World War, 1914-1918 -- Naval operations -- Submarine; World War, 1914-1918 -- United States
These dinners were great occasions for our men, particularly as they
were presided over by Miss Voysey, the Admiral's niece. Miss Voysey, the
little spaniel, Patrick, and the Admiral constituted the "family," and
the three were entirely devoted to one another. Pat in particular was an
indispensable part of this menage; I have never seen any object quite so
crestfallen and woe-begone as this little dog when either Miss Voysey or
the Admiral spent a day or two away from the house. Miss Voysey was a
young woman of great personal charm and cultivation; probably she was
the influence that most contributed to the happiness and comfort of our
officers at Queenstown. From the day of their arrival she entered into
the closest comradeship with the Americans. She kept open house for
them: she was always on hand to serve tea in the afternoon, and she
never overlooked an opportunity to add to their well-being. As a result
of her delightful hospitality Admiralty House really became a home for
our officers. Miss Voysey had a genuine enthusiasm for America and
Americans; possibly the fact that she was herself an Australian made her
feel like one of us; at any rate, there were certain qualities in our
men that she found extremely congenial, and she herself certainly won
all their hearts. Anyone who wishes to start a burst of enthusiasm from
our officers who were stationed at Queenstown need only to mention the
name of Miss Voysey. The dignity with which she presided over the
Admiral's house, and the success with which she looked out for his
comfort, also inspired their respect. Miss Voysey was the leader in all
the war charities at Queenstown, and she and the Admiral made it their
personal duty to look out for the victims of torpedoed ships. At
whatever hour these survivors arrived they were sure of the most
warm-hearted attentions from headquarters. In a large hall in the Custom
House at the landing the Admiral kept a stock of cigarettes and tobacco,
and the necessary gear and supplies for making and serving hot coffee at
short notice, and nothing ever prevented him and his people from
stationing themselves there to greet and serve the survivors as soon as
they arrived--often wet and cold, and sometimes wounded. Even though the
Admiral might be at dinner he and Miss Voysey would leave their meal
half eaten and hurry to the landing to welcome the survivors. The
Admiral and his officers always insisted on serving them, and they would
even wash the dishes and put them away for the next time. The Admiral,
of course, might have ordered others to do this work, but he preferred
to give this personal expression of a real seaman's sympathy for other
seamen in distress. It is unnecessary to say that any American officers
who could get there in time always lent a hand. I am sure that long
after most of the minor incidents of this war have faded from my memory,
I shall still keep a vivid recollection of this kindly gentleman,
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