Diary of Mary Ann 'Bessie' Pocock, 1914-1918 vol 3 - Part 11
WIMEREUX - FRANCE. 1916.
INTERIOR OF A WARD OF 2ND AUSTRALIAN GENERAL HOSPITAL AT
THEIR NEWLY OCCUPIED SITE AT WIMEREUX, NEAR BOULOGNE.
Photograph - see original document
81
April 28th 1917
Gave Pte. Wilkinson 5 Francs return to trenches,
? 5 ' ' '
Pte. Wadsworth 3 Francs '
YPRES pronounced EAP now called "Wipers"
68 patients left by train 4pm today. Major Sneddon went to Base also.
Went to Church 9/30 am. 4 sisters, 4 orderlies. Not parade.
Sr. Sargent off - only 4 others there besides sisters.
Very nice morning - cold - some sunshine. Red Cross Mrs. Kiddle came to know
what the sisters wanted. Told her they want nothing - asked for things for patients -
sending some things.
Went into Bailleul in Capt. Bassett's car. Bought a few things I needed, boots etc.
May 1917
J. McNeill, Paul - 27, mother, Mrs. Paul, Vine St. Sligo - Ireland - very ill -
abdomen distended, weak heart, swollen feet - everybody saw him - suggested
malignant kidney or liver? Very nice boy - only son. Poor things - so grateful, only in
2 days and then Major said he could go home - thinks he can't do any good - hope
his mother will go over from Ireland to see him. Left by hospital ship for Dover and
home 2nd May 1917.
Bennetts came same day - not so ill - says he has relatives in Australia - does not
know where. I asked about Dulwich Hill - gave address- says he will ask his people
when he goes home and write. Funny if he should be any relation of Chris. Such a
nice quiet boy too.
Nice morning - only Sr. Faulkner and self. Sr. Richardson, day off and no one sent to
relieve her there. Were 4 in ward next to mine and not any more patients.
Lovely morning again.
About 6/30am. German aeroplane over - dropped bomb across road in a field - great
report- no damage except hole in ground - much firing but of course not near. Only
32 patients today.
Went out to Handelot, missd everything from train, on all day at last. When about 5
miles on, picked up by car. Got to home about 1/30pm - very hot - great many sisters
in now - gathered flowers and came in by car about 7/30pm. - great help to get the
motor home.
65 patients, coming and going all the time - try to get them all to Blighty, 4 days ago,
19 patients - about 6pm, gas shells fell in dugouts - 3 killed - these not so bad now.
82
May 1917
On all day today - they asked that no sisters might go off till after inspection, as there
was some general coming - then while I was just going off more patients came, so I
could not go - gave my 2 sisters 3 hours each.
Only one letter today from Alice - not any from anybody else.
Another inoculation today - makes me very sick - many refusing to be done - quite
hot today - in bed all day, not up to going out.
Just come to tell me that the 4 cases of jam have come. I'm getting some attention
today till I distribute the jam, no doubt. I had a letter 2 days ago from Le Havre to say
it was there. Mrs.MacKay I suppose. Have never heard who sent the last cases but
think she did also.
Awfully hot today - feeling pretty weak and faint after inoc. Again - went on duty.
Opened 4 cases of jam from Mrs.Mackay - only 5 tins in one - had been opened....to
everybody - given to Australians in wards - about 160lbs (pounds).
Nothing special - not so busy - only 56 patients - not very ill - surgical wards lighter
also.
Got flowers from Mr....Roguebourne - 7 days coming - all dead - such a pity.
Letter from home dated March 12th, also Holly.
About 600 patients now in hospital - I have 38 - nothing happening - very quite
everywhere. O.C. says nearly every day, my place, cleanest in hospital - it really is
beautifully clean, every corner - have such good boys now.
Went to Y.M.C.A. Church - Presbyterian 7/30 - nothing much - quiet day - only 45
patients in my ward.
Day off - went with Sr. Marshall to Hardeloswoods - got lovely hyacinth forwarded.
Met 4 Canadians.
Sr. Sorely returned today from No2 A.C.C.S. -nothing new - only 35 patients today.
Letter from Mrs. Paul, Sligo, Ireland to say her son had died. They were able to
see him and talk to him - poor things - am awfully sorry.
Miss Sorely left for No 14 Gen. Sprained her ankle Matron tells me.
Nothing new, keep about 40 patients. Letter from Mrs. Russell saying she has sent 3
cases more to me, would like a souvenir if I can send it - they are very good to us.
48 patients - nothing special - very light - awfully hot today -roasting.
Day off - went to Boulogne to see about uniform and dress - nothing special happens
- very hot - no letters - no anything - full ward - fairly busy - all sick.
83
May 1917
About m.night, guns close -also machine guns.
About 800 patients only today - 56 in my ward.
Told today that gun firing was German aeroplane raid on Calais at midnight - killed
about 200. Do not know whether it is true. Also say that we got 2 of the German
submarines here at Boulogne.
Fixed up box - 3 tins jam for Sr. Scobie, Lady Gifford will send it when she can to
Abbeville - hope she gets it safely. Message from R.C. saying they shipped a case of
sweets for me - not arrived yet.
About 1000 in today they tell me - we got 31 - only seem to keep patients on night or
day - all sent off - ready for others - ward very nice. Losing Sr. Faulkner - awfully
sorry - was trained at Coast hosp. Very good girl in every way.
Letter from patients mother in N.Z., Mrs.Lawler, I can't quite remember details about
her boy who died last year at C.C.S. I have had so much change since then.
Day of today - tired - spent it all in bed - got up only for 7pm dinner.
No letter from home or anywhere for days. They say old Fisher, H. Commissioner
for Australia in here today.
Awfully hot for a few days - no rain for days - on all day today - ward full - about
800 patients today.
Sister have had a plain and fancy dress ball amongst themselves till 10pm - very
good nurses some of them. I looked on for a while - but did not dress up - very silly,
some.
Terribly hot today - thunderstorm 6pm - good deal of rain - a blessing.
1100 patients today - they tell me some bad - many wounded, more medical cases.
May 8th 1917
Every - pneumonia - does not seem so well - has some fluid in chest r.side, today 8th
- wish it could be taken off. Very sensible and good all along. Hope he gets well
May 9th
M.O. asp? Drew off 39 ounces fluid from chest -seems better tonight.
May 10th
Very hot day - little more busy - more patients - has been a great rush -a good
number of sick men also - in and out so quickly and often.
General Birdwood came round - went to most wards - saw sisters whom he did not
see on his rounds in home about 7/30pm. Staying here for night. Appears very nice to
talk to.
Letter from Lady Gifford saying she had sent on the jam to Scob. Hope she gets it
safely. No answer from Mrs. Oates yet re money sent for carnations.
84
May 11th 1917
1300 patients in today - not all very bad.
May 12th
About 1100 today
No change - very busy but not many really very serious cases - heaps to do - day off
- very hot - stayed in bed till 5pm. Went for a walk along cliffs with Sr.Tucker - got
some flowers.
Very tired - only one orderly - 1 sister all day - awfully hot - good many high temp
and sponging. 56 patients. Patients help a good deal - apparently very short of sisters
and orderlies here.
About 1000 I think - usual evacuation and taking in - numbers not so great.
May 17th
Every -much better - brother has seen him twice, so now I need not worry about him,
temp 102.8, but condition good.
Darby - very sick since admission. British - typhoid? Tongue very sore, temp 104
yesterday.
Stodmore - Victorian - abscess r. side - x rayed 17th, going to operate to remove
kidney?
May 18th
Nothing special - only about 900 in, 52 and 56 always in my ward - awfully hot -
have never felt Sydney hotter except when the hot winds were on - everything
beautifully green though. Lightning very bad at Abbeville - several men struck -
some killed too.
Awfully hot - bought 7 Francs worth of plants again for front garden - planted them -
look very nice.
Pte. Ireland, a N.Z. made such nice beds - ours try for the nicest garden in
hospital.
Received box of sweets from Le Havre. Australian Comforts Fund - lovely ones -
fruit flavoured. Col. McLean came in early - did not go round hospital yesterday. Left
for England on leave today - awfully sorry - afraid he will not come back - says he
hates it - he has made this place. I like him so much to work with.
Great explosions about 12m.d. - shook place, a little later we hear destroyers were
sweeping Channel for mines - one struck and blew up a destroyer - 15 men aboard
and they say only five accounted for - goodness knows whether this rumour is true,
anyway there was the report.
Some aeroplanes going over today very quickly - friends?
85
May 1917
Frightfully hot again today - much better than I have felt since the summer at Alex.
terribly hot, no rain this year - very dry.
May
My day off - still steamy and hot - did not get up till 5pm - fixed up my clothes etc -
tidied boxes, went to a concert in Y.M.C.A. hall here at 7 - very good - our little
flower garden looking nice.
Took a French lesson today - 2 Francs per hour.
Storm and some rain today, did a great deal of good, everything apparently very quiet
-everywhere.
Nothing of importance -everything quiet -about the same number of patients in some
wards - 56 in mine, not very bad - pretty hot - no more comforts - no more anything
- just the same old daily drudges -one thing, tired enough for bed as soon as you're
off.
Off for my day - spent it all in bed till 6pm, then went to a Y.M.C.A. concert - little
bit of variety.
3 letters from home - Al, Rube and Chris.
Awfully sorry Col. McLean is not returning. New O.C. Col. Powell - the man I had
down at Ismailia. I could not stand the man there - thank goodness I am not
Matron here now. Hear all sorts of yarns about him - takes sisters out for walks, one
girl says - never visits wards etc. another says - There is general clean up when they
expect anyone - this girl was with his hospital in England.
Sent out 20 men to tents today to make room for others.
About 800-900 in hospital today - raining and stormy - same old routine.
June 16th 1917
Very busy today - I asked Marshall to get me another nurse for morning - would not
be allowed - though each ward has 3. Fuller off today. I had no sister till 9.15am -
had to make 15 beds besides all other duties - sent a note to the matron, who told me
to get one from No.? - just imagine ? I was nearly done up - could not get off till
6/30pm.
Don't mind working when required but when others have the help etc. I told her on
Saturday too, I needed more help - she told Fuller she would have more sisters at the
end of the month - laughable!
This is the 16th she must be a rotten manager - however I am alive - God has blessed
me with health and strength to do this work, so perhaps He means to help me in
some way.
86
June 16th 1917
Brookman very much worse, T.98 -P54 yesterday -2/30, sent for the Major to see
him - brandy and strychnine which I gave at one - much...and confusion now of
course - gave me his parent's address. Told me about his home a little - poor boy -
they did lumbar puncture at 7pm. - was sent to 14 Stationary Hospital, now we are
contacts till they take a swab.
My day off wasted after no sleep - had to get up. Brookman transferred to No.14
Stnry. Last night -C.S.Meningitis -very ill poor boy - She sent 3 sisters yesterday to
the ward as I was off - also had 2 with me today - not so busy,
50 patients - glorious day.
Sister Robinson left for England -we all wonder what for? - charge somewhere I
suppose, I hope so really - she is a nice capable woman and she should get I/C (In
Charge) - others have been promoted before her.
July 4th 1917
Wednesday Went into Boulogne to Aust. Pay Office, got 1 Pound-12-8d mess
acount - glorious day -perfect - raining - stormy again.
Queen Mary in Bolougne today, came from Calais - visited several hospitals -
surprise visit of 5-10 minutes to others -NO2 got a surprise visit - only walked
through one surgical ward near entrance - sorry it was not mine .... the other one she
went through also and were a long way off.
Went to Rouen this afternoon, then on about 4pm to Etaple. Do not know how she did
it, if all this is true.
Major Robson Scott called in today - over on leave.
Nothing new - very slow life just now - just daily drudgery - never see a soul except
my patients and staff - fed up.
July 1917
Day off today - went with Miss Gray and several others to camp. They sent bus -
motor for us - very pretty, had afternoon tea - very nice but I don't care for this sort
of thing much when you don't know any of them. Never know their names - went to
Church 7pm. Nice hymns.
Just hear another raid over London - many casualties.
Letter from the Browns. Photo of Lt. Brown - so sorry for them - poor people - they
are broken hearted - sent them a snap of ward.
Nothing special lately - no one seems to be terribly rushed with work - all kept going.
Medical cases plentiful - in and out very quickly - say they wait for beds.
87
July 13th 1917
Friday Sisters gave the camp. Aust. Officers and evening. Loved supper etc. They
had the table moved out and danced etc. O.C. Powell in the foreground, having his
hand read and dancing - very popular - rather "Infra - Dig" for him - such nonsense.
All the same - some days awfully hot - being left with only 1 sister for days now. I
have much work to do in addition to supervision and attend to M.O. - the latter is so
good - saves me all he can - we have always managed to get a very nice M.O. in the
ward. The Lt. Col. who is in charge of medical wards is a perfect beast -
Yeatman his name. South Australian. One can't expect much more from the
S.A's now.
The O.C. Col. Powell, who is also S.A. - he is much worse - very overbearing etc.
to sisters - not a grain of a man or gentleman in him - appears to be as rude as he can
to the M.O's also, if they come under him.
It is very strange but the No.2. A.G.H. is the only place since I've been on active
service where I have struck such beasts of men - only a few treat women as a
woman - they seem to me to have been accustomed to live with inferior maids in
S.A.
31 beds - little over 1000 patients now for time - very bad cases. Brookman -
pneumonia - think he is terribly ill - says he got a chill.
Awfully hot - very busy - very tired - still working nearly all the time without
sufficient proper help = only Sister Fuller and myself for 56 patients - some very sick
- hot packs and a good deal of treatment - only one orderly - willing, but does not
know much - doesn't like the work - therefore does not help his best - the second we
are supposed to have is always a patient who has been in ward and waiting for his
month to be up to be sent to C.C. (Casualty Clearing). I suppose it is because we
never growl - the people who grumble most and say they can't or want to do so much
work, get all the help. My place is always in order and even Matron Gray says "all
look so nice and comfortable, have you anyone very sick?" I asked her for more help
today and she could not spare me anybody - yet she gives 3 to each other on either
side of N, with less patients than we have, Sister Fuller says.
Jaques - Nephritis case better - still has pack
Pitches - the same
Bridge - very bad - still packs twice daily also.
My day off wasted after no sleep - had to get up. Brookman transferred to No 14
Stnry. Last night -C.S.Meningitis -very ill poor boy - She sent 3 sisters yesterday to
the ward as I was off - also had 2 with me today - not so busy.
50 patients - glorious day.
Sister Robinson left for England - we all wonder what for? - charge somewhere I
suppose, I hope so really - she is a nice capable woman and she should get I/C (In
Charge) - others have been promoted before her.
FRANCE. 27 MAY 1918.
THE SWOLLEN FACE OF A SOLDIER AT A CASUALTY CLEARING
STATION ON THE AMIENS-CORBIE ROAD, SHOWING HOW THE FACE
BECOMES SWOLLEN FROM THE EFFECTS OF CONTACT WITH GAS.
(NOTE BY SERGEANT A. BROOKSBANK, GAS NCO, 10TH AUSTRALIAN
INFANTRY BRIGADE: MUSTARD EFFECT ON EYE - NO FLOW OF
TEARS. EYELIDS SWOLLEN AND PUFFY, FACIAL SKIN INJURED).
Photograph - see original document
88
July 4th 1917
Several cases in afternoon - mustard gas used by Germans, oil of some sort
mixed with it -some bad. Seems to effect the eyes - chest - have had coughs -
cough up a great deal of mucous. Mustard oil they say used.
Filled up with gas cases - some scalded all over - under arms - apparently where
skin is moist and when people perspire more than others, patients suffer most
from the burn - eyelids burst - cannot open eyes unless held open - strangely
enough does not interfere with sight - they have trouble with cough - must burn
bronchial tubes etc, for stuff coughed up is like pus and blood stained, if bad - 2
or 3 died suddenly in 9 ward.
Ours doing well - eyes irrigated with saline...and adren? Drops put in.
Some men had large blisters as big as an afternoon teacup on arms from wrist to
elbow - one told me he had not had his coat off when injured - seems to go
through the clothing.
General Howse over again - never came near my ward
Heavy storm - raining - nothing doing apparently, anywhere - dull and uninteresting
just now.
Last home letters received 25th June - some letters from Rube and mother tonight -
none from Al or home, dated May 24th. Nothing new - raining very heavily all day.
July 5th 1917
Day off today - raining - spent it in bed. Mademoiselle came and gave me a French
lesson - I don't seem to have very much energy or inclination to learn much.
No change - just the same work - plenty patients - only Sr. Fuller and myself - still
the Matron comes around, rubbing her hands in the same old way and saying "They
look comfortable" etc - "how many on D.I, want to write to friends and so forth? -
how much albumin? I think they ought to do Venesil? on some of the gas cases - take
some blood away" - too much, till I feel I'd like to do a few things on her - I
simply ask to be excused - am so busy and go.
2 bad cases - nephritis - Hanks and Vaillencourt - hot packs twice daily - very bad
- swollen feet - faces etc, all over - eye cases doing well - will be able to see well -
burns all to be dressed - arms - legs - gas causes them all to blister up like hot water
burns - mustard oil in the gas, they say.
July 12th
Day off today - very tired - still only the 2 of us in my ward. Matron Gray appears to
have them running over one and another in some places - in others, not enough -
even though we rush every minute of the time - rarely under 56 sick - medical cases
for 2 women, 1 orderly and patients to help.
This has been so for the past three months.
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