1915 Letter 38
Lemnos
Sept. 23rd, [1915]
Dear Mother,
My fountain pen is rather on the blink so you must forgive the queer look of some parts and not attribute it to mental weakness. How I have blessed you for those two veils which arrived in good condition to-day. My stock is very low. If you could send me about two or even three a month it would be heavenly especially while we're out here. There is a very fine material almost like bolting cloth that makes up beautifully and stays fresh ever so much longer than the others. The ones we made out of that piece of lawn were no good at all - too small and too heavy.
I am pretty well off for under wear at present - but you can keep on sending the cashmere stockings - a pair a month. We can't buy anything on the island. A supply ship went to Malta over a week ago and we all ordered things but it may be six weeks before they come back - and it takes ages to get things from England and cheques are so apt to go astray.
I mentioned bandage scissors in my last letter - I'd love a pair and you can't get them in England.
Our meals are perfectly grand now. We have real butter - Italian and canned but good - a quantity of tinned asparagus that is almost as good as the fresh - canned fruit, sausages and altogether we make out very well. We have a real kitchen too instead of an open air fire and the cook can attempt a greater variety. Our teas are still a joy. Today a number of men from the Cornwall were over. They were in that famous battle off the Falkland Islands. Yesterday we were honored by a real General - a C.M.G. and D.S.O. - a most charming man just out from France.
Last night Cecily Galt, Meiklejohn and I were out to dinner on the Rowan. That's a funny crowd but it was mere chance. I like Cecily at times but she's no great favourite with Myra and me or any of the girls at present. Micky has been a hero out here, she is grit to the last inch and worked long after she should have been off sick.
I have acknowledged - but I must tell you about the dinner party. I was invited by name or I shouldn't have gone - for Cecily is something Pat's style and you know the rest. Any way Micky said she'd go if I would so we went. The Rowan is a torpedo boatchaser - and is part of the navy though really a converted passenger steamer. It was a most enjoyable dinner and the men were a very jolly lot. Coming home it was quite rough so they put us into oil skins and we came home in style. Usually our trip to and from the ships are in launcher or steam boats but this was a whaler - a sort of huge skiff - rowed by six sailors. It was quite rough and we enjoyed it immensely.
I have acknowledged the gramophone to the Sec. of the I.O.D.E. which sent it and have written Aunt Teddy - but will write again. I am awfully put out with her for publishing my letter, but I didn't say much.
I am on duty with the Sick Sisters this week and am glad of the change though I was mad about it at first. Two of them have a low grade infection - possibly a mild para-typhoid but a day or so will see them all right again. We call it Lemnos fever as it doesn't resemble typhoid exactly. We have had splendid health as a unit but poor #3 has had rotten luck.
Yesterday's mail caused a regular outburst of homesickness. One girl received a Western paper saying she was thought to have been on the Royal Edward and every one had letters in the same anxious strain and felt awfully blue.
Today is a typical September day at home. I am imagining these hills covered with gorgeous maple leaves. The air is pure ozone and very bracing. I have worn my sweater all day and just felt comfortable. Thank heaven the heat is over it was so enervating.
Today we had excellent porridge made of Quaker Oats, boiled eggs, bread and butter and the inevitable jam, tea and coffee for breakfast and an orange -
For lunch - "bangers" (tinned sausages) ration bacon which is wonderfully good - crackers and cheese and tea.
And for dinner we are having roast turkey and chicken - for which we paid a fabulous price - potatoes, tinned beans and tinned pineapple - so you can see that we are doing much better.
Our mess committee is established and already we are reaping the results as you can see from the menu. We all pay 10 sh. every week or fortnight, which isn't very extravagant when you think of it. We are considering whether or not to keep on drawing rations - milk has been cut out owing to scarcity - but we can buy it on the boats. All milk of course is the condensed variety. Jam we could do without - and if we drew the 4s. a day which is given if we don't draw rations, we might be further ahead in the end. This mess business is a great education.
The huts are practically finished and a lot of convalescent patients are in them already. Our quarters are not quite ready - they are making rooms for two which will be a little larger than our present tents, so we should be quite well off. We have a wonderful washstand made of boxes on legs and two tables and are better off for furniture than we were at Wimereux.
The everlasting sunshine here is a treat. In France now they are having rain day after day. The air here is so clear and since the cloud burst (?) of a week ago we have not even seen a cloud.
I have [bugs] again and Myra and I have hunting parties night and morning. We sing "Come ye disconsolate" - and it is really quite an event. I suppose that sounds awful to you. If you could send a couple of those nice cholera belts I should be glad, at present I don't need them but along about Christmas I likely will and they are unknown here except the red flannel things. And keep on with the veils - please.
Well Mother, I must write the boys and haven't much time. I am very happy here - we are needed badly and feel that our work is very much worth while, and we surely are seeing life. In looking up my diary for Aug 23 I find that in all probability I was bursting with things to tell you. I was constantly in that state in those days. Our life was one long gasp- and we rubbed our eyes to be sure it was all real. It was like something out of a book and absolutely thrilling. On the 23rd we admitted our first patients - Scoble and Brock came back at noon from the Delta, the hospital ship we came up on from Alexandria. The Matron was short four sisters and asked for four of our girls to go with them to the Pen. and back. At first no one seemed sure whether it was a desirable thing or not and I was really the first to say I was crazy to go - afterwards a lot offered and as the first cont. girls thought they should have first choice it was left to chance and one of the ship's officers picked two pieces of paper with names out of a hat. Scoble and Brock were the lucky ones. They had a wonderful time. Went right up to Suvla Bay - got the wounded straight from the shore via small lighters - ran into a field of mines, worked like the deuce and came home brimming over with stories - so it's likely I longed for you to be here to hear it all. You are always in my thoughts - I am writing down as many of the happenings as possible but if I wrote all - I'd never get letters written.
I am sorry Annie is leaving. Can't you get some one else?
The heavy socks are just as good here as in France. I hope Mamie sends them on - It's really a nuisance having stuff sent as it means so many letters of acknowledgment but it’s a godsend to have stuff when you want it.
Miss Reid didn't come out with Queen's and I have never met her. The girls say she's all right but none has been very enthusiastic in praise of her - quite harmless though.
Don seems quite worried - poor old boy. Foolishly I haven't been keeping track of my letters to you all but have begun again now. I wrote Papa yesterday & you the 18th.
Love to all,
Helen
All the addresses you used found me -