Diary of Alice Ross-King, 1916 - 8

Conflict:
First World War, 1914–18
Part of Quest:
Diary of Alice Ross-King, 1915
Subject:
  • Alice Ross-King
  • War Diaries
Status:
Finalised
Accession number:
RCDIG0000974
Difficulty:

Page 1 / 10

65 183 July I SATURDAY (183-183) Dominion Day, Canada official news that anced 15 Kilo all the alten t the Bail hoping that 9b l p to in the 8 a feeling + tire no 7th Month 1916 we have etr Do pent station. oe tas Baet Pnor met me 2 l 184 July 2 Sunday—2 aft Trin (184-182) 1826 A P Ramadan (Turkish Lent) begins rungly had Counc well the losunded all day loig 20.0 have poied in. to Kane womse coming The traing have bee alone. the womled Comandeer debeng brough any venatly that the can pahold of bey wand in frightfully bng are a creame heavy ty w00 had
105 185 3 MONDAY (1SS-iSI) July 7th Month 1916 Case are still the adoe in ming one Man wite natia 4 the Bd got in the bendy l t 02 ned le mle threw to her fact i t ti the h aith in gro 30 07a 4 e pCk who her dies C Fit nng He edst Whe ade 3 a ive ha e and 186 July 4 TUESDAY (18S-180) 1916 a Days Declaration of American Independence a terrible aas Convoy after com Very badly wounds IC ulli to Le,000 wom pasoes through ou a thepat taken t O. we hav Awful case kagor, sont help & a ben ket of beiry Im fughtfully te toamed to look ant for ar raid tomight
187 July 5 WEDNESDAT (187-179) 7th Month 1916 Dividends due at Bank Shgs a to do opicial hen thant the figerti been interfer sam Themen So that th t ha thene Burnl An Scoty C pelvn re anyintate leg i 3 Frephin cht a as word grom + 188 July S THURSDAY (188-17S) 1816 A 1 Big Corvay out in. All 4 Ke has On D.J. lish Head case done minidiat Cerebiae alicens Gongrene Another boy with the wick. an Lemanr near trearly all the boyare a they all tak bit may One beautiful housenn boy who fair haned tenda his leg wilde Bulldo was coying breed, sirler, Bebys of the Culdor view. we ausd on ler them beat ao wister Its very pathelic We were to be redused to 600 bevo today. The Wcial towight 1000 bers. wa ordered.
189 July 7 FRIDAY (189-177) 7th Month 1916 stile despanarely bu expected to b Eght, Ow 7 of heavy so move over from. Ant 1 Sider OConnor. came ot in Major P. the aflernoon. wil Ceaskel- of Stranberrie o &a small by cews aboue- Han the Soodu that man quuile over whele me. Prter to. Sent- to he heard because she ha recivve on ba report from Setes Lang bard. host an Dle as ant incident have now 2 drag stat 6 ward was despen The 4 & &C. All the ate cose were sick & wanted ahenter. On Thist ase Burk practics bitled by t way she turned him. a most wor in May. 190 July S SATURDAY (190-176) 1916 41 Days MnPin a.N. (Greenwich. Oxfard Trinity Term ends, Fire Insurances expire sne in the war tne d a Imn s wike 30 patients. 14 ther on the D.JC & ale of them vey be sy-to the Col seck and be wanled we case mowed & the w furnigated - so after fundr i dar tto knight the wd work oben a emsty cleantd.the tree boys P. Sent i whom are splendig. The i in & de - Kind of work ha is going
191 July 9 Sunday—3 aft Trin (191-175) 7th Month 1916 an emply heard +a monning in bed. went wik St Onen & listenes to the organ buo conte not get into Sympalty. came out & hiet & of the t Dio Ardeey officers dew train had come in at 8 AM. & was, nt leaving untile 4. P.M. To tiik that Hany had notthat luck. all day long my tought have been with him but I lime had no letter. cannot think that he wa so negeic writing he reale cared for me well. I have other of is & love & I don't think Il Set 8 fret aver any one man. Still it is a blow hade beds mor- cifter noor the wayol D.Sad came cry tey had to & then lalked hs cut if dressings on tere Carm went to time cotel dle port. CTat Prior & sand 192 July 10 MONDAY (192-174) baid Still emply tweent to Slorst in A.M. bough some large Mss Conge por-plaws. The an pecter hed. hee amoow. Thi am. or all Sat- down the floor & taken to he
153 193 July II TUESDAY (193-173) 7th Month 1916 letter from un Nt has taken 10 days to come, but it One ll lovee sate the confidence is renew Convor C e aad cose al have been Ging out 7 + 3 day since wounded. They were where the shelcher bearers could get them, in Gernen int tringhe diednt The germans wd it help. One man slaetches out him hand water buller of the wrists was mnedealely But to piece i explosive bullet. 194 July 12 WEDNESDAY (194-172) 1916 31 Days Cleaning up woundI all the moning The wounds are pastly & the patient are hal mad. says the one mancayed the enman mactme guns over the The wounded. one1 man her with ou food to day or water. He was at scued when last the Scotish regunents the Cerman took front trenche. man is shot One through the bladder half the perimenn elc shot away. He was recoed be the padie who wdit ont-& hanlod & pushed o pulled tim in The men are simpl alive with pediculi & wee have great difficulty in Keeping onselve. Clean went aut to times at out Lir Ettiene to night
1057 195 July 13 THURSDAY (195-I7I) 7th Month 191 Heawr Convoy came in about 8 A. i. received some terble cose. One lad shor through botn leg. was te lying for 3 days. They when his l go were being bandaged shell exploded near him, killed the dresse -wounded him in the chest. He only 18 such a Dweeel - Rid talso have a sarat Spine quite hopeler t a laryne. Thorawe & some jastly face wound. 04 Balcome was from I untile s doing a diersing unde ana in the ward am hivie a most trying time The patient are not only Tey sick they sin ardital & aewor They were most depressn the afternoon oo got in ram of Phone which the amih Eigorye 190 July 14 FRIDAY (196-170) 1816 31 Dage an. A very ten & a lor- of 4 op. to eong evancatidus leave the wd much lighley Inty doven for bath & afternoon tea The nsdralin Ino th have been moved to alvert so it some we should of our own lases guorll t letters from mothe from Hod from Mandell I shiailes & due grom &
105 July 15 SATURDAY (197-169) 04h Aom a.N. (Greenwich) Mish Big expecten t co t 7th Month 1916 lad 198 July 16 Sunday—4 aft Trin (198-168) 1916 31 Days came in the ward full I Anfully bad C working all day long hard a & ca a May tape ford came cut up dessig ond Witl inilecent for me
199 July 17 MONDAY (199-167) 7th Month 1916 more say heas wort Ppencee thead & a lot of practy evacuaton thers ken 4 to ti D Mla are Any have elt Only & the ward erag in all day in that waost anxor at Wheele a One of the patients stand we I was down a C i He iy a hawt hoten Rome basl sule the sheck to the havs of his reg. he screamed oteed on his eek rat & with his hard knakake fave me a terific prnch. 200 July 18 TUESDAY [200-166) 1916 s1 Days A little lighles ty ausralian adm. dust, an at albert t lt of td an sa a on the other side of mamet One man Wd tean lying & day top of a heap of erman iqute dad. Andther when of glank loa 46 Thate the them. Then are treatu our mana sothing they te o eratered d e Me to t banb end major kin t a thring
201 July 19 WEDNESDAY (201-165) 7th Month 1916 Farey Killes in action Leurbar 1n 6 31 Days 20. THURSDAY (202-164) 202 July

183 
July 1 Saturday [183-183] 7th Month 1916 
Dominion Day, Canada 
  
Official news that we have 
advanced 15 Kilometres. 
  
All the afternoon Is spent
on the Railway station 
hoping against hope
that I might see Harry
come through. But
no luck.  Major Prior 
& Capt Ford with me & 
were most good to me
also the R.T.O. who 
was exceedingly kind. 
Im feeling fearfully 
tired out.

184 
1916 31 days 2 Sunday - 2 aft Trin [184-182] July 
Ramadan (Turkish Lent) begins 
  
Well the big rush has come. 
  
All day long wounded 
have poured in. 20,000 
wounded coming to Rouen 
alone.  The trains have been 
comandeered & the wounded 
are being brought out on  
any vehicle that they 
can get hold of. 

My ward is frightfully 
heavy, we are increased  
by 1000 beds.

 

185 
July 3 Monday [185-181] 7th Month 1916 
  
Still the cases are 
pouring in. 500 alone 
today. Have one 
man who was is quite 
mad. He got into the 
4th line of German trench  
& went to take some 
prisoners. They cried 
mercy + while he 
hesitated one threw a 
bomb right into his face. 
The fire enveloped him 
& he says he lay there 
grovelling in the earth 
for two days he was 
not picked up & 
today when we took 
down his dressings  
his eyesight was  not 
gone. He wept c̅ joy,  
he is badly burned  
face, arms + legs. 
We have some  
awful cases.
 

186 
1916 31 days 4 Tuesday [186-180] July 
Declaration of American Independence 
  
A terrible day -  
Convoy after Convoy 
Very badly wounded cases 

 24,000 wounded have 
passed through Rouen 
in the past 4 days. 
We have taken 1400. 
Awful cases, 
Major P sent help. 
a basket of strawberries. 
I'm frightfully tired. 
  
Warned to look out for 
air raid tonight. 
 

 

187 
July 5 Wednesday [187-179] 7th Month 1916 
Dividends due at Bank 
  
Things a bit better today 
[[60?]] coming in. 
Official news says that 
the fighting has been  
interspersed by heavy 
rain. The men say 
that the Germans have 
won back 3 lines of  
trenches. 
  
Burnt case very bad. 
S [[Crith?]] - Crushed pelvis worse. 
amputated leg in [[ward?]] 
3 Trephines  
a lot of chest cases. 
no word from H. 
 

188 
1916 31 days 6 Thursday [188-178] July 
  
Big Convoy out. 
4 very bad cases in. All 
on D.I. list 
Head Case done immediately 
Cerebral abscess. 
Another boy with gangrene 
in femur hear tho weak 
  
Nearly all the boys are a 
bit mad  & They all talk  
nonsense. One beautiful 
fair haired boy who had 
his leg off yesterday 
was crying wildly "Buldog 
breed, Sister, Boys of the 
buldog breed. We must not 
let them beat us Sister" 
Its very pathetic. 
  
We were to be reduced 
to 600 beds today. Then 
tonight 1000 beds was officially 
ordered. 
 

 

189 
July 7 Friday [189-177] 7th Month 1916 
  
Still desperately busy. 
  
expected to be light, but 
a lot of heavy cases  
moved over from Hut 1. 
  
Sister O'Connor. 
Major P. Came out in 
the afternoon with 
a basket of Strawberries 
& a small bit of  
news about Harry. 
The goodness of that 
man quite over whelms 
me. 
  
Sister W. sent to my  
ward because she 
has received a bad 
report from Sister  
Langford.  a most 
unpleasant incident 
I have now 2 drags 
on my staff. 
The ward was desper- 
ate [[? + ?]]. All the  
cases were sick & 
wanted attention. One 
chest case Bunk practily 
killed by the way she 
turned him. A most 
worrying day. 
 

190 
1916 31 days 8 Saturday [190-176] July 
11h 55m A.M. (Greenwich). Oxford Trinity Term ends. Fire Insurances expire 
  
Alone in the ward 
Commenced the day  
with 30 patients. 14 of 
them on the W. I. list 
& all of them very very 
sick. 04-10 the Col 
said he wanted every 
case moved & the ward 
fumigated - so after 
a day of furious 
work tonight the ward 
is empty, & being 
cleaned. The three boys 
whom Major P. sent 
are splendid. They  
[[jump?]] in & do any 
kind of work that 
is going. 
 

 

191 
July 9 Sunday - 3 aft Trin [191-175] 7th Month 1916 
  
An empty ward & a 
morning in bed. 
Went into St Owen & listened 
to the organ but could 
not get into, [[Squipalty?]]. 
Came out & met 4 of the  
5th Div Artillery officers. 
Their train had come in at 
8am. & was not  leaving 
until 4. P.M. To think that 
Harry had not that luck!. 
All day long my thoughts 
have been with him but 
I have had no letter. 
I cannot think that he  
wd so neglect writing  
if he really cared for me 
well, I have other offers 
of love & I don't think I'll 
sit & fret over any one 
man. Still it is a blow. 
Made beds most of  
the afternoon. 
Major [[P?]] + Sandy came 
over. They had tea 
& then helped me cut 
up dressings on the 
lawn. Went to{{ dinner  
Hotel a la poste}} c̅ [[Tait]] 
Prior + Sandy

192 
1916 31 days 10 Monday [192-174] July 
  
Ward Still empty 
Went to florist in G.M 
bought some large 
pot plants. Miss [[Cough?]] 
inspected ward. She 
arrived this a.m. We 
all sat down on  
the floor & talked to her

 

193 
July 11 Tuesday [193-173] 7th Month 1916 
  
Letter from Harry 
it has taken 10 days 
to come, but it 
is one full of 
love & all my 
confidence is renewed 
  
Convoy of very 
bad cases. all 
have been lying out 
for 6 7 & 8 days 
since wounded. 
They were where the  
stretcher bearers could 
not get them, in German 
trenches & dugouts. 
The Germans wd not 
help. One man 
stretched out his 
hand for water 
[[buller]] & the wrist 
was immediately 
cut to pieces by  
explosive bullet.  

194 
1916 31 days 12 Wednesday [194-172] July 
  
Cleaning up wounds 
all the morning. 
The wounds are 
[[ghastly?]] & the patients 
are half mad. 
One man says the 
Germans played the  
machine guns over 
the wounded. This  
man was one for 
5 days with out food 
or water. He was at 
last rescued? when 
the Scotish regiment 
took The Germans 
front trenches. 
One man is shot 
through the bladder 
& half the perineum etc 
shot away. He was 
rescued by the padre 
who went out & 
hauled & pushed & 
pulled him in. 
The men are simply 
alive with pedicule 
& we have great 
difficulty in keeping 
ourselves clean 
Went out to dinner at  
[[?]] St. Ettiene tonight

 

195 
July 13 Thursday [195-171] 7th Month 1916 
  
Heavy Convoy came 
in about 8 a.m. 
I received some 
terrible cases. One 
lad shot through 
both legs, was left 
lying for 3 days. Then 
when his legs were 
being bandaged 
a shell exploded 
near him, Killed the 
dresser & wounded 
him in the Chest. He 
is only 18 & such a  
Sweet Kid. 
I also have a [[S?]] 
spine - quite hopeless 
& a larynx shot away 
& some gastly face  
wounds. 
Balcome was from 
2 until 5 doing a 
dressing under anas 
in the ward 
I am having a 
most trying time. 
The patients are not 
only very sick they 
are mental & nervous 
They were most depressed 
this afternoon. so I got in 
the gramaphone which 
was much enjoyed 
 

196 
1916 31 days 14 Friday [196-170] July 
  
A very busy a.m. 
4 ops & a lot of 
evacuation to Eng. 
leaves the wd much  
lighter. 
Out Rouen for bath 
& afternoon tea. 
The Australian 1st & 
2nd Div have been 
moved to [[Albert?]] so 
we should get some 
of our own cases shortly 
5 letters from mother 
1 from [[Hwd?]] 
1 from Maudele & 
[[Thailes? ]] & one from 
X.

 

197 
July 15 Saturday [197-169] 7th Month 1916 
4h 40m A.M. (Greenwich) 
  
Big rush of wounded 
expected. No convoy  
in yet.

198 
1916 31 days 16 Sunday - 4 aft Trin [196-168] July 
  
Came in to find the 
ward full. 
Awfully bad Cases. 
Working all day long 
as hard as I can 
So Major Prior & 
Capt Ford came 
out cut up dressing 
with Milicent for me

 

199 
July 17 Monday [199-167] 7th Month 1916 
  
More very heavy work 
spinal & head cases 
& a lot of fractures 
[[long]] evacuations 
[[Madam?]] [[Renie?]] rush to him 
[Friday?] The lice are  
awfully bad & have  
the greatest difficulty 
in keeping clean. 
Only left  the ward for 
half hr all day. in that 
time a most unfortunate  
occurrence. Sister Wheeler 
no good. 
One of the patients struck 
me today. I was doing 
a dressing. He was 
very nervous. When I 
pulled off some wool 
that was stuck to the 
hairs on his leg, he screamed 
& turned on me like a rat 
& with his hand knuckles 
gave me a terific punch.

200 
1916 31 days 18 Tuesday [200-166] July 
  
A little lighter today 
20 Australians admi. 
Aust. are at Albert 
the last lot of boys 
have been [[out?]] daily on 
the other side of [[lummetz?]] 
ward. One man has 
been lying 4 days on 
top of a heap of German 
dead. Another is quite 
blind. 
I hate the English, loathe 
them. They are treating 
our men disgustingly. 
They have ordered  
field punishment for 
3 months to one of  
Major Priors best men 
on an absolutely false 
charge

 

201 
July 19 Wednesday [201-165] 7th Month 1916 
  
Harry Killed in Action 
  
Reurbaix 
  
202 
1916 31 Days 20 Thursday [202-164] July 
 

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