A lovely morning, which made it difficult to come away. Elizabeth & Nicholas came in the car with me to Tavistock. Philippa I left in floods of tears. “Very naughty Aunt Margaret to go away & leave me.” She cannot bear anyone to go away, & yet she did not take much notice of me when I was at home. Got to the hospital in time for lunch. Found several changes. The sisters are wearing flowing veils, all except Chiltern who of course is different. I am back again in wards 6 & 7. Some of the men have changed,...
Last day of holiday. Finished the smock I have been making for Una, and as last evening I finished copying out the accounts, I feel the time at home has not been wasted. At 11.45, D & I & Hector went in the car to Milton, where I took out the money for the choir fund, from the T.O. Bank & handed it over to D, to put in in her name. Then I went on to Lezant to see Mrs Cardwell. She was out in her Bath chair down the lane, so I went on to see Una, &...
I had a nasty cold last week & was not able to return to the Hospital. Spent Thursday in bed. On Friday Jack Trelawney & his Reginald came over from Buckfastleigh in time for lunch. Jack had to go to Lanson to see Mr Cowlard. The Radcliffe’s called in the afternoon. Reginald T is waiting for his commission. He hopes to get into the DCLI (Devon & Cornwall Light Infantry), he has been home a month & is getting weary of waiting, life at Buckfastleigh is very dreary as there are no young men of his age there. On Saturday...
Hello since last Wednesday, & a very lovely time. Since I last wrote anything Frank & his family have returned. Four children, the two elder very wild & unruly. Philippa a quaint little independent person, Michael exactly like the old picture of Arthur. On Easter Day we had lovely weather. I played for the morning service. We had a Choral Celebration & the choir sang it very well, thanks to Dorothea’s superhuman efforts. With all the difficulties she has to contend with, and all the touchy tempers to smooth down, she keeps the choir together in a way that is...
Mary has gone homes for a weekend. On Thursday I got a wire from Father to say that Frank & his family had arrived safely, and on Friday morning a letter came from good old Dorothea who found time to write & describe the children. Nicholas who is just as lovely as ever & Elizabeth much improved in looks. Both are very glad to get back to Kelly. Life in the hospital has this week been just as usual, as the men are mostly convalescent the work has not been heavy. I have unfortunately had a streaming cold, one of...
On the way to the hospital this morning, I overtook Nora Bolitho returning from the D & E. She had just bought a paper & read in it of the bombardment of the Dardanelles. Alverin’s ship, the Irresistible, being one of the battleships. She said she had not heard from him for 3 weeks & did not know until that moment where he was. This shelling of the Dardanelles by the Anglo-French fleet will mean the downfall of Constantinople. Some people say that it will fall one day this week. Robert Worthington told us to night that Charlotte had told...
This morning just at lunchtime I was told by Sister that Mrs Worthington had rung up to ask if I could come with them to Torquay to hear a Belgian violinist called Isaye. The matron allowed me to get off early & I got back to Southernhay at 1.30 Robert Worthington drove us down in his new car. Mrs W’s sister Miss Banhart who is a musician who came too. She knew the violinist having stayed with him at his house near Havre , which has been destroyed by the Germans. His playing was wonderful most sympathetic, full of feeling...
Yest aft we heard that more wounded were expected, but they had not arrived when I left in the evening. They did not come until midnight and it was nearly 2 AM before the Drs made their rounds. In the ward I am looking after we have 4 new cases. One is a Middlesex man & knows Tom Woolocombe. They are none of them serious cases. I was off again in the morning & met Mary at the club. Nora Bolitho turned up & we went out together and in High St ran against Mary Dickinson walking with Sir Ernest...
A whole month and nothing written. The fact is I am too tired to write in the evening, and the days go by so alike with the routine of my work that there is little to write. Last Friday I went home for the weekend, rushed off by the 7 PM train. It was lovely being home again & the weather was just perfect. The week before Father came up here & spent the Sunday with Mary & me, Mary being off in the morning, went with him to church, and in the aft. he & I went to Exmouth...
Have been laid up with a bad throat & spent the greater part of yesterday in bed, but hope to go back to work to tomorrow. In yest paper was a terrible account of the naval battle. The German ship Blucher [tk] was raked with the fire from our guns, and at last she sank. 2 others were also badly damaged. This shows that the German Navy is no match for ours. It is clear that these ships intended coming across to bombard some other town on our East Coast. If Few days ago I heard from Mr Begwold who...
This evening as I was returning I came across Mrs Worthington just outside at garage waiting to go out in their new car, she asked me to go to, and after a little time Dr W started off in it & took us for a little run. It was very delightful, the car is a beauty and goes so smoothly & easily.
Yesterday we heard that some of our ships have had an encounter with the enemy & has sunk one of their ships. Those that took part were the Lion, Tiger, New Zealand, Princess Royal & Indomitable. All battle cruisers. Yest. morning I was off & went to the cathedral where was matins, followed by a late celebration as it was St. Paul’s day. I stopped for it, not having been to church for 3 Sundays. Was very weary at end of the day.
A morning off, which I am spending by the fire. On Friday Ursula came up & spent the night in Exeter. She, I & Mary dined at Dellar’s Cafe on Friday evening & had a good chat. Ursula looking better already. On Sat morning I got off at 11 with orders to be back by teatime, as more patients are expected. I spent the time looking for Ursula & fails to find her, and until 3 when we met by appointment in the cathedral, then went for a drive on the train & departed with Ursula by the New London...
Yest. I went to be inoculated for the 2nd time, & did not feel much of it to day. I was given extra time off in the afternoon & came back to East-Southernhay & sat by the fire all the afternoon. On Sunday Mary & I went down to Exmouth with the Worthington’s. It was a lovely afternoon, we were much refreshed by the air. We walked along by the sea, & then went to Louisa Terrace for tea. A lovely sunset was going on all the time. The Prof showed as a new Tory of his which consisted of...
This morning I had everything to do in my ward & also prepare the dining room for the men’s dinners, a great rush it was. As 2.15 I was off & ran to the station to see Ursula. The train was 20 minutes late, so after all there was plenty of time. Mary was there waiting. At last the train came in & there was Ursula and the dear babe. The latter very fat & rosy the former very white & thin. Bob was also there, doing nurse maid. The time was all too short & away they went. We...
The days go by so much alike there is little to record. Yest. 16 and more men came in, they had travelled straight from Boulougne. Yest. Ellis came up & visited the hospital & brought up some lovely flowers. Mary & I had tea with her at Dellars.
Until this moment 6 PM I have had very little time or energy for writing. The day I came up to the hospital, I was first sent up to the OC’s office to be interviewed by Dr Worthington & he at once said I must stay with them again which of course is nice for me, although 10 minutes walk. I was put into a medical ward chiefly men with frostbitten feet, over me was Miss Marker, & over us both is a very stern old sister, who has a most forbidding face & crusty manner but who looks nice...
Cold showers. The only interesting thing in the paper to day is the account of some of the men of the formidable, got away in one of the ship’s cutters & were for 21 hours battling against the storm, with no food & very little clothing. 12 died, & 6 more died when the boat comes to Lyme Regis. It is too terrible to think of their sufferings in this weather & all those hours without food. Cyril Turner arrived at tea time. Mary & I went down to Yalford & on our return of there was a telegram for...
Cold showers & very chilly day. Special services of intercession for peace. No sermon at any service, but a homily was read. It was a very good one, with exactly the right is telling about it. After lunch Reginald, Cedric, D & I went to Yalford to see the cottage prepared for Belgians. Had to shelter there from hail shower.
Another of our ships gone, the Formidable, sunk in the channel. A Brixham trawler picked up 70 of the crew who were in one of the ships cutters which was unseaworthy. There was a tremendous see on, and for 3 hours the trawler tried to get near the cutter & when at last they succeeded it took half an hour getting the men from 1 boat to the other, but at last they did it, & took them all into Brixham. Another 70 have been picked up by a cruiser, but no information is given to whether the cause of...
