Diary of a Nursing Sister on the Western Front, 1914-1915Anonymous
History
Diary of a Nursing Sister on the Western Front, 1914-1915
Anonymous
World War, 1914-1918 -- Hospitals, charities, etc.; World War, 1914-1918 -- Personal narratives
We loaded up to-day at Bailleul, where we have been before--headquarters
of 3rd and 4th Divisions. We had some time to wait there before loading
up, so went into the town and saw the Cathedral--beautiful old tower,
hideously restored inside, but very big and well kept. The town was very
interesting. Sentries up the streets every hundred yards or so; the
usual square packed with transport, and the usual jostle of Tommies and
staff officers and motor-cars and lorries. We saw General French go
through.
The Surgeon-General had been there yesterday, and five Sisters are to be
sent up to each of the two clearing hospitals there. They should have
an exciting time. A bomb was dropped straight on to the hospital two
days ago--killed one wounded man, blew both hands off one orderly, and
wounded another. The airman was caught, and said he was very sorry he
dropped it on the hospital; he meant it for Headquarters. We have a lot
of cases of frost-bite on the train. One is as bad as in Scott's
Expedition; may have to have his foot amputated. I'd never seen it
before. They are nearly all slight medical cases; very few wounded,
which makes a very light load from the point of view of work, but we
shall have them on the train all night. One of us is doing all the train
half the night, and another all the train the other half. The other two
go to bed all night. I am one of these, as I have got a bit of a throat
and have been sent to bed early. We've never had a light enough load for
one to do the whole train before. The men say things are very quiet at
the Front just now. Is it the weather or the Russian advance?
Great amusement to-day. Major P. got left behind at Hazebrouck, talking
to the R.T.O., but scored off us by catching us up at St Omer on an
engine which he collared.
_Saturday, November 28th._--Sunny and much milder. We came up in the
night last night to St Omer, and have not taken any sick on yet. There
seems to be only medical cases about just now, which is a blessed relief
to think of. They are inevitable in the winter, here or at home. The
Major has gone up to Poperinghe with one carriage to fetch six badly
wounded officers and four men who were left there the other day when the
French took the place over.
I was just getting cigarettes for an up-going train of field-kitchens
and guns out of your parcel when it began to move. The men on each truck
stood ready, and caught the packets as eagerly as if they'd been
diamonds as I threw them in from my train. It was a great game; only two
went on the ground. The "Surprise," I suppose, is in the round tin. We
are keeping it for a lean day.
6 P.M.--We are just coming to Chocques for Indians again, not far from
Armentieres, so I am looking up my Hindustani conversation again.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account