Letters and typescript copies from Florence Hobbes to her family, 1915-1918 - Part 6

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Australian news, from men, women  and children, and on top of the

envelope is written "Please give to someone who does not get any 
letters"  I've several in my ward and they are passed on from ward to 
ward, till sometimes they come to a man who has been wanting news of

people and places. I've just read three, one from a  Mrs Elliot, Piper

Street, Leichhardt, really a jolly fine letter, one from a Miss Florence

Wilson, Leichhardt, and one from a poor little kiddie in Victoria who has

also sent some papers, Im going to write and tell the kiddie to write again

poor little chap, and he will like to hear that his letter and papers have

been appreciated, and so once more adieu

Narrie

Camaretta

Valetta

Malta

July 26th

My dearest Smithjj Smithkins.

I don't owe you a letter but I want to

get some things of my chest and as you are a nurse you would understand

things a bit better than a non nurse, but even you dear could not

not understand half the things I want to talk over, no-one could who

had not been in a Military Hospital in war time. Stay where you are

my dear, stay right there, and, if you must , look after the men we are

sending, and for gods sake make up to them all they have gone through

over this side, I'm in a bad temper to-day and could howl over the

patheticness of some of the cases up in this division, and when I think

of all they have gone through, and all they have given up for this , good 
lord. I had a cable from Mr Hordern on Wednesday saying Tom was wounded

in Malta, would I find out if it was dangerous, and would he come over.

Well I set to work to try and find him, I got my ward Sgt to try and get

on to the Castille to fine where he was, it was Thursday afternoon before

I could find him, so I got an afternoon pass and made for Pembroke

Convalescent Camp where the boy had been sent, it takes nearly an hour to 

get there in a Carrozzin and then we (I took another Sister along with
me) had to wander around through the most awful white dust, in and out of

tents till we found the orderly tent, hot: well give me Brewwarrina with

116 temp any day than Pembroke camp in summer. One of the men set off

to find Toni while another brought in camp seats and we waited. It had not

struck me he would be out there so I did not take an umbrella, fortunately 

Sister Tamsey had, then after a while Toni came along and I wanted to

hug him, what a dear youngster he is, but he is the colour of an Arab, and

so thin, and looked so tall in his shorts,  you know most of the Australians 

have cut their pants short over their knees, and the putties only come

to the knee, well they look the quaintest, dirtiest souls you could

imagine. Some of their uniforms are decidedly the worse for wear,

and if you could see some of the clothes they go off to London in, with

anything in the way of headgear they can get, but quite happy. But to

continue about Toni, he came along wondering, I think, who on earth could

want him, for he looked at me in a puzzled way till I told him who I was

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then he grasped my hand, and nearly broke the bones, I thought he was

not looking at all well and felt pretty made to think he had been sent

out there, and was intensely sorry he had not been sent to Valetta

Hospital instead of the hospital he did go to, I feel sure he was not

really fit to be sent out there where there are no Sisters, and the men

just look after themselves, and they have to scramble for their meals.

There are so many of them 1110, I asked Toni if he got good food, he

said "Oh yes, but I haven't felt inclined for food for a few days." Well

it worried me some to think of that boy out there and not feeling well

or eating, and none to look after them, the shops were all shut by the 
time we got in to town, so next day I got a morning pass and rooted 
round and got him some bovril and tins of condensed milk, biscuits, 
chocolate and coffee, and got my V.A.D girl to drop them at the orderly

tent as she went past the camp next day, she and her Aunt were taking

some of my patients out in a car , and was passing Pembroke. I've not
seen or heard anything of Toni since, and am wondering if he has been

sent back to Egypt, some went back the other day.  Heavens I wish I 

had a few hundred pounds that are being gathered in Australia, just to get 

little comforts and things for the patients, things no one thinks of sending

just little things in there way, now toothbrushes . To get a toothbrush you

have to give name, rank, regiment, number, service, age and any other
old thing you can rake up, and sign it, get the patient to sign it,

send it down by orderly to the ordinance store and then as likely as not

they will send it back and tell you that you've not put the number of the bed

or the ward, or some other damn thing, and then finally it will go down

again only to find they are out of them or some other old thing, and you

wonder where the millions of pounds are going to that Australia alone is

sending especially when you read some of the letters in the papers. I
enclose a bit out of the British Australasian. I wish I could just chuck

everything off my chest, including the Maltese doctors, that our men are

obliged to be looked after by some of them is damnable, absolutely, when

there are so many good men knocking around, they don't know anything and 

won't admit that they dont, they are like a lot of jabbering monkeys. Of

course the poor souls its not altogether their fault, they cant get the

experience here, thank goodness I've got the best M.O. in the Hospital, in

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my words, but Smithie its very heartbreaking work at times, and sometimes

we three can't help thinking that the life of a man is of no account really,

as long as you do not have a mistake in yourdiet sheet, or the amount of

kit in your wards, and, if you want to learn new methods of treatment STAY

WHERE YOU ARE IN THE BACKBLOCKS. You probably won't get this letter, or it

will be pasted over, tho there really isnt anything in it, I must write the

family and have it ready for the next mail, I just discovered one left
yesterday for Port Said, you never know when they go or come.   Its nearly

three weeks since I had any Australian mail, and it does seem such an age,

the first week you do not notice it, then towards the end of the 2nd you

begin to get along to the table where you find your letters , every time

you come to the Camaretta, but when it gets into the 3rd week, well, you 

find yourself making excuses to get around every time you see an orderly

with anything in his hand that looks like letters.  However I guess they will

come some day, but I want you all to write direct to London after this, to

the Bank you know (You might chance an occasional one here ???)

I must stop now, we are getting new patients in to-day, pretty sick

ones I believe, especially enteric, its broken out over there, isnt it xxxx

awful. I saw by the British Australasian yesterday that xx Rex Solling

had been wounded, so I flew up to the W.I.B (Wounded Information Bureau)

to see if he was on the island, and found he had gone back to the Dardanelles
on the 12th of this month, and Geoff Yomans the same, I had another
of the Yomans in, a cousin (45th I imagine) he is now doing 21 days for

going out of the Hospital and getting drunk, and that's another thing I've
on mychest, the thousands of men on this island, who get a pass from the
doctor and go out, and, well its not right to let them just wonder around

getting into all sorts of mischief, either drinking, tho they are not

supposed to touch it, and are only given 2/- a week., but you can get a 

bottle of Malta wine for 7d or less. But Im afraid they are going to have

trouble here if the men are not kept down a bit, and the New Z's and

Australians are getting the blame for a good deal, mind you , they are not

by any means always the ring leaders, but I would dearly like to see all

the "unfit for future active service" men sent back to Australia out of this

island, and wonder what on earth our Govt are doing not to arrange for a boat

 

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to take them, the poor souls.

Good night dear, don't mind this outburst, I think I'll try and get on a

Hospital ship, some of our Sisters have gone on them already

Oceans of love from your old mate,
 

The Camaretta

Military Hospital

Valetta Malta

June 29th 1915

Dearest people,

There is really nothing to write about this week, there is 

nothing but work to discuss. We've been very busy till the last 48 hours,

and now we are expecting in 100 cot cases (meaning in the language of the

military "bad cases") this afternoon, and are just lying in wait for the 

call to the word wards. Do you know I absolutely cannot cast my mind

back to my last letter and think of what has gone in the meantime, x

only know I get up at 6.30 breakfast at 7 a.m. on duty 7.30, lunch either

12.30 or 1 oclock, it all depends what time we are supposed to go off, when

we can we take it turn about going off from 1 to 4.30 or from 4.30 for the
rest of the day, but its so desperately hot here that your one desire is to

get your clothes off and throw yourself on the bed till its time to go on

again, all the shops close from xxxxxx 1 to 3 p.m in the summer.

We are sending every patient who is able to travel to England to-morrow
my nice New Z and Australian boys are off with them, I shall miss them

very much, and isnt it funny the day before yesterday some West Australian

boys came in to see one of my boys , so I asked them where they came from

and they said Tombellup, or rather they joined the Tombellup men, so I said

I had a sister there, Mrs Easton, but they did not know her, but my N.Z 
man said "Was your sister in England for the Coronation, and did they

come out by a German boat, Mr and Mrs Weston and one kiddie? my dear he

came out with them, thought Grace was splendid, and said she was awfully 

good to these four boys, young Bassett, a Mr Blount and two others, and

wished to be kindly remembered to her. I must try and write Grace
a few lines and tell her about him. They have been longing to go to England

so yesterday the Colonel came round with papers to fill in getting the

names of all the men who could go, I handed in two of them I knew could go,

but Bassett I did not like to take it upon myself to say he could go as he 

has had pneumonia, so I said I was afraid he could not go, but he looked so

very crestfallen to think of his mates going without him that I risked it
and put his name on, and they go off to-morrow morning, till fit for active

service again.  Poor men, I hate to think of them going back again, you know

its only when you get tales first hand like we do here, from the men xx who have

been right through it that you begin to realise the least little bit what it

is like.  I must tell you the story of a poor R.A.M.C man, that somehow made

me think of Mr Andrews. This man got hold of a donkey and used to go backwards

and forwards to the firing line, and putting the wounded on the donkey

would convey him to the 1st aid place. For a fortnight he was known all

along the line as the man with the donkey, and, as he passedthe men would 

cheer him, but one day he never passed, and then they found him, he and

the donkey were dead. My dears, the things these boys tell us, one boy said

to me one day when I was washing him "Sister there is one thing I am thankful

to be away from the trenches for and that is to get away from the

insects - lice - they crawled ^ all over you, from head to foot", and I can

quite believe it, we were once told we were not to touch a man when the 

wounded arrived till the orderlies had washed and cleaned them, but you've

got to or you would never get done.

A Hospital ship from the Dardanelles came in the day before yesterday,

but the men were beautifully clean and well looked after, as they had 9 or

10 sisters on board which makes all the difference, when they just come

over on a transport they arrive in a filthy condition poor dears, they are

simply crowded on, lie on deck or stretches or anything, with about two or

three sisters and two doctors for hundreds of men, and they simply can't

look after them.  Consequently they are fearfully septic and limbs have to be amputated that might have been saved, its appalling the number of

amputations that have to be done.  Yes, do let me know if ever you hear of

any of our men being hurt and coming over here, there are so many

hospitals here, and unless you actually know that they are wounded and here

you never know

2nd Hurrah, I've just had a most glorious budget of letters, oh if 

you only knew what those Home letters mean to us , and then we pass on 
little bits of Australian news to the Australians and they loveit so.  I 

lost three of my nice men yesterday, a kiddy Welch from the Spit, Ross

from W.A and Barrett - Sergeant- from New Zealand, he is the one who went

out from England with Grace and Jack after they had been to England.  I|
miss them very much they were such dear fellows, the N.Z man nearly took

my hand off when he said good bye. They have gone back to England to get

fit to go back to the Dardanelles, I hope they get over safely, the last 

batch of wounded include such crowds of New Zealanders.  My dears, you say

you had your first real touch of the war when the casualty list came out, tt

thats nothing , I thought that too, when I first read the lists, but its

only when you see them brought in stretcher after stretcher in that endless

procession and wonder if , when you see the next mans face, if you will

see one of your own friends, dear heaven, its awful, and every man or boy

of them is "somebodys boy" . There are times when we  wonder if we can

keep right along at it , but not often, for I for one  will never give it up

till we are not needed, there are too many slackers as it is, and then, oh

but I had better leave that part till I get home.  I often wish we had some
of our doctors here, even some of the country doctors, I am supposed to

have quite one of the best in my section, he is certainly the most up-to-date, 
and exceedingly nice , quite young and an Englishman.

The best of Malta is disgusting, very moist, the perspiration just 

pours off you, and then the Scirrocco is rotten, Sydney weather in the middle 

of summer on a moist day is delightful compared with this. Now, for instance

to day, apparently just to look outside there is a clear blue sky and

bright sun shining, and as long as you don't move everything is delightful

move, and the sweat runs off you, hot and sticky, and you ache in every

joint as though you were just getting the flu, and all your boots are two

sizes too small. I have a half day, came off after lunch and meant to
write reams all round, but was so tired when I got to my room , I thought

I would have a rest first, got undressed and lay on my bed, and went

sound asleep, but when I wakened I absolutely could not move I was aching

all over;  at least after about an hour I simply made myself get up and went

and stood in a hip bath an poured a few jugs of water over myself for
a shower bath, after which I put on a dress and singlet and went down for
some afternoon tea as I found I had no parrafin in my lamp (if you ask for

kerosene here they dont know what you mean).  I must try and get some, but

now I'm trying to write some letters written I promised to write for my poor
old helpless patients, they think so much of any little thing like that, I

wish I had old Smithie here but she could never do it with her foot,  all
the floors are stone as I have told you before.

We have  just heard that a P & O boat leaving London on the 10th has 
not been heard of since, she should have been at Gib on the 15th, they have 

tried to get into communication with her and can't, isnt it awful, the poor 

souls on board, makes us realise what a narrow shave we had both ways.  We
have just heard of the death of two Australian doctors, just young boys -

one from Melbourne had been in England for 5 years and got back just when

war broke out, he was very clever and quite one of the coming surgeons, he 
was shot through the spine , lived for two days, completely paralized then

died, one just a lad from R.P.A.H they used to call him "Demure Smith" he
was shot through the head, but when they tried to find his body they could

not, it has never been found . One Dr Clive Thomson by name, did a very 

brave thing, General Bridges ^ was shot and fell, and this boy went out under a 

perfect hail of bullets and shrapnel and got him in. There are several

little things I would like to tell you, but if the letter was censored  they

might think it better left out.

What a splendid sight the march past must have been, poor dears, young

Hordern - not Toney - had been out of action with a burnt foot but was

better and getting back to the front.  That is rather a good photo of Rex

Solling in the Pastoralists Review of April 16th - did you see it ? Old

Mr Scriviner from the Bank - Birchen Lane - sent me some Australian papers

for the boys, and asked if I would look out for his son who came to the

Dardanelles in the Mauretania five days after we came.  So Jack Webb is at

last off the front, if Frank gets away I hope he joins in Australia.

We guessed you would get our letters just about the time we got to England,

yes the Capt was quite a dear. I don't know wherethe Ballarat went to, she

left England they day we did, destination unknown. Yes, Mrs Robinson told

people on board that there was going to be an infant, but if I remember

aright she was very ill for a few days before getting to England.  Why didnt

Vernon McDougal form in Australia.  No, I can't imagine Mr Seivers going to

the front, I've not got the group photo yet, but suppose it will come some 

day.

I wonder wherethe Hospital ship will go to, the Dardenelles I expect, ad

ply between there and Alexandria and Malta. Give Archie my love when you see

him, and tell Airim I got her lovely long letter and I dont mind how often

she repeats the dose, but that I may not always be able to answer them, my

letters consist mostly of my home letters, and one or two for patients,

So glad to hear Hospital day was such a success, I smiled re the French

sailors being in the front,Ive a few remarks to make about them later on,

Fancy poor old Mit Toombes going away, she will be missed by Gunyer. I

simply yelled over poor Tango and the picric acid, I observe one of the

old "kangaroo" stamps on your letter Els, I shall remove it for the
Colonel, he gathers stamps, and got one of my other Australian stamps the

other day, if you have any odd strangers in the way of colonial stamps
you might send them along, Queensland, N.Z, Tas, or any others, he is

not a bad old sort.  I do hope you have had rain are this, everywhere, its

awful to think of the want of it and the state the country must be in. Oh

dear if this ghastly war would only end, somehow one feels at times that

things can never be the same again for years to come, people will look

at things differently and be different. Talking about being different, this

is the funniest place Ive ever been into, you wander down the middle

of the narrow streets and - oh let me tell you what we have for afternoon

tea when we go out and feed, we do not get good meals here, sometimes

they are very off in fact, so we go and have bacon and eggs, toast or rolls

and ice cream, at the very only place in town we are allowed to dine, ther
is only one eating place in Valetta only place in town we are allowed to
dine where we are allowed to

eat , for fear of Mediterranean fever, typhoid or cholera, so needless to

say we are careful.  I wonder if my insurance would hold good in Malta, I

must find out and take out a foreign chap if it does not but Malta is a 

British possession.

I must stop now, oceans of love from Narrie

St Davids Camp

Malta

25th August

My very dearest peoples,

Yes here I am doing camp life and when I try

in my mind's eye to think how to describe it to you, words fail me, you

simply cannot imagine what its like. I dont know just where to begin

there is so much to write about and tell you that everything gets into

a sort of jumbled mass, and my brain and feet ache too much to sort

things out. Last Sunday week Matron came to me about 7.30 p.m and

said "Sister I have to send you out to St Davids Camp to take charge

till you can get things running properly, Miss Hoadley came to me and

asked if I had a Sister I could sent out in charge, one I could

recommend, who had some method, the sisters she sent out seemed to have

no method, and no idea how to manage, the place was in an absolute mudd

muddle and the C.O nearly frantic xd I told MissHoadley I thought you

could do it easily, you will go over in an ambulance in the morning

and come back each night till we can make other arrangements"  Of

course I nearly wept on the spot as I had just got my wards into good

running order and four days before I hd had got in a new batch of men, awfully
bad cases, and I was having the time of my life, going like mad, and

then to have to give it up and go to camp, simply because the idiots of

English sisters had not enough brain power to work out a thing and make

the work run smoothly, really they drive me to distraction most of them,

I've not never met such a brainless crowd of women as we have out here.  Well
I came out, I saw, and then sat down in my tent to try and grasp things.

There are 78 large tents for Hospital, containing 1000 bedsx and swarms

of other tents, the 78 all hold from 12 to 16 patients, there are about

12 medical men and 6 sisters (self included), so you can imagine how we

go.  We are supposed to leave the camp by 7 every evening and then we had

to go right back to Valetta Hospital which took from three quarters to

one hour, and we used to be dog tired/by the time we got there as we had

to go back by Carozzin and boat, and we did not get dinner till we got

back.  That went on for a week, and then we were told we were to come

and sleep and eat at St Andrews Hospital (Barracks) huge place, and we

hated the thought of it, however on Monday we packed our little kits and

came over, and I've never been so desperately homesick in all my life.