Last week was a terrible one as regards the war, what with the loss of the Lusitania & in the fearful fighting in Belgium. Huge long list of casualties, yesterday’s list the longest that has appeared. 400 officers. One day last week Leonard Morshead’s name was among the wounded but I hear from home that it is only a slight wound in the arm.

Had a letter from Agnes yesterday saying that Ruth was still very ill. Poor child it is now 3 weeks since Agnes’s first letter came, saying she was ill.

On Sunday a man died in the hospital, he was brought in on Thursday with a fearful wound in his leg, & nothing could be done. His sufferings of the journey were terrible he told the nurse that every movement of the boat & training caused him agonies.

One of our nurses who works in the theatre called Grimaldi is very ill with blood poisoning. She always looks ill at the best of times, and is very nervous & excitable.

I am to go home this weekend. Ms Walsh went to Kelly yest for a rest & change. Quite a good idea to use Kelly as a convalescent home for sick nurses. Only unofficial, miss Buller shan’t have anything to do with it.

When the history of this movement is written, I hope something will be said of the way the nurses are sent to any sort of place to billet in. One of those at No 2 is in a sort of Garrett, with only 2 tiny drawers in the dressing table, into which she can put her things. Last week there was a case of measles in the tent, and the nurses there were sent to sleep at the grammar school sanatorium, 2 miles out. They arrived there at 9.30 p.m. & found the bedding just thrown up the floor which was wet, not a creature to do anything for them, & the only light 1 inch of candle.

These are only a few instances of what some of the V.A.D. nurses have to put up with.

Of course some like myself are in luck’s way, being with really nice people, but Head Quarters ought to see that the billets are fit for people to be in.

On Sunday I went to Ottery. Dicky met me at Whimple and drove me out in her new self starting two seater, the first time I had seen a self starter. It was lovely to be in the country again but unfortunately it was wet. We had tea at the vicarage & saw the wonderful baby. He is a lovely boy, but not so advanced as DJ[*] at least not from what I have heard.

Yesterday I went to tea with the Priors, these last few days have been very trying.