1915 Letter 53
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off at and went on their way.
Snaps 1, 2 and 3 were taken one of the days our boys were coming in. It shows them waiting around the dressing tent. The walking cases were sent over there while we did the others on the lines. The man in the foreground of -3- is a P.P.C.L.T and a great many of them are Canadians. 4-5-6-7 and of the girls. 8 is of Miss Sambkin and two English sisters taken when we were all at the Moderne together. 9 & 10 are of me but I'm not at all flattered. 11 was taken in the Red Cross tent one day - 12 is a "bunch" - & 13 14 [Lambie] and Dorothy washing beds the day we moved into our tents - assisted by the batmen - 15 is Miss Goodene 16 Miss M & her padre. 17 - Hunter, our home sister just back from shopping. You can see the tents in the background. And Wimereux in the distance. 18 one of the girls - 19 - Taken one Sunday we walked to [Ambleteuse]. We stopped to watch what looked like a Zeppelin flying along the English coast. We were away up on the cliffs and could see Dover plainly and the huge sausage-like machine floating along. Miss Goodene decided that "apres la guerre" it would be fine to send this to the Standard "Canadian nursing Sisters watching a Zeppelin" note their calm exterior etc. so to please her we let her take it. Just to make ourselves appear more blase we were going to add that after watching the Zeppelin we calmly walked to [Ambleteuse] and had tea. However it turned out to be an English dirigible.
We happened on some kind of a party that day and had a most enjoyable hour listening to a woman sing grand opera. I'm sure she was a professional and a good one. There were Belgian, French & English officers and an adorable Scotch major who seemed to be blind, poor chap. Their various women folk all plastered with Red Cross "high signs" to permit them to live here and a few English sisters - besides ourselves. Being in uniform we had to stand while she sang the Marseillaise. There were about ten verses to it - our feet were terribly sore and our tea got cold. So much for patriotism.
Young Bell - Irving you spoke of in your letter is not T.C. - Eric's O.C. but a Vancouver boy - Boultbee knew him well.
Yes. I guess they'll need all the nurses before this is over. Mother, do you know Holly was asked to go with Toronto Univ. Hosp. and couldn't because she couldn't get a maid to stay with her Mother. I'd shoot her sisters if they were mine. I almost cried when her letter came However she is going to keep on trying and I wrote her for heaven's sake to come if she possibly could. I'm glad I'm over here - now that the Germans got the Lusitania. I remember so well the morning she passed us two days out from Liverpool.
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