Diary of Staff Nurse Christine Erica Strom - 1917-1919 - Part 5

Greek. French soldiers & civilians - & a few

Greek women & various costume & age. Got out

too soon - for all were well nigh kippered with

tobacco smoke & were afraid that we might

pass the White Dome. Got photos. for.

Ambler & walked a long long way to Venizelos

St. - wandered up & down & got various

odds & ends at different shops - got some

things at the Italian Canteen but where one

buys things upstairs & fits & pays for the

downstairs at the counter & after waiting

for a few minutes & getting thoroughly

bamboozled with Italian money & exchange &

the rush, & the crowd of Italian soldiers

& every one speaking at once, we decided to

walk out - which we did, thro' a carefully

guarded door. Had tea at a most delightful

tea shop opposite, the nicest tea since I left

home - & sweet little cakes (2fr.) Came

home by train - more smoke, more soldiers,

a charming dignified Russian officer with

sheepskin cap. Got a lift from the train

terminus - & walked from the A.S.C. depot

Isaacs, Wilson & we went to a Concert - at

660 motor depot & splendid it was too. We

walked there - Isaacs carried the light &

tried to run the show. Got directed by one of

the Guard. Very fine concert hall - full of

Tommies & smoke & with reserved seats

for such as me at in the front. Excellent

programme - we were properly convulsed.

Jokes very fine (& some rather broad) Italian

office - front very interested - our red

capes. Supper afterward - & very nice too.

Hot pie - hot coffee, after dance most

cheerful. Seen home by a A.S.C. officer

whom Isaacs asked to send down around

some holly & stuff for christmas decorations.

We were horrified at her cheek. Challenged

twice by guard on way home. N & I

got the giggles! Cocoa late - a great

day altogether.

Tues.  off 5 p.m. fixed photos & spoilt some, alas.
Letter from Grant. Cold weather. French
lady came.
Wed.  off 1 - 5, wrote letters. Wet day.
Fed up so] far from home. Voted for conscription.
Thurs.  Melv. had half day - off 5 p.m.
-went down after mess to Melvs wards, &
blew a kiss to the wayward child. Bassnet
most valuable. Developed photos - nine so far
Friday.  Increasingly fed up - don't know why.
Have the blue devils properly. Letters from
Clifford (& card) Nell. Darling, Elspie, Charlie
Parfitt & Jessie. Went on Morning hours - but
didn't do much with them. Wet & very muddy.
Sat. off p.m. - went down to Y.M. Melv
& I - set off about 5.30 - rather tired & armed
with my suitcase - clad in woollens & gumboots.
Splashed thro' the mud down to the bottom of the
hosp. - & through the gateway three yards away two very
harmless youths who grinned cheerfully at us &
called us mudlarks! Cross countried to the
front part close to the E.F.C. on to the main
road - passed crowds of British soldiers
French soldiers & Greeks we were clad with grey
caps so were not marked Aust. nurses & one
or two greeted us as we passed 'hulloa
girls!' - shades of Lonsdale st. The
uniform is certainly a protection - It was
nearly dark before we got to the Y.M. -

crowds of boys here - we werent able to
get milk - bought choc. -chewing gum,
matches & so on. Raced home & loved it,
but were dreadfully tired. Had not a
pass & were consequently fearful but
nothing happened. Anti conscription victory
probable in Australia - we are appalled
by the possibility. Letters from Pickering
Flood, Calwell - 
Sunday 23^rd Dec.  Morning hours - M & I 
went over to 52^nd & bought snap choc. No
other necessities at the canteen there
& nice walk there & back - cool dull
day - very muddy. Canteen orderlies
delightful to us there -

Great carpentering work going on in
my ward - cupboards being built &
recesses made/ Got paid ₤ 7.10/- whom Isa
Monday  Wet day - more mud. M &
I off 1 - 5 & went down to the
E.F.C. past the Y.M. Set at 3.30 -
splashed thro' the mud to the  bottom
of the hospital & thro' the gate. Guarded
by two harmless chaps who grinned
cheerfully at us & called us mudlarks!
Cross countried to Y.M. &
E.F.C. beyond. Bought biscuits
nuts &c. & raced home - very tired on
account of walk & mud. Went 
back after duty 8.30 & packed the
pillow cases for Christmas day festivities!
Each man took off his pillow
case & tied his name on it & I put
into each 1 biscuits 1 matches 7 pkts
cigarettes, 1 cigar, 1 [[#]] bag, 1 bundle
gum, 3 choc. & so on & something
buckshee for special chaps (John
& Cooperson) My watch has stopped
-Cooperson's lent me his protemp.
Mr W. gave us each a bonza box of
choc. - he caught us peeping at
his bundle which he left on the
bell tent table. The lieut that whom Isaacs
asked to send the green sent it alright
-we sent down & got some & great
was the industry in the ward while
the family put up decorations.
All sorts of  [[?]] designs on screen
covers, boards &c. Went to bed veyr
late.
Christmas day. Tuesday. Happy day on the
whole - much greetings -
the thanks of the family re their stockings,
-much eating & drinking. Rum issue -
Jones & Gillison got more than their

share - Jones got fearfully sentimental &
cried over his poor old mother & what sort of
Christmas day she'd be having - & Gillison vomited
profusely & groaned much & told me no
married man should touch it at all! John
came after me as I left the ward on route for
the aspirin to tell me that "both these men"
were drunk - so I grieved no more for
Jones' mother and I am glad Gillison vomited!
Melv. took snap of us in afternoon. Went
over to the officers' ward after 8 o'clock & got
whirled under the mistletoe & well kissed
by Mr B. - to my great consternation.
Subsequently I escaped - through the back door
of the tent - but was pursued & overtake
& successfully attacked by both Anzacs.
M. saw me home & soothed my troubled spirit!
Nice dinner. Letter from Dobson. Got 10/- each.
Wed. off 1 - 5 - expected French lesson but
lady didn't turn up - Mali & I waited in
vain, finally made cocoa & enjoyed it,
wrote letters. Conscription results out-
no conscription - dash! We are disgusted.
Went to a concert - not much good
Thurs. Half day - some row anent
Rayment & a sponge down he didn't get.
Melv. & I dosed & read & wrote & drank
cocoa all afternoon - got our things
ready for the night. We put grey gloves
on & felt like goats! Cold night. Nice
dinner - Melv. & I sat near Capt
Graham & were most entertained. Mess
tent & [[drawing?]] beautifully got up.
Developed violent toothache after dinner
Came down to tent & lay on my bed &
squirmed & kicked & snorted. -Melv.
came too, to my disappointment for 
she was enjoying it - & gave me aspirin
& stuff. Jove, it was the worst bout
I'd had for years. Letters from Bert 
(c̄ films) Sgt. Weddell, & Frobe.
 

Friday.  O.C. had inspection. I was off 10-1
thank goodness. Felt rotten
today - c̄ such a head. I might as well
have had champagne last night. Got
letters - about 25 - from home. Clifford
&c. &c. Read & re-read them - Melv. very
blue- going to the theatre tomorrow. Her
letters contained much bad news. Cool days.
Sat.  Rained a bit. Misty in a.m. Off
5 o'clock - Melv. too. Wrote letters. Went [[?]]
to Officers' ward - were escorted home b&
farewelled "properly" - to our consternation.
Haywood a sweet kid - we have christened
him "our little brother". M^cLoughlin printed photos.
Saturday  Off morning hours - had morning
coffee c̄ Melv. in the theatre
took some snaps of Wilkie & the corporals. Some
[[?]] came & I ducked; wrote letters. Bathgate
halfday - was very much annoyed c̄ him
over a dirty piece of tubing that was left
for me to clean before I could use it. Spivey
marvels at my show of temper especially
in that direction. Discovered that Bridge is
a Unitatian - borrowed his book -
the greatest collection possible of prayers
and readings. [[?]] boxes up from theatre [[?]]
[[??]]
Monday.  Off 1-5 - wrote letters, had cocoa
more rain & more mud. Bathgate
transferred to 52nd. - words failed Spivey
& me. We shall miss him dreadfully.
Tuesday. Off 5 p.m. went down to theatre
Corporal brought [[Eakins?]] bed up - we carried
mattress - some job in the mud. Took
snaps of Murray & she of me. New Years day
- seasonable greetings flying round. [[?]]
in scriptures on the board - "we wish a
safe & speedy return to our gallant Colonial
sisters." c̄ the promising date "23/3/18" and a
Bristow's cap was inscribed in woolly letters<
"GOOD LUCK SISTER STROM" - only better spaced than that. Special
nice dinner. S.Shannon dressed [[even?]] in
[[?]] as a Greek Goddess!!!!
Wednesday Jan 2nd.  Off 1-5 - washed my hair &
did some tidying up - French
Mam'selle came & we had a bonzer long French
lesson. Mam'selle is charming, Frenchy &
patient. More rain & consequently more mud
Was on for all three wards & busy indeed in
consequence. Philbie (John) very miserable.
Barstow sick. Took snaps of Bridge &
the boys. Rained very heavily all night. I've
started exercises again. Letter from Else.
& Mother, & [[?]]. Melv. has a septic toe.
My head is splitting - can't last much longer>
Thurs.  Half day. Melv. & I washed - beautifully
sunny warm day 0 cool at night. Melv. & I
went over to officers 1 ward p.c. & said farewell
to the Anzacs. Letter from Grant, Phil, S.W., Wood
Friday.  Cold wind, strong all night - everything
blown off the ropes this a.m. Snow fell all day
- several feet deep in the drifts - strong blizzards
xxxx blowing - very cold indeed. Off [[?]],
& went to bed - the only way to keep warm. now in our tents.
Beautiful views everywhere - wards very
cold - everyone went to bed 'cept McL &
Westbrook. Bridge & C. went down for tea with [[?]]
[[?]] changed this a.m.
in a [[?]].
Sat. Jan 5th  Enid's birthday. Tried to write
letters but froze. At 5 p.m. went
to bed. Old H. getting daily more unbearable
lots of rows in my place continually.
She reported Murray & we all went for
her. There will surely be an uprising if she
she doesn't get shifted soon. Melv. is in
ward & liking it. Very cold all day.
Monday 6th  Off 5 pm warmer day - still a
lot of snow about, & most liquids freezing.
K.H. worse & worse. "Eyes down" one
hears everywhere. Row about stories &
cocoa. She gets me down altogether.
Went to church c̄ Melv. at night. Beautifully
starlit night - beaucoup de neige
Got 3 arguses & 1 Bulletin. Have [[?]] cheeses.
Monday 7th Same. Off 5 pm (this is getting monotonous)
But the [[??]]. Cold clear day - Snow
still lying in tho [[?]] otherwise mostly
thawed.  Melv. & I went over to 52nd canteen
 

[*[[?]] some prints [[?]]*]
bought matches, choc. etc. Great preparations for
Wed. night fancy dress affair