Diary of Mary Ann 'Bessie' Pocock, 1914-1918 vol 1 - Part 3

Postcard - see original document

Subject:

POSTCARD OF THE "ARGYLLSHIRE" THE TROOPSHIP BESSIE

EMBARKED ON FROM SYDNEY ON 17/10/14 FOR EGYPT

Dear Everybody, Going

Alexandria, all well

Written you Everywhere

hope Mother keeps well.

Very happy Xmas. Good 

luck - Ever Yours

In Great haste, Bessie

Miss Pocock

The Punchbowl

Grafton

Clarence River

N S Wales

Australia

12

December 4^th 1914

Left Port Said this evening - nothing special - everything and everybody much the

same.

December 5^th

Arrived at Alexandria this morning - anchored out in stream - such a number of

quaint sailing vessels flying Greek flag - white ground - blue stripes - cross in top

corner.

December 6^th

Alexandria looks very pretty from here - Church Parade - very nice day - crowds of

boats about the harbour - very little to do - very interesting to watch so many ships.

December 7^th

Got into wharf about 9am. Orderlies to have sick ready to disembark in about an hour.

M.O. of Hospital Train came aboard, also Col. Marshall - got 8 men ready to be

carried ashore - 5 men could walk to ambulance - then packed up remainder of

hospital stores, tried to clean up ward - dispensary etc. Sister Marshall was off duty

but came on in the afternoon and helped me.

Our luggage was sent for about 4m. and we were to be ready and catch train at
5/30pm.

Major Bagshaw came along again to hosp. and told me to be ready - he was leaving 

this part of the town - going to a hosp. for more sick and leaving for Cairo about 9/30

and reaching our destination about 1/40pm.

We go to Mena House, where we hear Miss Gould and others are already

established.

Got on board our train - Dr. Aspinall came along with us - other Major met us - our

men already comfortably settled - most awfully comfortable and clean - everything 

nice.

This is the first trip of the train - maiden voyage - was the King's special train.

White and gold ceilings, wardrobe, chest of drawers - wash stand and mirror - lovely

beds, black and red scroll pattern. Embroidery on the leather straps that pull up the

windows, 2 electric lights and an electric fan.

So, if that is not comfort on Active Service, I don't know what is.

1 Officer on board, McNeil - Hugh, a cousin of the Scobies - influenza - came over

on th "Suffolk" - awfully sorry to lose all our ship mates, though we expect to meet

again - the camp is only a few miles from our hosp. I believe.

13

December 7^th 1914

Hear the country is very pretty between these places. Egyptians do all the work -

swarms of them - come along silently - one on this train - cook etc. for the Med.

Officer - has been very attentive - speaks very little English, but we have managed to

make him understand.

We brought 24 hours rations - he made some tea for us, poor creature, has been very 

good.

The officers all gone off to dine etc and we are left in charge - there is nothing to do, 

so we let the orderlies and train men take charge - we are just outside the Khedives

Palace - a most gorgeous looking place from the outside - very extensive but

apparently all in darkness now, or tonight al all events.

Just heard that the Khedive was asked to go away while fighting was going on with

the Turks.

Several of our men (about half) and half the horses left before we did, so they will be 

at camp by now, I dare say.

9pm. The horses looked so well and poor things were glad to get ashore and walk

round.

December 8^th

Left Alexandria about 9/30am - lay all night at the Khedive's private platform in front

of the Palace - all the platform worked in a kind of pattern and key patterns round the

edge - some more men came aboard. One of our men Pointer, went of the Hosp.

Train at night - did not return - saw some men as he passed the wharf and

"Argylshire", which he thought were our men - they were waving frantically and of

course we did the same. Could not see who they were - too far off.

A lovely journey travelling through most interesting country - everything seems 

to grow so beautifully - corn - sugar cane - cabbages like great buckets - rice and

lovely green patches of other things - such numbers of Canals and water lying about

between the beds of green.

Every short distance there is a kind of round hole, dug with a Y shaped piece of wood

in the centre which is attached to a long piece of straight wood. A camel and 2 oxen

are fastened to the end of this wood and keep walking round and round - some places

without a driver - pumping up water, I suppose.

7 and 8 camels in a 

row, one after the other - heavily laden - donkeys the same - men riding just on the

hind legs, really. Sometimes 2 men and a great load on 1 poor animal. 2 oxen

fastened to the old fashioned plough of centuries ago.

Everything looking just like the old Bible pictures - hundreds of natives walking also.

At short intervals there are native villages - clusters of mud houses - all so close

together - small doors and windows - fowls - donkeys - a few goats, sheep and cattle

about - some feeding etc. - look very dirty.

THREE NURSES ON DONKEYS - EGYPT - BESSIE IS ON THE RIGHT

Photo - see original document

TROOPS MARCHING PAST PYRAMIDS  MENA EGYPT 1915

Photo - see original document

14

December 8^th 1914

The fields look fresh and green - such miles of them and not a hill, as level as it can

possibly be - a great contrast to Aden and Port Said.

The corn seems to be on top of these places to dry - some enclosures with corn drying

in them, just made of the stalks of the corn. A Canal runs on either side of the railway

line for miles - bamboo growing down to the water's edge - aloes - cacti - other

shrubs.

Lovely day now - arrived at Cairo station - left 2pm - met by Searg. - took our

luggage and ourselves to special train where we had to wait for patients from our

Hospital Train to disembark.

Left about 3pm. for Mena House - arrived 4pm - Imperial Sister in charge - most

beautifully equipped place. A good many patients.

Miss Gould and the rest doing ordinary ward duty - Johnson, night duty with another

nurse (1 of 4) who came over with Dr. Bird from Melbourne.

Sister Marshall and I go on tomorrow - we do not know where yet.

4 other sisters arrived tonight - Melbourne - they were on the "Benalla" - often

waved to us as we lay so close together at Alexandria.

We were not wanted, so we two went off about 5 to walk to the Pyramids and Sphinx

- some soldiers were going also - it is wonderful - the natives flare a light on for you

as it gets dusk. We were too late to explore much, but want to go and see it all

carefully in daylight.

Dinner at 7/30pm - hot bath and bed.

December 9^th

9/30 - Matron told me to superintend party getting another 60 beds ready for patients

who might come in, got some wards ready - another order to go up to another block

and prepare for isolation cases - great many measles on board some of the ships and

still some getting the disease - only 4 so far today - 40 beds, all sorts and sizes, such

a lot to do, getting people to carry things about and put up bedsteads etc.

Some rooms hold 5 beds and look nice and clean now - hope we get them all at once,

that we may not be here for weeks - only myself and orderly so far - all my meals etc.

- sleeping away from other people and patients.

Every one of my doors open either on to the soldiers' camp on one side and the

Pyramids on the other, so I see either one or other when I open a door or window.

Several hundred troops marched past today - round the Pyramids and back to camp - 

go each day - some of them for exercise I believe, of course.

I've neither seen or heard of anyone, or had any letters since we came ashore.

It is simply glorious to feel that I am in Egypt, where I have always longed to be.

15

December 9^th 1914

I hope that I will be able to get round before I leave and see something - I sit and

watch the huge stonework - hope to climb to the top when I get a day off and

someone to go with. You can buy refreshments on top they say and if you look at it, it

just seems to be as fine a point as anything could taper to.

This one they tell you took 30 years to build - 12000 men working constantly - King

and Queen buried here.

December 10^th

8 patients now - Bougher 104.8, seems very sick tonight, very thick rash all over.

Went for a walk 5 to 6 pm, round Pyramids, saw coffin a deep well - like place on a 

shelf of rock - you could not see the bottom - about 18 feet width at top - had been

dug out and some coffins taken to Museum - a great cavity in the wall of this place

and spaces where the coffins were placed. This one looked as if it might only have

been put there.

Several other Pyramids on another hill a short distance off and they looked beautiful

this evening - the lovely sky as a background and the purple and rosy looking tint of

the setting sun, seem to be shining all over everything. There are beautiful sunsets 

here, very, very cold winds at night.

Our men will feel the cold - they have no tents or anything - just lie on the sand

on their mackintosh sheets.

December 11^th

Nothing new - several more patients - most beautiful sunset from my balcony, the

low, very flat country after looking over the garden and green trees of this house - the

range of hills far away - the purple sky with soft red clouds falling - all reflected in

water - a most glorious colour on the hills and the Pyramids just close to us, making

the loveliest picture one could imagine.

Very bad accident - soldier fell from the top, or nearly so of the highest Pyramid -

much smashed up - they operated for fract. skull - stitched up the other wounds - no

bones broken they say - he is a wonder, for he must have fallen, or I suppose, rolled

down about ...? Feet. This one is ...? Feet high - the second or third accident in the

same way.

December 12^th

I was very ill all night, faint - vomiting etc. Thought I would not be able to go on duty

- no sleep nearly all night - better this morning, though still feel a little faint and

headache - went on duty.

6 more patients today - 1 officer - Mr. Craton from Melbourne - all measles.

Went into Cairo this afternoon, got some apron stuff - saw Bob Scobie for a minute at

the train.

16

December 12^th 1914

The man who fell from the Pyramids is conscious and alive this morning, so perhaps

he will get better.

December 13^th

8 admissions today, another Tasmanian officer, Mr. Roon? Also.O.Capt. Whitford -

all much the same - others much better today - seen no one today - isolated, away

from everything and everybody.

December 14^th

7 more admissions today - another Tasmanian officer, Mr. Green, 102T not too well.

December 15^th

2 patients - Matron Grierson asked me if I would go into Cairo with her this afternoon

- left 3pm - visited several shops - left my glasses to be mended - lace too expensive

- will wait till I go again - very nice afternoon - glorious sunset again.

Posted 1 letter home - mail leaving - got some P.C to send away - got back 7pm - 

going to see the Zoo and Museum later on.

December 19^th

Went with Miss Gould and Sister Marshall to call on Mrs Bon-Noit, Governor's

Gardens - very pretty pavements originally the walk of the Khedive's 300 wives, we

were told - lovely paths - small pebbles, pretty shades of brown and others all

interwoven in a most unique pattern.

A Biroger some one gave him - he had arranged also in these grounds. Had to build

up a place for it as there was no way of using it up.

Awfully pretty it looks now too. They pulled down the Palace, the lady told us - don't

know what became of his 300 - really lovely grounds to walk in -  no man allowed.
37 patients - 6 officers - going to do away with this as an infection ward I  believe.

December 20^th

Drove into Cairo with Marshall and her friend Mr. Stewart, car, I shared it with 5

other officers who were also waiting to go in.

Great day in Cairo, though we saw nothing but flags, decorations etc - 101 guns fired

at m.day, hundreds of flags - Egyptian - Greek - English - Australian - American -

no Turkish of course.

Went to Shepherds Hotel for afternoon tea - put me in a car and I came home.

They stayed in for the rest of the evening and dinner.

Mena, Egypt. c. 1915.

The Mena Hotel which was close to Mena Army Camp and the Pyramids. The hotel was 
converted to house No 2 Australian Army General Hospital and No 2 Australian Army

Stationary Hospital.

Photo www.awm.gov.au H03060 - see original document

Photo www.awm.gov.au J06861 - see original document

17

December 21^st 1914

Hospital management taken over by Aust. Officers - Col. Howse - Major Millard

here today - great many people discharged - there were about 56 the Sgt. told me in

hosp. last week. All measles going out - nursed in tents by No. 3 Field Ambulance. I

only have 25 tonight - 15 left this afternoon.

Went for a long walk down train line avenue to bridge, after finishing up.

Patient Robson - very septic mouth and throat, 101.8, transferring from B. All others

much better.

Capt. Whitford, Mr. Green, Mr. Catron and Mr. Roon left for camp today.

December 22^nd

No admissions - 12 more men went to No.3 Field Amb. And lines today - still 14 - 

next floor empty - all cleared. Sgt says only 160 odd patients in hosp. today - they

pay 5/- per day for all patients, so suppose that is why they are sending them off.

Major Millard came round this night - nothing new and Osbourne came along for a 

little while - all well in camp he says.

Dr. Buchannan sent me some flowers - Gould brought them up. I do not see anyone

down stairs yet, although I go out as much as I like. Never go near Sisters quarters.

December 23^rd

Some more men sent out today - went into Cairo this afternoon with Sr. Marshall - 

tried to buy some things, very dear I think. Met Col. and Mrs Newmarch also Dr.

Millard - great many people out - flags still flying everywhere in town.

Pages missing:

December 27^th

Several Koran Bibles - got a small piece alabaster from Mosque - went through some

of the native parts then, where there was scarcely room for the car - awfully dirty,

crowded, noisy and bad smells. Such a very small place to get in and so many

people living in them, seemed to overpower one.

Had afternoon tea at Shepherds Hotel - visited several shops, then drove all round the

wealthy parts of Cairo. Beautiful houses, grounds etc.

The Palace of the Sultan and many other places - then home to Mena House.

Had a really lovely day - Mr. Roon awfully good explaining and getting Guide to

explain things.

Worked for a while helping in No. 2 - 5 pneumonia patients came in this morning - 

seem to be very ill - going on night duty at 2pm tomorrow,

MENA, EGYPT .C.1915.

NURSING SISTERS, INCLUDING SISTER MARY A. (BESSIE) POCOCK

(FAR LEFT, BACK ROW), MOUNTED ON CAMELS IN FRONT OF THE

SPHINX.

Photo - see original document