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

1
BESSIE'S ARRIVAL IN FRANCE ON THE HOSPITAL SHIP "BRAEMAR
CASTLE" AFTER COMPLETING HER ACTIVE SERVICE IN EGYPT

April 1^st 1916

Coming into harbour at Marseilles, smooth. So glad to be coming to France.
Hope we stay here and get out to the Front and be a good help and do good work.
Moored to a wharf, find it the wrong one, so moving off to another.
118

Wrote 17 letters and posted them.

April 2^nd

Fine weather. Several troop ships coming in. Great crowd of men. Australians and
British landing quickly, it seems. Heard they were going straight through to Paris.

Here we are taking over a small hospital from the R.A.M.C. 5 miles from port here.
Wrote 6 more letters.

April 3^rd

Everybody busy this morning – luggage going off. We go tomorrow they tell us.
Nothing special so far.

Went ashore 9am by train? Bought a few things, cup and saucer, plate, as mine
had been bent to pieces. May need them on shore.

Went to the old R.C. Church on very high hill, go up in lift about.....feet high. A
beautiful view of the city, nothing but roofs of houses and water and shipping.
Glorious view – has a drawbridge, probably used in olden times.
No one could do much harm to the place when this was drawn up. A few shells would
soon knock it to pieces these days.

Not such a fine Church as Nostre Dame in Paris
The most beautiful horses in the vans and wagons, the finest animals I've ever seen,
even in England and Ireland. Such majestic animals and looking so soft and kind.
Queer looking harness, like 3 great horns rising up from the collar.

Sent some postcards (6) of R.C. Church, Nostre Dame, De La Garde - a great statue
on the top of tower, statue of Virgin Mary.

April 4^th

Nothing special today – did not go ashore.

Hear we are going off tomorrow - luggage gone tonight – hear also that No1 General
is coming here. Believed it arrived this morning.

Sisters all complained
of insufficient rations now
we have more than we
can use
Memo Sister Pocock
Sergt Raphael tells me that you are under the
impression that rice is included in the ordinary rations.
It is not the daily rations drawn for all ranks is
as follows:-
[[?at]] 1 lb, Bread 1 lb, tea 5/8 oz, Jam 3 ozs.
Salt ½ oz. pepper xxx one thirtieth six of an ounce
sugar 3 ozs.- Potatoes 12 xx ozs. Fresh vegetables xx
[[?]] ozs. Wood 3 lbs. Bacon 3 ozs issued twice a week
[[?]] 5 [[?]] issued twice a week.
The extra rations are sent to the hospital daily.
[[?]] Capt and Quartermaster
3.rd.
I did not get enough Rations for the
Sisters, so now have it all brought to me
to see
6.th Rations more satisfactory, enough now, much more.
than we had at first,

2
April 5^th 1916  

Moussot Hospital

9.15am. Left hospital ship "Braemar Castle. All were told to parade on wharf in
alphabetical order, then told "two in a line"

Much excitement, people wanting to be with their own pals and having to be in
alphabetical line.
So much confusion that we were told to get into line 2 deep.
Sister Johnson walking up and down the line, poking each one either backwards or
forwards with her gamp. Like an old yaity or fairy? gamp herself, carrying a bag.

Then after we had been gazed on by everyone on board ship and on the wharf and the
Purser taking snaps of us, a quick order came in a man's voice "right about turn –
Quick march!" and away we went to the train without our names being taken or
counted, after all that fuss.

Boarded our trains – not enough room, so about 30 had to stand all the way out in the
train, about an hour.
Out again, walked through narrow lane for nearly an hour, then arrived at a a great iron
gate opening onto a long avenue of beautiful trees, past a nice big residence in
amongst trees and gardens.

On to tents and little wooden huts called "Shacks" , 18 in each, then altered to 12,
some being sent to tents.
First excitement – luggage arrived, no one to carry it. We had no men, had not taken
over any hospital, so no men available.

We began to carry all we could move ourselves. Major Waugh carrying the heaviest.
Then a few men turned up and we were lent 2 Indians to carry some. We got all our
luggage in some sort of order.

April 6^th

Still raining - not on duty yet, some ON (duty), some on call. Very little work, meals
little better, not such a scramble, orderlies told off to prepare them.

Nell called a meeting to discuss food etc. Said we did not draw enough rations -
wants to buy tinned foods - fish, sausages and so forth, fruit, all of which is very
expensive here.

I think if rations are good enough for our men out in the wet and firing line, it should
be quite good enough for us, when we can go to town and get afternoon tea, meals if
hungry.

Ration bread quite good. Bully Beef quite good, ration beef also - potatoes, good,
jam, so think we get enough.

3
April 6^th 1916

The sisters swept and washed out the room. Then men came along and finished up.
We put up our beds and tidied up the room quite nice.
Then came thoughts of a m. day meal 1/30pm. None prepared – no arrangements,
all sat about on verandah steps of men's room. Presently a motor bike came in sight –
bread and Bully, every sister getting a loaf of bread – (24 hours ration) some Bully
Beef and some butter.
Broke open our loaf, put Bully on, a bit of butter on – walked round the grounds
waiting for a drop of tea – a great picture for the "Bulletin"

After waiting for another half hour, a bucket of tea arrived and we each had our cup or
pot filled, Carried it off to our dens and ate it up. Very dreadful to see us all going

round like this - very undignified.

Went to "stew" tea 6pm, each getting her portion of stew, bread and cheese.
In the awful scramble getting back to our own shack, went for a walk to gate , called at
W.M.C.A. room, bought some biscuits.

Had bath in basin of cold water in the dark and to bed. Raining tonight.

April 7^th

Rained heavily all night – little finer now – M.DAY.

Pine and fir trees in forest smell so sweetly after rain. If we only had a little of the
glorious Egyptian sunshine. It is not cold today at all but grey and dull.

Great frog farms all round about, must see one if possible. Such croaking, lots of
little birds whistling. I do not know what they are yet - like canary whistle.

Wrote home – Rube, Alice Pinkerton

April 8^th

No change yet, 2 0r 3 sisters gone on night duty. "on call" this morning, off this
afternoon, raining still. Aust. mail going out today.  Passed our letters in to be
censored.  Hope they will go with shipping P&O.

Went for long walk with sisters. Bush very pretty, very thick and shrubbery growth
etc. No signs of living people, except one house.  Raining heavily still.

April 9^th 

Beautiful fine day – hot – lovely sunshine – church 10am (Presb), very nice service.
Lunch, Bully Beef, bread, biscuits, lard, marmalade, cheese, butter, tea.

Asked Nell, as we had nothing to do, only on call this afternoon, could we go into the
Zoo? As it is inly open 2 days in week, 2-4 pm. She said "No, I could go next Sunday
afternoon when I was off duty". I thanked her and went off to my hut.

4
April 9^th 1916

She followed me presently and offered to let me go, also a sister told her I did not
want it now. I would not go. She pressed the point and we took it as we wanted to go
badly.

Some very nice pictures in one part. Stuffed animals and a few things usual in
Museums – not much. Nice gardens but not time to see the animals.

Lovely approach, fountain and lake – statues on top of buildings. In centre , huge
chariot, sort of mass of stone, wheels cut out of stone –4 huge stone cows, very large
as though they were drawing the chariot. Water running freely all over it, very
handsome.

Thousands of men, women and children out today – all well dressed, rich looking,
you would never think that war was so near in the country at all.

April 10^th

Lovely morning – cold. No duty yet for me. M.O's are to take over today, "Orders"
say.

Great lecture at breakfast, 2 or 3 sisters remained on till 9/3oam.
Orderlies roaring laughing all the time. She should stop leave for such sisters and
then send them home.
They are not fit for out here.

It is most unpleasant to have long lectures during meal hours for women who never
remain out late or do these shabby actions, for their own sakes, apart from breaking
rules.

April 11^th

Nothing new – some hospital equipment taken over by Quartermaster and staff. A few
more gone on duty – not nearly enough work for them.

Each waiting for a job to come along, then each running to do it.

I went out to town to try and buy a waterproof coat and gumboots. Could not get
either from the Ordinance where they are the cheapest. An officer told me that it
rarely rains in Marseilles, so I'll wait a little.

Dreadful night – terrific gale – tents blown down. Thought our hut would be lifted up
and blown away. Scarcely slept all night..

April 12^th

Gale still raging – bright sun – terribly cold – off this morning, 2 others gone on duty
for short time.

5
April 13^th 1916

Sent on duty this afternoon. In charge of 7 tents, 23 patients. Isolation – measles –
cerebral spinal - meningitis, scarlet fever cases and pneumonia. A few very sick –
others all seem very fit.

Dreadful wind again. 4 sisters nothing to work with yet.

April 14^th

On all day - nothing special, walking and working against the wind is very tiring.

April 15^th

A dreadful day today again – the wind awful – sand nearly blinding one around the
tents.
Nell still continues to address at each meal. I think it could be done without.
She really should have some other means of conveying her orders etc. to the staff.

April 16^th

Same gale, sand blowing – very miserable for the sick men in tents. Days like this,
cold winds and sand blowing through the great divisions? Not tightly enough tied
together or down to tent pegs. Men do not seem to know or care how to put them up
properly.

Went to Presbyterian Church 8pm., YMC hall – full of men and nursing sisters.

Went to the old Church of St. Victor one day lately. The Egyptian dates from 5 A.D.
Very old – all hid there in the Revolution and here Lazarus was also. A statue of him
is here. The top part was founded in the year 400 A.D. All small chapels and huge
stone work. Nothing else striking about it, except it's great age, that we could
understand.
The guide spoke only French and our French was not good enough to understand
anything he said.

April 17^th

Same routine – many of us who had just been inoculated had to come along this AM.
Sent off to lie down in afternoon.
A few very sore tonight – mine, most painful and swelling.

Food very poor, though I'm not hungry just now. Rations should provide a good
change and plenty over, when there are so many. I had heaps over at Ismailia and
anywhere I've had rations drawn.

The girls had several meetings, I would not go to any. They all decided to live on
rations and buy anything extra they wanted.
Our shack was willing to pay for extra milk and butter but no extra tinned foods.

6
April 17^th 1916

Nell wanted so much put in extra for fruit, tinned meats and fish. The most of which
she and Johnny (Sister Johnstone) and a few would get. Everyone seemed to think the
same, said "They" knew before at Cairo and so forth, so they did not get all the bits
of extra money to feed them (Nell and John) up with tinned fish and fruit.
Bananas and fruit awfully dear here. She is in charge of the sisters, so she should see
that they are fairly well fed and above all get the rations allowed them, also to insist
on the O.C. getting up a rough shelter with enough pots to cook the ration when it has
come. They expect these girls to spend every farthing of their salary on food, as well
as allowance.

April 18^th
No sleep last night – 2 other girls much the same. I got up – or tried to. Fell in a
terrible heap on the floor. Fainted – good thing the stove was a little distance off, or I
would have had my head cut dreadfully.
None of the men's arms have ever been so swollen and mine and another girl's was.
Mine much worse than the last time I was vaccinated in Sydney.
Lying about all day.

April 19^th

Tents, etc. being handed over to Sisters in Charge today. I could not take mine, so will
be out of work when I do feel fit. Have not been out for days.

Went to Y.M.C.A. building. A lecture on Northern India by Dr. Datta, himself an
Indian M.D. and great authority on many things. Gave a most interesting lecture on
old Marseilles last week, from it's earliest years. This one also most interesting, about
the Indian people, their villages, customs, beliefs etc. and how they were ready, at
such short notice to come away and fight; when the fight would not help them and
they did not know what the issue would be.
I took some notes – will send them on to Fred later (Lahore and Misant"? (parts)

April 20^th

Nothing new, weather less boisterous – not working yet, arm still sore, though better.
Nell says she will have other work.
How I despise the woman. I have not an atom of faith or respect in her, or for
her.

If I could only be away, out of sight of her.
Moved away from shack where there were 12, to a small room. A little more
comfortable. Do not mind much, one does not look for comforts these times, as long
as you are warm. Of course you are responsible yourself for this, for you carry your
bed, blankets, bedding and all with you wherever you go.
The food here is serious. We draw rations, we have an orderly who cooks and others
who wait at table. The help do their very best and do very well, but there is something
wrong still, with amount drawn. I'm sure for 5 mornings we have had only bread and
butter, jam and cheese for breakfast.

7
April 20^th 1916

With so many there, should be meat or bacon 3 times a week. Have never had a green
vegetable, rice or onion since we have been her. They say there is no way of cooking
green vegetables. We do not mind, but some boiled onions or rice are always in
rations.

You should see Nell tucking into this (after having had, I know, in her tent, a good fill
up) and tell everyone it is the rations they asked for.

April 21^st

No one seems to have known, at least at our table, that it was Good Friday. I knew
yesterday, but forgot today – no fuss. Bread and butter, jam and cheese as usual. We
shall all have good complexions bye and bye – stew for dinner.
Everything the same today. Wind stopped (great comfort) Raining a little, hope not
going to be much.

Eggs, 2' each, milk 5' a pint, little buns, 3 for 1 ½', tea 5 francs per pound, sugar....

Things are rather dear, laundry also costs a good deal, consequently, we all do our
own pretty well, in a bucket or your wash basin. Carry water from a tap about 10
minutes away. Lines tied to all the trees in the forest at everybody's door. The number
of 'jamas, woollens and pants to say nothing of "other things" (awful to behold), like
a regular steam laundry. Plenty of cold water and you buy all your own soap etc, as
you expect to do.

Great joy today, got a water bucket, so we will have washing day tomorrow. I always
had a weakness for Sunday washing and ironing. The washer ladies here do things
very badly and keep them for days. One never knows where our things get to either
and they are so often left behind if one gets word to move off suddenly.

They do much of there own laundry here – it is kept so long away. When it gets out,
the whole forest is clothes lines (pieces of string) tied from one tree to another -
sheets, towels, in fact everything.

April 22^nd

Raining a little. Bread and butter and cheese for brecky – NO JAM. Think they are
doing it on purpose to make the girls give in and pay into a pool for extras.

Rumour that we leave here in two weeks for England to take over "Convalescent
Home" if we go to England. I hope not.

If I could only get onto hospital train or something here for a time, I would be so

thankful. Get away from the whole show. The work and men I had to work with I
liked and was quite satisfied with but it is coming back to the Mess room and Nell and
her lectures and addresses, gets on my nerves altogether, though I try not to listen to
any of it. 

8
April 22^nd 1916

Concert at Y.M.C.A. in grounds here to the men, by a Mr. & Mrs. Jones. Appeared to
be about 400 men - very good singing. Keeps the men amused for 2 hours, they have
nowhere to go and nothing to do. The concerts are good for us all, we have no place
or people to go to and it is a break for us also.

April 23^rd

Church parade 11am - great many men - very miserable service - not bright, no
hymns the men knew well, no hearty prayers or responses. Plenty of flowers and
lighted candles.

Presbyterian service 7/30pm - much better, not as nice as the usual singing, tried too
many Easter hymns instead of one and then others that everyone knew without books.
Just like the morning singing. if they would only keep to the little black book laid

down for church services. "On Active Service" all could join in without any books.

Saw Col. Dick for a few minutes, also Capt. Lethbridge. Sorry I have left the latter's
wards

April 24^th

Arm still swollen and red yet. Not on duty. Dreadful day. The sand and dust awful, it
blinds you. It seems to be always like this, I do not know for how long.

April 25^th

Today is the anniversary of the Anzac Landing. A sad day for all who are alive and
who took part in that dreadful time. Poor men, how many of them are left lying along
there in the enemy's country, it would have been easier to leave them there had we
owned the Peninsula.

I trust some day we will put up some Monuments and flowers.

How strange this place is! Today, a most calm and peaceful day, not any wind or dust
– lovely bright hot sunshine and blue sky. Quite hot in the sun, like our spring days.

Went into the Zoo. The gardens not much – no flowers, trees and vines and pathways,
plenty. Few animals, nothing like the Cairo Zoo or grounds.

Went to see the old church "St. Victor". A statue of Lazarus here, I think he founded
it – very historical and interesting. There are really three churches, one on top of the
other. The Crypt of first was a sort of cave deep down or cut out of the rock where
they had their church where no one could see them, I have forgotten. Will try and find
out about it again.

The first time I have been out for about 10 days. Nell read many things and lecture
for half an hour at breakfast, before we went out.

"FOLLOW ME 'OME" RUDYARD KIPLING  BARRACK ROOM BALLAD

There was no one like 'im, 'Orse or Foot,
Nor any o' the Guns I knew;
An' because it was so, why, o' course 'e went an died,
Which is just what the best men do.

So it's knock out your pipes an' follow me!
An' it's finish up your swipes an' follow me!
Oh, 'ark to the big drum callin',
Follow me – follow me 'ome!

'Is mare she neighs the 'ole day long,
She paws the 'ole night through,
An' she won't take 'er feed 'cause o' waitin' for 'is step,
Which is just what a beast would do.

'Is girl she goes with a bombardier
Before 'er month is through;
An' the banns are up in church, for she's got the beggar hooked,
Which is just what a girl would do.

We fought 'bout a dog – last week it were –
No more than a round or two;
But I strook 'im cruel 'ard, an' I wish I 'adn't now,
Which is just what a man can't do.

'E was all that I 'ad in the way of a friend,
An' I've 'ad to find one new;
But I'd give my pay an' stripe for to get the beggar back,
Which it's just too late to do.

So it's knock out your pipes an' follow me!
An' it's finish off your swipes an' follow me!
Oh, 'ark to the fifes a-crawlin'!
Follow me – follow me 'ome!

Take 'im away! 'E's gone where the best men go.
Take 'im away! An' the gun-wheels turning' slow.
Take 'im away! There's more from the place 'e come.
Take 'im away, with the limber an' the drum.

For it's "Three rounds blank" an follow me,
An' it's "Thirteen rank" an' follow me;
Oh, passin' the love o' women,
Follow me – follow me 'ome!