My Diary in Serbia: April 1, 1915-Nov. 1, 1915 — John Shaqi
My Diary in Serbia: April 1, 1915-Nov. 1, 1915Stanley, Monica M.
History
My Diary in Serbia: April 1, 1915-Nov. 1, 1915
Stanley, Monica M.
World War, 1914-1918 -- Hospitals; World War, 1914-1918 -- Personal narratives
A Dispensary has been started on the road side near our Field
Hospital, and people are coming for miles to get medicine and advice.
There are many cases of diphtheria, typhoid, typhus, scarlet fever,
consumption and other diseases. The civil population are suffering
terribly on account of the war; they have been so neglected. One girl
walked twenty miles to get medicine for her father, mother, sister
and brother who were all down with typhus. A number of the patients
come in ox carts and they travel all right; it is wonderful how
quickly they have got to hear of the Dispensary. Mrs. Stobart has
decided to open many more.
Thursday, _May 6, 1915._
This has been a great festival for the Serbians--St. George's
Day--they keep it as a holiday. We had two of the officers to dinner,
and a bonfire at 8 o'clock, and we all danced and sang; quite a good
evening. The wounded quite enjoyed themselves.
Friday, _May 7, 1915._
I went for a walk with two of the doctors to a cemetery near here.
There are thousands of little wooden crosses where the Serbians fell
in the last battle, also for those who died from typhus. The Austrian
prisoners are digging rows and rows of new graves. The dead are not
buried in coffins; there are several empty coffins lying about.
Many of the crosses have several numbers, so many are buried in the
same grave, four and six. Our Dispensaries are getting on splendidly;
some of the patients walked forty miles; one can scarcely believe it.
We feed all those that come a long distance. We had over 100 patients
to-day. I bought in the market to-day ten sheep, six turkeys, five
geese and nine ducks. We eat two and three lambs just for the staff at
one meal; they are very small.
Sunday, _May 9, 1915._
I was up just after 4 this morning. Mrs. Stobart and three Serbian
officials went off to find another site for a Dispensary. Colonel
Harrison, our English Military Attache, has been to dinner. I gave
them boiled turkey and white sauce and macaroni. Turkeys are cheap; I
got six for 57 dinas, and you get 36 dinas for a sovereign. After
dinner Colonel Harrison gave us some very good records on his
gramaphone. Our gramaphone has been lost.
The Austrians are still shelling Belgrade. One of my five Austrian
orderlies gives me a lot of trouble. He goes off sometimes for three
or four hours to get drink, so I had to report him; he has had his
ears well boxed in front of me by the sergeant. If he had struck the
sergeant back he would have been shot.
We have several wounded Austrians and one German. When the German is
spoken to he always stands at attention; he is really a nice man!
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