1915 Letter 37
Lemnos
Sept. 19, [1915]
My dear Mother and Father,
It seems hard to get letters written out here, especially this week when I am on night duty. I wrote the beginning and middle of last week - a little every day - I hope soon to be able to settle down to write every day.
We have a wonderful table in our tent that Tebb our batman made for us and it will be heavenly to have something solid to write upon.
Then too we expect to move into huts very shortly, and we should be OK there. The Sisters' huts are long sheds which will be partitioned off into small rooms for two. The ward huts will be better than tents too, especially in the wet weather.
We had one heavy rain last week - the first day I was on night duty. It began to rain and thunder etc. and when I woke it was beating in the front of the tent. I got up to shut it and was picking up odds and ends which had blown down, when there was a swish at the back of the tent and I saw that the trench around it had filled and that the surplus was coming in. I had to leap from crag to crag - as it were to reach my bed again for in less time than it takes to tell it the floor was under about 4 in. of water. I had my rubber boots handy and tucked my pyjamas in at the tops and had a fine time rescuing our boots and bags and things from under our beds.
Jane's trunk was absolutely soaked but mine is watertight I think for my things were all right. It was rather horrid at the time and the mud was something terrific and as sticky as glue but we had loads of fun.
Conditions are improving every day and certainly the worst of our hard times are over. Our Matron of course - you know by reputation - for I think I've written you about her. She is an extraordinary creature a very poor talker but quite a plausible writer. She is fed up and it's evident she wants to go home.
Well she is trying to work it that the entire unit - Sisters at least will be recalled and of course the reason given will be that we couldn't get along at all out here - She could have stood it but that the Sisters were discontented etc. We are doing our best to "fix her feet" as none of us is anxious to leave. This is our really first chance of making good. We are needed out here and we have a splendid unit. In France we were of no account. To be recalled from here would be awful and we are all prepared to resign if necessary though of course we won't ever come to that. But to have the Matron [queer] us with everyone we will not stand.
We are meeting men here who come from every corner of the world. We have established our selves here and have been taken right in. Mother, I have never met so many interesting people. The navy men have been absolutely ripping about coming over to see us and asking us out to the ships, and yesterday the Commander of a Battleship sent us over our first real butter - it was magnificent!!
We try and pass on their good work by making it pleasant for the boys from all the regiments stationed near here and ask them up for tea and make them feel they have a place to come to. Tea is our salvation - every day we have actually dozens of men. The men from three ships come every day or so and there are others we know more or less - while the young boys from the regiments came and then brought their senior officers. Every one has been to up to the Pen. or is crazy to go and the way they talk keeps us spell bound.
We have been frightfully busy on the wards but we have been made to realize by the swift way the girls who never rested were laid out that a certain amount of time off duty is essential to our well being as well as food - so we change at tea-time. So many go off from one o'clock till 4.15 or 4.30 and then the others go off for the rest of the day. That leaves someone always around at the tea hour and we just live for it.
I suppose it doesn't sound much like hardship to you - but we'll let the troubles slide - they are too much with us at present and it wouldn't do any use to tell you the way things are going down here.
But you can see that we aren't objects of pity and wrecks needing to be recalled. Myra and I preach this doctrine all day long - that the men we are meeting here are men we'd never meet any where else, and we are the only Canadians out here. If we can make good in their eyes - they judge all by us - as we will always think kindly of the navy in general after meeting with such kindness from the men here - and that it's just as important to have our mess a place to which they all like to come as it is to have the hospital a place where the men know they'll be well cared for.
I can tell you it's taken some managing too. Some of the girls are the sort that loves to get hold of one person and ignore the rest of the world but they are being made to understand that these people are their guests and that it's a crime to devote themselves to anyone in particular. With the result that now we can have most delightful times and no one feels left out.
Charleson is unspeakably awful as a Matron. She acts like a common servant and if there is anything that should be left unsaid she always says it. However she was sick all last week and as we had nearly every one on the island in one day or another we got to know them before she had a chance to make them feel uncomfortable. Now they tell us their troubles and laugh - and come again and avoid her.
We need a Matron to take hold of the Social end of it, for it's by our actions socially that we stand or fall in these men's estimations. Our nursing only counts with the Medical H.Q. and we know that is as good as can be - The girls have worked awfully hard.
But to be recalled would damn us forever.
On Sunday Myra and another girl and I were out to lunch on one of the Cruisers. We were on night duty but it was worth it. We dined in the Capts. own dining room with him - also a Capt. of Marines and the first lieut. It was a wonderful meal and wonderful talk. A commander came in after who had been give the D.S.O. a short time ago for very exceptional bravery and he was most entertaining with his stories of other men's bravery.
They came back to tea with us. I sat up there talking to two Commanders and thanking God every minute for being one of the lot sent out here. Women are very much in the minority here and we have had to develop whatever conversational powers we possessed. I know it's done me worlds of good.
Myra has discovered a distant relative, Sir Fred. Knollys - who came over several times before any of us knew his name. He was a perfect old dear and finally Myra met him and began talking about people and discovered the relationship. His sister is Queen Alexandra's Lady-in-waiting.
Another thing we never do is introduce anyone. Every one talks to every one. Charleson insists on "Mr. So-and-so meet Sister so-and-so" till everyone is purple with embarrassment. No man will come into a room if he knows he's going to be bawled out that way.
It is late now so I must stop. Some day I'll tell you the other side to the story which isn't pleasant - The Crimea will be a back number after this. Our letters while stamped in our own unit are likely to be censored again on the "Aragon" so tell me if it happens. I am writing to no one but you and the boys now.
I must stop. Am feeling fine -
Yours lovingly,
Helen