Diary of Alice Ross-King, 1916 - 11

293
October 19 THURSDAY (293-73) 10th Month 1916
(1h 9m A.M. Greenwich)

Convoy in, all
bad cases 5 on 
A. I. list. Major 
Tait is doing Balcombe 
Quick's work now. 
I can't be sure if 
I like him or not
He told his cousin 
that I knew my 
work from A to Z 
& never lost my head. 
Poor old Nora is in 
the wars all round 
Gertie Andrews is 
coming more into 
my life lately.

294 
1916 31 Days 20 FRIDAY (294-72) October

Big day in the ward
fearful lot of deaths. 
6 in past 36 hrs.
One man Hank had 
hip joint resected 4 
weeks ago. We hoped 
to save him but he had 
to have leg amputated 
last night & he passed 
out today.  O.C.
very depressed about 
out look of war.
for Col McLean Camp
Matron of Sister Ken

295
October 21 Saturday [295-71] 10th Month 1916
Trafalgar Day (1805)

Letter from Mother
& from Dad.  None
from Rod.

 

296
1916 31 Days 22 Sunday-18 aft Trin [296-70] October

Day off...
Went to lunch with
Brother John at Normandy
then to Comic Opera
Verineque. It was
all in French but very
pretty. Tea at
Leopold & home.

Recd. letter from Warren's fiancė -

297
October 23 Monday [297-69] 10th Month 1916

Evacuating hard all 
day.  Preping for a
new rush. Convoy
tonight 4 patients to me
One a New Zealand. Purdy
brother Lieut Purdy who
was at Palace Egypt.
This one has a leg off
& one broken arm.

 

298
1916 31 Days 24 TUESDAY [298-68] October

Recd £10 per Cable from
London. Went into town
with Andy.  Met Millicent
& later on J.B.  J.G.
Got a type written missive
from Harry Mandell.
Have been longing
intolerably for Harry all
day...  Wrote to X.

303
October 29 Sunday-19 aft Trin [303-63] 10th Month 1916

 

304 
1916 31 Days 30 Monday [304-62] October

Very wet day
Stayed in all day.
Ward very quite.
played Bridge c [[with]]
Millicent Carey G
Kate O Connor

305
October 31 TUESDAY [305-61] 10th Month 1916

Very quiet day.
We have a Sgt McLeay 
in. Comp fract R. leg.
Indian & Egypt service
man. He was up at
Armentiere at the
place where Harry was
killed. He says it
is an absolute
death trap.

 

306
1916 30 Days 1 WEDNESDAY [306-60] November
All Saint's Day. Holiday, Stock Exchange

Went into Rouen in P.M.
with Millicent she has
been ill for past 4
days. Tis a french
holy day. Went to 
Notre Daine Cathedral -
too Crowded. Went on
to St Eauen. The organ
was beautiful sat
there for 3/4 hrs. Tea 
at Leopold with Bro
John & Boy Blue.
Mark is very bad. Very
excitable & Crying.

307
November 2 THURSDAY [307-59] 11th Month 1916
5h 51m P.M. (Greenwich)

Very quiet day. Port
has been closed for
6 days. Voting in
Australia unsatisfactory
letter from X.

 

308
1916 30 Day 3 FRIDAY [308-58] November

Day off. Into town in
 A.m. lunch.  Met
Bro John 2 P.M. Went to
Woods of William. 
They were a glorious 
mass of Autumn tints.
I shall never forget
the sight.

The prisoner's lists is
through. Harry's name
not amongst.

Had dinner at Normandy.
Saw two Eng. Sisters
come in with two officers
have sherry & bitters &
go out.

309
November 4 SATURDAY [309-57] 11th Month 1916

We lost Foster this A.M.
He came in about 8 days
ago with a Comp fract 
sacrum & two day's
later developed
pneumonia. He was
pasty looking on adm.
& always seemed very
surley & quiet. It
was awfully hard
to loose him though. 

He tried to tell me his
fiance's address before
he died but was
unable to speak
properly. Convoy in
at 7 00.  All signed
up for England.

Bro John sent out 
some Autumn leaves. 

A letter from Frank 
Martin. He has been in
Salonika & been invalided
back with some abd
pain trouble. Also
a letter from Tessa Thomas
Very nice letter from Mrs.
Whitehead.

 

310
1916 30 Days 5 Sunday-20 aft Trin [310-56] November
Gunpowder Plot

Convoy in. Good many Aust. 
1st Div & 5th Div. Very cold 
& wet day.

Major Prior & Boy Blue 
out to afternoon. I was
very tired of them. Capt
McLelland came down
he play the panio beautifuly
Went to Church at the 
Y.M.C.A. only the
hyms were any good
The Chaplain, an
Australian was disappointing.

315
November 10 FRIDAY [315-51] 11th Month 1916

Very heavy day. S. McLean
working with me, not
much help. Convoy came
in 4 P.M. One bright boy
with side of his abd shot
away & hip joint exposed
he has 4 loops of intestine
out of his wound. No
Vom. B.O. Some distension

 

316
1916 30 days 11 SATURDAY [316-50] November
Martinmas. Scottish Quarter Day. Half Quarter Day.

I am suffering very much.
Millicent's Bob is down here for
a few days before he goes up
The line & the sight of her
happiness brings the pain
of my loss closer again.
My God! how can I bear it?

My ward is full & of very heavy
cases. Capt House Surgeon
today. No good. Convoy
this A.M . 4 cases for me.
One of them came in 10 00.
died 12 00. Said he had
a baby 5 wks old. Amp.
R. leg. Haem & gas gangrene.
The other cases also severe.
My head case T104 last night
delerious today.

Went out 4 P.M. My third
long day on duty. Had
tea with Major & Boy Blue.
then pictures, then dinner
at Normandy! Millicent
& Bob came in whilst
we were there. Bought
some grapes for my head
case at F2.40 per lb.

Received. September-CASH ACCOUNT OR BILL RECORD. Paid.

Letters Written
Major M. }
Major B.  } 18/4/16
Tessa       }

Tessa

Edith Fincham } 25/4/16
Base Post Office
A.I.F. Hdqtrs
Horseferry Road
Westminster
London

 

Received October-CASH ACCOUNT OR BILL RECORD. Paid. 

Received November-CASH ACCOUNT OR BILL RECORD. Paid.

5th Training Battn
Moacas Camp.

Edith Fincham
No 4 Gen. Hosp.
B [[I ?]]

 

Major Manning
C.O. Div. Train
2nd Aust. Div.
France

 

Received December-CASH ACCOUNT OR BILL RECORD. Paid.