Read Online Flora's War by Pamela Rushby - Free Book Online

you want a letter written just ask for me. My name’s Flora.’
    He went away laughing.
    Well, that was fine, I thought. I felt – useful . I’d made Trooper Hendy happy, and his sister would be pleased to hear from him. I looked around for someone else to help.
    The morning went by quickly. British and New Zealand soldiers also came in. It wasn’t hard to find something to talk about; mention their homes and families and they were away. Some of them seemed so young. I was sure they couldn’t be eighteen. I said so, quietly, to Mrs Daunt, one of the older volunteers.
    ‘I’m quite certain they’re not,’ she agreed. ‘I’ve heard that a lot of young men lied about their age to join the army.’ She shook her head. ‘Their poor mothers …’
    At the end of our shift Lady Bellamy called us all together. ‘Some of the boys,’ she said, ‘have told me of friends in hospital who would greatly appreciate a visit from our ladies. I am certain they would also appreciate some newspapers and magazines, and perhaps someone to write a letter for them. Flora –’ She looked at me. ‘You wrote a letter for a young soldier today. Would you be willing to visit some of our boys in hospital?’
    ‘Yes,’ I said, rather reluctantly, but I said it. ‘Yes, I could manage a few visits.’
    ‘Excellent,’ said Lady Bellamy. ‘I shall draw up a roster.’
    A few days later I found myself in the middle of Cairo, walking into the Egyptian Army Hospital at the Citadel. As it was a British hospital I’d expected only British patients, but there were Australians and New Zealanders here as well. I’d brought an armful of magazines, a basket with boxes of chocolates and biscuits, materials to write letters, and instructions from Lady Bellamy about not tiring seriously ill patients and not spending too long with any one soldier.
    A stiffly starched English matron eyed me with suspicion. ‘Just who sent you?’ she demanded.
    ‘Lady Bellamy,’ I replied.
    She unstiffened slightly. She called a nurse and asked her to take me to a ward. ‘Not the infectious ward, of course,’ she added sternly.
    The nurse rolled her eyes at me as we moved off. ‘I could have worked that out all by myself,’ she murmured.
    Her uniform was very like Lydia Herschell’s, the nurse Gwen and I had met at Shepheard’s. ‘You’re Australian,’ I said. ‘What are you doing in a British army hospital?’
    ‘Oh, some of us were sent here as soon as we arrived, to help out until the Australian hospitals are organised,’ she said.
    ‘And are you liking it?’ I asked as we walked down a corridor.
    ‘We’re not kept very busy,’ she said, reminding me of Lydia. ‘These cases aren’t usually serious. Still, I won’t take you too near the influenza or the measles patients!’
    ‘You don’t know a nurse called Lydia Herschell, do you?’ I asked.
    ‘Why, yes,’ the nurse said. ‘Lydia’s on this ward. Are you old friends?’
    ‘No, we met recently,’ I said.
    ‘Lydia’s a grand girl,’ the nurse said warmly. ‘I’m sure she’ll be pleased to see you.’ She put out her hand. ‘I’m Emily Lidgard.’ We shook hands.
    Lydia wasn’t on the ward at the moment. Emily introduced me to the other nurses and busied herself while I did my rounds. Two of the patients were French. I’d learned French at school, but I found it a stretch to speak to real Frenchmen and be understood. We did a lot of smiling.
    I was made most welcome by the Australian patients – purely for my accent.
    ‘Great to hear a real Aussie voice!’ one of the Australian boys said.
    ‘But you have Australian nurses, don’t you?’ I said.
    ‘Just a few, not enough of them. The rumour is they’ll be going to a big, new Australian hospital out by the pyramids.’
    That got my attention. ‘You don’t know where, exactly?’
    The soldier was vague. ‘I think a hotel is being converted into a hospital.’
    Our hotel was the only one near the pyramids. It seemed