1915 Letter 12
March 30, [1915]
My own dear Mother,
I am wondering if you have ever got my letters - for I have never received
one of yours, or anyones, for ages, and yet after all it isn't such ages either
for I have one written March 2nd or 4th or thereabouts
- However it seems a long time and as it is so hard to be sure of mail coming
in - I hope it hasn't been the same with our letters to Canada.
I am sure my letters must sound very unsatisfactory but at a certain place
where we were before we came here the Censor, who was also the parson, did not
seem to regard his work as a "sacred charge" and our letters were
discussed quite freely. That is simply damnable, you know, but that is on the
d.q. and don't repeat it to a soul for rumours grow so.
We all felt as if when we were writing some one was looking over our shoulder
and you know how hard that is. But I mustn't complain at this early date.
The weather has been unusually cold and I am wearing all my heaviest clothes.
However every one says summer begins early here and that it is very warm by
the middle of April. We feel shivery all the time and these houses of course
are not heated. I must say I am feeling fine though and we are all so sunburned
and healthy looking you'd not pity us.
Personally I have yet to experience such absolute lack of comforts of all
kinds as when I was at Birdsall. That had active service beaten.
Our tents are all up and we are nearly ready to admit patients. The tents
for the nurses are very nice and I think we'll be very comfortable. Miss Hunter
is to be "Home Sister" so our comfort will be well looked after.
Miss Goodene is here also Miss Meiklejohn. Also Hunter and Bleweth and Miss
Squires of Norwood, so you see I am well surrounded by friends. Strange isn't
it? Also Miss Hammell and Miss Bruce of the T.G.H. And we have many friends
in common.
It was very sad leaving Le Tréport. We were absolutely happy there
- we liked the place, the nurses, the Matron and the officers - But we had to
leave and thirteen lots of chums were separated. Funny it happened so but it
did and there was great lamentation. As one girl remarked "War is
hell".
Miss Elliott is still there so I am rooming with Miss Boultbee of Vancouver,
an awfully nice girl. She and Miss Rose were friends in V. - trained together,
and have been together up to this, so they felt pretty blue over being separated.
Miss Rose and Miss Elliott are still together though. Miss Rose as you can see
by those snaps if you ever received them is quite short and fat - but one of
the Halifax Crowd said she couldn't tell us apart - so we were always known
as the ["dubs"]
To-morrow Miss Goodene and Dorothy Winter, Miss Boultbee and I are going into
Boulogne as it is our half day - and we are going to have a real English meal
at the Folkestone Hotel a swell British place. Lately we have been going easy
till we saw how friends were going to be - but now we are going to celebrate.
I haven't touched my March salary, so I think I've done pretty well don't you?
Prices are naturally high here, but I think the shops in these little places
are most reasonable, and they keep all the necessaries. At this Hotel "the
Moderne" we pay 5 francs a day - but candles are extra (as that is all
the light they have) and for breakfast every thing except café au lait
and "le petit pain" which means rolls made of unsalted bread dough
- We get good bacon and eggs for 50 centimes about 10 cents and an egg for 2
sous or cents - and I am really quite surprised that things aren't more expensive.
Tell Mrs. English that all she said about linen sheets was quite true. They
are quite the coldest things you ever slept on. And Mrs. Price has certainly
kept me from having "cold feet" many a time, by giving me those bed
socks. I never stir without them, and Aunt Lauder's rug saves my life at night.
In Le Tréport we were much farther south and it was a damper atmosphere,
and we were quite comfortable in our cotton dresses and capes but it may have
been cold there since we left.
It is better not to write anything personal as you can't tell where letters
go. One of the sisters here received an empty envelope - the letter had slipped
out as it hadn't been sealed properly by that parson. He used to discuss our
letters in the officers' mess - and talked about letters written by a nurse
named "Peggy" to her lover in Vancouver. A disgrace to the cloth -
a man like that - but thank goodness all censors aren't like that.
Well Mother, I must close. I am finishing this in the morning and it is much
milder to-day.
Ever so much love to Papa and to Don and all the rest when you write - though
I'll try and write myself. Don't worry about me dear for I am quite all right.
I have not heard from Eric since I came over here but am sure there is a letter
some where - no news over here is good news.
Good-bye now, dear, and God bless you all - yours always.
Helen