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Authors: Anna Mackenzie
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and travel may prove altogether too tiring. He concedes that my desire to do something for the War Effort is to be applauded.
Sunday 14 February
Todayâs Church Service was dedicated to those young men of the Parish who have given their lives at the Somme and Ypres. The growing list of names read out was sobering.
17 February
Aunt Marjorie has determined that it is time for Monty to receive proper tutoring, his sistersâ governess proving quite unable to keep him engaged. No doubt the poor woman will be much relieved. My aunt intends speaking to Uncle Aubrey about it this weekend.
19 February
The newspapers carry favourable accounts of the renewed French offensive, supported by Britain and her Allies, and report that we will soon have the Hun on the run. Perhaps Edmund was right and he will, after all, miss the War. I know he will be disappointed, but it will at least mean an end to the Suffering.
20 February
Of the French offensive, Uncle Aubrey says only that it is âearly days yetâ. His greater concern lies with Germanyâs most recent assault on the Christian Moral Code, being the declaration that British waters are a âZone of Warâ and thereby signalling its intent to attack all shipping rather than Naval vessels alone. Uncle Aubrey says the U-boats are formidable, and defence against an unseen aggressor all but impossible. There is no answer but for our Navy to sink the U-boats.
Sunday 21 February
Monty is to be sent away to School. With my uncle so little at home, and thus unable to offer a Guiding Hand, it is perhaps the wisest course â and one confirmed when, on being given the news, my young cousin flew into a rage, first throwing himself on his motherâs lap then proceeding to kick his fatherâs shins. In the face of all this both Aunt Marjorie and Millicent became a little tearful. Eugenie, however, did not look remotely perturbed.
23 February
Lady Braybrooke plans a visit to 1st Eastern General Hospital to inspect its facilities and has offered to takeWinifred and I, and Mother as well, should she wish it. Mother says it is quite impossible but Aunt Marjorie is enthused and has agreed to take her sisterâs place. I feel I am being managed, but it is all in a Good Cause.
25 February
The Hospital proved rather daunting. It is vast, with the majority of its wards housed in long huts that stand in soldier-straight rows, sixty beds apiece. All were rather cold, the southern walls of each building being canvas so that they may be drawn back to allow sunlight and fresh air (rather much of the latter and too little of the former) to fill the wards. Matron, very brisk but polite, showed us around, and conceded a great need for volunteers, adding â with a sideways glance at Winifred and myself â that she is obliged to exhibit prudence as not all young women are suitable. She then assured Lady B that whoever came with her recommendation was sure to be Up To The Task. Winifred was silent throughout, from which I gather she is not in favour. Despite that, we are both to begin a weekâs trial on Monday, for the duration of which we will stay with a friend of Lady Bâs.
3 March, Cambridge
I have never done so much scrubbing in all my life: floors, bedframes, enamel beakers and dishes and trays, and â worst of all â bedpans. My knees and wrists ache, the skin of my hands is quite boiled and I long for a quiet hour rolling bandages. Nursing is not about caring for the men, as I had imagined, but cleaning up after them. Sister N is a tyrant of the worst sort!
4 March
Matron came to see how we were progressing and was quite unimpressed by the state of Winifredâs hands, which are blistered and raw, worse than mine by half. Quarter of an hour later we were sent to the Officersâ ward (housed in a beautiful old building and considerably warmer than the huts) where the Sister asked us to wheel half a dozen cases out into the garden, where we
Sunday 14 February
Todayâs Church Service was dedicated to those young men of the Parish who have given their lives at the Somme and Ypres. The growing list of names read out was sobering.
17 February
Aunt Marjorie has determined that it is time for Monty to receive proper tutoring, his sistersâ governess proving quite unable to keep him engaged. No doubt the poor woman will be much relieved. My aunt intends speaking to Uncle Aubrey about it this weekend.
19 February
The newspapers carry favourable accounts of the renewed French offensive, supported by Britain and her Allies, and report that we will soon have the Hun on the run. Perhaps Edmund was right and he will, after all, miss the War. I know he will be disappointed, but it will at least mean an end to the Suffering.
20 February
Of the French offensive, Uncle Aubrey says only that it is âearly days yetâ. His greater concern lies with Germanyâs most recent assault on the Christian Moral Code, being the declaration that British waters are a âZone of Warâ and thereby signalling its intent to attack all shipping rather than Naval vessels alone. Uncle Aubrey says the U-boats are formidable, and defence against an unseen aggressor all but impossible. There is no answer but for our Navy to sink the U-boats.
Sunday 21 February
Monty is to be sent away to School. With my uncle so little at home, and thus unable to offer a Guiding Hand, it is perhaps the wisest course â and one confirmed when, on being given the news, my young cousin flew into a rage, first throwing himself on his motherâs lap then proceeding to kick his fatherâs shins. In the face of all this both Aunt Marjorie and Millicent became a little tearful. Eugenie, however, did not look remotely perturbed.
23 February
Lady Braybrooke plans a visit to 1st Eastern General Hospital to inspect its facilities and has offered to takeWinifred and I, and Mother as well, should she wish it. Mother says it is quite impossible but Aunt Marjorie is enthused and has agreed to take her sisterâs place. I feel I am being managed, but it is all in a Good Cause.
25 February
The Hospital proved rather daunting. It is vast, with the majority of its wards housed in long huts that stand in soldier-straight rows, sixty beds apiece. All were rather cold, the southern walls of each building being canvas so that they may be drawn back to allow sunlight and fresh air (rather much of the latter and too little of the former) to fill the wards. Matron, very brisk but polite, showed us around, and conceded a great need for volunteers, adding â with a sideways glance at Winifred and myself â that she is obliged to exhibit prudence as not all young women are suitable. She then assured Lady B that whoever came with her recommendation was sure to be Up To The Task. Winifred was silent throughout, from which I gather she is not in favour. Despite that, we are both to begin a weekâs trial on Monday, for the duration of which we will stay with a friend of Lady Bâs.
3 March, Cambridge
I have never done so much scrubbing in all my life: floors, bedframes, enamel beakers and dishes and trays, and â worst of all â bedpans. My knees and wrists ache, the skin of my hands is quite boiled and I long for a quiet hour rolling bandages. Nursing is not about caring for the men, as I had imagined, but cleaning up after them. Sister N is a tyrant of the worst sort!
4 March
Matron came to see how we were progressing and was quite unimpressed by the state of Winifredâs hands, which are blistered and raw, worse than mine by half. Quarter of an hour later we were sent to the Officersâ ward (housed in a beautiful old building and considerably warmer than the huts) where the Sister asked us to wheel half a dozen cases out into the garden, where we
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