Nurses Narratives Agnes Katherine Isambert (part 3)

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& a friendly ship in the distance. 
Sports were continued.  The officers greasy pole & pillow fight 
causing much merriment, also a mock trial in the evening. 
Some cases of suspected measles occured about this time & 
which some of us Northerners thought was "prickly heat" 
On Xmas eve, Father Neptune & train of followers came on board 
& inflicted fines on nearly all the officers & men who had not 
crossed the line previously.  Some of the punishments were 
rather severe & resulted in one man being admitted to the 
hospital with a slight concussion. Before the sports were 
over, the alarm was sounded & great was the rush for life 
belts & to our stations.  Notwithstanding the great heat, 
dancing was indulged in by a good many on this night. 
Carol singers, consisting of some of our men & some of the Stewards 
came around singing,  the music ? being supplied by means 
of a hair comb.  This made a good many feel "Home Sick". 
Xmas Day dawned bright & hot. The usual greetings were given & 
Church Services held.  Col [[Aye?]] Chaplain conducting the big general 
Service. Col [[Nash?]] M.O. conducting the R.Cs.  In the evening the officers 
& Sisters of No 1 A.G.H. went to first dinner & permission was given 
to sit where we liked, so gay little parties of friends were together. 
We were provided with a very good dinner & on this evening 
The Kings toast was drunk, not in lemonade.  No 2 A.G.H. sat 
down to their to their dinner at 8 pm & judging by the sounds 
of merriment coming from the Saloon, they to enjoyed

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themselves. Our thoughts often reverted to our homes & friends 
spoke to one another about our absent ones.  Many felt this 
their first time away from home and friends for Xmas. 
However great excitement at seeing land next day was felt &  
when shore passes were given out.  We did not get in until 7 
p.m. Numerous boats manned by natives came out & we  
waited patiently for the morrow 27 inst to go ashore. 
Colombo, our first port of call since leaving Australia 
Oh: how delighted we were to see it & getting ashore about 
9.30 am. made good use of our time, driving in rickshaws 
thro the Cinnamon Gardens, Park, and native quarters, visited 
Budhist Temple & back to the Grand Oriental Hotel for 
lunch, all the time followed by natives begging.  How 
some of the children kept up with us, singing Lan-ra 
ra-boom-de-ay or other like ditties for such a time, I cant 
imagine. We saw a native funeral which excited interest 
Yards of white cloth was spread on the ground, when some 
natives playing weird music came along, then came the  
coffin carried shoulder high on the outstretched arms 
of the men who were carrying it, followed by a number of 
mourners & an empty rickshaw.  Two men kept running 
ahead spreading the white cloth which appeared to be 
about 12 yds in length. 
A number of Sisters went up to Kandy & stayed there 
over night, but it was my turn for duty, so I did not  
 

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see that place. It was here that Sister Richards became  
ill, which caused some concern. 
We left Colombo on the 29th at 8pm & on the following day 
passed two steamers. Everyone was busy improvising 
fancy dresses for the dance to be held on New Years Eve. 
The heat was stifling, tho the more energetic ones kept 
on doing physical exercises in the morning & dancing 
in the evening. There were a few french classes large at first 
but gradually became smaller. Still there was a few enthusiasts 
who kept on to the end. We passed [[Ilumare??]] Island at 10.30am 
on the 31st inst & saw sailing boats & steamers lying close by. 
It seemed to be a fishing station. Other large steamers were 
passed during the day. 
The Fancy dress & masque ball was a great success, the 
costumes worn were truly wonderful & original, considering 
what they had to work on. The officers provided supper & we 
saw the New Year in singing & cheering & lastly the Kings toast 
was drunk & all dispersed. On this day a good many officer  
& Sister & men both military & naval became ill with Ptomaine 
poison. An inspection was held of the galleys etc & cooking 
utensils were said to be dirty. None of the patients were 
seriously ill.  Again on this date a life belt parade inspection 
was held & everything was found alright. 
About this time too we felt very worried about Sister 
Whiphams health, she had been seasick all the way &

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& looked very ill. She was ordered to remain on deck night 
& day, food etc being brought to her. Under this treatment she 
improved daily. 
Many of the Sisters were now sleeping on deck & on face 
and some were disturbed by men invading their quarters 
& in one of the cabins where a man threatened to Slap the 
occupants if the caused a disturbance. The matter was reported 
to the O.C. who took such steps that it was never again repeated 
on that ship. We were now passing ships brightly lit up which 
gave a little interest  & on Dec 4^th passed the troopship A53 
from India & a Japanese ship, almost also passed Socatra 
Islands. On the morning of the 5^th saw the coast line of Africa 
some islands, a ship said to be from Boston & several sailing boats 
& all were interested at seeing land. 
We came in sight of Aden’s precipitous cliffs on Jan 6^th. The 
cliffs looked to us very bare, tho very grand, towering up almost 
straight into the sky, with numerous peaks. It looked like 
two sheer peninsulars with low land between, forming a 
horseshoe & secured well fortified with big guns. 
The sunset behind the mountains with its peaks and craigs 
was very beautiful. Two armed merchant cruisers, British 
& Japanese were anchored here. We also anchored well out & 
were not allowed ashore, but natives came out, selling their 
wares - feathers fruit etc. We left at nightfall, proceeded 
by the British cruiser, searchlights playing continually

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about & around us. The weather was a little cooler just  
then. Sister Whipham continued to improve but Sister 
Richards was still very ill, two Sisters being on duty with 
her all the time. 
On the 7^th inst we passed thro the right entrance of the Straits of 
Babel-Mende  or Gate of Tiers & Perim a small garrison  town 
& mecca of coffee fame. Numerous  patrol & other ships were 
about, giving us for the first time a feeling of being well looked after. 
In the afternoon passed other islands. The seas were now  
very choppy & the wind was with us & portholes had to be kept 
closed. Special lectures were given by Capt Lowry & Miss 
Bell on discipline & dress. We were now passing land & ships 
daily and many were the names given to the different places, the 
sea continued choppy & a good many again got seasick. 
On the 11^th inst, there was land to be seen on each side. Sandy 
coast line with the high peaked mountains & we became interested 
in the biblical history as we passed Mount Sinai. Exclamations 
were heard on every side particularly at sundown on the grand 
beauty of the surrounding places, the purple pastel shades 
in purpils, pinks, blues & greys reflected in the waters & the 
mountains behind making a beautiful picture. The sea gulls 
were very numerous & graceful, their colours blending with the 
soft tones of the sunset. 
We saw the lights of Suez about nightfall & entered the harbour 
about 8pm. All were up very early on 12  inst & were surprised

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to see so many ships in the harbor. At 12.30 pm, we were 
moved off again into the Suez Canal & here we were made to realise 
more & more that there was a war going on. Seeing the trenches & 
fortifications made & in process of making. The Bengal Lancers 
& Ghurkas working at them. 
Now as far as the eye could see was the desert, relieved 
by little oasis where the Boat Station houses & gardens are & 
this at night when lit up by electricity were like little glimpses 
of fairy land. All along the Indian Soldiers cheered us & 
asked from whence we came. We were impressed by their fine 
physique.  We reached Port Said about 1-30 a.m. & were 
awakened by the whistles  of motor launches & gangway being 
lowered & almost immediately, the coal barges arrived, iron 
boxes filled with coal being  burned at each end instead of 
lamps.  Looking thro our ports, Port Said  with its numerous  
bright lights & several search lights looked very pretty. 
We were very interested in the way Arabs did the coaling & the 
song or prayer which they chanted  while doing so. At 10 a.m.  we 
were given leave to go ashore much to our surprise but . Oh. how 
we scampered off & as at every port of call hastened to the Tea 
Shops afterward hiring a gharry & seeing the sights, Mosque's 
Arab quarters etc - was not much impressed with the latter. 
It was here the first evidence of Air Craft activity, seeing a 
biplane & hydroplane flying. 
Great was the excitement when it became know that Col.

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Martin had recieved orders to proceed to Cairo by train and to 
meet us next day at Alexandria, all sorts of rumours as to the 
destination going about. We left at 6pm & next morning 
anchored in the harbour which is very large and was full of all kinds 
of steamers. We had to remain on board all day. Col Ramsey Smith 
was called to Cairo & passes issued for shore leave on the next 
day, when a big party of Sisters went to see the Pyramids, they 
did not expect them to have many chances of seeing them in 
the near future. It turned out to be a very wet & windy day & 
the sea rough & much anxiety was caused in getting the Sisters 
back to the ship, which was safely done late in the night.  I dont 
think any of them wanted to repeat that boat ride again. A 
party of our men were sent ashore to assist & accompany the 
Sisters in the boats 
Next day Jan 16^th parties of Sisters went ashore, it was raining 
in the morning, but we had a long drive around Alexandria. 
An American war boat with 1300 refugees from Turkey came 
in. Great excitement we found on the ship when we got back to 
hear that orders had come for all to disembark & that our 
destination was Cairo. Some were very dissapointed at not 
going on to England. However as nothing more definite was 
heard next day. Some of us again set out sight seeing & was 
interested & amused at seeing cows being brought to the doors 
of houses to be milked, the tiny donkeys, with tall men  
riding them thro the streets, men & women smoking

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out of hugh arrangements which they told us was called 
"Bubble Nubble. Proceeding on our way to Pompeys 
Monument & then to the Catacombes large & small, saw for 
the first time Sphynxe's & were much impressed with every 
thing. Driving along the banks of the Nile we saw the homes 
of the better class which are very pretty, also market people 
washing vegatables in the Nile, a wedding with the brides 
carriage of pale green decorated with flowers & later on a dead 
body of a boatman wrapped in a white cloth lying on the river side. 
Then thro the Khedives gardens which is very large & full of 
tropical plants which many of us Queenslanders knew. 
On returning to the town the teashops very visited & their 
goods much appreciated. Next day 18^th inst Sister Richards 
with 4 Sisters & some orderlies in attendance went onto Cairo 
& 2 batches of 4 Sisters went to Cairo for duty there 
On the following day a party of about 10 of us spent some 
time in the Museum & after lunch went to St Catherines 
Church on the invitation of the Rev Father Holland, who 
had previously visited the ship. We admired the beautiful 
marble altars, mosaic pictures & beautiful paintings which 
adorned the church. Then was shown over the French 
Christian Brothers College where they had about 600 pupils. 
It seemed beautifully fitted up. Here Father Holland played 
the organ & one of the Bro's, who had a beautiful baritone 
voice, sang Adiste Fidiles, after which we had coffee &

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then proceeded on our way to the Catholic Cemetery 
where we saw some very unique monuments amongst them 
being one of an [[Italtern?]] Millionaire, which was made of marble 
& bronze & represented a choir of angels & said to have cost £ 2,700 
Here we also saw a very beautiful little church which had six 
large mosaic pictures, which unless quite near could not be 
detected from paintings. In the new portion of the cemetery 
which was being levelled off was found a fairly large room 
of marble, underground passages & a deep well with hand 
holes down the sides, relics of older times. We returned to the 
ship very tired but was cheered and refreshed by receiving some  
home mail. 
On the 20th all of the No 2 A.G.H. Staff left for Cairo in the morn-, 
ing so some of No one's staff who was remaining on the ship did some 
sight seeing, going to Mex & seeing the old fortifications which 
England bombarded in 1882. Two of our Sisters were sent on 
duty to one of the hospitals in Alexandria. Next day a lecture 
was given in the morning, the afternoon being spent in going 
over the Hospital Ship [[Slipanic?]] fitted up for the Indian sick 
& wounded & also saw over an Ambulance train the first we 
had seen. In Jan 22nd we moved off & berthed at another 
wharf some distance from the town, saw the hospital ship 
Glencorm Castle come in which was said to have wounded 
Indians on board & next day we went over her, thought her 
splendidly fitted up with operating Rooms Xray Rooms etc

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Up early on the 24^th & started on our journey to Cairo at 9am. 
After the Sisters had been lined up and numbered as any squad of 
men might be & marched to the train. We arrived at our grand 
palace at about 1p.m. feeling very hungry. There was nothing 
provided for our luncheon. However after some time passed 
we were able to get something to eat at the shops opposite. 
Dinner was arranged for us at Heliopolis House Hotel, this we sat 
down to at 9.30pm. 
Here we found that Miss Bell had been transferred to No 2 A.G.H 
& Misses Graham & Knowles to No1 A.G.H. 
So the Kyarra trip ended & the parting of the ways came for a 
good many. There was very little work to do on board, some 
innoculations & vaccinations, sea sickness & a few febrile cases & 
minor operations. Duty was arranged for by Miss Bell & was 
posted weekly. The Senior Sister from each State having the duty 
of inspecting the cabins etc, taking it in turn day about to do so. The 
cabins as I said before were very crowded & hot & it was almost 
an impossibility to keep them as tidy as they should be & I did not 
wonder that many were seasick, I know I have started on my 
rounds feeling very well & before I ended these felt very much 
the other way & in the mornings trying to get a bath was 
nearly impossible_ it was a case of early bird etc. we were 
waiting in dozens fod  for our turn to come. The ship was 
never intended to carry so many first & second class passengers. 
The food was good & there were two sittings for each meal, but

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some of our men helped in the pantry, we had often to wait 
some time before getting served. I do not know how the N.C.Os & 
men fared, but know that some of them were grateful for any- 
thing we could give them. Mr Hickling, manager for Faggit, Jones 
& Co. Sydney, very kindly sent me on a large parcel of cheese, 
potted meats etc, which often stopped the complaints of some 
of the men & their friends, that I happened to hear of. 
Speaking of the men, it was very hard on some of them, that 
so much distinction should be made between us all. Many of 
the Sisters having their brothers or other relatives & friends 
amongst them, to whom we were not allowed to speak unless 
we had asked permission. 
There was as is in civil life the usual rivalry as to the better 
training of the Sisters from the different States, of course everyone 
believing theirs was the best, but as all are trained in much the 
same way, the work done is about equal, ones individuality 
having much to do with it. There was great friendliness & much 
good will amongst this large body of Sisters. As in every sphere 
of life many cliques were found & many lasting friendships 
made & I think we can all look back on that period of nearly 
10 weeks of our lives with very pleasant, in spite of crowded 
conditions & seasickness from which some, myself included 
suffered from to the very last. 
We all had to come away with deck chairs & at the end of the 
journey they were put into the care of the Quartermaster & most

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of the Sisters never saw theirs again. Mine was only returned 
to me when leaving Egypt in March 1916 
  
A. K. Isambert