1919 Letter 3
Dunkirk
Mar. 12 [1919]
Dear Mother –
Our orders came through quite suddenly Monday morning and we got here about 9 that night.
So far I like it very much. Our room (all the Sisters are in billets) is very tiny but we hope to move soon.
The hospital is away out of the town on the dunes, 4 miles away, and no billets are available nearer. We go in ambulances and owing to the difficulty in transportation, one half of us go on in the morning and the others in the afternoon. It means that we are pretty busy but it is a splendid arrangement and works awfully well.
The mess is good, and altogether it is about the nicest unit I’ve been in.
Ida Smith and I came together so it isn’t lonely. We went on our leave to Scotland together in 1915.
Col. Munro, the O.C. used to be with us in #1, and he is a dear. We had a long talk with him yesterday going over old times.
I have had no reply to my wire to Eric but having to move here will keep me longer waiting for it. I am not worrying about him but I am about you, waiting every day for him to arrive.
Our billets here are about 2 minutes walk from the sea, and the air is wonderful.
Haven’t seen much of the town except from the ambulance. It is quite badly damaged by shelling and bombs.
I must stop now, as I am trying to write on duty – our room doesn’t boast a chair or table but once we are settled I’ll write you a decent letter. Still use the 133 Oxford St. address. Yours
Helen