Diary of Alice Ross-King, 1915 - Part 2

40 
February 9 TUESDAY [40-325] 2nd Month 1915  

Saw a real live [ Mahpoch  Mahrajh ]  
Mahrajhah - (rotten word to spell)  
today. He was dressed in   
the uniform of an I.M.C Major  
with the ribbons of many  
orders on his chest. He is  
an immensly wealthy man  
& is fighting on The Canal 
now with a large troop  
of his own men. He has 
 also sent out a fully  
equiped Hospital ship to  
return the Indian wound- 
ed from the Canal to India.  
When I saw him he was 
in an art shop buying  
things by the score with out 
asking the price. His taste  
was perfect.  
S. Watt, Newell & I were  
gazing at some Battle ships  
etc in the distance. Capt  
Carlisle & Major Richards  
invited us to row over 
 the Canal with them. It  
was delightful. Major  
Richard has just returned  
after accompanying a recon  
party up the Coast of 
 Syria.  [It  They had Two  
airplanes with them.  
Jerusalem is much in my 
 thoughts at present.  

41
1915 28 Days 10 WEDNESDAY [41-324] February 

Had a visit from Surgeon 
 Major General this A.M. He  
is Williams & is in Charge 
 of the MC for the Commonwealth.  
A big fat man  
with 3 chins & fishy eyes - 
very gracious how some ever. 
 He was pleased with every  
thing - Spoke most politely 
 to me & said he had asked 
 for another 100 nurses.  
Our Censorship is very  
 strict at present. Received   
a letter from Wad today. 
 One from Harry yesterday  
Sent off feather Boa to the  
mother with letter tied in  
its tail. Went over a  
big Battleship - The "Triumph"  
She was in Tsing Sowe  
lately & had 3 killed &  
some wounded. She is  
an immense ship. Sister  
to the Swiftsure. Carries  
two 12 inchers & many 
 14 pounders. She had a 
 peculiar little Iron balcony  
for the Captain - And a 
 chain torpedo catcher.  
wrote to Mrs Hannah 
 tonight & bought a plum  
cake for 1/8. Australian [[?]]
 

42  
February 11  THURSDAY [42 -323]  2nd Month 1915
  

43
1915 28 Days 12 FRIDAY [43-322] February 
Today & yesterday have taught  
me a lot - "Love much - There is 
no harm in freely giving -  
Cast sweets into the cup when e'r 
you can."  
The mosquitoes are trying. So  
is this time of waiting & so are 
the people at the other end.  
God help me to keep steady. 
  
"If you can force your nerve, & 
 heart & sinew 
to serve their turn long after  
they are done - & so hold on  
when there is nothing in you -  
Except the will that says to  
them hold on."
This is awful [[W1?]] I suppose. 
Lots of the Girls are sending letters  
to Australia by passenger  
boats - So skipping the Censor 
 but glad now that I resisted  
the temptation. It does  
not seem to me like 
 playing the game. 
 Our own Colonel is censoring 
 all letters now. This 
 great big war is a terrible thing.  
There are many things  
that cannot be written after  
all

44
February 13 SATURDAY [44-321] 2nd Month 1915 

Great things doing ahead - 
 We are recalled to Heliopolis  
no reason given at all. 
 Officers very indignant. I  
think the whole hospital  
is wanted further on.  The  
question is - Shall I
be amongst the next 
 lot sent out - no matter  
which way it goes I really   
& truly don't mind. I  
hope to put in good  
work where ever we go.  
Capt Campbell brought  
us in some spent bullets  
fired by the Turks from  
German guns - they have  
the arabic writing on  
stating that they were made  
in Constantinople. It's  
such a pity to have to  
disband now. I bought 
 a bracelet for Ada tonight  
& a hand bag for myself  
- my old one having  
bust.  Well I wonder  
what tomorrow will  
bring forth 

Received a letter from  
Miss Clinch. She is at the Egyptian 
 Girls school at [[Teitmus?]].  
She invites me to stay there a  
few days - I like Miss C. 

45
1915 28 Days 14 Quinquagesima Sunday [45-320] February
4h 31m A.M. (Greenwich) 

We have spent today in getting  
to Heliopolis & here we are back  
at the Palace. But oh how  
we long for our little Convent  
instead - leaving was sad work. The  
Hospital is to go on into Syria we think & Capt  
Matai was so broken up that he could not 
 say goodbye to us - Most of the Officers  
came to the Station to see us off. And  
poor Jackey the boy with one leg who  
does the Laundry wept audibly. He is 
 an Egyptian . The trip up took 5 hrs. It  
was wonderful to see the Canal fortified - Trenches  
all along kept up by bags filled with sand - 
we must have seen [ hundreds ] millions of bags of  
sand. We passed through [[ Kantaria? ]] where  
all the fighting was 3 days ago. The 
 Signal Station was protected by bags of 
 sand & at Ismaliegh a lot of N.Z boys  
came & talked to us. They had buried 
 [[ 9?]] Australians & 60 Turks that morn.  
There has been a little fighting in which  
our boys did well. The 7th & 8th Bat. were 
  taken away from Mena & had [[9?]]  
nights in the Trenches. Then returned  
the Turks having retreated for 
 40 miles. We arrived here to a 
 very cold reception. Miss B. was 
 nice & our O C. has mentioned  
us in dispatches. I think there  
is some jealousy about. Kenel 
& I are for night duty. But dont 
 know yet where we are going. 

46
February 15 MONDAY [46-319] 2nd Month 1915

I have been put on reserve night-
duty. Things are going to cost us
something here. I have to pay 3/7
per day for mess. That does not
include Laundry. Went to
Afternoon Tea with Tessa & Pat
at Heliopolis House. They are
still at the Egyptian native military
It was S. Greens birthday. She
received a cable from home & so
Sister Hart & she & I went onto
dinner at the Grill room Cairo
(Continental) to celebrate the occasion.
Afterwards there was a birthday
supper in V. Mills room at
which Mrs White, Sister Kitchens
& a few other celebraties were
present
Ken & I went for a tram
ride this morn. On a quaint
little tram- We did not know
where we were going but we
landed at The Magazine. The
[[Wattaux]] was delighted when
we got on his tram. He could
only say two English words.
"Australia" & Hurrah - but he
said it often enough. & showed
us proudly the buttons on his
own uniform & also an Australian
button he had found somehow & 
had tacked on like a medal. 

47
1915 28 Days 16 Shrove TUESDAY [47-318] February 

Went into [[Cario?]] & took my
black coat to have it made into
a lining for another Coat. Was
determined not to exceed £3.0.0.
But when I got to the shop & 
stated my business found they wanted
£6- I tried to leave the shop
but manager after manager
came excitedly round me
& jabbered in French. It was
most trying - Finally I 
consented to pay 450 Pt. which
is much more than I can
afford really.
Got a letter from Miss [[Shindle]]  
written 9 days before I left Melb.
Hear two of Bird's nurses have
been recalled from Ismailia.
They are at the Anglo Egyptian
Hospital. 
Last night I was put on duty 
to special General Walker.
Him very big Chief. but very
sick - An exceedingly nice
man. Mrs Croll is day nurse
Gen. W. is in Charge of the whole
Canal defence scheme here.
I fell foul of Miss B. &
Col Maudesly last night. Thru
absolutely no fault of mine.
Amy King is on duty on the Officer's Wrds.
She is a sharp voiced rather pretty little
thing - clever nurse

50
February 19 FRIDAY [50 -315] 2nd Month 1915 

Went into Cario this afternoon
& took my [[dealetes?]] Coat to be
made into a lining for another
one. Got into one of those
french shops. They wanted

_____________________________

Nothing much happened today.
Passing down the corridor 
one of the sick officers
spoke to me. Seems he
was on one of the 2nd
Contingent boats & for some
obscure reason remembers
my face. I was very 
wrath at Amy King who
passed some scathing remarks
because I stayed talking
to a him for a few minutes.
He seemed rather a nice
boy & invited me over to
the Camp. I said I wld go
then wondered if I did 
right. He gives me the
impression that he might
misunderstand one. Cuthbert 
was fool enough to give 
him a snap of myself taken 
at the Convent. However he 
seems a nice boy. 
Enjoyed a yarn with the General 
tonight. 

51
1915 28 Days 20 SATURDAY [51-314] February

[[?]] saw F.S. this a.m. The Lieut.
off the 2nd Contingent boats. Cant
quite make him out. Got 
Cuthbert to ask Capt [[Hore?]] about
him & he seems to think he
is allright. Things are
different out here though where
we are only a few Australians.
Was [[specaalling?]] a bad
pneumonia as well tonight.
S. [[Hoippen?]] is the night Supt 
She is a fair hair wizened little
woman. Been an Army Sister 
for 7 years. Im not very 
keen on her.
S. Gibbon is specialling a case
near me. She is about 4 ft 10.
quite the smallest nurse I 
have seen. A dear little
thing though & a good
nurse.
Major Barrett & the Gen
having a pow wow. last night 
the Gen think the war will
be good for another couple of
years at any rate. It 
is a fact that over. 33 %
of our troops are incompetant
& have to be sent back.
or put into Hospital.

52
February 21 Sunday—1 in Lent [52-313] 2nd Month 1915
Ember Week

Said Goodbye to the General 
he goes out today - was
very effusive in his
thanks. Going to take
us out driving etc.
Kendall & I went up 
to the Camp. F.S. an
exceedingly nice boy. Seems
to like me a bit too - met 
another Lieut there also [[Bals?]]
They are all N.S.W men.
the Camp is a very dusty 
dirty place. I must say 
I don't like visiting 
camps.  

53
1915 28 Days 22 MONDAY [53-312] February
Quarter Moon 2h 58m A.M. (Greenwich)

Was put on duty last 
night in charge of the new
medical ward. Got some
pretty bad cases. The ward 
is made in the big ballroom
with beautiful marble pillars
around it & a high dome
with beautiful painted & 
worked walls. Im very
sleepy this morning. 
The nourishment here
is very poor - we had one
sardine each for supper.
Expected F. S. up tonight
he murmured something about
arrangements for Wednesday. 
but he did not put in an
appearance. Had to haul 
Claude out of bed for a sick
pneumonia. He was
just the same funny 
old thing. I had a
good rest today. Did 
not go out at all.  

54
February 23 TUESDAY [54-311] 2nd Month 1915 

Young Saddlier called
tonight. It was 
awfully nice to see
him He is out here 
as a Sergeant & is
looking very well
He arrived just at 
dinner time tonight
so had not much 
time to speak to him.
He is to come out on 
Friday though. 
A beautiful bunch 
of flowers came from
F. S. tonight. Such a
nice thought. They look
as though they might 
have been picked out
too - not just ordered
from the Florist. 
I got them just as
I was going on
duty. It cheered me 
up.  Im beginning to 
think a good lot 
about that young man
Expect I shall
wake up soon.

55
1915 28 Days 24 WEDNESDAY [55-310] February
St. Matthias, Ap. Ember Day 

Very heavy ward last-night - 36 new cases
Poor old boys! This morning got a
Telegram from F.S. Cooly expecting me
to meet him in Cario. He takes things
very much for granted. Any how I could
not go because Watt wants me to call on some
Friends of hers. In the Afternoon S. Ross.  [[Watt?]]
& I called on a Mr. B Clain, a wealthy Englishman
who had invited us to meet some
of the Heliopolis Ladies at his Flat. He
has a charming flat & balcony. And
we me two or three other residents &
their husbands there. Coming away
I fell down stairs. & the heel came
off my shoe.  I hate falling down
stairs. Met F.S. at the gate. 
of the Hospital at 6-15. We strolled
about & talked etc in the moonlight
until 7.30. I'm very disapointed in
that man. I liked him awfully
yesterday. Perhaps it's just as well
not to be falling in love though.
Kendal Wilson is on duty with
me at night. A nice girl. I was 
so tired today that I could not
sleep & feel very shakey for
duty tonight. One of our boys
went dotty in the night & succeeded
in getting out on the piazza.
 

56
February 25 THURSDAY [56 -309] 2nd Month 1915 

Went with Miss Clinch & Miss
Langford this afternoon. I was
very tired. We had a terrible night
last night  90 patients & all very
sick - three delerious pneumonia
& one other boy who went suddenly
mad & got out of bed out into the
garden. Well we visited first at the
house of a Copltie Coptic lady.
She is the wife of an Egyptian Dr. &
a charming woman  Their home is
one of good taste. The daughter
was a pretty little girl of 17
who spends all the summer in
Paris.  Visiting them was a Mrs &
Miss Herbert. From there we went
to the [home] a native village & entered
the dwelling of a fellah. They were
supposed to be Christians & Miss
Langford prayed & sang with them
in Arabic. I did not like the look of
them at all though. There were
millions of children on this house
& several fowls walking about
upstairs - we saw them cooking
on a fire on the floor. The dirt 
& smells were horrible.
Australian mail in two letters
from Mother, Wad & Hod. The usual
misguided missive from Hod. One
from F.B.M. & one from Miss Ayres.
Got a quieter house tonight altho two delerious
Pneumonias are quarrelling with each other. 
 

57
1915 28 Days 26 FRIDAY [57-308] February
Ember Day 

Young Sadlier came to see 
me this afternoon. He is in 
the South Australian light horse.
They expect to move on soon.
He invited me to go to Cairo tomorrow
& that decided me that I 
wanted one more nibble at F. S. 
Went in to Cairo & got my new 
coat. It is very smart: bought 
a hat for 14/- Such a nice 
one - plain black & white but 
a pretty shape. See if 
I can cheer things up a 
bit. On my return found
that a very tall officer had
been looking for me. Don't
know who it can be
unless its Gutteridge & he
would have surely asked 
for one of the others.
The ward is still very 
heavy. 97 cases last night
But they are such dear boys.
Every one of them & they are
always so nice to us.
We had a case of suspected
Small pox brought in. He died
shortly after admission.
One of our own men too. 
We are feeling very sad about 
it.
 

58 
February  27 SATURDAY [58-307] 2nd Month 1915
Ember Day 

I was to meet F.S. at 2.30 P.M So dashed
up to bed & got to sleep early.  Alas! at
9.30 banging at the door to say that
all leave was stopped- So I got not
any more sleep this [ night ] day.
However at 2 P.M.  the order was withdrawn. 

Went into Town to a
shabby little place for afternoon tea.
I think though that it was only akwardness 
& not meaness. Then drove out to the
Zoo. It is a beautiful drive across
the Nile at [[Kasie il hie]] & along a road
with big trees. The Zoo itself is very
ordinary. We saw there two of the boats that
the Turks were keeping to try & cross
the Canal. they were riddled with
shot & were brought up with the
1000 Captured Turks last week.
There was also an Australian
Kangaroo. Which had been
presented by one of the regiments.
And we saw a bull that was also
a regimental pet & had been on
two or three long marches. We came
back & had an early dinner at the Continental. 

Met Ernie Gutteridge. He was the
tall officer inquiring for me yesterday  His
regiment is moving on Wednesday & he
wants to see me on Tuesday. We got home
about 7 30 & went for a little walk in the
moonlight before going in to duty. I like
F.S. much more - but cant quite make up my
mind about him.
 

59
1915 28 Days 28 Sunday—2 in Lent [59-306] February

Last night was fearful. Sister Wilson
ill & had to go off duty at 8.30.
Kendall was then put on. She had
been making beds all day & had
not any rest. We had a fearful
rush to get all the work done.
Leave has been stopped all
today. So I stayed in. Got a
note in the afternoon from F.S.
inviting us up to Afternoon
tea at the camp. I am feeling
terribly tired -my back was
awful. Poor little Con. went
& got a mustard leaf & put it
on. That eased it a bit but
I feel very off color. Fortunately 
the ward is very light tonight
altho we had 300 new patients
admitted. Every one except
the bad Pneumonias are is pretty
comfortable. Poor old boys. It
is so nice sleeping in a
proper bed after being at the
Camp. I almost went to sleep
last night I was so done 
out; our food is very poor.
altho we are paying 3/3 per day.
I could not get enough to satisfy
my hunger tonight at tea.
now the stress of work is so much
that the dining room orderlies have
to go onto the ward to nurse, & 
 

60
March 1 MONDAY [60-305] 3rd Month 1915
St. David. Moon 6h 33m P.M. (Greenwich) 

Had a much quieter
night altho very busy this
morning. Kendall is
an old slow coach 
Met F.S. at 5.30. Had
afternoon tea on the
Piazza of Heliopolis 
House & then missed dinner
for the pleasure of being
with him.
Claude was telling me of a
nice clean boy of ours who
was put in the tent
with a venereal case & has
caught a gonoreal conjunctivitis ,
His eyes are running with pus
& he is almost sure to lose
the sight of them both.
The sad part of it was
that the nurse (Miss Samsing)
objected to nurse him for
fear her own eyes became
infected. Im really 
longing to nurse that
man & perhaps save
his eyesight. This
wretched woman made
a fuss and wd not go in
the boys tent. I could
slay her.
 

61
1915 31 Days 2 TUESDAY [61-304] March 

Sent a wire to Eric to say
could not meet him tonight.
I was a bit disappointed that
I could not get in. His
Regiment goes tomorrow.
Most likely to the Dardanelles
Met Capt. Sabine & he invited
me to join a motor party
tomorrow. I really feel
that I should not get up
early.  Forgot too when
I accepted that I had
promised to see F.S. tomorrow.
Wrote & put him off. Im
sorry now. because they 
may be going away to
fight any day & Goodness
knows who will come
back again.  The nearer it
comes the less I can bear
to think of our boys being
wounded. They are such
dear things. Of Course we
see the best of them because
they are always so pleased 
to see us. Already they are
tired of the French Girls
My two orderlies in this wd
are very decent & appear to
like me now. It is funny the
protecting tone of voice they use.
A lot of the [[meaner?]] Girls are back.
 

62
March 3 WEDNESDAY [62-303] 3rd Month 1915 

Went with Capt. S Sabine & Alcorn
& Sister Mowbray to "officially inspect
the milk supply." As a matter of
fact it was a picnic we were
out on. Traveled in one of the
motor transport Ambulance. They
can cut along as fast almost
as the ordinary motor car.
First we went through a native
village & down a long road
passing between broad fields of
wheat & stuff that looks like
clover. All kinds of quaint little
figures we passed on the road side
Little asses. Some of them milk white &
camels loaded with clover untill they
looked like a hughe tree on four legs.
We got to the farm & "inspected" the eight
beautiful buffaloes from which we get
milk such dirty bluey grey moth eaten
arrangements they were - each tethered
in a clover patch with a small urchin
to mind them these cattle average about
16 pounds of milk per day. Why pounds.
Then we went to see the well where many
sat. and the Cypress tree on which Jesus
sat & taught- Then back to the Egyptians
& a sumptuous afternoon tea served in 
the garden outside of the bared windows
of the "womens part". Then we drove to a
Coptic Church. Absolutely the most impressive
thing I have yet seen. We passed the sultan on
our way The motor stopped & the men got out & stood at 
the salute while he passed 

63
1915 31 Days 4 THURSDAY [63-302] March 

Was terribly tired this a.m. We had 15
very bad pneumonias & many other
sick ones beside. We were going as 
hard as we could pelt all night & then
could not get the work done. The
pneumonias get so wildly delerious
here when they are dotty.
Mixed up arrangement & so
missed seeing F.S tonight at
5.30. He came in after 9 though
& made arrangements for Sat
afternoon. Eric & Claude
came down the stairs just 
as we were talking. After
much shuffling I was able
to see Eric for a few moments 
in the garden & say a fond
farewell. Their regiment is
marching any day now.
Eric is looking very big & well
but is just the same weak
old chap. He hasn't got the
backbone of a fish.
Received a letter from
Harry dated the 15th.
 

64
March 5 FRIDAY [64-301]  3rd Month 1915
 

65
1915 31 Days 6 SATURDAY [65-300] March

Got up at 2.30 p.m. Went into
Cairo with F.S.  Went to Several
old mosques & visited the citidal mosque
again. Saw a number of Indian 
wounded. Mostly in the left
arm, or hand. Saw in one 
mosque (The Sultan's) The tombs of his
Sister & other loved relatives
& some magnificent Silver
Candle sticks about 6 ft high.
drove through [[La Mosky ?]] 
Had tea & shepherds. Afterwards
walked etc about Heliopolis 
Cant make out if I like F. S.
or might. Something about him
that I dont altogether
trust. Its a queer laugh that
he gives sometimes I think.
Met the other Alise King going
in the tram today. She is 
living at the pallace now
also.  Got a message from
Whit tonight. Our mess arrangements 
very bad - We got no breakfast
this a.m. at all. We could have
had some by waiting up untill all
hours. We have to pay 3/3 per day
too thats the part that breaks me
up. We have one very sick
pneumonia I'm scared we
shall lose him.
 

66
March 7 Sunday—3 in Lent [66-299] 3rd Month 1915

Lost a Pneumonia - Such a fine lad of 22.
He told me in the morning that when he left
Sydney he did not know that his people
were coming over here - but that they came
by a quick mail boat & were here to
meet him when he arrived. He told me this
so seriously & evidently believed it himself
that I did not realize untill today that
it must have been only delerium. He
died very happy believing that his Mother
was beside him all the time.
F.S. & another officer chum of his took
Ken & I into Shepherds for afternoon
tea & then again for dinner. In
between times we went to see the tombs
of the [[Califor?]] Saw some wonderful
old Mosques & tombs & on our
way back Climbed up a big hill
which was thick with broken pottery
& all kinds of buried rubbish. 
Such a nice boy the other officer
was. All these boys have been
buying Kiminos [[ re...ion?]] 
prices from the Bazaars for their
girls at home. Im to have 
a night in bed tomorrow.
Major Barret has left to go
& meet the 3rd Contingent at
[[Suez?]] & lecture them well on
venereal deseases.  I hope
to goodness he does some
good. The first contingent fell
in terribly. 
 

67
1915   31 Days    8 MONDAY    [67-298]    March
0h 28m P.M. (Greenwich) 

Have had rather a disappointing
day.  I was to have gone into
[[Labinsky?]] with Miss Clinch
to purchase some silk 
for dress.  But after
driving over she could
not come. Found that
Eric had been looking
for me & gone away
without seeing me
Then F.S with whom I
was to have gone out
for the evening had a
lecture on or something
else & couldn't come
But I went to bed early
& had a good rest.