AWM41 1021 - [Nurses Narratives] Sister Violet Minnie Payne

6/27

[[?]]

(3rd) 19/12/16

Butler Colln.

AWM 41

[*AWM 41*]

AUSTRALIAN ARCHIVES

ACCESS STATUS

OPEN

SISTER V.M. PAYNE.

A.W.M.

LIBRARY

373.2

[1021]

 

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 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

vivid detail and without any 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

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

and what is not likely to be historically accurate."  

 

(1)  France  Sat 83

M.Payne

The troopship, Orsova, sailed from Port Melbourne on

December the 6th. 1916, carrying fifty one sisters besides

troops & passengers.  Prior to our departure, we sisters

were inspected by the Matron in Chief, Miss Richardson,

and addressed by General Featherstone who informed

us as far as he knew that our destination would

be France.   Both wished us bon voyage & assured us

that everything had been arranged for our comfort.

I'm sorry to say that this was a myth as our sleeping

accommodation was anything but that.   The cabins

allotted to the sisters were on the very lowest decks

and during the greater part of the voyage the Port

holes had to be closed, which rendered the atmosphere

miserably close & stuffy, especially as three or four of

us shared each cabin.   We should not have

minded this state of affairs had space been limited,

quite the reverse, there were a number of empty

cabins on the saloon decks, other than those

occupied by the passengers and troops officers.

When passing through the Tropics the heat & stuffiness

of our cabins became so intolerable that we took our

rugs & cushions slept up on deck.  This nightly, weird

^∧ undignified procession afforded the passengers & officers immense

amusement, but to us extreme humiliation.

However, we intermingled the bitter with the

sweet & found true consolation in trying to make

things pleasant for our boys down below, our

happiest hours were those spent in the hospital

wards.   Many of the poor lads became very ill

the worst cases being dysentery, measles, Typhoid

and pnuemonia.    In nursing these, the food

problem was our greatest worry, principally relied

in tinned stuffs supplied by the Red Cross.

Notwithstanding these draw backs the patients made

 

(2)

remarkable recoveries.

Xmas day which we celebrated the day

before we reached Durban, was a red letter day

for the troops & sisters and will long be remembered

by all. The sisters off duty were allowed to go

down to the troop deck to decorate the tables for

dinner.   Naturally, each tried to out rival the other

with the result that the effect was magic, in a 

very short time the whole place was converted into

a veritable fairyland.  The cup of happiness was

full when the boys sat down to table to partake

of all the good things while we waited on them.

When we weighed anchor at Durban, the

following day & heard the good news that we were

to remain for two days to take on coal, everyone

felt glad of the opportunity to investigate this

picturesque little city.   We were all much

impressed by its beauty, also the hospitality

displayed by the Durban people.   They were simply

grand;  free passes were of on the railways &

trams were granted to us all & treated right

royally in every way.   In fact we never really

felt homesick until then.   During an afternoon

tea & concert provided for our entertainment, one

young lady with a very sweet voice, sang "Coming

Home", softly our tears fell, it made us realise

the mission we were on and all the loved ones

we had so recently parted from.

Several days later we arrived at

Cape Town, again we learnt the large heartedness

of the South African people who could not do

enough to make our stay the happiest imaginable;

invitations both public & private were showered

on us from all sides, needless to say, after seventeen

memorable days when the huge gray Man of war

hoved in sight to convey us on our way, was it

any wonder that each felt just a little pang of

 

 

(3)

regret when the time came to say farewell.

Sierra Leone was our next & last port of call

before England's shores were sighted.   We anchored

out in the bay there for five days but only a

few of the officers were allowed ashore.  From a

distance it looked truly an enchanted spot & seemed

hard to realise that such a treacherous climate

existed.   After eleven uneventful weeks at one

dismal February morning shrowded in dense fog

to the wild tune of the fog horns, we dropped

anchor in Plymouth Sound.   At 8 pm the same

evening we bad adieu to the Orsova & boarded

the train for London, arrived at Waterloo Station

3.10 a.m February the 17th.   Imagine the bitter nights

of that 1917 Winter and it will give you some

idea of fifty one weary, lonely women landed

in a strange country, walking up & down,

up & down!   The immense London Railway Station

trying to keep from shivering.  We were met by a

Sergeant, detailed from HeadQuarters who informed

the sister & medical officer in Charge of us that

as our boat was two weeks overdue we w[ere]

reported missing, consequently the accommodation

reserved for us had been cancelled. After many

fruitless efforts, at 7 a.m. the sister & medical

officer succeeded in distributing us at different

Hotels, principally expensive as these were the

only available ones.   The following day Head Quarters

made arrangements for us to stay at the Portland

Hotel, a filthy third rate place, however, they could

only accommodate thirty one but had arranged

with another hotel in near proximity to take the other

remaining twenty here they were greeted by the

proprietor and his lady having a drunken 

brawl in the street.   Of course the sisters refused

to stay at such a place & retraced their steps to

the Portland & remained for some time in the

 

4

in the sitting room stating that they would much

prefer spending the night there to the other place.

After considerable discussion a more suitable

abode was found which proved to be clean and

comfortable which much more so than the

Portland could ever boast where we were treated

like so many savages.   The dining room is

indescribable, filthy dirty table linen, odds & ends

of crockery, saucers for bread & butter plates, in

fact, one was lucky to secure even this luxury.

We miserably waited an hour and even longer

very often to be served & then left in disgust feeling

hungry & out of sorts.   All were thankful when the

time came for our departure for France and felt

quite prepared for any amount of roughing it over

there.   I might add the only time I had to do so was

in England.   On the 28th of February we were met

at Boulogne by an English Matron, again

disappointment awaited us when we learned

that we were to be detailed for duty at various 

English hospitals.   However, Miss Cameron, was such

a sweet charming person that she won all our

hearts and we felt that if all of our English

sisters were like her we should be very happy

among them.   She so arranged it that friends should

not be parted.   Myself, with five others were sent

to Number one British hospital, at Etretat.  The journey

took us three days but we were ever such a 

happy lighted hearted party and derived such

fun trying to make ourselves understood as none of

us could speak the language.  All firmly resolved

to overcome this difficulty in the near future, but, alas!

I'm afraid we are not much better today.  With

the exception of one who persevered in spare time

going to the shops to parlez vous to the French people

who were always anxious to help us.

It was 6 pm when we arrived at this delightful

 

5

little place called Etretat with its pebbly shore

and beautiful cliffs on one side, on the other three

surrounded by lovely green fields, avenues of wonderful

old trees, quaint & picturesque old buildings peeping

out, while the rugged old fishermen & women

added to its beauty.  An English Corporal, for of

course they were all English now that we were to

come in contact with in our work. who always met 

the trains expressed surprised when six Australian

women stepped out of the train he came forwards

ands enquired if we were coming to the hospital

as he did not think we were expected, which we

found was quite correct.   The Matron had not

had any word about us & wondered what they were

going to do with us as the present staff was

adequate.   Cheering!!   Was it not? Of course our

enthusiasm was naturally damped a little, after

the reception we had had received at the different

Ports of call we fully expected that our English sisters

would be ready to embrace us for coming to assist

them.   To wonder why we should be sent proved nearly

too much for us Never-the-less we smiled bravely on

& endeavoured to be do our best to help in any &

every way.  The Matron was always very good to us &

we liked her very much on the whole I was very

happy here occasionally thoughtless remarks hurt

our feelings especially when we heard ourselves

spoken of as, "Those awful Australian women" or

asked were we not descendants of convicts.  We

pitied their ignorance & passed on.   As long as we

were happy trying to alleviate the suffering of

the Tommy & often our our own men we knew they

wanted us what else mattered.   Several Hotels had

been converted into hospital wards.   I was sent to a

medical ward known as B. Roche to work under an

Irish sister we were very happy & got on well

together.   It was not long before this ward became

 

 

6

Surgical when the wounded from Boullicourt came

pouring in.   Shortly afterwards I was transferred to one 

of the acute surgical wards under another Irish

sister and was happier than ever.   One Tommy, a dear

boy, who only looked about sixteen, but I believe

a little older, had a severe penetrating wound of 

the chest.   He was so brave & good but to be comfortable

 frequently required his position changed.  How we hoped

against hope & prayed that he might be spared to

his mother & loved ones, but it was not to be, like so

many others after weeks of patient suffering we had

to surrender him to his Maker.  When a Convoy came

in how eagerly we scoured each face seeking

for some of our own boys, often as we hurried

by, a bright cheery voice would come from

among the blankets. "Melbourne or Sydney sister or very

often for [[?Orbons?]]," oh what joy!! We couldn't help

it, the feeling was mutual.

About the end of May this hospital was 

taken over by the Americans, so we all had to

find pastures new.   I was fortunate in being

sent to a Casualty Clearing Station, seventeen British,

much to my joy.   The one place I most desired

to see.   Five other Australian sisters & seven English

were sent as reinforcements to help when Messines

Battle was fought.  We arrived at Remmy Siding

on the June 6th.   As we neared the fighting Zone

we could see the observation balloons quite clearly

in fact they appeared very near but much more

so than in reality they were.  Dear me the boom 

of those terrible guns I shall never forget for a

week I scarcely closed an eye & my head ached.

They fairly shook the earth continuously day & night;

I volunteered for night work it was all so weird 

& awful.   It fascinated me so much I asked to

remain on two months instead of only one. At

times the sky was lit up like gorgeous fire works

 

7

displays.  Here we felt we were really needed. The

comfort those poor boys felt at a womans presence

when they became conscious.   How we all worked, 

no matter how tired everyone felt the same that

the day was not long enough.   At one time so many

wounded came in that every available space held

a stretcher then the stretchers had to be placed

outside everywhere imaginable and to add to

their misery a drizzly rain fell, the only shelter

was a ground sheet placed over them, but how

gratefully & cheerfully the poor fellows accepted

even this poor effort they were so thankful to be

out of that inferno.   The first words invariably

uttered "Sister, do you think it might be a

Blighty." even though you knew often they were

fatal.   The surgeons at this C.C.S. performed many

wonderful operations and despite the fact that

they often worked twenty four hours at a stretch,

always showed such wonderful patience &

kindness.   Everyone worked even the Matron with

sleeves tucked up & gown on worked as hard as

anyone. sometimes taking a table in the operating

theatre, in the receiving hut anywhere.   Almost

every night Fritz visited us in planes, but we

never felt alarmed, not even when he dropped

leaflets stating that for six nights in succession

he intended bombing hospitals, unfortunately his

threat was too well carried out.   On August 17th

1917 just about 9 pm on & on he came showing in the

brilliant search light like a glorious silver bird

our anticraft guns from all round burst forth, 

Oh! such a deafening din & hubbub when soaring

just above the sisters quarters he shot once

ariel torpedoes, one crashed down ^∧ on the
^∧ day orderlies tent

where the poor boys were lying, some not bothering to get

up, others watching the sight.   By the groans & screams,

we knew too well what had happened, fourteen

 

8

killed and thirty seven wounded.   It was too awful -

was it the hand of providence another fell on a Bosche

tent containing some slightly wounded prisoners,

ten of these were killed & a number injured,

some afterwards proving fatal.

The tents for the gassed patients were most interesting,

cylinders & pipes for the oxygen were placed down

the centre of the tent, then the stretchers on either side

with the patients heads almost touching. so that the

Attached to the main tube were a nasal tubes, these

were inserted in each man's nostril and a gentle

pressure of oxygen kept on almost continuously, as it

relieved the chest considerably, every two hours the eyes

had to be bathed with a sod bicarb lotion & the mouth

cleaned regularly, then feeding the patients, only rare cases

could do this for themselves the eyes were so swollen

& red that for days they were as helpless as infants.

I forgot to mention that the sides of the tents 
^∧ were rolled up

day & night to allow all the air possible.

Six days after this bombing episode all the

Australian sisters were sent to number two A.G. Hospital

Boulogne, three happy months I spent with this

unit.   Then I was transferred to No. 1 A.G.H. Rouen.

Arrived there on New Year's day 1918 and have

remained with them since.   This hospital was

practically all under canvas only two huts had

been erected for the femur patients & operating

theatre.   A month or two before Armistice the

tents had been replaced by huts.

Now we are at Sutton Veny nursing our own men,

everyone has been extremely happy & when we come

to say adieu we shall just feel a little regret

at parting

Sister Violet Minnie Payne A.A.N.S.

No. 1 Aust General Hospital

Sutton Veny.

Australian War Memorial
Item Control

005172266