Both yest & to day have been very bad days. I have made several stupid mistakes & in return have been told that I take no interest in my work. Sister Chiltern has been terribly fussy lately. It is rather distressing when one tries all one can, but my wretched memory plays me such tricks. There has been more fighting in France, with heavy losses on both sides. Hill 60 near Ypres has been taken by the Allies. We have also landed a large force at the Dardanelles. The fall of Constantinople seems a long way off yet. Yest eve...

Just come back for a meeting at the Basenfield Hall, at which spoke Dr Mabel Ramsay & a Miss Burke, all about Serbia & the hospital units that the N.U.W.S. has sent out to that place & also to Belgium. Really it makes one rather disgusted with the little one is doing here, when there is so much wanted out there. Here we are fussing over men who are hardly poorly even, while out there, the men have not even beds to lie on, & very few nurses to look after them. Miss Burke spoke beautifully, & described the work...

Yest aft I met Bob outside Poples & we spent the afternoon together, trying to find Mary, which we succeeded in doing at last, & had tea together at Shapley’s. There has been more severe fighting at Ypres or Wipers as the men call it, but only the scantiest information about it.

A lovely morning. Had a letter from Ursula who has measles, but is on the mend. Fortunately Aunt Ella is with her, so she is being properly looked after. At 2 I was told I could have the half day. As I was walking down High St, who should I see saluting me, but Goeffrey Coleridge, in the uniform of a sergeant. It was a surprise, so I walked down the street with him. He belongs to the OTC and is trying to get a commission in the Devons. He has come up for the day from Gloucestershire. Kalki does...

Very little to do in the ward. At 2 went off duty, met Mary at Queen’s St & Went to Exmouth. It was a lovely afternoon, and when we reached the Sands we suddenly wished to go for a row so we hired a boat & a boatman & had a lovely peaceful time. We had an old boatman, who had lived at Exmouth all his life, so had his gdfather before him. When I said that it would be terrible if the Germans bombarded the place, all he said was “Well I suppose if they came, we should have...

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...

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...

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...