The Flaming Sword in Serbia and ElsewhereStobart, M. A. (Mabel Annie)
History
The Flaming Sword in Serbia and Elsewhere
Stobart, M. A. (Mabel Annie)
World War, 1914-1918 -- Hospitals; World War, 1914-1918 -- Personal narratives
The ship's first officer was a Greek; he was keenly on the side of the
Allies. He hoped shortly to enlist, and he told me that it was his
firm conviction that if Greece did not join the Allies immediately the
people would revolt against the King.
The third officer, also a Greek, was a rabid pro-German. His presence
on board seemed particularly undesirable; but the wonder was that there
were not more undesirables on the ship, for anyone could have entered
it at Liverpool.
Rough weather continued till we reached Gibraltar, on April 8th, and,
after one fine day, resumed sway till the 11th, when we sailed past the
Greek coast.
We reached Salonica on April 15th, the various units full of eagerness
to learn their respective destinations.
We were met by the Serbian Consul, Monsieur Vintrovitch, and by the
English Consul-General, Mr. Wratislaw, also by Mr. Chichester, who has
since, alas, succumbed to typhoid.
There was disappointment amongst members of our unit, when they learned
that we were to establish our hospital at Kragujevatz. They would have
preferred Belgrade, as being nearer to the supposed front. Fronts,
however, are movable, and as Kragujevatz was the military headquarters,
we were, I knew, much more likely to get the work we wanted, if we were
immediately under the official army eye; I was, therefore, more than
content to go to Kragujevatz.
We spent that night on board, at the kind invitation of the captain, as
there was a scrimmage for rooms in the hotels. We then had comfortable
time next day in which to find quarters. The portion of the unit
travelling _via_ Marseilles arrived, excellently timed, by Messageries
boat, on Saturday, the 17th. We spent the next few days struggling
with, or trying to find, quay officials, and getting the stores and
equipment unloaded, and placed in railway trucks. It was difficult to
hit upon a working day at the dock, for we were now in one of those
happy lands in which eight days out of every seven, are holidays.
Friday was a fast day--no work; Saturday was a feast day--no work;
Sunday was Sunday--no work; Monday came after Sunday, Saturday and
Friday--therefore no work, a day of recovery was necessary after so
many holidays. One had to be awake all night, to discover an odd moment
when a little work was likely to be smuggled into the day's routine of
happy idleness.
[Illustration:
STOBART UNIT AND CONVALESCENTS OUTSIDE THEIR HOSPITAL AT
ANTWERP. (Concert Hall of Société de l'Harmonie)
Mrs. Stobart showing medals presented by grateful patients. Dr. F.
Stoney on her right; Dr. Ramsey left; Dr. Joan Watts, Dr. Emily Morris,
Dr. Rose Turner and Dr. Helen Hanson behind. Miss S. Macnaughtan in
front, centre]
[Illustration:
_Photo. Dover Street Studios_
STOBART HOSPITAL--SERBIAN RELIEF FUND UNIT No. 3
Mrs. St. Clair Stobart in centre second row, with (from left to right)
Doctors King-May, Payne, Marsden, Atkinson, Tate and Coxon. Dr. Hanson
absent]
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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