AWM41 1005 - [Nurses Narratives] Sister Kathleen E Maloney

Conflict:
First World War, 1914–18
Subject:
  • Documents and letters
  • Nurses Narratives
Status:
Awaiting approval
Accession number:
AWM2021.219.63
Difficulty:

Page 1 / 8

Butter Coll 12 (6/19 (2
E
25 89:6:16 Talonica Youd to military in Day 195 al Telbourne Dicton- I was sent as one of the 0aff to a soall N003. Freat one of out bg camps. the 100s being in a Viry srinitin stage severything sumed strange, from the daily routing of one of our big raining DcBo0/8. he just twught was for the drew - so make them Bappey Ccomfortable who were reade t campi thei lives got us. Tie went on, a let imponing little kings which all add to te comfort of a sos. the sutints sumed to get on very well. mearle &prenmonis were our princi a cares a considering th sirousa of te latter on lones wene very few. We recived sieral cases daily from the surroanding Camps. The Bost isid to be enlarged, I course of ti out D.to bad it in orking order. liksed beg wil toso Sleft- sustralis for Dordia in August 19/6 with or other, mostly Victorian out natios was Very rind to us oos t journey we reshiaed botomeo, awaiting & boat s take us to Boonbay. suring on stay at Colombo which was sdas
we visited bandy & saw to surrounding country which was Dary beautiful. on out allere in Bombal we were met by an embarssation officel. whso gave matros a list to detall us a different Britial ar ossital. went- to the station Hrap Colabo. which was Di mely situates drear to ves. The sourning after out arrival we warted work s got deluled by mation s one different Ontill- I sterted on a beg surgial ward. with so beds all cases from drupootaining. There were soone shuge I ressings. Mny routine work was to sait at 7 M. Barlin he pare of reeaing tohey. ant wors at I continue a ressings unti 13.30 02 we kid some viry good rcllts from Iarots tbe reatment, also from Ded Lotons. when te wounds well showats t eal. sper some months. Swent on night cluty in a malaris block (s0 bedo). It was away from the nain building. It as interesting as Iad ner seen a case before. The stwering & vire high tepecratire were alaming at first.
But one soor got accustomed to it In Drimary cases. the dos Iordered one puit of Dalm & 3095 Dumin Der restum Your chours after 10900 of Qrunm by month o only for I days, if the case went on satisfactoriu. t Coses went Cown 30 0092 only, as ordered by Fo D. aisweess after. Stook over C Cliite ward which was Ehilly Amoebie"- Io asute cans they gare a course of euiting 90 caily in Ball 9t Coses. Mor dune day. oof the patient had not responded to the that meet. The same course continued after days elafon. She following july we got orders for Saloaiks. Toou 070 other sister who had just gone thei from suctralic. Trity of us left by pasienge boat Lafty a sirilous rip we arrived in Dlesindra safely. we wore our life belts all the time on board. what we realised what our nry sid t accomplesh in was tim. We remained at Blessedris two weeks other kid trree days journey to salonitse
De qsembarted about 8 m. o August 37,. 1917. Fuet bry an Enstration umbarssatin office. we o sis is instractins w to go. Do driles from Salonitss. we jowed out Drincial mation & go sister at the 66 1B ritish eneral soss. It was oue first esperienc of amp lig - sent hoss ital, we remaied thell for tree months Ithen t sospital disabonded- Ise like appeated to us very much. We sumply loved our work the monotony was broker occassionally by giving the satients a re. one and kavng sports also concerts which tay seemed to enjoy. The following ov. we o over the 20 Geerat cospital It was equiaped 205000 leds. It was thee Dessentry Noo/. for that command. I was situates deal to Bad. On out arrival. Matron &40 sister were met by the P.D. who was rey king to us. She rest cndning at 9M. 200 atients were as sitted. Inroos dstailed us for out different Puties. & we saites recuving start away, some of th satients were ve ills rying to attend them slooking after +
signing for equipment was nst popeless so start. we soo got strait & in a Lew weeks wasin sioe worling or She wrnte was very trying- the sancswind ere very sern - For weeks at a t we gortuined s wear yum bos iloe enteri nes o meal. An orderely was setailed to remove with a s pore to soud - But it all d amous sid which hel salon very nuch. In April 191 we mored to the hills- warted with oo patients out first day on a then wered in May &gane on an averags of 105 daily. Desnty dalaiwere at thei worwe weddaily for week 3 ou (caily.) I then most of the sisters got sick. we colretur st ther osp. We averaged almost Toro dam in July + August I remained with the sunt until Maarch 1919. when we imberted yor England- Nathsln E. Malony Bin

Butler Colln.   6/12

[6/19]

[[?]]

AWM 4 1

 

OPEN

SISTER K.E. MALONEY.

A.W.M.

LIBRARY

[1005]

 

 

 

[Balmita?]                 Sr. K.E. Maloney              25/107

 

1916   India

[?]  Hospital [?]

surgical cases for transport

Malaria Ward 100 beds - on night

duty. Dysentery ward, acute cases

 

July Salonika

[Huge?] in [hills?] - May and June

105 patients daily - dysentery

and Malaria - worked 12

hours each day

 

 

29.6.19                                   25/107

  1.  K.E. Maloney                   Salonica

 

I joined the Military in May 1915 at Melbourne Victoria -

I was sent as one of the staff to a small Hosp.

[Fear?] one of our big camps.

The Hosp being in a very primitive stage.

everything seemed strange from the daily routine

as one of our big training schools.

Our first thought was for the men - to make

them as safely & comfortable who were ready

to sacrifice their lives for us.

Time went on after improvising little things which

all add to the comfort of a Hosp. the patients

seemed to get on very well.

Measles & pneumonia were our principal cases -

& considering the seriousness of the latter our losses

were very few.

We received several cases daily from the

surrounding camps.  The Hosp had to be

enlarged, in course of time our D. C had it in

working order. like a big civil Hosp.

I left Australia for India in August 1916. with 

50 others, mostly Victorians our Matron was

very kind to us on the journey, we [[?]]shipped

xx∧at Colombo, awaiting a boat to take

us to Bombay.

During our stay at Columbo, which was 2 days

 

 

II

we visited Caudy & saw the surrounding country

which was very beautiful-

On our arrival in Bombay we were met by

an embarkation officer, who gave Matron a

xxlist to detail us to different British

War Hospitals-

I went to the station Hosp Colaba which was

very nicely situated near the sea.

The morning after our arrival we started

work & got detailed by Matron to our different

duties.  I started on a big surgical ward

with 50 beds, all cases from Mesopotamia.

There were some huge dressings.  Any routine

works was to start at 7 am. Sterlise &

prepare dressing [[trolley?]].  start work at

7 xx10 am and continue dressing until 12.30p.m.

we had some very good results from

[[?]] tube treatment; also from Bed Lotions.

when the wounds were slowest to heal.

After some months - I went on night duty

in a Malaria block (100 beds).  It was

away from the main building.

It was very interesting as I had never seen

a case before. The shivering & very high

temperature were alarming at first.

 

 

III

But one soon got accustomed to it.

In primary cases the M O ordered one pint of

saline & 20 gms Quinine per rectum.

Four hours after, 10 gms of Quinine by mouth

& hrly for 2 days. if the case went on

satisfactorily the doses went down to 30 or 40 gms

daily, as ordered by M. O.

Six weeks after.  I took over a dysentery ward

which was chiefly "Amoebic" - In acute

cases they gave a course of emetive 9 gms daily

in half 9[?] doses. for nine days

If the patient had not responded to the

treatment - The same course continued after

2 days elapse.

The following July we got orders for

Salonika. to join 270 other sisters who had

just gone their from Australia.

Thirty of us left by passenger boat & after

a perilous trip we arrived in Alexandria

safely - we wore our life belts all the

time on board. which we realised what

our Navy had to accomplish in war

time.

We remained at Alexandria two weeks & then

had three days journey to Salonika.

 

 

 

IV

We disembarked about 8p.m. on August 27. 1917.

Met by an Australian embarkation officer

Who gave out Senior sister instructions & where

to go.  20 miles from Salonika we joined our

principal Matron & 90 sisters at the 66 British

General Hosp.  It was our first experience of

camp life - [Tent?] Hospitals, we remained

there for three months then the Hospital

disabanded.

The life appealed to us very much. we

simply loved our work the monotony was

broken occassionally. by giving the patients

a picnic and having sports, also concerts

which they seemed to enjoy.

 The following Nov. we took over the [2nd?] General

Hospital, it was equiped for 2000 beds.

It was the Dysentery Hosp for that command.

& was situated near the Base. On our arrival

Matron & 40 sisters were met by the O.C.

who was very kind to us.

The next morning at 9 am. 200 patients

were admitted.  Matron detailed us for our

different duties - & we started receiving

strait away. some of the patients were very

ill & trying to attend them & looking after

 

 

 

V

signing for equipment was just hopeless for a

start. we soon got strait & in a few weeks

the hospital was in proper working order.

The winter was very trying - the mud & wind

were very severe - For weeks at a time we

continued to wear gum boots & before entering

[[the?]] mess for meals.  An orderly was detailed 

to remove with a shovel the mud - But it all

had a humours side which helped us along

very much.

In April 1918 we moved to the hills - started

with 100 patients our first day on & then received

in May & June on an average of 105 daily -

Dysentery & Malaria were at their worst we

worked daily for weeks 13 hours (daily.)

& then most of the sisters got sick & we

got relieve sent from out other Hospitals.

We averaged almost 2000 men in July &

August.

I remained with the unit until March 1919. when

we embarked for England.

 

Kathleen E. Maloney

Sister

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


 

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