1915 Letter 45
Lemnos
Dec. 13th, [1915]
Dear Mother and Father,
A mail has come in with letters from both of you - Nov. 7th etc. and a parcel containing writing pads and one with plum jam and one with cake and candy. Isn't it fatal - the delay in getting parcels?
It was a very small mail though only a letter from Ethel Boultbee written on leave and one from Mrs. Hurdy. None of the hundreds of things we've ordered from London and Alex have come. But we should feel satisfied when even a few things come through safely.
The rumours afloat on Lemnos now would fill a book. There is a certain number of people who from the time we arrived prophesied we'd be gone again in a month and now they are sure we won't be here for Christmas. That would indeed be sad - but I don't think it is true. It is only 12 days now and no one can get used to the idea. You see there are no shops to decorate and no one arranges anything more than a week ahead so nothing is in prospect, but we expect to be quite gay in a quiet way. We are doing our best to make the day happy for the patients and the men of the unit - and may not have our Christmas dinner till next day. But that isn't decided definitely yet. The order that came out for a destroyer which later went home - was handed over to us - about £40 worth and it arrived about a week ago. Such nice canned things. We all put in £1 and with what we already had it made up the amount and no one really felt it an expense at all -
Mother - I accept your little lecture in the spirit in which it was given and hereafter nothing, but in view of changes I thought you might like to know there had been friction with the lady. Our mess is run now by us.
There is a very interesting woman with the C.A.M.C. a Mrs. Burns - who has been talking a lot in Canada as I believe she was sent home for various reasons. She got the Ottawa girls' people all worked up. Told Mrs. Lyman that Micky had been threatened with meningitis in France which was an absolute lie. Micky and I had the "floo" together and pains in our backs - as I wrote you at the time. Mrs. B. wouldn't work and they tried to get rid of her on the grounds of her not being physically fit - as she was always off duty malingering. She went to London and to help her own case said Micky and I had both been sick too.
She is a most dangerous and unscrupulous woman and in case she ever said anything about me that may have reached you through the Beamishs you may rest assured that I have never been better since I came on active service and would be the first to tell you if I were otherwise.
The weather to-day is absolutely beautiful - as warm and bright as May or June at home and we all feel sort of lazy - the way spring makes one feel. However at present we are not as busy as we were and are enjoying the fine weather to the utmost.
Micky is off this afternoon and we are going over to the village to take snaps, which you will receive some day. If you can send me a couple of rolls of films every little while in with clothing or something of the sort I'd love to have them as it is very difficult to get them in being contraband. Declare the other things in the parcel and take a chance.
I have 2 cameras now a "best pocket" - the films for which cost about 15 or 20 cents - and a #1 A. Kodak Junior - films costing about 22 or 25 cents.
Don't send any more food - cake or jam or anything as it takes so long to come and the postage is so expensive. We really don't need anything at all now.
Those swiss wool vests I used to get at Simpsons are nicer than anything I have ever come across - and one or two would be very handy to have in reserve but beyond that and an occasional veil - I don't need a single thing.
I must stop now. With ever so much love I am
Yours always,
Helen