AWM41 1040 - [Nurses Narratives] Sister Edith E Simpson

6/46 [[??]]

Butler Colln

AWM41

AUSTRALIAN ARCHIVES
ACCESS STATUS
OPEN ✓

 

SISTER E. E. SIMPSON.

 

A.W.M.

LIBRARY

Cha No. 373.2

Cal

[[?]]

[[?]]

[1040]

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 observation or incidents 

told him by friends or heard at third or fourth hand heard 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 have been written up 

or reviewed 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."

62/47

To: 

The Assistant Collator 
Medical History

 

Aug. 4th 1915 ninety nine sisters and several K.O's left Melbourne

By the Orontes for Egypt. After an uneventful voyage we arrived at

Suez, taking train there for Cairo, this was a dreadful hot and dusty

journey tho' most interesting arriving at Cairo station we were met by

as many as were required immediately volunteered and the remainder were

taken by ambulance to No.1 A.G.H. Heliopolis. This was a beautiful build-
ing one could well imagine the gaiety and splendor of a season here in-

stead alas at this time filled with sick and suffering mankind; here the

cruelty of war was seen in every aspect. The patients were brought

in hospital trains to the back of the building where ambulance were wait-

ing and in a very short had them conveyed to the hospital and

these poor sick and wounded men from Gallipoli were made as comfortable

as possible. The work was very heavy and strenuous and the climate

most trying, our hours of duty were supposed to be 12 hours and 6 hours

alternately with one day a month but very often this could not be

arranged, it was impossible to get thro' the work and we were only too

willing to forgo a great deal of our off time. From No.1 I was

sent to No.4 Aust.Aux.Hospital Allassia, our hospital here was very

different from the Palace as it was all tents out in the desert. 
The heat, dust and flies were very hard to put up with, but

the patients all remained very cheerful and seemed to think it was all

in the game. Thousands of cases of mumps passed through here as also

cerebro-spinal meningitis diphtheria and all infectious diseases. 

We here had to put up with want of equipment and had to make the

best of cases for chairs cupboards trays etc. the convalescent boys and

orderlies were always most willing to do all they could to help. From

here I was transfered to Luna Park, where hundreds of boys were waiting

for transport, I had all the T.H. patients, it was very sad to see

what had been such a fine man so wasted and knowing the dust and heat were

the worst possible condition for them. The food question was always

a problem and I really do not know what we would have done without the

Red X, the tinned fruit and other little luxuries would tempt the patients

when otherwise they would not eat at all.

We left for ENGLAND by the "Galika" arriving there July 1917

seven of us were taken straight from the boat to an English Hospital

at Naprbury, this had been the Middlesex County Asylum and was a very

fine institution. It was beautifully kept, but I considered at the

expense of the patients, as many one-armed men and also men on crutches,

when they were far from well, were detailed to Polish floors, furniture

and tresses. There were several of our own boys there, but they were

not very happy as there was so much red-tape and very poor food. From

Napsbury I was sent to No.3 A.G.H. Brighton and I will never forget the

cold everything was frozen the 2 minutes walk from the home to the hospit-

al was a nightmare, many slipping on the frozen ground. The unit went

to France in March, on arriving at Abbeville the hospital was not

ready and several of us were lent to No.3 British Le Treport, here the

work was heavy but most interesting and we were very happy here, after

six weeks we returned to Abbeville and was again lent to the South African Hospital, here I first met the patients suffering from Mustard gas, this

was one of the cruelest experiences, to see these fine brave fellows

dying in such agony.

When No.3 was ready we were recalled and here I did mostly surgical

work, it was pathetic to see these poor wounded men always so bright and

plucky, they would say "oh sister there is not much the matter with me"

and when you would take the bandages off there would be great gaping wounds. Our work at times was very heavy and many times one would go off duty

feeling how much was left that you would have liked to do, but simply

could not. I remained here feeling very disappointed that I did not

get to a C.C.S as we were told we would go in seniority but repeatedly

sisters who had just arrived were sent and sisters who had been out 12

months and over were never sent. In the retreat in March when sisters

were evacuated 25 at a time toHardelot and Boulogne I was sent to Hardelot

where I remained 7 weeks nursing skin cases from there I went to Dieppe

and left there for England in October 1918. After having 14 days leave

when the want of a club for Australian sisters were badly felt I came

to Sutton Veny.

-2- 

This was the most distressing part of active service nursing to see these

fine fellows, who had just come over from France on their way home

after 4 years and more service, to Develop Influenza and die in some-

timesonly a few hours, all our work and nursing being of no avail. No.1

A.G.H. came here in Dec, and we are now anxiously waiting for our time

to return to our own sunny land and home.

 

(Sgd) Edith H Simpson, Sister.

No.1 A.G.H.

Sutton Veny.

Spare Copies

To:

The Assistant Collator

Medical History.

 

Aug. 4th 1915 ninety nine sisters and several K.O's left Melbourne

By the Orontes for Egypt. After an uneventful voyage we arrived at

Suez, taking train there for Cairo, this was a dreadful hot and dusty

journey tho' most interesting arriving at Cairo station we were met by

as many as were required immediately volunteered and the remainder were

taken by ambulance to No.1 A.G.H. Heliopolis. This was a beautiful build-
ing one could well imagine the gaiety and splendor of a season here in-

stead alas at this time filled with sick and suffering mankind; here the

cruelty of war was seen in every aspect. The patients were brought

in hospital trains to the back of the building where ambulance were wait-

ing and in a very short had them conveyed to the hospital and

these poor sick and wounded men from Gallipoli were made as comfortable

as possible. The work was very heavy and strenuous and the climate

most trying, our hours of duty were supposed to be 12 hours and 6 hours

alternately with one day a month but very often this could not be

arranged, it was impossible to get thro' the work and we were only too

willing to forgo a great deal of our off time. From No.1 I was

sent to No.4 Aust.Aux.Hospital Allassia, our hospital here was very

different from the Palace as it was all tents out in the desert. 
The heat, dust and flies were very hard to put up with, but

the patients all remained very cheerful and seemed to think it was all

in the game. Thousands of cases of mumps passed through here as also

cerebro-spinal meningitis diphtheria and all infectious diseases. 

We here had to put up with want of equipment and had to make the

best of cases for chairs cupboards trays etc. the convalescent boys and

orderlies were always most willing to do all they could to help. From

here I was transfered to Luna Park, where hundreds of boys were waiting

for transport, I had all the T.H. patients, it was very sad to see

what had been such a fine man so wasted and knowing the dust and heat were

the worst possible condition for them. The food question was always

a problem and I really do not know what we would have done without the

Red X, the tinned fruit and other little luxuries would tempt the patients

when otherwise they would not eat at all.

We left for ENGLAND by the "Galika" arriving there July 1917

seven of us were taken straight from the boat to an English Hospital

at Naprbury, this had been the Middlesex County Asylum and was a very

fine institution. It was beautifully kept, but I considered at the

expense of the patients, as many one-armed men and also men on crutches,

when they were far from well, were detailed to Polish floors, furniture

and tresses. There were several of our own boys there, but they were

not very happy as there was so much red-tape and very poor food. From

Napsbury I was sent to No.3 A.G.H. Brighton and I will never forget the

cold everything was frozen the 2 minutes walk from the home to the hospit-

al was a nightmare, many slipping on the frozen ground. The unit went

to France in March, on arriving at Abbeville the hospital was not

ready and several of us were lent to No.3 British Le Treport, here the

work was heavy but most interesting and we were very happy here, after

six weeks we returned to Abbeville and was again lent to the South African Hospital, here I first met the patients suffering from Mustard gas, this

was one of the cruelest experiences, to see these fine brave fellows

dying in such agony.

When No.3 was ready we were recalled and here I did mostly surgical

work, it was pathetic to see these poor wounded men always so bright and

plucky, they would say "oh sister there is not much the matter with me"

and when you would take the bandages off there would be great gaping wounds. Our work at times was very heavy and many times one would go off duty

feeling how much was left that you would have liked to do, but simply

could not. I remained here feeling very disappointed that I did not

get to a C.C.S as we were told we would go in seniority but repeatedly

sisters who had just arrived were sent and sisters who had been out 12

months and over were never sent. In the retreat in March when sisters

were evacuated 25 at a time toHardelot and Boulogne I was sent to Hardelot

where I remained 7 weeks nursing skin cases from there I went to Dieppe

and left there for England in October 1918. After having 14 days leave

when the want of a club for Australian sisters were badly felt I came

to Sutton Veny.

 -2- 

This was the most distressing part of active service nursing to see these

fine fellows, who had just come over from France on their way home

after 4 years and more service, to Develop Influenza and die in some-

timesonly a few hours, all our work and nursing being of no avail. No.1

A.G.H. came here in Dec, and we are now anxiously waiting for our time

to return to our own sunny land and home.

 

(Sgd) Edith H Simpson, Sister.

No.1 A.G.H.

Sutton Veny.

To:

The Assistant Collator

Medical History.

 

Aug. 4th 1915 ninety nine sisters and several K.O's left Melbourne

By the Orontes for Egypt. After an uneventful voyage we arrived at

Suez, taking train there for Cairo, this was a dreadful hot and dusty

journey tho' most interesting arriving at Cairo station we were met by

as many as were required immediately volunteered and the remainder were

taken by ambulance to No.1 A.G.H. Heliopolis. This was a beautiful build-
ing one could well imagine the gaiety and splendor of a season here in-

stead alas at this time filled with sick and suffering mankind; here the

cruelty of war was seen in every aspect. The patients were brought

in hospital trains to the back of the building where ambulance were wait-

ing and in a very short had them conveyed to the hospital and

these poor sick and wounded men from Gallipoli were made as comfortable

as possible. The work was very heavy and strenuous and the climate

most trying, our hours of duty were supposed to be 12 hours and 6 hours

alternately with one day a month but very often this could not be

arranged, it was impossible to get thro' the work and we were only too

willing to forgo a great deal of our off time. From No.1 I was

sent to No.4 Aust.Aux.Hospital Allassia, our hospital here was very

different from the Palace as it was all tents out in the desert. 
The heat, dust and flies were very hard to put up with, but

the patients all remained very cheerful and seemed to think it was all

in the game. Thousands of cases of mumps passed through here as also

cerebro-spinal meningitis diphtheria and all infectious diseases. 

We here had to put up with want of equipment and had to make the

best of cases for chairs cupboards trays etc. the convalescent boys and

orderlies were always most willing to do all they could to help. From

here I was transfered to Luna Park, where hundreds of boys were waiting

for transport, I had all the T.H. patients, it was very sad to see

what had been such a fine man so wasted and knowing the dust and heat were

the worst possible condition for them. The food question was always

a problem and I really do not know what we would have done without the

Red X, the tinned fruit and other little luxuries would tempt the patients

when otherwise they would not eat at all.

We left for ENGLAND by the "Galika" arriving there July 1917

seven of us were taken straight from the boat to an English Hospital

at Naprbury, this had been the Middlesex County Asylum and was a very

fine institution. It was beautifully kept, but I considered at the

expense of the patients, as many one-armed men and also men on crutches,

when they were far from well, were detailed to Polish floors, furniture

and tresses. There were several of our own boys there, but they were

not very happy as there was so much red-tape and very poor food. From

Napsbury I was sent to No.3 A.G.H. Brighton and I will never forget the

cold everything was frozen the 2 minutes walk from the home to the hospit-

al was a nightmare, many slipping on the frozen ground. The unit went

to France in March, on arriving at Abbeville the hospital was not

ready and several of us were lent to No.3 British Le Treport, here the

work was heavy but most interesting and we were very happy here, after

six weeks we returned to Abbeville and was again lent to the South African Hospital, here I first met the patients suffering from Mustard gas, this

was one of the cruelest experiences, to see these fine brave fellows

dying in such agony.

When No.3 was ready we were recalled and here I did mostly surgical

work, it was pathetic to see these poor wounded men always so bright and

plucky, they would say "oh sister there is not much the matter with me"

and when you would take the bandages off there would be great gaping wounds. Our work at times was very heavy and many times one would go off duty

feeling how much was left that you would have liked to do, but simply

could not. I remained here feeling very disappointed that I did not

get to a C.C.S as we were told we would go in seniority but repeatedly

sisters who had just arrived were sent and sisters who had been out 12

months and over were never sent. In the retreat in March when sisters

were evacuated 25 at a time toHardelot and Boulogne I was sent to Hardelot

where I remained 7 weeks nursing skin cases from there I went to Dieppe

and left there for England in October 1918. After having 14 days leave

when the want of a club for Australian sisters were badly felt I came

to Sutton Veny.

-2- 

This was the most distressing part of active service nursing to see these

fine fellows, who had just come over from France on their way home

after 4 years and more service, to Develop Influenza and die in some-

timesonly a few hours, all our work and nursing being of no avail. No.1

A.G.H. came here in Dec, and we are now anxiously waiting for our time

to return to our own sunny land and home.

 

(Sgd) Edith H Simpson, Sister.

No.1 A.G.H.

Sutton Veny.

Item control

Australian War Memorial

005172284