Diary of Staff Nurse Christine Erica Strom - 1917-1919 - Part 2

& a cheerful, idiotic entertaining, boyish, English
Sub. by name Stacy Smith. Had Tipperary ices
& much cheerful conversation at Grappi's, visited the
Kodak shop c̄ our films - & were home by 5 oclock - 
an eminently respectable hour. Very warm out in
the street - especially in our un-summery garb.
Sat & wrote letters in deshabille in our rooms - Mr
T. invaded the fourth floor territory 6p.m. - desirous
of saying farewell. It was jolly good of him to bother.
He goes back to work tomorrow early a.m. - it
takes about a day or more to return to the
firing line. More rules & regulations out tonight
We have decided that we won't be able to afford
Cairo, considering all things. No word of a
move on yet.
Women of Egypt mostly veiled - very dirty.
Sat. July 21^st 1917. Wrote more letters. Went up to
Khedival 11 a.m. - were paid ₤5 in Egyptian
money. The Imperial people are giving our girls a
pretty rotten time at the Khedivial - one of them
asked us why we hadn't come before - as if
we had not tried & tried! Had cholera inoculation
at Khed. 3 p.m. & subsequently went to Nurses
Club & had a delightful afternoon tea for 3p.
& arranged all about our dresses at
Madame Isabelle's. The club is open to
all nurses, there are many Imperials
members there - & a most charming
French lady is in charge - she speaks such
delightful English, & was very good to us all.
We are not allowed out after 6 p.m. because
of Ramadan, a festival of the Egyptians
which is now on, & which lasts 5 days - we
are also debarred from speaking to English
officers or from having anything to do (with) Australians
of lower rank than we are - we are glad
the order came out today & not yesterday! There
are a good many Australians off about - but not
as many as we expected - they are bonza &
always salute us so cheerily, it quite bucks
us up. The Imperials don't of course take the
slightest notice of you us. The shops are
most fascinating here - native, French &
a few English, but mostly c̄ French attendants

Sunday. 22^nd . Melville & Horwood & I went to
Church this a.m. - St Andrews',
Presbyt. near Mohammed Ali Square. It was
great. The Church is a small one - we
ascended steps to get into it - & it was half
full of military men & grey dressed nurses.
They always refer to us in the prayers -
it makes such a difference. After church
we walked down to the sea wall & looked
out at the blue, blue Meditanrean, but
the sea & sky & sun were too dazzling &
we walked home slowly - buying postcards
on the way - & a guide book amongst
us. The shops are mostly open on
Sundays here - there doesn't seem to be
much difference in the state of affairs
on the Sabbath here - garries & trams
& motors all as normal - crowds sit in
the open air cafés, on the pavements. Had
a siesta after lunch - I dont think they are
much good - we felt so much worse
after it, even afternoon tea didnt revive
us a bit. Went tram riding after 4 -
down to Victoria & back. Passed Mosque
(Sadi Babur?) Chatby c̄ numerous cemetries,
Saw Stephanos in fig groves, native quarters
all sorts of things - the sea was a
blue glory most of the way, on our left -
a lake glimmered on the right. We
saw (at a N.S.W. boy at the Hospital
there (No. 17 British Hospital) he was
so glad to see a fellow countryman &
didn't we appreciate the feeling. There were
6 Australians there among all those
English Tommies, - the N.S.W. boy has
been there 9 weeks & is heartily sick of
it all. Coming back 

we rode on the top storey of the first
class - we military travel 1st class &
half fare on the trams! & got a view &
a breeze. After sunset the tints are most
lovely. Went to bed early - we are dog
tired tonight.
Monday 23^rd. Shopped this a.m. - Horwood went
to the dentist's - Melville & I
bought much & busted up a great deal of
money most successfully. Bought articles for
the home parcel - let's hope it arrives
safely. In the afternoon went to the Column
of Pompey - & the Catacombs under it -
a most entertaining time. We had some
difficulty in getting there - asked several Austⁿ.
soldiers & finally a prosperous French
merchant directed us. The man was salubrious -
most! - we were not able to xxx
travel first class! The district in which are
situated these interesting relics (guide book) is one
of the most typical native quarters we've seen.
Dirt, dust, & disorder - I couldn't sum it up
more concisely than that. We were met at the gate
of the enclosure by a fierce eyed old Guide (? Arab) with
an official badge on his arm & a stick which he
used to demonstrate. He was greatly incensed when I
asked him if he'd tell us everything about everything
- he demanded why we thought he was presented by
the Govt, c̄ a Govt. badge if he was not competent
to act as a Guide - & so on & so on! He took
us first to the pillar, a huge column of granite 
& told us all about it- then all the excavations
near the pillar-ancient baths, &c - there are two
Sphinxes - male female - the female has "hair" (radiating
streaks of plaster) down the back of her head. We visited
the Catacombs - accompanied by our ferocious Guide &
xxx a slow moving plegmatic lantern bearer, who our
kind instructor told us, was Govt. paid & therefore
was entitled only to a small - "what you say
in English "tip" - (didn't we

know all about that!) of say 2p. for all -
while he, the fierce eyed one was dependent on us & our like
for sustenance - hence nuff sed. We got the "hopeless
giggles" down underground, among the Catacombs. The
weirdness of the situation - the light bearer ahead -
the light consisted of a tin frame containing two candles
which flickered & fluttered — the fierce eyed old scamp
expounding on the wonders of this & that piece of work
showing us the holes wherein were deposited jars
containing the ashes of the deceased — in one case
he showed us a cupboard which he said contained
a whole family — we styled it a family jam cupboard
but he didn't understand so wasn't shocked. If we
lingered behind a trifle - as we did now & again that
we might control our mirth to some extent, he would
exclaim in a low tone - Now then ladies - all keep
together, don't be afraid - I am responsible for you" -

which of course had a most hilarity-producing
effect on us - and when he noticed an extra far
behind laggard - "Billy" & I were lingering on one
occasion, emitting hoarse chuckles from time to
xxx time - he'd come along & take an arm xx in
the kindest possible manner, with words of all
reassurance - we were not loitering a second time!
He told us he was Davis, late of L.Col. Courtney's
batallion - where he was interpreter & laundry man c̄ much
success. We gave him his 1p. each (2½d) & left him on the
way to escort a second party round - we heard him say
as he walked gate-ward — now then ladies, don't
be afraid - all together - follow me! One thing about
Egypt that struck us favourably - the small tips that suffice
here - ½p. (1¼) pleases a man no end - while for
1p. he will bow & smile & run round doing all sorts of
things in the most cheerful manner. Fancy giving our waiters
at home a penny tip! Went back to the hotel by
garry & called for our photos. en route - some of the
snaps are good - others fair - lots - alas! - are
failures. Address p.c. by the head of affairs at the
Savoy - a two star most unpopular c̄ all - & an
announcement that we leave Alex^a. tomorrow night,
& that tomorrow we must needs report hourly!
Great consternation amongst all hands! Had a
Mooltan lemonade & cakelets from Grappi's Supper,
& discussed many things concerning the H.
of A. & the morrow. 

Tues. 24^th.  This morning we were greeted, on our
appearing garbed for outdoors, by the
news that all leave is stopped - we are not to
venture outside the hotel door until further
notice. We were confounded — visions arose before
us of our dresses at Madame's — our parcels
unsent — Melville's watches at Zivy's, my Kodak
at the depôt — finally we were allowed out for one
hour — & didn't we make use of it! After lunch
leave was again granted till 4 p.m. — Horwood &
I went c̄ Melville to find the grave of her brother in
law — went to Base Records — then to Chatby
& to about 8 cemetries but weren't able to find the Aust.
Military Cemetry. An Arab took us to xx an Egyptian Police Office
& after a great deal of trouble they found out what we wanted
& sent a policeman c̄ us to direct us - but he took
us to the British Military Cemetry which of course we
didn't want. It was quite a small enclosure c̄ such
a tragic number of "Unknown" s - some supposed
A.S.C. - A.M.C. - some not even that. One nurse's
grave there. We had to get back to town at 4, so
could spend no more time there - caught the Ramley
tram back - past parks & lovely green trees,
& large well built houses, also a statue, which I've
forgotten. Had afternoon tea at the Savoy & reported
to the H. of A. We like to see the way they call the
waiters here - a loud hand clap & out rushes a
native post haste & all anxiety. We do it ourselves
occasionally when the cakes run our before our
appetites. After tea took our parcels down town
I bought several items en route to put into them)
went first to the Base P.O. - & were directed to the
Censor's Office which we found after some difficulty
They were very good to us - showed us what to do, &
stamped our parcels for us, & sent us on our way
rejoicing. Spent a lot of money at[[Hannlans?]]
- most delightful Shop & subsequently had ices at
the Cut Club, & called for our dresses on the
way home. Wrote letters after dinner & packed
& bathed — at 10.30 the ambulances arrived & we were
all driven off to the Station - there was not much room
& great delay was occasioned while seats were procured -
eventually all efforts on the part of our military
heads to obtain an entire carriage for us failed,
& we were got into the train - somehow - Horwood

Thurs. 26^th.  Melville & I seasick -? post Ch. inoc.
This is a much more homely sort of boat
than the Mooltan, because smaller I suppose. The
Captain delightful - a genial Irishman. This is his
first trip to Salonika. He begs me include personalities
in my diary
Friday  We are all getting stiff necks from the Super
hard beds. Cool & fresh all day. Two more
destroyers c̄ us tonight. The sea is blue. Had 
a most entertaining time c̄ our Japanese Steward
tonight - we asked him to return to us an article
of Ship Cabin furniture indispensable for the comfort
& peace of mind of such persons as Melville & me
which had been removed in the a.m. & not returned.
The man was puzzled. "How you spell it?" he said -
We spelt it "T_i_n" (for want of a better
word - for this was not one of your up to date
Mooltan basins - which were an everlasting annoyance,
I remember) he gazed into space - we were
all in fits of laughter & even our solemn Jap.
giggled - with the hope of deriving inspiration
"I go see" he said. He went - we waited and
exploded ever & anon as we xx made preparations
for the night when lo! appeared our Jap. c̄ something
in his hand - and triumph on his face. He tried to
put on the light to show us but of course we all
travel in the dark these nights, so Horwood & I
persuaded him to desist, which he did, very
unwillingly - & then we saw that the object he was
so desirous of showing us was an xx English-Jap.
dictionary - he had looked up "tin". We all
laughed & laughed & laughed - he finally departed
to look for the second steward & at last returned
c̄ the required article, whereupon we applauded him
loudly & long & handed him back his dic^y.  c̄ many
thanks. They are thinkers, these Japs.
Sat. July 28^th.  Passed crowds of islands all day- rocky
barren wastes apparently - one or two had a house or two visible
c̄ General Lawson's Glasses. Cool and very windy. We zig zag all
over the map.
Sunday. 29^th. Church parade this a.m. - the General read
the service - we all sang the hymns - the soldiers were
there. We anchored in the shelter of Scios Island 12 noon
since it is too late to get to Salonika tonight - hence we
leave here late & get there in the early a.m. Sailed
again 5 p.m. 

Melville & I were lucky - we had a single seated

compartment all to ourselves & curled up, having divested
ourselves of superfluous clothing & opened all the
windows possible & shut the door - & slept off &
on
Wed. 25^thJuly. There were several officers outside
our carriage - we were in the last
compartment- they were lying c̄ their baggage on the 
platform & corridor & we heard the native conductor call
them several times, apparently in connection c̄ their
changing of stations. We heard one say, cheerfully,
and resignedly as he settled himself for the n^th. time - "oh
it's a terrible war!" We crossed the Nile at 4 a.m - almost
daylight & landed into Cairo 5.30 - tumbled out of the train
into more ambulances - we move in them nowadays -
& off to the hotel (Mena Hotel) for breakfast. We wished we
could have seen more of Cairo but of course it wasn't
possible. The hotel a large place - c̄ more flies in
its breakfast room than we ever wish to see again -
flies everywhere - Youngsters scrambling over each other
in the streets to pick relics out of the dust pans &
sweepings the servants threw into the streets!! Several
of x us far from well -? post cholera inoculation-
Back in the train 7 am. - off to Port Said. We were too
sleepy to appreciate it all - the long fields of waving 
green- the natives at work c̄ donkey, or camel or oxen,
the swamps, the strange buildings - native villages,
& vegetation. Passed through Tel-el-Kebir, - Ishmalia,
Kantara (not in that order) & several others I forget -

camps & more camps - sand & sand, & more sand -
miles of dazzling sunshiney shadeless sand & camps.
Crowds of Australians - some Imperials, some B.W.I.s
Long strings of Camel Corps. We passed along the Canal
banks for several Stations - very blue, & the green
trees shadowing parts of it most vivid. Camps guarding
Canal on both sides. Arrived at Port Said 12 midday -
taken by ambulance to boat- on board 12.30 -

S.S. Gorgon, quite a small passenger steamer -
Ocean S.S. Co. Very homelike. H.M.B. & I have a
deck cabin amongst us. Sailed 5.30p.m. - the
rest of No I. unit are out another boat just
beh travelling c̄ us & we are doubly convoyed.
Turned in early - beds fearfully hard -
pillows like bullets. Excellent food hereon -
Japanese Stewards & crew - we are the first
passengers since the war. We are of course in
danger zone - & carry lifebelts everywhere c̄ us.

Monday July 30^th. Came into harbour this a.m.- first impress
was one of low rocky coastline, very extensive, th
tints of water, sky, & land merging into one another -
all pastell shades. Nearer in we were passed
fishing boats, buoys - apparently dividing p
of the harbour - ? mines. - & large barques,
hospital ships & numerous other craft - some
decidedly foreign - some quite familiar. The
land on nearer sight looked more inviting. It is
very hilly- the town is apparently localised
near the port. There is a lack of green on all th
hills - a few trees round houses - high white 
towers, queer old battlements, old walls, & what
look like forts. Came right into wharf - first ti
since Fremantle. Hear that the poor old Mooltan
was mined - & later that all hands were saved
It came very near to us then - the Submarine
dangers through which we had passed. Our mail
for France & England would of course be lost.
We were driven from the the wharf in ambulances - through
"city" streets - such as they were - & up the dusty road
toward the hills - the dust was dreadful - the heaviest
dust I'd ever seen and continuous for about 10 mins
till we left the dusty roads behind & were up
the hills. The hospital consists of tents - Crowd
of them - our quarters separate - great tents, 4
sisters in each. Horwood, Melville & I found a large
empty tent & got beautifully settled. The rest of
the day an entertainment - dinner a joy ! Orderlies
wait on us - in the mess tent. I think they thought
they'd struck a crowd of locusts .The rumour was
round afterward that we'd eaten all tomorrow morn
breakfast! Our cups are huge enamel basins
about 2 pints & we hope they never get in cups
the capacity of the basins suit our capacity
these days! Bully beef - bread & jam & were
we hungry! Subsequent roll call & lectures
& bestowals of lanterns bedding, candles
& mosquito netting & hoop. Retired to bed
early but to sleep very late. Slept on
the ground - our macintosh under us - &
it was hard. And the cool lovely eve
developed into a nippy freezing night -

were all surprised. The Imperial Pl
[*too early. Cables cost 10.85 drach. S. Payn*]

Very nice - all the English sisters are
here, but we are under our Victorian matron
are glad of it. There is a Greek village up
the hill - they are staunch Royalists & are
therefore not healthy! The village is out of bounds
course - & one never goes there sans a gun.
The evenings here are very lovely & long.
Tuesday July31^st. Got rowed & shifted from our
tent - they said it was the store tent but why
on earth they didn't tell us before! But we are
all together again - only this time we are blessed
the additional of my erstwhile cabin mate,
who is indeed an enigma. Spent the day fixing
things up. The Victorian Red Cross sent out a bundle of
Red Cross goods to each nurse, that she might use it
for her patients - we didn't know at first that they were
not intended for us & some tinges of disappointment appeared
till Matron announced that we might open them & take for
our own use anything that would come in handy -
which we did, such a conglomeration! We sat
surrounded (with) all sorts & conditions of goods - like
to an Eastern bazaar, but most of the things we
tend to do the fairy godmother c̄, at some future
date. Stewed bully beef for dinner - we are to meet
in all its moods apparently before we stop. 
matron censors our letters - the which we don't approve 
- for obvious reasons.  We had rather it had
been someone who didn't know us, or of us personally.

However.  Sent a cable home.  We are allowed
go into the town (about 18 miles away they say) 

Once in every two months, and then, of course,

not alone. 

Wed. August 1^st.  More rules & regulations out - we are
getting settled by degrees. We are cautioned
against being familiar c̄ the patients or treating the orderlies

as equals - from doing anything that might cause
to lose "caste" in the eyes of these R.A.M.C.
folk. It will be very hard after our Austrn. training.
on duty this p.m. There are at present 3 staff nurses
one sister in three wards - the patients have not
far arrived but some come shortly. One crowd
came in the evening - from some Canadian hospital,
such browned, jolly looking chaps. We made beds &
ng mosquito netting, and tidied things up generally.
There are two orderlies per wharf ward - one localised
& helps c̄ the nursing - one itinerant, who wanders
[[?]] & does odd jobs. They are all

cheerful & willing withal - & after all ½ girls have  1. am [[?]]
We are starving women these days - I could eat a horse.
Fried bread for lunch! Lights out 9 p.m. - we
think it early but we uprise at  5.30! hence
the scramble.
Thurs 2.8.17. My birthday. Had various offerings
from the noble eight - good old sticks
they are. Glorious mornings at 5.30. On duty
at 7 - a long long day & a tiring one. We
are off from 1 - 5 or from 5 but since lunch
extends from 1.15 - 1.45 & afternoon tea
is at 4.30 it curtails the afternoon some.
More straightening of tents - much runnings
round & fixing up. We go to bed tonight dog tired.
Wonder when we'll get a mail from home
Heard that Mooltan's cargo & mails were
all saved - which is good indeed.
Friday. 3.8.17. More fixing up & preparation - expect
a convoy of patients tonight. It
is some job extracting cases and stock and tins
& screws from the various departments. The boys
declare the B.H. is badly managed. They all
complain of lack of sufficient food. Two delightful
tortoises creeping round tonight - small shell
encased, spotty, independent little chaps with
snakey heads & wicked black eyes. We got
cups issued today - worse luck.
Sat. 4.8.17. If we get up late we have no opportunity
to go - awashing: there is too much competition
at the bathroom door - we wipe our faces c̄
our wet washers - kept nicely wet, specially
in the event of such contingencies, from the
bathing the night before. It's a bit disgusting
of course but there you are! Ursa
Major & Minor here - they are getting as familiar
as the Southern Cross which has long ago disappeared
This place is getting us down - the red tape, the
muddle, the everlasting idiotic state of chaos
the unnecessary worrying delay. The men are
most dissatisfied about the foods - about everything
Hope thing'll improve. We have cups now -
pretty blue rimmed cups but oh!  for our
sympathetic blue bowls c̄ their capacities.
It looks so bad to be constantly on the
refill stunt.
Sunday 5.8.17. Doesn't seem like Sunday, we weren't
able to attend church parade
too early. Cables cost 10.85 drach. S Payne

got a reply [[?]] from the family so I suppose they'd
all arrived all well. Sunday here makes no difference
except that we got cake for afternoon tea!!
Monday 6.8.17. They publish a paper here - for
the British Army in Salonika. It is supposed to 
be the only paper published for the members of
the B.E.F. & considering all the difficulties in its
way it is quite a creditable production. The
news is never by any means recent - sometimes
they publish wireless messages but mostly it's
a case of "London -Wednesday" &, as
my sagacious orderly remarked, they don't say
which Wednesday, & from external evidence
namely - from newspapers published in London
& received three weeks later by him - he proves

that their information arrives by the same post.
But all honour to the editor who makes a
paper out of so little material - we love his
poems & I sent two home
Tuesday Each day is a repeat order of the day
before. I love the Tommies I've got in my ward. They've
been through such a lot, - some of them are great.
Carroll says I'll be dreadfully disappointed in Eng.
- I wonder! They aren't nearly as patriotic as I
expected them to be, - and they do hate the B.A. -
not that I specially blame them for that - I'm not
particularly keen on it myself. The R.A.M.C. is such
a lot of dashed red tapism - I thought our A.A.MC
was bad enough. There are men here 10 years -
more, some of them, soldiers, & still privates. Of
course it's their fault, some of them - but equally
of course - it isn't that of others.. The things I've always
thought about the army! The ideals I've had about the
standards thereof. Some of the girls have been going
into "Salonika" on the mail car & back in the afternoon
- some manage to get private cars. They
say things are dreadfully dear, & that the trip is not
really worth it. But we want to go to see the nothing
& to buy something nice to eat.
Wednesday. Iron rations day : bully & biscuits : such
hard biscuits, look well but most uninteresting. The men
are surprised to find we have an iron ration day - they
have of course. Took some snaps of the boys. An A.I.F.
sergeant has come along to take over our mess affairs
& be sec! Some letters tonight - apparently from
the "Mooltan" Rumours of a large air raid over
London but no definite news. Billy Williams very
sick.

Thurs. 9^th  Great news today - the girls have been squabbling
over cars to go into "Sal" and consequently all

leave to Sal.has been stopped until further notice. Scott

and I and are having a day off tomorrow & were looking forward

so much to a trip in. 'Twas ever thus! The few

spoil the whole thing for the many And also -

some few days after our arrival Admc Matron gave 

her consent to our going out c̄ the M O.'s, having

them here to afternoon tea, visiting their mess.

For a few days all went well - parties of sisters went 

out c̄ an M.O. or two & visited all sorts of places

otherwise out of bounds, everything was progressing

favourably when lo! someone reported that Sisters & M.O.'s
had been meeting surreptitiously, when they had permission
to meet openly - & had been "sneaking" round corners
& so forth - &, result, one more lecturette. The
girls are fools to make themselves so cheap. Some
of the M.O.'s are great chaps, but some are not particularly
desirable - & of course, any man (almost) will go as
far as the girls lets him. Again the flavour of the whole
thing is spoilt. There are wars & rumours of wars
here in our very midst. Laundry came back today -
we sent it a week ago. Two Greeks drove a small
very much over burdened donkey up to the mess tent door.
The burden was our laundry - all mixed up. The oily
Greek who bore the bundle into the mess tent & dumped
it into the corner on the floor (much to our horror for
S. Pritchard told us to keep him out & beware of live
stock on the clothes) regretted, c̄ an expressive shrug,
& a glance at the waiting group of Australians - that
the things were "all mix-ed" - he was "very
sorry" but "the writing" he "could not read". We finally
collected our various belongings - the belts unstarched,
the dresses badly ironed, the caps the limpest ever -
& hung them carefully up to air - in case! So far
our worst fears are unfounded. Melville & Scott & I
visited the canteen tonight - & lost our way & wandered through
the orderlies mess. The stock isn't extensive. We bought tinned
curried fowl - and chocolate & note paper & banana marshmallows
of wonderful flavour & hue. The canteen
is open to sisters 5 - 7 p.m. The canteen orderly was
most polite & obliging. Mess - meeting tonight. They
propose to levy an additional 13/- per head - making
5/- per head per week - which considering the food
we get, we don't think is right. Surely the Govt
can feed up us properly without our paying all 
that. However, of course we have to pay it

since the 2 stars carried the motion. Callers are to be
charged 1/6 for a meal - 9^d for afternoon tea. There
are crowds of Greeks round here - too many for our
liking. They are trecherous brutes - & we are not allowed
out unescorted - and of course most especially
after dark. They drive their mules & donkeys along
the dusty roads - & thump them unmercifully if they
won't go. The mules - in fact are their animals &
especially the goats, have little bells on their
necks that tinkle musically about us. There
is a school for bombing & all that behind us -
& the noise they make sometimes! Hortiack is the
Royalist village - wonder if it's on the map.
Friday August 10^th. Day off. It was great to be able to
sleep in for once. Scott & I breakfasted in her
tent - bread & (bacon & curried fowl & jam & paste
& condensed milk & tomatoes) & copious draughts of
tea. Loafed all day till afternoon tea time. Climbed
up the hill ahead of camp after tea. Glorious views of
lakes on one side - the sea away to the S.W. and
blue hills all round. There are many camps &
many hospitals - we could see the red crosses on
the ground afar off. The ground was covered with loose
rocky fragments - these hills here look so old & scarred
c̄ tracks, Came down before sunset - watched the boys
answering a "letter call" - poor devils. Fire in Hortiack
Sat. 11.8.17 Off half day. Went up to Hortiack c̄ M. &
H. & S. & others & 2 M.O.'s H. M. & I were escorted by a
delightful Scotch M.O. - most entertaining. The village is
quaint indeed. The streets have no set formation
but run in all directions & are stoney and rough,
c̄ little streamlets (? gutters!) running down
their centres, making the stones a trifle more 
slippery & all things muddy. xx The people look very
dirty. It was the Sabbath & they were probably a trifle
more idle than usual. There were about a score of old
people congregated round the Church - receiving rations of
corn - looked like crushed maize - which they ate on
the spot out of their hands or from handkerchiefs. We went
into the Church - it is very old and contains some
quaint sacred pictures, many glass candelabra,
with tiny wax thin wax candles - incense was
burning in two or three vessels - the whole
place smelt of incense & garlic & the eerie
atmosphere reminded me of Kandy & the Temple
there - The priest didn't seem to mind us
visiting the church at all. Round

the streets we came across dirty children, thin pigs,
lean dogs, slab-sided cats -
stunted fowls & chickens, a few goats & mules.
There is an obvious lack of sanitation. The streets
are so uncertain as to direction & termination that we
several times landed into back yards of dwelling
places without realising it. - for there are fences
round only some of the houses. Several troughs
& old water spouts stood at intervals through the village.
At one place an old woman was washing c̄ a thick
stick - just as we saw them washing in Bombay &
Colombo. There were a few shops but nowhere could
one buy decent goods - & a few wine cafes & open
air stalls. A good number of French about - it was
the French Convalescent camp home that was burnt
last night - it was still smouldering in parts, they
have no adequate water supply for such things. The
children held out their hands & asked for "buckshee"
of which we know the meaning very well! Some very
fine trees - one near the church, a large plane - &
most of the houses had window boxes - more or less
gay. Many of the windows were barred. On the way
up we passed through ? an old orchard (with) nut trees
& cherry trees. A few maize clumps - very stunted.
Blackberries - not yet ripe - sloe berries, a pretty
blue but fearfully sour & astringent We got a good
view from the village of the hospital & of our
quarters. Passed an old wall (? Roman) a

fine old viaduct, under which we walked. The
goat herds & cows have such a variety of bells -
we devised schemes for the annexation of a
few of the choicest musical specimens, but they
fell through for lack of opportunity. From a 
distance the village looks most picturesque, perched
high above us, amidst its green. but at close
quarters one realises its imperfection. They are
primitive beggars, these Greeks. Eight English
aeroplanes flew over tonight - very low. They
make a low whirring noise that one could never
forget, and looked like great birds as they
passed us & flew off toward Salonika. Rumours
of a mail coming - , also that the rest of
the Vic. Unit will arrive here next Monday
They are putting up more tents. We're tired tonight.

Sunday. 12^th. Two months since Melbourne! Nothing
happens here differently on Sunday. I had morning
hours & we had cake for afternoon tea! Seventeen
of my Tommies went out - we do hate to see them
go - and after their departure the wards seem strange
& unfamiliar & dead till new boys arrive & fill
the empty spaces. Spent nearly an hour making Jock
the departing Seaforth Highlander c̄ a craving for
a blanc mange - some concoction, more or less
delectable, on the Primus, & after nearly blowing
the tent, and the article in question into thin
air - ^^^finished the operation on the sterliizer in the wee pantry:
Jock demolished the result of the strenuous
forty minutes labor ( in which he shared as
chief stoker ) red hot, just on the hour for their
final parade, and vowed it was fine,
but whether his inate chivalry prompted such an
appreciation or whether the resultant mass was
really palatable, I shall never know. The
occupants of our tent have the blues tonight - H.
only a tinge but M. is real nervy & I must
confess to being at least ultra marine. It's
the same every Sabbath evening!
Monday 13^th. Girls from 60^th. came today - about 30
of them - they are probably opening new wards here.
Rumours that a mail will come next week c̄ the
next batch of Sisters. Off this afternoon & went to
sleep over a letter home. It is so hot these days
in our tents in the afternoons. Busy day - convoy
in c̄ 17 stretcher cases for W₂ & 6 for U₂ - mine -
skipped round some, & in consequence of all this
welter, we are all tired tonight. Two girls are
going on to attend to the cooking, and two for
"batmen" for the tents. They will be volunteers,
& will do a month & month about.
Tuesday 14^th. The diet sheets were some puzzle this
a.m. - after the influx of new cases yesterday
The M.O. & I were in a most trying tangle c̄
beeftea and milk and chicken diets, & Sister
D. corrected my order sheets and instructed the
M.O. (thank goodness he got it too!) as to his
the correctness, or otherwise of his entries. After
she'd gone - he sighed profoundly & looked up
"Sister" he said, "I'm not going to do any more
of these charts just now - I'm going to go very
slowly over to my little tent - and burst

into tears". The picture of my immaculate , so very
English M.O. dissolved in tears in his little sun
flooded tent was altogether too much for my
sense of humour - I nearly had hysterics after
he had departed for some bread & jam & tea, which
he said he had some hopes would buck him up.
Thurs No 66 B.G.H. on the morning after the night before.
Horwood & I spent half of our afternoon's precious
time off in fixing up the tent. They laid our carpet
today - farewell, a long farewell to all our
thistles & dust, & other unpleasantness! We
shifted the beds & now were real scared in case
the others disapproved - not that it would
matter much in the long run, but we don't
fancy even momentary xxxxxxx friction
in this 'ere tent. However all is well - so we
have no need to exert our persuasive influences
Horwood & I extracted colored plates from magazines
herein - I have "Sunlight Soap" - she has
"A Perfect Consommé" - such an appetising
collection of delightful viands! And other
cheerful and improving pictures that lighten our
walls "considerable". If only our family could see
our efforts toward decorative effect! Some of the
boys came down from the Convalescent Camp - Jock
called in & cheered us c̄ his delightful Scotch
anecdotes of life in that quarter. Very busy day
- convoys in, and more sick patients. One of the
boys asked me today, if I knew where Cromby
St., Victoria was!!!! Spare me days!  Hallam
has been appointed inspector of tents. For reasons
which are not permitted to travel out of the tent
we are distinctly amused - in short, we chortled
Wed. August 15^th. Very cool this morning - the breeze at
5.20 a.m. seemed straight off the hills. Horwood
& Melville have days off today. Our M.O. has gone - been
transferred to some other hospital - we are all forlorn without
his refreshingly cheerful remarks, & the men openly
lament his departure. We met with the third variety
of army biscuits this day : the first were small &
neat, about 1" x ¾", as hard as the ladies' hearts
& perfectly flavourless - they did not even pretend
to contain in their composition more than mere flour
& water - we tackled them c̄ all cheerfulness but
soon checked all undue enthusiasm : the
second variety followed the first in the natural
course of events - these were about 2½ x 3 &
were suitably inscribed with a large "B" in

Wrote to Phil. & Tuck & home
their midst - to reassure us, we suppose, that they
really are biscuits & not geological specimens peculiar
to these parts - we haven't decided yet whether no I
or no. II have the greater hardness - we tried them c̄
jam & gravy & all else beside & all convinced that
they are the kind that know no softening. The third & last
variety c̄ which we were confronted are large and spotty
- these are the dinkum army biscuits - about 3½ x 3

and ^^c̄ a sort of oatmealy tendency but oh! they're hard!
We found that the best way to treat them was to split them
assunder c̄ a knife inserted at one corner but a slip of
the knife spells disaster for our finger tips. Now that
we know all the biscuits off by heart, maybe they'll
let us have bread for a while. The cooking &
tent - staff are getting into working order now : we are
hoping for an increase in diet anon - or rather
for a greater variety for our five bablets per week.
Went c̄ a walk after S c̄ Horwood, Billy & two naval
officers from the boat in Sal. harbour - one was from
Australia - St. Kilda. I can't remember his name. M.
very navy blue this p.m. - & "doesn't care" what
happens or what becomes of us! There are rumours
afloat that we may go to the Canadian (4^th)
on the coast - but we know rumours of old. It
is very depressing when M. gets the navy blues, for
the atmosphere drops several degrees - & when even
comes, she sinks into bed & sighs profoundly &
H. & I get the giggles & act the giddy on till
further notice. Matron & House Sister "did" the tent

tonight c̄ a bull's eye - ? why - counting heads.
We gave up our beds today & were issued c̄ camp
stretchers. Put up over our tent door "God bless our home".
Thurs. August 16^th. Two girls went for a short walk
up the road last evening - Billy &
Eakins - met two M.O.s - of course by accident
& later met Matron - they were back in side half
an hour, & well in bed by 9 p.m. when the head
counting stunt started. This a.m. we hear tales
of the "two Sisters who were out last night - &
there were men about - & I'm just going to wait
here till they come back" - this our P.M. It's
a lot of dashed rot - they will succeed in
making the girls thoroughly rebellious & as to
being contented - It's quite out of the question.
We are trusted in the most ridiculous manner
like kids of 12, & all sorts of constrictions
put on our every action. Very warm today.
- & so are we - c̄ indignation!!

Friday A day of days! Uncertain rumour as to our
ultimate destination - & when - all day - at 5 pm
H.M.S. & B. & I walked along to the lakes - a
beautiful walk, not a bit too warm, the road good
& the view at the end glorious. We sat on the rocks
for some time & watched the lakes - the old house
on the edge far below, the smoke rising from the
fires lending a tang of bush fireness to the
air - the hills all round & below & beyond. I gathered
a lot of geological specimens for Sister's
collection from the rocky ground. We took a
couple of snaps - I do hope they're good ones.
Norwood & I walked a bit in front of the others
(we sat in a trench & "fired", over the parapet
at the imaginary enemy below!) wonder who built
the trench & when & why) & shortcut to our
tents through the barbed wire & found - oh joy
a thousand fold & more! letters!!!! They
were spread open on my bed & didn't we float
over then, & rush round & tell the others &
wave & talk & sit down finally outside to
enjoy them c̄ many interruptions from each
other. Had letters from Mate, Sista, Nell, Clifford
& his brother, Norm, Maggs, Sylvia & Boyanton,
& we think will get more tomorrow. Such
excitement & overwhelming joy everywhere.
M. got the Australasia c̄ our photo in it
too nearly fallen to pieces altogether now c̄
so much examination. Lights out half an
hour later tonight (9.30) we'll sleep
well! Letters from Aust. up to June 28^th.
Sat. 18^th August. The rumours grow & change their
moods & direction hourly. We heard
today (a) that we are not going for some time,
(b) that we go in about two weeks, (c) that we don't
go at all (d) that Matron goes & we don't (e) that
we all go (f) that some are chosen and some are
left (g) that S. Pritchard returns anon. Small wonder
if we are all doubting Thomases. Fire in the
Turkish quarter tonight in Salonika in dense smoke
& later a red glow filled the western sky, One of
the tents (wards) caught fire this afternoon -
? cause. Great excitement & pertubation &
the usual fuss all round. We expect someone
will be shot at dawn after it, or at least,
talked to at length by the P.M. who daily groweth
more strange & unaccountable. The end of Jackson
affair. Wrote to Nora & Sgt Clifford. No more letters tonight

Sunday 19^th. Holland on night duty - which means
like little mice we creep in and out,
lest we spoil her dreamings. Off 5 p.m. in & loafed
& wrote to Maggs & started a letter home. The
same all Sunday - Salonika is very badly
burnt - All govt. building have gone, the
post office - my hope our letters were saved!!
and houses & streets & ships even. They say
it is providential for the conditions are not
over clean or sanitary therein. All traffic.
has been stopped, & all extras stopped also. They
say refugees will be the next item. Some rumours
about our going - or not going. W^hat mysteries 
they do make of these things, to be sure! "They were
hard up in the cook house the other day for a
pudding & the staff grew desperate & were
resigned to bread & marmalade for a further indefinite
period when one of the orderlies disconsolately
kicking some rubbish out of the way,
unearthed a bag of rice - !! Joy in the
land & rice for the pudding course & continueth
till further notice, tonight & every night. No
bully for lunch - we are daily becoming more
unmanageable, as to appetite. Got a letter tonight
from Bert - posted the night before we left
Bombay & chasing around ever since. It's a
great letter, indeed. They all read it here
as somehow it bucked us up. Had a big supper
Monday. Nothing doing. Very disturbed night -
post supper we all had nightmares & were
wide away at 2 a.m. I got up & looked at the
stars. Consequently very sleepy all day - &
I fear me, a trifle cross on occasions!
Melville has a bad cold - T 101. 3 wks. today since we came
Tuesday. 21^st. August. Wrote to Magggs, Mother, Syliva.
Off tonight. Mr Kassen took some of our films to develop
them - it is very sporty of him to do it. Talked a lot
and didn't as much during the evening. - went up to
the canteen c̄ Melville & Temp. & Eakins - the orderly
gave me 2 f. short in change - Horwood's change &
I didn't notice the deficiency till I returned - H. &
I went back to the canteen - up that hill afar - to
do our best to regain that which was lost. The
orderly had gone off & I asked to told the one in charge of
my plight - "the other orderly", I said, "gave

me change for 2 f. instead of for 4 f " - "Well,
Sister", said this delightfully chivalrous English
gentleman "- in that case you'll have to have another
2fs" - & he gave it to me then & there & waved all
further explanations aside. Thus these English. 
Horwood & I had a most entertaining supper later on
in the evening. We bought lemonade(bottle 3) from
the canteen (Melville paid for it - more shame to us)
& we stole some bread from the dinner table & VInes
gave us a cup of salmon - & there you are! M. turned
in early. & H. & I sat on my bed, put the cup of
salmon in the midst of my tin dish, and ate
drank & were merry : bread salmon & lemonade
is an ideal combination for a supper, but didn't
I dream subsequently! Lights out went in the
middle of our supper, & we "doused the flies" some
minutes later when we heard what we thought was
the P.M.'s voice approaching, since we reasonably
supposed that the P.M.'s portly form would inevitably
follow her voice - very suddenly &
finished the feast in the dark. Iron rations
day tomorrow.
Wednesday . As above : nothing remarkable happened.
Off in the afternoon & slept from 2 - 4
but wasn't improved ar all by the fact. M. & H.
had morning hours. Rumours that Italians have
had great successes, that we have bombed Berlin
to some tune, that the Russians have advanced
&c. &c. Biscuits again - very wee ones we haven't had
before. - not so adamantine as the other brands.
Thurs. We procured a puppy today - Jack went up to the
hut where they were, & selected a black one,
because, he said, they don't show the dirt as much
as a white! We fed it on rabbit (shades of the O.C.!)
& gave it a cyllin bath (Jack dipped him well into
the washing up bucket - containing the clean water
all in readiness for the post - lunch wash up!!
-they declared the animal had a fever & a cold
bath the cure but I vowed he's get pneomonia!)
& subsequently he was dried on my best duster
& well investigated for any defaulters that
were "present without leave". They are sure that
the cyllin was too strong & that tomorrow he'll
have a head like our M.O., whose bald top
shines like a heliograph, Jack the irrepressible
says. I hope the day