

we took out sick & wounded the

Clearance of Hospl. - A lot of

very bad cases - part [[officers?]]

etc. Med Officer S.M.O.  a Col

from Melb. & Capt Simpson of 

NZNC who did all the work

Capt [[Frawlinson?]] - a lot of bad cases

over time died - not did well

We were held up for 3 wks

at Aden on a/c of raiders

in the Indian Ocean (? The Wolf)

Got out all right.

We had only 2 tier bunks - we got

them set up for spinal cases

3

At Aden- we had box

cases to load & opening them

out.  landed opened cases to

set up the bunks for spinal

cases.

From a base hospl  10 ofs.

went to Baubaum by troop

train - 1917 then I
then I got promotion over
Miss Richardson & was asked
if I still wanted to be in
active service - & said yes
even after of having sent a
covering reinfnt back & said to
go back at once.
Units were still being formed -
We did'nt know that we were
going to Salonica - it was
kept quiet till we
left Melb. as we they thought
we wd refuse.
This is the first Salonica G.h.
3 units - 90 Sisters each 270
under Mrs McHardie White
as P.M.  At Salonica -
the Matron of one unit
Came by Mooltan as passengers
It was not a happy trip:-
Our Med. Off. Major from Melb,  [*?*]
X attached to 14^th A.G.H.
Mrs McH. White wd only let us
go ashore [[with unit? ]]  [[& never?]] continue
for war a trying thing.  rules rules
rules - no freedom or trusting us -
There were a lot of passengers - Bridge family
some actresses - some people going
to Ceylon - only a few got permission to go
thro the Mediterranean.

We disembarked at Suez & went
up to Cairo.  Our unit left at
Cairo & 2 to Alex
Matron White Miss McH. P.M.
(Engaged to    ———>  Miss Campbell  No 2
Lt. Col. Dawson)             Miss Uren  3^rd unit
[*a capable matron 

but she has had no prev. war
experience : had been matron ward sister
at Kangaroo Pt. Mily. Hospl.  Trained
at Rockhampton.*]
Came to Salonica in batches.  First batch
(pt of 2^nd unit.  these were by states
1st Vic.        2. N.S.W. (Q'land matron)
Vic Matrons
3 Composite - Adelaide Matron -
(sent from Ad. to London  with nurses)  She was M. in S.A.)
recalled a few days out by wireless.
They had great difficulty in getting matrons for
the Salonica.
First batch with  Miss Baxter i/c,
.^.. sent to No 60  GS Hopl. which had just arrived
from Eng.  Med. Orderleys staff out but
not started:  at Hortiach in
July, 1917 - another batch about same
time under Miss White were at H. -
went to start no 66 general  A few wks.
later 3^rd Unit ^intact arrived with Miss Uren &
(I was with it) & took over 60 from those who
had started it.  The replaced lot went to
Ca Kalamaria just out  of Salonique took
 over 50^th Genl Hopl. (wh. with 52^nd took over 3^rd &
4th Canadian Hopls).
More arrived - then it got a bit mixed
We were taking over 4 Hopls with 3
nursing units (wh. had been
arranged - but our 4th Unit had
not arrived - so we started 4 Hopls
with 3 units.

4.
Miss Pritchard (Miss Whites Sr. Sister) became Acting
Matron of 52^nd .
Miss Campbell became Matron of 56^th
[*beds  
   14
   1500 [[?]]*]  
66^th Hortiach  Entirely staffed by Austn nurses.
60^th 
50}
22 }  Salonique
66 & 60^th took almost entirely malaria with
Ofs. block 60^th is an officers block.
When H. Hopls. not needed ^possible i.e. winter too
much snow - Entirely Summer Hopls.
the 66th went to Italy taking Eng. hospls.
sisters - as Miss W. wd not let Austn
Sisters go
About this time Miss W. went to Sal. with 52^nd
& the staff of 66 went to 42^nd (excl. ofs.
- Entire Hopls) & took Miss Pritchard
promoted Matron.
60^th took over Pr. of W. Hopl. at Salonique
Entire  Turks & Bulgars
They took British as well to bring the
Hopl. up to capacity.
Remainder of 4 units were sheltered in Egypt as there
was so much doing portion only of 4^th
unit came.
Our strength fluctuated in Hopls. as Miss
W moved sisters as reqd.
(Miss W. controlled the Austn sisters entirtely
She had an entirely free hand from
the Brit. Matron in chief P.M. Miss
Osborne).
Miss W. did it through the matrons of
the Aus Hopls.  She had an entire
freedom of action in this respect.
We were under strength as originally arranged
3½ Units - to 4 Hopls.
Work in Summer in Hill Hopls.  Heavily