Page 29 - QARANC Vol 14 No 10 2015

War travels as a Queen Alexandra’s Army Nursing Sister
My first posting in 1942 was to the Military Hospital at Hatfield House (home of the Marquis of Salisbury). I will never forget my arrival at the Sisters’ Mess, seeing a mass of women all dressed in the grey and scarlet of the QAIMNS. My unit was the 91st BGH. We weren’t at Hatfield very long, and whilst there we did little nursing. We spent a lot of time dashing up to London in order to get uniforms and camp equipment that included a hurricane lamp, flat iron, stove, tin kettle and a metal trunk. Some days we were confined to the Mess so that we could have the necessary inoculations.
Soon we were sent off on embarkation leave, then, on our return we were busy getting passport photographs and finalising our business affairs.
At midnight on the 15th June 1942 the
hospital, with its medical officers and other
Mount Carmel, 1st November 1942
personnel, left Hatfield Station for an unknown
destination – this proved to be Liverpool. At
9.30am on the 16th June we embarked on the Empress of
for parcels to
Australia. The first thing was the allocation of cabins, then
be sent home, including some silk stockings, but
Mess breakfast, and what a good one it was. The food for
unfortunately they didn’t arrive. Cape Town is a modern city the whole voyage was excellent. I enjoyed the nine weeks of
and very well planned. It is the capital of Cape Province, and the tour; it was full of interest. Nature herself presented us
the European population was then about 160,000. The Cape with many wonders, the water with its fluorescence which we
coloured were segregated. The city has many fine buildings gazed upon in the dark of night, the wonderful sunsets, the sky
including a Cathedral and Houses of Parliament for the Union at night, the sea life – flying fish, porpoises and many others.
of South Africa. We stayed here for a few days.
Life on board was quite busy with lifeboat drill, duty in the
We next sailed around the Cape of Good Hope, following ships hospital, lectures on tropical medicine, deck games and
northward as far as the equator. We passed Port Elizabeth PT, concerts, dances, including Scottish Reels as the 51st
and Durban on the Portside then up the east coast of Africa Highland division was on board.
through the Mozambique Channel and so to the Equator, I mustn’t forget the laundering of our smalls (pre nylon
which we crossed this time from south to north. Eventually days). We only had fresh water for a short time – morning
we arrived at Somaliland and then turned west into the hot and evening and there was only one iron for 80 sisters.
Gulf of Aden where we docked for refuelling. Aden is the I will now give you an account of the ship’s route. From
most unpleasant place; when it rains in Aden a miracle has Liverpool we sailed north into the North Atlantic Ocean
happened, and if it does rain the moisture is soon absorbed (between Ireland and Scotland), then well out into the Atlantic,
by the heat of the sun.
turning south about 200 miles off the west of the Irish coast.
Next our journey took us through the “Gate of Tears” into The ship’s company was continuously looking out for an
the Red Sea. At this time the hospital was overflowing with enemy submarine base. We were a big convoy, 23 vessels
patients suffering from heatstroke. We had the misfortune in all.
to lose two of them. They were buried at sea, and it was a The air got warmer as we sailed south and we soon donned
sad sight to see the other ships sailing by with flags at half- tropical dress. As we neared the Moroccan Coast the skies
mast. Soon we came to Port Tewfik, at the south end of were cloudless and the sunshine really bright. From now
the Suez Canal. At this time Rommel was advancing toward on the temperature went up rapidly, and when we landed in
Alexandria so it wasn’t a healthy spot. On August 13th we Freetown, the capital of Sierra Leone, it was uncomfortably
disembarked. We spent some time at a small Arab town, El hot and humid. After leaving Freetown the weather continued
Kantara. We had a quick look at the camel market, the smell to be hot for some time. We crossed the equator well out into
was overpowering.
the Gulf of Guinea.
From here we travelled by train across the Sinai Dessert After leaving the Southern Tropic behind, the temperature
to Jerusalem. This railway runs over the land that Jacob’s started to drop, and by the time we got to Cape Town it was
sons travelled on their way to Egypt to buy corn from Joseph, pleasantly cool. We sailed in as the sun was rising, and I will never
during the famine in the land of Canaan. Once in Jerusalem forget the beautiful sight that met our eyes. Cape Town really
we had temporary postings. I went to the 16th BGH/ EX glowed, and Table Mountain in the background, shone like a
KAISERS PALACE, situated on mount Scopus. Below us golden altar. We stayed here for some days, and what perfect
nestled Jerusalem. It is 2,250 feet above the level of the hosts the South Africans were. They did everything to make
Mediterranean Sea. The Judean Hills were majestic and our stay a pleasant one. We did a lot of sightseeing, including
away in the distance could be seen the Jordan Valley and the a trip up Table Mountain. Shopping was a joy. We arranged
hills above Jericho.
THE GAZETTE QARANC 27