Photostat copy of diaries of Benjamin Bennett Leane, 1915 - Part 29

140

Two diptheria cases today,

so more isolation.

Poor old Ray is still down

with it. Major Lorenzo was

sent along to the 11th Bn

today to take over duties

so as to relieve Ray, who

has been ordered to stay 

in bed. The poor old 

chap feels the cold [?]

I wish he could get over

to Egypt, but no further

[?] has come about it

yet. People who have 

spent winters in England say

this is colder than anything 

they have ever experienced.

I can quite believe it!

 

Tuesday,  November 30th 1915

 

Quite a lovely day today

for a change. The doctor

and I had arranged to walk to 

Thames, where there are hot

springs, but the C.O. called a

meeting of officers for 12 o'clock

and as it takes practically the

whole day to go to Thames

and back we had to cut it

out.  Instead we decided to go

over to the Australian Hospital

where the Doc left his coat

and [putters?] the other night

when it was so [w?t] wet.

Afterwards I was glad I stayed

in camp, for at lunch time

Major Lorenzo came along to 

tell me Ray was going to 

hospital at 2.30.  After lunch

I went across to see him, and

stayed there till the ambulance 

came for him. I have collected
up all his private papers and















 

142

gear for him, and have them

in my hand now. Poor old chap,

it is just as I always said;

as soon as the strain and tension

of active service was removed

he began to relax and the 

inevitable reaction set in. He

is not seriously ill, just seems

down, and a good long spell

of rest and nursing will pick 

him up. I wish they would 

send him to England. It is

rough luck, though, for his

rank of Lieut. Colonel is only

temporary and he reverts to

his substandard rank of Major

as soon as he goes to hospital.

 

Later when we reached 

the hospital I saw him

again. He is in a big

marquee tent, with a good

bed and plenty of blankets, as

he is better there than in 

a bell tent over on this

bleak side of the harbor.

On our way to the hospital

-----oh, but wait, I must 

tell you. I am going too fast.

Since coming here there have

been several cases of  infect

ious disease and today we

got word that the whole

brigade was to be isolated

from today. That means, of 

course, that we can't go out-

side the camp boundaries,

nor can anyone else come 

within them. The Brigade

Major gave me the 
 

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