Diary of Staff Nurse Christine Erica Strom - 1917-1919 - Part 7

coffee in the mess hut & after shared 2

chairs with Melv. & S. - afterwards came

home in the car - M^r M^cJ. curled up

like a pet poodle on the floor of the

car - M^r B & Syd. walked home across

the fields. Got to bed & lit candles &

Billy & I read till 12.30 - the coffee kept

us too widely awake.

Monday. 22^nd Apr  Mess meeting 9 am.

Washed & packed - 

all luggage stacked up in front of mess

hut, covered by tarpaulin. Tents pulled

down 2.30 - great scenes of desolation!

Boxes & bundles & every shaped article

of luggage. Took our beds & suitcases

up to the mess made our beds up in

a row - am between Mel. & [[M?]] We

all were packed up - its just like a

Gk. refugee camp - bundles every

where - disconsolate people sitting

all over the place. Card parties &

general chatter. Most of us went to

bed early & wrote or read. Letters

for Else and Watt. Washed up - Some job!

Tuesday 23^rd. Rained heavily all night

& still raineth. Were concerned about

our belongings outside whenever we

woke up. Strange to sleep in a room

amongst so many. Dressed with difficulty

Rolled up our beds - the luggage

departed early. we watched the Greeks

bumping our trucks round with great ease &

dexterity. Some of the wide lakes.

Rescued Archie from a watery grave &

put him in the bathroom. Order thro' at

9 that we can't go till tomorrow at 10.

Great scenes of active service. Breakfast

ambulatory - 8am. Morning tea is

a similar event. Rain eased off about

11 am. Wrote letters, sitting on a suit

case, not before a fearful rabble going

on and concentrations impossible.

Went into Sal. hut. Norm & Dunbar - bought 

film.

 

Wed. Beautiful morning - packed up, washed up.

Such a final survey of the countryside. Convoy

arrived 10a.m. Mel. Elliott & I travelled together  -

the third last car . Saw Craigie - who waved

a final farewell, and saluted a la Craigie.

Very dusty - Elliott gave us 3 oranges each

which was much welcome. Passed thro'

Salonique, to Dudelar, passed the 28th Genl.

& numerous camps & finally were taken to

the sight of our new hospl. only to learn that

they were not yet ready for us, and that

we had to live for at least a few days

in the quarters of the 67th. - journeyed there

after some delay & were greeted mixedly

by the Matron who rushed round & put in 

force into empty tents. Melv. & McCall. Stan

& I ours beds are strayed somewhere. Had

lunch late - just as we'd given up all hopes

of ever seeing anymore food! - bread & cheese

sardines & tea, very welcome! Subsequently

we were part of a fatigue party (M & I)

who cleared the marquee. Swept - with the

head falling off the broom all the time.

Went over to the hospl. & saw Adments about

our liggage bedding - good old Adments!

Saw Bob, and Alen, Visited the reception tent &

got several things out of our luggage - all the

things were hurled anyhow into the reception

tents. Saw many old friends. Beautiful outback

here tho' we miss "our harbour" dreadfully.

Dinner a great success. To bed early. Attached

Archie on a string today - we carted him in a

sack from Kalamaine; he looked dull & ill

but bucked up on arrival here! Cool night -

went to bed & read by candle. We do miss

the electric light. We are to go over there today.

Thurs. Rose late - breakfa 9am. The latest

that even been anywhere. Bathroom a

washout! The English Sisters went away

today - how very different they always

seem from us.Read on a rug in the

sun in the a.m. - warm day - daisies

everywhere thro' the grass. Had tea with Gal. Payne
& Co. 11.30. Lunch 1 pm. - a weird meal.
bare tables and difficulty acquired cutlery.
Wrote letters - afterward helped clear up a bit.
Friday. went for a ealk after lunch - way over
S. - overlooking Sal. Picked flowers & chased
lizards. Letter from Leeper. Warm day. Meeting of
S. nurses after 2nd. mess - about our rights
& wrongs. Truly exciting - especially as it was to
be kept a dead secret from the Sisters, & Matron
walked in on us in the midst & discoursed
concerning mosquito nets & other fascinating
topics. M^cDonald on guard. Various resolutions
passed (when Matron wasn't there) Melv.
& I served out the dinner & had ours later by
itself ourselves. Mrs M^cH.W. won't have us
where we are over at the new site - hence
much fussation, delay, jabbering. The
M.O.'s will probably have to move.
Sat. More rumours. Letter from Hal (6.4.18)

-very welcome too, more walks &
wanderings. Adments had word that his only
son has died - poor old Adments. Developed
photos in annex of tent - & spoilt one
film altogether. Cold nights.
Sunday. Melv on duty in a.m. amoebic
wards. Letters from Hal & Kelso (12.4.18)
All of us on duty - pm. - I went to
Harte's wards. Bob came over but the
SM moved him to Scott's xxx ward. His
brother is missing. made beds all the
afternoon - a whole marquee full -
minus 4 - which gave me ample opportunity
for thinking. Went back after afternoon
tea & finished up. We move over in the
a.m. Church this morning - & very fine
too.
Monday. Went over 8 am. rose very early
& packed for the 20th. time. A weird procession
coming over here! Collected luggage-
& carted it to our tents & got it carted-
Mel & I room with Stan. & M^cCall. The
luggage in many cases very much knocked
about & damp. Two Y
scheme boys from No. 2 C.C. carted the stuff
for us. Paid them too! Melv in
the amoebic
block - & the amoebic isolated. Went to
the wards A.M. & went on equipping it
Did something towards tidying the tent up
p.c. - went to Matron p.m. about be
moved to the amoebic block & managed
alright. Went on duty 2 - 5 - A1 -
boys reminiscing about the 50^th. -

always a bad sign! Melv. & I went to
concert at Am. [[t?]] - went in a large
transport & sat on cushions - they gave
is a forms at the reception tent and
one fell on Melv's feet. Good show
& we were looked after better than we
have ever been since we came here
Melv. & I were entertained by a Jock
officer - who subsequently bought me a
box of toffee! Comicalities good & not
vulgar Good supper afterward & another
long dark ride home, Very late - 12 p.m.
before we got home. Crept bedwards.
Tuesday. On duty. Off 1 - 5 & moved
into the tent next to the old one, & fix
things up a bit. Hot day. Howard &
Lawson helped. Feet very tired indeed.
Scrounged boxes. Meeting. of the Secret Society
Wed. off 1 - 5 & slept most of the afternoon
Warm - & weary days. Good boys -
especially Sgt. Clarke.
Thurs. Letter from Hal 12^th or thereabouts
Bob went to 28^th came up at night to
say goodbye. S. Maloney was the messenger.
Went up to the gate semi clad &
coated & spoke with Bob & Blythe till the
guard came along. Rained off & on all
night.
Friday. Mess meeting tonight - & the most
exciting one we've ever had. The  Strs.
voted against the Sunday afternoon - all
except Scott, Syd. Billy - & there