AWM41 1033 - [Nurses Narratives] Sister Beatrice Russell - Part 1
Butler Collin.
6/39
AWM 4 1
AUSTRALIAN ARCHIVES
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OPEN
A.W.M.
LIBRARY
Classn No 373.2
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 the most
valuable historical records, but, like all private memories which were
not compiled with any historical purpose, they should not be
regarded as fact-based evidence except where it is certain that they
are so. The diaries is almost always sincere in his desire to record
accurately, but he is subject to an obligation or inducement to
indicate whether, he is recording his own observation or incidents
told him by his friends or heard as third or fourth hand at the mess-table.
There is sense of the diaries in this collection, nurses described with
vivid detail, and without any warning that they are told of second
or third hand, have been found to be completely accurate in
impartial details. A certain number also have been written up
or revised long after the vents, though doubtless usually from notes
made at the time. In recent cases the student must rely as his
experience and as historical evidence to guide him in judging what is
and what is not likely to be historically accurate".
REPORT BY SISTER BEATRICE RUSSELL, GLASSON CLUB, N.S.W.
(Royal Prince Alfred Hospital)
(Just completed 4 years}
April 26th, 1919.
Joined up in October, 1915: put my name through Miss Creel,
the Principal Matron (N.S.W) : nailed in 'Orsova' with reinforcements
for Light Horse - 11th. We took plate, knife and spoon (which we never
used), and bed. To fit ourselves out, the Military gave us, I think, £20
It was not anything like enough. The Red Cross helped us with with about
5 or £10: we got a trunk, kit bag, and holdall, and then the uniform. -
a rotten uniform, badly cut, - at David Jones'. The wretched loose-
flowing, long cloaks - impossible things - and as for the bonnets! They
were terrible. I wore mine once, and never again: At Melbourne we were
told to get felt hats: then in Egypt we got helmets which were indispensable
there. The uniforms made for a crowd are never any good as
regards cut. We had - 1 stuff dress - woolly grey serge.
1 coat, without sleeves - serge
1 cloak
1 bonnett various linen, cotton dresses and
aprons - 3
We had to get ourselves a set of instruments and also thermometars -
which (either) we have never used. We also took folding bedsteads which
were very useful as we would usually, or often, have had to sleep on the
floor. There were about 100 of us as reinforcements for No. 1 and No.2
A.G.H. We left about 7 am.- none of our people were allowed to pass.
We left about 8 or 9 to midstream. There were about - reinforcements
for Light Horse in Egypt. They were all average or "B" Class men -
we could always recognise the old 'Orsova' crowd - they were too old for
anything. The Colonel, an awfully good old chap, had his 72nd Birthday
on board. When they got to Egypt they were always getting laid up.
I think a lot got soon returned. We had not much to do; we had good
health throughout. The Hospital was a wretched hole right down in the
depths, hard to get at, badly fitted and ventilated, no means to get at.
The men must have been well looked after, or they were awfully fit. They
route marched about the deck, started physical jerks, but did not continue
it. Officers did cavalry sword exercise. We didn't have much of a
time - we did not get sociable or friendly at all. Sister Joliffe was
in charge. There were two M.Os. I believe, but we never saw them.
We had beautiful cabins, meals as good - I don't know why we were not
more sociable. We had one lecture on Typhoid by a British Officer
who happened to be on board, belonging to the Veterinary Dept.
We disembarked at Suez and went by train to Cairo - it was
delightful at Suez - weather perfect - and went to No. 2 Ghegireh. It
was the beastliest conditions I have been up against - much worse then
A.C.C.S. There were rows of us sleeping in a corridor; the food was
atrocious and filthy, Arabs hateful, plates - old chipped enamel. The
work was badly controlled - you never knew when you were going on duty
what you were going to. The whole place was dirty. No one seemed to
care what he place looked like. I have not been anywhere where so
little attempt was made to make things decent. Everyone got sore throats,
and got ill, and I don't wonder. I was in Ear, Throat and Eye Ward -
bit ward - Major Finn and Capt. Cahill (ears and throats). We had a
lot of cases - plenty discharging ears. Capt. Finn had any amount of
eye cases coming in for treatment. I was there 2 mths. when Hospital
moved to France and we were left. Went to No. 1 for a day or two - it
was the turning "pool" - and then went to a splendid place, Shoubra.
We took typhoids first, but it was not like the old typhoid one knew.
There were only three cases. I can remember, and they were 3 officers
who had not been inoculated - a Vet. Officer and two others. It was
A1 place, well run, clean, and nice: well suited except for a lot of
small rooms. When the rush of Dysentery came from Mesopotamia we had to
have them in the corridor.
Capt. Bahr, A.A.M.C. was there - he was one of the finest men
I have met. He worked with Lt.-Col. Martin at Lemnos. His results
were marvellous. He used Serum intravenously. He was extraordinarily
keen and assiduous in his work. The stools were tested at once.
Amoebic/
-2-
Amoebic had emetene hypod. Bacillary had serum intravenously - careful
diet - Sod. Sulph. 4 hourly, and oil with 30 minima of for
pain, but not again. Cases would come in awfully bad and collapsed -
would get a dose of serum and next day they would be A1: the worst cases
we gave albm. water and arrowroot water (2 ozs ), then right away sago
and sago with crispies, and milk food. Capt.. Bahr was the Pathologist
and had the Dysentery Ward. Dr. Bennett had the Typhoid Ward at first
(N.Z.M.C.). Our first O.C was Col. Prowse, R.A.M.C. (no Australian
officers) who was A1. We all got on fine with him. Later, Captain
Rankin was acting O.C. - a terror of a man. He had the Australian
patients by the ears, and Sisters too. [Ask Sister McIntosh; Sisters
Margaret Brown and Willoch were there - they know more about the row]
It was a very pretty place, fields of Bursine, sugar cane or flowers
sweet smelling. Roses were delightful in the garden - the boys
them in the ward. In the morning we would be wakened by the old
We had only two cases died.
Some cases came from Suez in a terrible state; they were
bactl. cases who had been treated with emetine, much to Bahr's disgust,
at Suez where the conditions seemed to be particularly unsatisfactory -
shacks which were terribly hot. At Choubra the thick walls made it cool.
The building was one used by Australian Sisters - fine thick walls and
curiously very like the building which I have just come from in Cologne
where our No. 3 C.C.S. is. The R.A.M.C. orderlies were very good -
better than most. I don't think that our arrangements can be beat in
a push, and when they are good they are the best of all. They always
rise to a pinch.
Sister McIntosh and Sister Robinson worked with Capt.
Bahr. The results of the Dysentery were wonderful, and it was due to
his keenness and assiduity, e.g., he would get up at 4 to see to a
special case - work out to ensure that the orderly was doing it at the
right pressure. He was very keen on vaccination for Smallpox. He
insisted on vaccination in all cases coming in. We had a number of cases.
One Medical Officer got it - a Pathologist from another Hospital. He
was sent in for an Enteric, and Bahr diagnosed Variola before. One
N.Z. boy died of smallpox.
We had a great Mess; we had a contract with the Continental
Hotel [curiously our caterer had an attack of paratyphoid]. We
had no sickness among the Sisters, though we were pretty done with the
Dysenterys. Miss KELLETTwas the Matron. A good many of us had had
just about all we wanted. I was there about 5 months: Capt. Bahr was
there all the time and when I left.
From there I went to No. 3, Abbassia, July 1916 and
stayed till they came to England. I was in an Surgical Ward: had the
cases from the Romani stunt - about the finest I have seen. The
Hospital was a beautiful place, airy, big wards, and thick walls. Col.
Poste had the surgical ward for the Romani stunt. He did some fine
work. He was like Capt. Bahr - always at a case that required special
attention at any hour. There were a lot of bad cases from Romani-
femurs, &c. They were Light Horse, and they were a fine lot. We had
a fine evacuation to 'Aussy'.
The place was very well run, and fine. We had good
quarters - an old Har with gardens - good men. We have always had
good quarters with him (Wilson). We had a real sick then for
Sisters. We took all Australian sick sisters them from other places.
Colonel Newmarsh was O.C. Our orderlies were pretty good by that time
the wards clean and nice - such a contrast to Ghezireh. Sister Kathleen
Smith was in charge of my ward.
I came to Brighton in the "Karoola". It was awful in
the "Karoola". I can't think how patients would get on in the tropics:
the sleeping place was best - too awful even then. We used to go on
deck if possible. Colonel Wilson was O.C. We had, of course, lots
of boat drill but saw no submarines. The No. 14 took over all our
equipment and stayed - they were very annoyed that they had to stay.
-3 -
SISTERS CLUB in Cairo was a great boon - it was a fine thick-walled place-
a palace I think - with a beautiful garden - near Shepherds. It was for
all nurses - got tea and could invite friends - officers and other ranks!
which made such a lot of difference. The men were prohibited from the
decent places in Cairo - Shepherds, &c., and had to go to the low places
instead. We could get hot baths - nice chairs. There was a nominal
sub. only - a few piastres a month I think it was,and the Princess Victorian
rest club - like those all over France. They have been the greatest
comfort everywhere.
OCTOBER 1916: At Southampton we went straight to Brighton in a train.
Arriving there we found they had no idea we were coming. The whole unit
sat on its luggage for hours at the station. At dark we went along by
a train and found no place or anything ready or possible for us. There
was a British Unit there who apparently did not know we were coming.
Ultimately we (nurses) were all put into a ward together. It was a huge
rambling place. We slept two nights in the ward - scratching round where
we could for meals; then we were put into billets in town - found a women
who would give us dinner for 3 or 4. This was for about a week, and the
British gradually left and we gradually took over from them. The place
was a terribly old place - a workhouse - blocks all over the place. There
were scrubbing women and other female helps - they were terrors It was
a hard place to run - separate blocks - sisters' quarters about ¼ mile
away, down a steep hill. The place was bitterly cold, and we were there
for the cold Winter. There were no fires in our quarters, only steam
heaters which never worked - the cold was intense. Work there was
horrid. We had very hard work - lots of bad cases - very few 'Aussies'
mostly 'Tommies', We had convoys from France - we were always full.
I was in Col. Poste's ward (Surgical). We had a fine Xmas. Our Aust.
Red Cross did us proud. They ran a hut; there was not so much distributed
as afterwards in France. The British Red Cross gave very little. The
Xmas was the best Xmas I have had in wards. We had plenty of stuff.
Work was more consistently hard than in France where it is in spasms.
No social life. We couldn't have visitors in the home, and life was very
dull there indeed. It was Winter there all the time. About April we
handed over to the Canadians (who did not like taking it over at all).
We went (all Sisters) to Hotel Yorke in London and had a bad six weeks -
doing nothing - couldn't get away as we didn't know any day if we would
be going, and had to be back each night. It was cold and snowy. We were
very fed up. We left about 7 a.m. - had solid time checking luggage.
We went off from FOLKESTONE - about 90 of us - an awful mob. Arrived
and stayed at Louvre Hotel. They had all they could do to do with us.
We couldn't get much to eat - stayed one night. From there we were
drafted off in batches to various Hospitals. I was in a batch for Le
Treport - 20 in each batch for the No. 3 and No. 4 General Hospitals there.
A lovely place on top of cliffs overlooking the sea. It was Spring,
the flowers were out - it was lovely.
The Hospitals there were in full swing (May 1917), We had big
Convoys - plenty of work. The British Matrons were very strict - we had
to be in by 8: but the time there was very pleasant. They are ever so
much stricter - you couldn't do anything: even if there was nothing to
do, you had to walk around with a duster and try to look busy., There
were other British Sisters and a lot of V.A.Ds. - awfully nice girls:
liked them better than the British Sisters: they worked well. The mess
was barred. We had to pay in 24 Francs to start with and though there
only six weeks we didn't get any refunded. Food was - bully and biscuits
quite a lot of the time. Miss Laing, A.Q.I.M.S.S. regular.
The regular Sisters were most annoying - though their training
and ability was not so good as ours, they didn't trust us to do anything
beyond pro's. work. Orderlies pretty mixed - a few good. They had block
waiters, &c., much the same as ours I think.
We came up to ABBEVILLE in about 6 weeks, but had no cases as
far as I can remember - no work. Had any amount of time off for walks.
We slept in tents - D. Block. Had terrific thunderstorms - the lightning
and thunder were worse then anything I have seen elsewhere. We got
entirely flooded out once - two feet deep stream - simply washed our
things away at 12 one night.
-4-
The work at Abbeville has not been so hard - continuously - as at
Brighton though in stunts it would be much worse. For instance, in
March 1918 it was tremendous - the Road Amb. Convoy coming down straight
from the front gave us a more terrific time than anything I have seen
even at C.C.S. There were only about 20 members left too - we were
packed and ready to go at a moment's notice, and then down came these
road convoys. I was on night duty, and oh dear! I was quite on my own -
every Medical Officer admitting and in the theatre. and Lawter
and others were everywhere, but the was too big. - terrible big cases
big amputations, gangrene and so on. The Surgeons depended on us to let
them know everything about the cases - whether a man wanted operation.
I know that we really saved a lot of lives though noting that a case was
going to bleed - man developing gas - and by tideing them over shock.
The Ambulance had a tremendously hard time - they had the
evacuating about 4 a.m. as a rule, and it was bitterly cold. There was
not a big proportion of 'Aussies'. or 'Tommies'. The 'Aussies' are
the best by a long way for grit and that - the Canadians are very difficult
and trying. The Pochs are great stickers and the finest chaps to
nurse, next to our 'Aussies'. The Seaforth Highlanders we had were all
right - our chaps always got on well with them too. The Canadian and
English Sisters like our boys as patients.
REPORT BY SISTER BEATRICE RUSSELL, GLASSON CLUB, N.S.W.
(Royal Prince Alfred Hospital)
(Just completed 4 years}
April 26th, 1919.
Joined up in October, 1915: put my name through Miss Creel,
the Principal Matron (N.S.W) : nailed in 'Orsova' with reinforcements
for Light Horse - 11th. We took plate, knife and spoon (which we never
used), and bed. To fit ourselves out, the Military gave us, I think, £20
It was not anything like enough. The Red Cross helped us with with about
5 or £10: we got a trunk, kit bag, and holdall, and then the uniform. -
a rotten uniform, badly cut, - at David Jones'. The wretched loose-
flowing, long cloaks - impossible things - and as for the bonnets! They
were terrible. I wore mine once, and never again: At Melbourne we were
told to get felt hats: then in Egypt we got helmets which were indispensable
there. The uniforms made for a crowd are never any good as
regards cut. We had - 1 stuff dress - woolly grey serge.
1 coat, without sleeves - serge
1 cloak
1 bonnett various linen, cotton dresses and
aprons - 3
We had to get ourselves a set of instruments and also thermometars -
which (either) we have never used. We also took folding bedsteads which
were very useful as we would usually, or often, have had to sleep on the
floor. There were about 100 of us as reinforcements for No. 1 and No.2
A.G.H. We left about 7 am.- none of our people were allowed to pass.
We left about 8 or 9 to midstream. There were about - reinforcements
for Light Horse in Egypt. They were all average or "B" Class men -
we could always recognise the old 'Orsova' crowd - they were too old for
anything. The Colonel, an awfully good old chap, had his 72nd Birthday
on board. When they got to Egypt they were always getting laid up.
I think a lot got soon returned. We had not much to do; we had good
health throughout. The Hospital was a wretched hole right down in the
depths, hard to get at, badly fitted and ventilated, no means to get at.
The men must have been well looked after, or they were awfully fit. They
route marched about the deck, started physical jerks, but did not continue
it. Officers did cavalry sword exercise. We didn't have much of a
time - we did not get sociable or friendly at all. Sister Joliffe was
in charge. There were two M.Os. I believe, but we never saw them.
We had beautiful cabins, meals as good - I don't know why we were not
more sociable. We had one lecture on Typhoid by a British Officer
who happened to be on board, belonging to the Veterinary Dept.
We disembarked at Suez and went by train to Cairo - it was
delightful at Suez - weather perfect - and went to No. 2 Ghegireh. It
was the beastliest conditions I have been up against - much worse then
A.C.C.S. There were rows of us sleeping in a corridor; the food was
atrocious and filthy, Arabs hateful, plates - old chipped enamel. The
work was badly controlled - you never knew when you were going on duty
what you were going to. The whole place was dirty. No one seemed to
care what he place looked like. I have not been anywhere where so
little attempt was made to make things decent. Everyone got sore throats,
and got ill, and I don't wonder. I was in Ear, Throat and Eye Ward -
bit ward - Major Finn and Capt. Cahill (ears and throats). We had a
lot of cases - plenty discharging ears. Capt. Finn had any amount of
eye cases coming in for treatment. I was there 2 mths. when Hospital
moved to France and we were left. Went to No. 1 for a day or two - it
was the turning "pool" - and then went to a splendid place, Shoubra.
We took typhoids first, but it was not like the old typhoid one knew.
There were only three cases. I can remember, and they were 3 officers
who had not been inoculated - a Vet. Officer and two others. It was
A1 place, well run, clean, and nice: well suited except for a lot of
small rooms. When the rush of Dysentery came from Mesopotamia we had to
have them in the corridor.
Capt. Bahr, A.A.M.C. was there - he was one of the finest men
I have met. He worked with Lt.-Col. Martin at Lemnos. His results
were marvellous. He used Serum intravenously. He was extraordinarily
keen and assiduous in his work. The stools were test at once.
Amoebic/
Amoebic had emetene hypod. Bacillary had serum intravenously - careful
diet - Sod. Sulph. 4 hourly, and oil with 30 minima of for
pain, but not again. Cases would come in awfully bad and collapsed -
would get a dose of serum and next day they would be A1: the worst cases
we gave albm. water and arrowroot water (2 ozs ), then right away sago
and sago with crispies, and milk food. Capt.. Bahr was the Pathologist
and had the Dysentery Ward. Dr. Bennett had the Typhoid Ward at first
(N.Z.M.C.). Our first O.C was Col. Prowse, R.A.M.C. (no Australian
officers) who was A1. We all got on fine with him. Later, Captain
Rankin was acting O.C. - a terror of a man. He had the Australian
patients by the ears, and Sisters too. [Ask Sister McIntosh; Sisters
Margaret Brown and Willoch were there - they know more about the row]
It was a very pretty place, fields of Bursine, sugar cane or flowers
sweet smelling. Roses were delightful in the garden - the boys
them in the ward. In the morning we would be wakened by the old
We had only two cases died.
Some cases came from Suez in a terrible state; they were
bactl. cases who had been treated with emetene, much to Bahr's disgust,
at Suez where the conditions seemed to be particularly unsatisfactory -
shacks which were terribly hot. At Shubra the thick walls made it cool.
The building was one used by Australian Sisters - fine thick walls and
curiously very like the building which I have just come from in Cologne
where our No. 3 C.C.S. is. The R.A.M.C. orderlies were very good -
better than most. I don't think that our arrangements can be beat in
a push, and when they are good they are the best of all. They always
rise to a pinch.
Sister McIntosh and Sister Robinson work with Capt.
Bahr. The results of the Dysentery were wonderful, and it was due to
his keenness and assiduity, e.g., he would get up at 4 to see to a
special case - work out to ensure that the orderly was doing it at the
right pressure. He was very keen on vaccination for Smallpox. He
insisted on vaccination in all cases coming in. We had a number of cases.
One Medical Officer got it - a Pathologist from another Hospital. He
was sent in for an Enteric, and Bahr diagnosed Variola before. One
N.Z. boy died of smallpox.
We had a great Mess; we had a contract with the Continental
Hotel [curiously our caterer had an attack of paratyphoid]. We
had no sickness among the Sisters, though we were pretty done with the
Dysenterys. Miss KELLETT and the Matron. A good many of us had had
just about all we wanted. I was there about 5 months: Capt. Bahr was
there all the time and when I left.
From there I went to No. 3, Abbassia, July 1916 and
stayed till the came to England. I was in an Surgical Ward: had the
cases from the Romani stunt - about the finest I have seen. The
Hospital was a beautiful place, airy, big wards, and thick walls. Col.
Poste had the surgical ward for the Romani stunt. He did some fine
work. He was like Capt. Bahr - always at a case that required special
attention at any hour. There were a lot of bad cases from Romani-
femurs, &c. They were Light Horse, and they were a fine lot. We had
a fine evacuation to 'Aussy'.
The place was very well run, and fine. We had good
quarters - an old Harem with gardens - good men. We have always had
good quarters with Miss Wilson. We had a real nice sick bay then for
Sisters. We took all Australian sick sisters them from other places.
Colonel Newmarch was G.C. Our orderlies were pretty good by that time
the wards clean and nice - such a contrast to Ghezireh. Sister Kathleen
Smith was in charge of my ward.
I came to Brighton in the "Karoola". It was awful in
the "Karoola". I can't think how patients would get on in the tropics:
the sleeping place was best - too awful even then. We used to go on
deck if possible. Colonel Wilson was O.C. We had, of course, lots
of boat drill but saw no submarines. The No. 14 took overall our
equipment and stayed - they were very annoyed that they had to stay.
-3 -
SISTERS CLUB in Cairo was a great boon - it was a fine thick-walled place-
a place I think - with a beautiful garden - near Shepherds It was for
all nurses - got tea and could invite friends - officers and other ranks!
which made such a lot of difference. The men were prohibited from the
decent places in Cairo - Shepherds, &c., and had to go to the low places
instead. We could get hot baths - nice chairs. There was a nominal
sub. only - a few piastres a month I think it was, and the Princess Victorian
rest club - like those all over France. They have been the greatest
comfort everywhere.
OCTOBER 1916: At Southampton we went straight to Brighton in a train.
Arriving there we found they had no idea we were coming. The whole unit
sat on its luggage for hours at the station. At dark we went along by
a train and found no place or anything ready or possible for us. There
was a British Unit there who apparently did not know we were coming.
Ultimately we (nurses) were all put into a ward together. It was a huge
rambling place. We slept two nights in the ward - scratching round where
we could for meals; then we were put into billets in town - found a women
who would give us dinner for 3 or 4. This was for about a week, and the
British gradually left and we gradually took over from them. The place
was a terribly old place - a workhouse - blocks all over the place. There
were scrubbing women and other female helps - they were terrors It was
a hard place to run - separate blocks - sisters' quarters about ¼ mile
away, down a steep hill. The place was bitterly cold, and we were there
for the cold Winter. There were no fires in our quarters, only steam
heaters which never worked - the cold was intense. Work there was
horrid. We had very hard work - lots of bad cases - very few 'Aussies'
mostly 'Tommies', We had convoys from France - we were always full.
I was in Col. Poste's ward (Surgical). We had a fine Xmas. Our Aust.
Red Cross did us proud. They ran a hut; there was not so much distributed
as afterwards in France. The British Red Cross gave very little. The
Xmas was the best Xmas I have had in wards. We had plenty of stuff.
Work was more consistently hard than in France where it is in spasms.
No social life. We couldn't have visitors in the home, and life was very
dull there indeed. It was Winter there all the time. About April we
handed over to the Canadians (who did not like taking it over at all).
We went (all Sisters) to Hotel Yorke in London and had a bad six weeks -
doing nothing - couldn't get away as we didn't know any day if we would
be going, and had to be back each night. It was cold and snowy. We were
very fed up. We left about 7 a.m. - had solid time checking luggage.
We went off from FOLKESTONE - about 90 of us - an awful mob. Arrived
and stayed at Louvre Hotel. They had all they could do to do with us.
We couldn't get much to eat - stayed one night. From there we were
drafted off in batches to various Hospitals. I was in a batch for Le
Treport - 20 in each batch for the No. 3 and No. 4 General Hospitals there.
An lovely place on the top of cliffs overlooking the sea. It was Spring,
the flowers were out - it was lovely.
The Hospitals there were in full swing (May 1917), We had big
Convoys - plenty of work. The British Matrons were very strict - we had
to be in by 8: but the time there was very pleasant. They are ever so
much stricter - you couldn't do anything: even if there was nothing to
do, you had to walk around with a duster and try to look busy., There
were other British Sisters and a lot of V.A.Ds. - awfully nice girls:
liked them better than the British Sisters: they worked well. The mens
was barred. We had to pay in 24 Francs to start with and though there
only six weeks we didn't get any refunded. Food was - bully and biscuits
quite a lot of the time. Miss Laing, A.Q.I.M.S.S. regular.
The regular Sisters were most annoying - though their training
and ability was not so good as ours, they didn't trust us to do anything
beyond pro's. work. Orderlies pretty mixed - a few good. They had block
waiters, &c., much the same as ours I think.
We came up to ABBEVILLE in about 6 weeks, but had no cases as
far as I can remember - no work. Had any amount of time off for walks.
We slept in tents - D. Block. Had terrific thunderstorms - the lightning
and thunder were worse then anything I have seen elsewhere. We got
entirely flooded out once - two feet deep stream - simply washed our
things away at 12 mid-night.
-4-
The work at Abbeville has not been so hard - continuously - as at
Brighton though in stunts it would be much worse. For instance, in
March 1918 it was tremendous - the Road Amb. Convoy coming down straight
from the front gave us a more terrific time than anything I have seen
even at C.C.S. There were only about 20 members left too - we were
packed and ready to go at a moment's notice, and then down came these
road convoys. I was on night duty, and oh dear! I was quite on my own -
every Medical Officer admitting and in the theatre. and Lawter
and others were everywhere, but the was too big. - terrible big cases
big amputations, gangrene and so on. The Surgeons depended on us to let
them know everything about the cases - whether a man wanted operation.
I know that we really saved a lot of lives though noting that a case was
going to bleed - man developing gas - and by tideing them over shock.
The Ambulance had a tremendously hard time - they had the
evacuating about 4 a.m. as a rule, and it was bitterly cold. There was
not a big proportion of 'Aussies'. or 'Tommies'. The 'Aussies' are
the best by a long way for grit and that - the Canadians are very difficult
and trying. The Pochs are great stickers and the finest chaps to
nurse, next to our 'Aussies'. The Seaforth Highlanders we had were all
right - our chaps always got on well with them too. The Canadian and
English Sisters like our boys as patients.
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