Diary of a Nursing Sister on the Western Front, 1914-1915 | Page 5

to-day. They were met

by a telegram at Rouen at midnight, telling them to return to Havre, as
it was not safe to go on. They are of course frightfully sick.
French wounded have been coming in all day. And we are not yet in
camp. Our site is said to be a fearful swamp, so to-day, which has been
soaking wet, will be a good test for it.
It is so wet to-night that we are going to have cocoa and
bread-and-butter on the floor, instead of trailing down to the hotel for
dinner. Miss ----, who is the third in our room, regales us with really
thrilling stories of her adventures in S.A. She was mentioned in
despatches, and reported dead.
Thursday, August 27th.--Bright sun to-day, so I hope the Army is
drying itself. All sorts of rumours as usual--that our wounded are still
on the field, being shot by the Germans, that 700 are coming to Havre
to-day, that 700 have been taken in at Rouen, where we have three
G.H.'s--that last is the truest story. We went this afternoon to see over
the Hospital Ship here, waiting for wounded to take back to Netley. It
is beautifully fitted, and even has hot-water bottles ready in the beds,
but no wounded. It is much smaller than the H.S. Dunera I came home
in from South Africa. Still no sign of No.-- being ready, which is not
surprising, as the hay had to be cut and the place drained more or less.
The French and English officers here all sit at different tables, and don't
hobnob much. Six officers of the Royal Flying Corps are here,
double-breasted tunics and two spread-eagle wings on left breast.
Troops are still arriving at the docks, which are the biggest I have ever
seen. The men on the trams give us back our sous, as we are
"Militaires."
Friday, August 28th.--Hot and brilliant. Eleven fugitive Sisters of No.--
have come back to-day from Amiens, and the others are either hung up
somewhere or on the way. The story is that Uhlans were arriving in the
town, and that it wasn't safe for women; I don't know if the hospital
were receiving wounded or not. Yes, they were. Another rumour to-day
says that No.-- Field Ambulance has been wiped out by a bomb from
an aeroplane. Another rumour says that one regiment has five men left,
and another one man--but most of these stories turn out myths in time.

Wounded are being taken in at No.--, and are being shipped home from
there the same day.
This morning Matron took two of us out to our Hospital camp, three
miles along the Harfleur road. The tram threaded its way through
thousands of our troops, who arrived this morning, and through a
regiment of French Sappers. There were Seaforths (with khaki
petticoats over the kilt), R. Irish Rifles, R.B. Gloucesters, Connaughts,
and some D.G.'s and Lancers. They were all heavily loaded up with kit
and rifles (sometimes a proud little French boy would carry these for
them), marching well, but perspiring in rivers. It was a good sight, and
the contrast between the khaki and the red trousers and caps and blue
coats of the French was very striking. We went nearly to Harfleur
(where Henry V. landed before Agincourt), and then walked back
towards No.-- Camp, along a beautiful straight avenue with poplars
meeting over the top. About 20 motors full of Belgian officers passed
us.
The camp is getting on well. All the Hospital tents are pitched, and all
the quarters except the Sisters and the big store tents for the
Administration block are ready. The operating theatre tent is to have a
concrete floor and is not ready.
The ground is the worst part. It is a very boggy hay-field, and in wet
weather like Wednesday and Tuesday they say it is a swamp. We are
all to have our skirts and aprons very short and to be well provided with
gum-boots. We shall be two in a bell-tent, or dozens in a big store tent,
uncertain yet which, and we are to have a bath tent. I am to be surgical.
While waiting for the tram on the way back, on a hot, white road, we
made friends with a French soldier, who stopped a little motor-lorry,
already crammed with men and some sort of casks, and made them take
us on. I sat on the floor, with my feet on the step, and we whizzed back
into Havre in great style. There is no speed limit, and it was a lovely
joy-ride!
We are seeing the 'Times' a few days late and fairly regularly. Have not
seen any list of the Charleroi casualties yet. It all seems to be coming

much nearer