Diary of Alice Ross-King, 1915 - Part 4

92
April 2 GOOD FRIDAY [92-273] 4th Month 1915

Good Friday but no difference 
has been made here. No 
hot cross buns or anything like 
that. Frank [[Watts?]] down 
& I met him about 
5. Went into Cario, had 
tea Drove round Gazera 
Gardens then home & a short 
walk in the Twilight. Im sick 
tired of night duty, always having 
to rush home at 8 OC. 
There are terrible doings in Cario 
20 000 troops are on leave. It 
being Easter They have got into 
the lowest part of the town & 
are rioting We do not know 
all the truth of the story 
yet but 3 men shot down 
have been brought into 
Hospital & they say the 
Citadel is full. The 
Authorities have had to 
call out two regiments of 
British to fire on our boys 
about 20 have been 
injured I believe. 
Miss Clinch came 
over today 
Cholera has broken out in the 
native quarters at Mena 
& Anthrax amongst the 
horses. 

93
1915 30 Days 3 SATURDAY [93-272] April
Easter Even 

Have slept well today. Now 
tonight I hear that the Troops are 
moving on. It must be true 
I think because the Officers 
who had planned to go to 
Luxor today were called back 
from the Station. And they 
say the 13th to which F.S. 
belongs is to go tomorrow. I'll 
miss him terribly but my heart 
is not touched at all. 
We are having a very sad Easter. 
The truth about the riot we do 
not know yet: it seems that 
some men who had contracted 
desease at one of these houses 
went back for revenge. About 
150 others joined them. They 
threw all the furniture out of 
the windows into the streets 
& made big bonfires of it. 
They did not burn any houses 
infact they put out the fire when 
it started in one house, but they 
wrecked several shops & gave 
the quarter a bad time. A company 
of Lancaster Rifle’s were called out & 
they fired on the mob. About 3 
people were Killed & a few dozen 
injured- The Police were driven back 
heavy misiles such as tables & big log 
of wood being thrown. One officer who 
went down to try & quell the disturbance 
got very badly injured

94 
April 4 Easter Day [94-271] 4th Month 1915 

I have waited all day 
long for word from the 
Camp but all leave is 
stopped & not a soul
came near. I hear 
though that emergency 
rations have been issued 
to the 13th which means 
they will be moving off 
shortly for soon. Some say 
they have already gone. 
The men are getting terribly 
out of hand. Last night 
there was a row at Heliopolis 
& amongst other things the 
boys broke into the big 
Hotel accross the way 
& stole all the Ice Cream 
& pastry they had prepared 
for Sundays dinner. 
After all one can't much 
blame them, they know 
that they are going away 
& I suppose at least 
30% will never return. 
Isanbert has been very nasty 
to me. The boys 
were a bit noisy tonight 
it was only 8.20 p.m. 
& she told me I had a 
disorderly ward & that 
I must learn to control my 
patients. 

95 
1915 30 Days 5 Easter MONDAY [95-270] April
Bank Holiday
Quarter Sessions Week 

This has been a fearfully 
trying day with a violent 
sand storm blowing all 
the time & a dull sinister 
look in the sky. One 
can imagine any horrible 
thing happening. There are 
15 00 Turks on the Canal again 
we hear & all our boys are being 
transported back to Syria. 
I have not heard from F.S. but hear 
that all camp leave is stopped. I 
am feeling very tired & sad. Perhaps 
partly because we could not 
sleep today for the heat noise 
dust flies & a few other discomforts. 
Went over to the Hotel to 
see Tessa tonight. She is as usual 
having a gay time. She is a terribly 
selfish girl. But then of course so am I. Today 
is Easter Monday & the most sacred day of 
the year in Egypt. Being the only day on 
which all the shops close. The air is supposed 
to be clearer then than on any other 
day in the year but one wd need 
a lot of faith to believe it on a day 
like this. Such a lot of the boys 
went out today to join their Regiment 
& we have 12 new ones in, most of 
them very sick. The atmosphere 
of the wd is almost unbearable. So close & stuffy 
The 13th Band played for us to night. It 
was beautiful. They go into action tomorrow

96 
April 6 Easter TUESDAY [96-269] 4th Month1915
8h 12m P.M. (Greenwich).
Dividends due at Bank 

Today I went to bed very sad 
thinking Frank had gone. I wakened 
about 12 & did not sleep 
after got 4 Aust letters two from 
Wad & two from Hod. About 
3 got a message from F.S. 
Went into Cario with him. Afternoon 
tea at Gropp motor drive to 
Gazerra Tea at the Continental 
motored home to Heliopolis 
Their ward has 14 empty 
beds in it. We are to go 
to the Camp tomorrow for 
afternoon tea. The Boys still 
have their leave stopped
Heard that Reg Clarke is coming 
through to do some work in 
England. A fresh crowd 
of reinforcements arrived today 
they have gone up to Heliopolis 
Camp. Met Whit in Cario. 
All but his company have 
moved on.

97 
1915 30 Days 7 WEDNESDAY [97-268] April
Oxford Easter Term begins

Today felt very off Color in 
a.m. pains in my Pinney 
& a boil on my face. However 
after 5 hrs sleep I wakened 
feeling well. Went to 
the Camp. Wore my Cream 
coat & skirt. Met a good 
many officers of the 13th 
There is a further delay of 
24 hrs So I am feeling 
very happy tonight. All 
the men had been Clipped 
Officers & all they looked 
so funny- Frank has 
shaved off his moustache 
& looks much better 
with out it. Received 
with delight an Aust 
Arqus tonight. rest of 
mail not yet to hand. 
We have got some 
very nice boys in the 
ward now. Nobody 
very sick. The man I 
want to remember. Paravie 
son of Melb. or Perth Solicitor. Diabetic 
to be returned. Wd. J. Sup. Med. Another 
one Stewart. South Aust. Engaged to girl whose 
father & two brothers are out here. Very keen 
on snaps. 
(Paravie later taken on to Office work 
treated by Capt. Brown at my request.
 

98 
April 8 THURSDAY [98-267] 4th Month 1915 

Slept well today. Went into 
Cario with F.S. tonight. 
Dinner at Shepherds 2 AM 
home. Im liking Frank 
very much better now. 
He is a dear thing really 
& so jolly. Im going to miss 
him horribly when he goes. 
Received a letter from 
Reg Clarke from Seuz 
He is off to join the R.I.M.O R.M.A.C 
at the front. Colvile & Clive 
Stevens also going. He is on the 
Medina. 
Our ward is being 
emptied. It is to be 
turned into a recreation 
room for Convalascent 
patients. 

99 
1915 30 Days 9 FRIDAY [99-266] April
Fire Insurances expire 

Slept until 3.15 P.M. Accidently 
met F.S. & went into Cairo. 
Had my hair shampooed at 
Weinpich. They charge 3/- & not 
done nearly so well as in 
Australia. Met Frank after 
wds & had tea at Saults 
A Garry drive around 
Gezerra Gardens & a motor 
home & a little stroll 
around Heliopolis before dashing 
on duty. Found my old ward emptied 
& Im on duty in med Sect. F. 
42 sick ones. Im so glad 
I was afraid I'd be put on in 
the Conval. wds. This is for all acute 
cases. At present have a few bad 
Pneumonias & Rheumatic fever 
cases. Staff-nurse Kerr on with 
me - a dark spectaciled lassie of about 
30 yrs. She is jolly little stick 
full of fun & will be nice to the 
patients I think. Capt Brown 
a married man from Kyenton is 
here in charge of most of the Cases 
He is very nice too I believe. Has 
his wife staying out here at 
Shepherds. Mr Crow called 
round to say Goodbye tonight 
he is going tomorrow - Dear 
old boys what ever shall we 
do when they are away fighting 
 

100
April 10 SATURDAY [100-265] 4th Month 1915 

Went into Cario this afternoon. 
Met the two Capt. Kendalls. I was 
with Sis. Had tea a Continental 
with the above & a Capt Henry 
from N.S.W. & Capt Patterson. 
The latter is an interesting 
bombastic little chap who has 
just returned from Cypress 
where he has been buying 
mules for transport work. 
All 5 belong to the A.V.C. 
Coming home met Capt Fletcher 
He says that Capt Storey has been ill 
with Bronchial Pneumonia. No 2 Gen 
are taking Gazeera Pallace as a 
Hospital. F.S. came around to 
see me tonight. Im feeling very 
sad about it all Still I suppose 
it can’t be helped. Got a full 
ward & some very sick ones 
in tonight. Our first typhoid. 
Im getting very tired of Kerr.

101
1915 30 Days 11 Low Sunday—1 aft Easter [101-264] April

What a sad sad week it has 
been & today is the worst 
day of the week. 
I slept very little. Went 
up to the Camp at 4 to say 
Goodbye. They were striking 
Camp & all very busy. Frank 
looked as though he had been 
working a bit - Dear old 
ruffian that he is. We had afternoon 
tea & introduced to the Colonel 
& rest of the staff there. Then went 
looking for printing paper to develo 
print the snaps of our last visit 
up to the Camp - Could not get 
any up there so I dashed 
back to the Hosp to print them. Frank 
intending to get leave & see me for 
Goodbye. Alas! Orders were changed. He 
could not get away nor Could I so 
all I could do was to watch his regiment 
march away from the distance 
now he was gone & Im feeling it very 
much, but not so much as I Thought I 
would do. Mr Warmington came 
to see me this afternoon. I was just going 
out. He is engaged to Miss Adamson. He 
is going to see me one afternoon this week. 
A funny letter from one named Thompson 
in the Light Horse asking me to shed the light 
of my presence on him one night next week as 
he has got 7 days C.B. for breaking Camp this week. 
I cant remember the boy at all. 
 

102
April 12 MONDAY [102-263] 4th Month 1915

Slept well until 3.30 when
awakened with word that Mr Warmington 
was waiting to see me. Dressed
hurriedly & went down. He had
just got word that they were moving
on & in 2hrs time they wd have
to be away on the march. Went
over & had afternoon tea at the
Hotel opposite. I don't know
quite what to make of him as
a man. He impressed me today
as being rather effeminate - perhaps
I’m comparing all men now with
dear old F.S Naturally it takes
Their gilt off. Went into Cario 
afterwards & bought some crockery 
to eat off. Saw the Territorials 
marching off to the Canal. They 
looked very spruce & very young 
& eager. They were so delighted 
at being moved. Miss B came 
round tonight in here her usual 
bad mood. She states that I was 
late for dinner 4 nights ago. 
I am certain I was not but still its 
no use arguing the point. We have 
to parade for mess each night 
now. We have not got very much 
to worry about tonight - five pneumonias, 
one alcoholic & the rest 
throat cases & rheumatism. 
Capt. Wells transferred to Light Horse 
Recd letters from. J. Thwaites & Wad. 

103
1915 30 Days 13 TUESDAY [103-262] April
Easter Law Sittings begin 

Stayed in bed all day. The 
patients very hard to keep in 
hand tonight The heat is 
overpowering & one feels absolutely 
limp & useless. 8 new 
patients in. 4 of them very 
sick indeed. Captain Brown 
is a funny thing. Not a bad 
medico. He is fat & soft & not 
bad looking. Was a Chemist 
& then married & went home 
to Gerys & did Medicine. 
His wife is at Shepherds now. 
This man tells Yarns of the 
"good times" he used to have 
with the nurses. Is still 
inclined to flirt a bit. Altho 
41 years old. Received a 
letter from Hod & some 
Arqus from Wad. Invitation 
came from Moodi to dinner 
followed by dance given by 
2nd Light Horse before going 
into action. I would love 
to go but dont suppose 
I have any chance. Am 
rather irritated with Staff 
Nurse Kerr in the ward. 
Patient Griffen Rheumatism 
pneumonia, a South Aust. Transf 
for Empyema. 
 

104
April 14 WEDNESDAY [104-261] 4th Month 1915
11h 36m A.M. (Greenwich) 

Meant to go & have afternoon 
tea with Mr. St Clair but as 
usual Kerr backed out at 
the last moment & I could not 
go by myself. Matron 
has given me permission for 
the dinner at Miadi on Sat. 
Miss Clinch called to night 
She is greatly taken up by 
the visits of a New Zealand 
Captain. I am longing 
for word from F.S. We hear 
that the troops have gone 
into action & that the 3rd 
Brigade is Cut up but we 
don’t Know how true it is. 
Capt. Sabine paid us a visit 
tonight & brought me some 
Pickled onions & a tin of 
sardines for supper. I loathe 
pic onions. Capt Muirhead 
has a few Cases in this ward. 
He is fat & soft like Capt C. only 
more so. Not much goo. as a 
Doctor but very Kind to the 
patients. Had a Cup of tea with 
us tonight. Had a visit 
from the O.C & Major 
Barret tonight - every 
thing went off well. Two 
new cases in tonight One turned 
out to be measles. 

105
1915 30 Days 15 THURSDAY [105-260] April

Arose 2 P.M. & went out to the 
Barrage with a party of 7 nurses. 
in one of the big Ambulances. 
It was not a very nice day 
dusty & blowy but still we 
enjoyed it very much. 
I did not succeed in getting 
any snaps. 
Capt B & Capt M. supped with 
us - a pleasant little party 
with us frivol etc & yet no 
drag. Capt Sabine down 
earlier in evening & brought 
a big tin of peaches which 
added to the supper party 
considerably. Capt M is 
a 
 

106
April 16 FRIDAY [106-259] 4th Month 1915 

Slept soundly untill 
4 p.m. Then went into Cario 
bought pair of pink satin 
evening shoes to go to the 
party tomorrow night in 
Got them for 45 Pts & long 
white gloves for 30 Pts. 
Afterwards walked round 
by the Contenental & accidently 
met Capt Embleton. I 
was delighted to met the 
nice little chap. Had afternoon 
tea with him at the 
Contenental, then to the tram 
Home. In the tram got into 
Conversation with two very 
nice English ladies. A 
Mrs Tadpole. We are to 
call & see her on Monday 
afternoon. 
We have only 33 treas patients 
in. Only 10 of them very sick 
The No 2 Gen Hosp. nurses 
have been recalled which 
will leave our staff short. 
Col Syme is leaving us to do 
transport work near the 
Dardanelles. 10 Sisters from 
No 2 going with him. Major 
Jackson has been transferred 
to No 2. Hosp.

107
1915 30 Days 17 SATURDAY [107-258] April 

Went to bed having pressed 
Evening Frock & got every thing 
ready for the dance at the Light 
Horse Camp. At 3P.M. news 
came round that Leave was 
stopped & that we all had 
to report ready for duty - A 
train load of wounded coming 
in. I was not at all 
sorry to miss the dinner 
but the thought of wounded 
was very depressing. 
A Train load of 200 med Cases 
arrived about 7 P.M. We got 
11 bad stretcher cases in my 
ward. They did not get 
into ward untill 9 P.M. 
& were in a very neglected 
condition. None of them had 
had any thing since mid day 
[[Faney]] bad Pneumonias with 
not a sip of water for 9 hrs. 
We had a very busy night. 
I practically had to special 
one man. One patient 
of ours a Sargent Hartly was 
invaluable. He had been 
18 years in the A.M.C & he 
sponged & helped me wonder 
fully. One bad case is a 
Pneumonia turned to Pus. The 
7 girls who went to Australia 
returned today.
 

108
April 18 Sunday—2 aft Easter [108-257] 4th Month 1915
Cambridge Easter Term begins 

Very tired to day & could 
have slept later only had 
promised to meet Cpl X on 
the flat roof at 4 PM 
So went up there & printed 
some photographs & flirted 
lightly. He is a clever 
man & has well learnt 
the gentle art. But my 
real thoughts are alle 
with dear old F.S. Sill . 
No word from him yet. 
They say they are to go into 
acton today. These 
cases who have returned 
are mostly men of the 
18th Brigade. They have 
been at Lamosemnos & so far 
have not seen any fighting 
they are having rainy 
cold weather & it is 
very trying. Capt Sabine 
come around each 
night to see me. The 
skating rink has been 
fixed up with 200 beds & 
Capt. Muirhead has 
left us & gone over there as 
O.C.

109
1915 30 Days 19 MONDAY [109-256] April 

Visited a lady whom we had 
accidently met in the tram one day. 
A Mrs Tadman. Has a little 
flat near here. with a beautiful 
tiled floor & nice Eastern rugs. 
She is an English girl only 
been married two months. 
Such a clear little thing, 
nice husband too. Met 
Mr. St Clair on the way 
out - Invited us up to tea 
on Monday.
We have a very sick Pneumonia 
we are fighting hard 
for. He is on oxygen 1/2 hrly & 
Strych & Bdy. Adren Qu xx ĉ 
Coffee P.R. Also a Creosote in 
Malb mixt that seems to have 
a wonderful effect. Capt Brown 
is a good physician there is 
no doubt.
 

110
April 20 TUESDAY [110-255] 4th Month 1915

To my delight was told I could 
have a night in bed tonight 
It just saved the situation 
I was desperately tired. 
Received two nice letters- 
One from Wad & one from
Hod. & one from Harry. 
After dinner Cuthbert & I went 
for a donkey ride. It was 
so enjoyable. Only coming back 
our donkeys were on the wrong 
side of the road & we dashed 
into a groupe of New Zealand 
horse men - instead of getting 
off the road on to the sand 
at the side they tried to 
cross right in front of us 
Their horses got frightened at 
our donks & Kicked & plunged 
& one beautiful Mare went 
down & broke her back. It 
was terrible. When 
we got back to the Hotel met 
Capt Hore & two or three others, 
& had Coffee on the Piazza 

111
1915 30 Days 21 WEDNESDAY [111-254] April

Rested untill 3 P.M. Then 
went out with Ken Wilson 
to visit the Conval. Camp. 
Capt Alcorn had invited 
us. We missed the Camp 
but struck several other 
good & interesting episodes 
A beautiful letter from my 
Mother. Dear old pet. And 
a very very sad one from 
Len. Poor old boy! Its very 
hard. Also got a letter 
from Edith Mills on the 
eve of her marriage. 
C.B very flirty tonight. Have 
promised to meet him on 
the roof tomorrow afternoon 
Capt Sal. & Capt Alcorn visited us 
for supper about 1.30 a.m. 
Capt Alcorn has managed to 
get attached to the Light 
Horse & is getting away to 
the Dardanelles.
 

112
April 22 THURSDAY [112-253] 4th Month 1915
3h 39m P.M. (Greenwich) 

Mrs Tadman was to come 
down & see over the Hospital 
today but did not turn up. 
I was glad though that I 
had got up early. Mr. St Clair 
called & I was able to see 
him. Saw Colonel Hughes 
He is over here with the Light Horse 
He is a brother of Kent Hughes 
& the Parson. Met X on the 
roof afterwards. Had a not 
bad chat. We are going 
to be playmates. I shall 
go very steadily though. 
Am not quite sure if I like 
the man. But he will fill 
a gap in the absence of F.S. 
No word from F.S. yet. 
Capt Muirhead over tonight 
from the Conval Measle Camp.

113
1915 30 Days 23 FRIDAY [113-252] April
St. George 

Im off night duty. at last. 
Was Kept on Emergency 
duty today. No holiday 
between night & Day. 
Nothing of interest 
has happened today.