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diff --git a/.gitattributes b/.gitattributes new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6833f05 --- /dev/null +++ b/.gitattributes @@ -0,0 +1,3 @@ +* text=auto +*.txt text +*.md text diff --git a/33001-8.txt b/33001-8.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6105555 --- /dev/null +++ b/33001-8.txt @@ -0,0 +1,3858 @@ +The Project Gutenberg EBook of My Diary in Serbia: April 1, 1915-Nov. 1, +1915, by Monica M. Stanley + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: My Diary in Serbia: April 1, 1915-Nov. 1, 1915 + +Author: Monica M. Stanley + +Release Date: June 27, 2010 [EBook #33001] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK MY DIARY IN SERBIA *** + + + + +Produced by The Online Distributed Proofreading Team at +https://www.pgdp.net (This file was produced from images +generously made available by The Internet Archive/American +Libraries.) + + + + + + + * * * * * + + +-----------------------------------------------------------+ + | Transcriber's Note: | + | | + | Inconsistent hyphenation in the original document has | + | been preserved. | + | | + | Obvious typographical errors have been corrected. For | + | a complete list, please see the end of this document. | + | | + +-----------------------------------------------------------+ + + * * * * * + + + + +MY DIARY IN SERBIA + +April 1, 1915--Nov. 1, 1915 + + [Illustration: The Author--MONICA M. STANLEY. + _Frontispiece._] + + + + +MY DIARY IN +SERBIA + +April 1, 1915--Nov. 1, 1915 + +By +MONICA M. STANLEY +_Attached to the "Stobart Field Hospital" in Serbia_ + + +ILLUSTRATED WITH PHOTOS + + +LONDON: SIMPKIN, MARSHALL, +HAMILTON, KENT & CO., LIMITED + + + + +COPYRIGHT. + +First issued, Feb., 1916. + + + + +To +My very dear Aunt +ELIZABETH STANLEY +this book is +Dedicated + + + + +PREFACE + + +Brave Serbia has not been forgotten in her hour of need by the women +of England. For the Women's Imperial Service League, with Mrs. St. +Clair Stobart as directress, went out to Serbia under the ęgis of the +Serbian Relief Fund, after arduous work out in Antwerp and after at +Cherbourg. Mrs. Stobart decided that ours should be a Field Hospital +owing to typhus and other fever raging in the country. + +We left on April 1, 1915, on the Admiralty transport _Saidieh_ for +Salonica. The staff consisted of Mrs. St. Clair Stobart as directress, +Mr. J.H. Greenhalgh as treasurer, a secretary, seven women doctors, +eighteen trained nurses, four trained cooks, one dispenser, one +sanitary inspector, an English chaplain and fourteen orderlies, of +which some were chauffeurs. + +The Field Hospital was perfectly equipped; everything we took with us. +We had over sixty tents, 300 beds, with every necessary for them; +bales of clothes for wounded and the civil population; the kitchen +requisites, with four excellent cooking stoves with ovens; several +portable boilers for hot water; large tanks for cold water; laundry +equipments; medical stores; over £300 of food-stuffs; X-ray; all +sanitary necessaries; motor ambulances. Our Field Hospital was to be +at Kragujevatz; the tents were soon pitched and well arranged. + +We had the following tents: one for X-ray, operating theatre; one to +receive the patients; a large mess tent for patients and one for +staff; one for linen--laundry; two kitchens--one for patients and one +for staff; dispensary; food stores; a recreation tent for the staff, +and one for the doctors; then there were lavatory and bath tents; the +rest were wards and for the staff to sleep in. Our Hospital was soon +full. I was the head of the kitchen departments, and I looked after +the catering and food stores. I was very happy with my staff, in spite +of the work being hard and the hours long, but we knew that we were +doing good to our fellow-countrymen. + +Mrs. Stobart and the doctors found that the civil population was +suffering terribly owing to the war, as there was a scarcity of +doctors and no proper hospitals to send them to; and as we were trying +to stamp out all disease before fighting started again, it was decided +that we should have some roadside dispensaries and a civil hospital +for all the worst cases. Arrangements were made that Dr. May should +return to England to raise funds for more equipments. We also wanted +more doctors, nurses and cooks. It did not take long before everything +was forthcoming. Seven dispensaries were started and excellent work +was accomplished in quite a short time. Over one hundred people +attended the dispensaries most days, and over eleven thousand of the +poor suffering population were soon relieved from their pain and +suffering. + + MONICA M. STANLEY. + + + + +SERBIA'S GREAT NEED + + +Mrs. St. Clair Stobart with Mr. Greenhalgh, doctors, nurses, and +orderlies, were to have left for Serbia on Saturday, March 27. On +Friday the unit met at 39, St. James' Street to have their photos +taken, then at 4.30 a service at St. Martin's-in-the-Field, conducted +by the Rev. Percy Dearmer. We had two hymns, a nice address; a +collection was taken of just over £12 for our unit. After the service +we went to a farewell tea at Lady Cowdray's, 16, Carlton Terrace. Lady +Muir Mackenzie and several others from the Women's Imperial Service +League were there. Sir T. Lipton, who had just arrived home, told us +of his experiences in Serbia, with all the horrors and hardships. Lady +Cowdray presented the unit with a Thermos flask each, as a parting +gift. Lady Muir Mackenzie gave each a Tommy's cooker, which I found +most useful. We heard that the Admiralty had again put off our unit, +and that half of us only could leave on the following Wednesday or +Thursday. The following Monday we had orders from Mrs. Stobart that +nineteen of us would leave on April 1 with her (the heads of the +departments, with one or two other members). We also heard that Dr. +and Mrs. Dearmer were going with us, the former as Chaplain to visit +the sick and wounded, and his wife as an orderly to our unit. + + + + +MY DIARY IN SERBIA + + + Thursday, _April 1, 1915._ + + +Nineteen of the unit left for Serbia. We met at Euston station at +9.30. The train left at 10.30 a.m. for Liverpool. We had crowds of +friends to see us off. All the equipments for our Field Hospital had +gone the previous Saturday by the _Torcello_ from the East Indian +Docks by the Admiralty transport. We are taking out sixty-three tents; +the large ones hold fifteen to twenty patients. We have 300 beds and +all other equipments to fit up a Hospital, with over £300 worth of +food-stuffs. + +All the unit are in a dark grey uniform with large pockets, making it +most useful, and nice hats to match. + +We arrived in Liverpool at 2.30 p.m. on Thursday; then collected our +luggage. We were each allowed to take one cabin trunk and a hold-all. + +On reaching the docks we got on the boat _Saidieh_ for Salonika. We +left the docks at 10 o'clock, and lay in the harbour till Good Friday, +starting at 8.30 p.m. We could not leave before, we heard, owing to +messages sent to the captain. It was nice and calm Friday night, but I +did not take off my clothes and could not sleep, thinking and +wondering if any danger might come to us. The _Saidieh_ is a horrid +boat, not at all clean, and the sanitary arrangements are terrible. It +is a Greek boat of about 3,000 tons; in the usual way it carries mails +and cargo to and from Greece and Constantinople. The weather was good +as far as St. George's Channel; we could see Ireland when in the Irish +Sea; but it became rather misty, a sea fog came on, and the horn was +continually sounded. + + + Saturday, _April 3, 1915._ + +The weather continues to get stormy, the boat rolls terribly; most of +the passengers are getting ill, so we get fewer and fewer to meals. At +midday the captain gave out that no passenger must take off any +clothes at night, and that boat station would be held on the upper +deck at 3 o'clock; this did not sound at all nice. At 3 o'clock we all +went on deck and had tickets given us for the lifeboats in case of +danger. Fourteen of us had tickets for No. 1 boat, two for No. 3 and +three for No. 6. We were nearly all separated at first, but I managed +to get our tickets changed. Mrs. Stobart was delighted, as of course +it was nicer for all to be together. It seems we were in great danger +till we passed the Scilly Isles. Saturday evening we were a very tiny +party for dinner. There are about 150 passengers on board, all units +going to different parts of Serbia. We have some of Dr. Berry's unit; +Mr. Wynch's unit, called the British Farmers, owing to the farmers +collecting the money for it. + + [Illustration: Map showing position of Mrs. Stobart's Field + Dispensaries.] + +I forgot to say that on Good Friday we had a short service conducted +by Mr. Wynch; we had the hymn for those at sea. There is Dr. Bevis' +unit, a Russian one, and the other units are the wounded Allies and +Admiral Trowbridge's unit. + +Saturday evening some of us played bridge, two doctors, a nurse and +myself. + + + Sunday, Easter Day, _April 4, 1915._ + +Nearly every passenger dreadfully ill; only about ten people for +breakfast. The boat rolls most dreadfully. We could have no service. A +terrible Easter Sunday. I shall never forget it. I was kept busy all +the day. In the afternoon the only one of our unit left was overcome +with sleep, so she had to rest. The captain said that if any one was +not ill, they could consider themselves good sailors. I am more than +pleased that I have not been ill. We are having a very bad crossing; +every minute I think our end is coming. I have never been in such a +horrid boat. We have no stewardesses, only stewards, and they are +Africans--all black. The captain is English, and the first and second +mates Greeks. + +The other thirty of our unit left to-day; they go from Folkestone to +Boulogne and thence by train to Marseilles, where they catch another +boat for Salonica. Owing to our leaving a day later they may arrive at +Salonica before we do. + + + Monday, _April 5, 1915._ + +We are still having a terrible tossing. I have given up my berth and +am sleeping on deck. The noises at night are something terrible, all +kinds of things falling and smashing. On Saturday night I jumped up at +2.30; I thought our end had come. I went round to see what had +happened; the luggage was pitched all over the place. I have slept in +the dining saloon the last two nights. The captain told us to-day that +we could undress at night, we were out of danger of submarines, but I +shall not until we are out of the Bay of Biscay. Most of us have been +on deck to-day. I am hoping by to-morrow they will all be well again. +To-night about 12 o'clock we hope to be at Cape Finisterre. I shall be +thankful, for I have not slept since I left home; the noise on this +boat has been so terrific. + +We passed Villan's lighthouse at 10 p.m. It was a lovely night and the +water lit up with phosphorus. The captain appeared at dinner this +evening, so things are getting better for us. + + + Tuesday, _April 6, 1915._ + +All the sick are sitting on deck to-day, so we have not much to do. +This morning I played deck quoits with several of the passengers. I +learnt a little Serbian. We are a happy party; every one is so +friendly. We have sheep, ducks and fowls on board--all have been sick; +also two dogs. I slept on deck last night, a perfectly lovely night. + + + Wednesday, _April 7, 1915._ + +The weather has quite changed; it is perfectly glorious to-day. This +morning we learnt Serbian for a little and wrote letters. This +afternoon I have been sitting in a lifeboat, with the sun streaming on +me; it was heavenly. We have just passed Portugal. I took several +photos. We passed Cape St. Vincent at 2.30 p.m. We could never have +been saved if anything had gone wrong with this boat; it is a terrible +old tub. We get to Gibraltar to-morrow, I hear, about 10 o'clock, so +this will be posted. + +We have just been having Swedish drill on deck, as the doctors wish to +keep us in good health for the hard work we expect later. + + + Thursday, _April 8, 1915._ + +Slept on deck last night, but always have to be up at 6 o'clock for +deck to be cleaned. A glorious morning. Up at six, went down and +dressed, then came on deck; it was a little misty. We could see +Tangier quite well and all along the coast of Africa. Later on in the +morning, and on the opposite side was Gibraltar. It was quite +interesting. We were inspected, and the captain got our letters taken +back for us. I took a great many photographs. We saw shoals of +porpoises, which followed the boat for some distance. I took a +snapshot of them. The day got hotter and hotter, so we sat in the +lifeboat and enjoyed the view. We had to get out our shady hats, and +we had no coats on. At 12 o'clock we had drill. This afternoon I have +been playing bridge with the doctors, a perfect day. At 4.30 we passed +the most gorgeous snow-capped mountains, Sierra Nevada. This evening +the captain is having dinner with us, and after we are to have a +dance. It is getting very rough again this evening, and all the +portholes have had to be closed. + + + Friday, _April 9, 1915._ + +A nice morning. We had drill on deck, then had our Serbian lesson. +After lunch it began to get rough, and a great many of the passengers +are ill again. We passed Algiers to-day, and we have a very bad swell +on to-night, owing to being near the Gulf of Lyons. We have been +playing bridge this afternoon. We had a dance last evening. To-night +we were to have had games, but it has been too rough. We have to learn +two pages of Serbian every day; it is very dry. + + + Saturday, _April 10, 1915._ + +A dreadful night. We slept on deck, and at 1 o'clock it began to +thunder, lightning and hail. We got simply drenched. We are having it +quite as rough as in the Bay of Biscay. + +It is blowing a gale to-day. We are to have a bridge party to-night. +We had an amusing dinner; we had to hold on to everything. A dish of +chicken was thrown all over the saloon, glasses, plates, knives, +forks, oranges and apples. We could none of us sit in our places. +Great trunks were thrown all over the passages. It will be a wonderful +thing if we get to Salonika. It makes me feel happy to think that I +have so many kind friends at home remembering us in their prayers. I +wish the Admiralty could be sent out on this boat. The food is nearly +all bad; we can scarcely eat anything, and I hear we are getting short +of water. We are not allowed to stop until we get to Salonika. + +Our bridge party went off well, but it was a bit slow. Mrs. Claude +Askew got the first prize. + +The African niggers are very amusing; they call us all Misses. They +told us if we did go into the sea and drown we should get plenty of +fresh air, as we are so fond of having our portholes open in our +berths. They will come and tuck us up at night. + + + Sunday, _April 11, 1915._ + +It still continues to be rough. We are to have our service this +evening. We passed Tunis at 8 o'clock this morning. We had a very bad +thunderstorm last night again; the lightning was very vivid. A good +many of us had to sleep in the saloon. + +I am learning Serbian with Mrs. Stobart; she has just heard my lesson +and given me twenty more words to learn. It is a most uninteresting +language. + + + Monday, _April 12, 1915._ + +Had drill at 10 o'clock, then "follow my leader" all over the ship. At +10.30 we passed Sicily; we could see the olive groves. An Italian +destroyer has been following us. We erected the English flag, so they +soon left us. I am taking part in some tableaux, so we rehearsed this +afternoon. Since I have been playing bridge. It is dreadfully rough +again, and we have another bad thunderstorm. It will be the greatest +wonder if we land at Salonika safely in this wretched boat. I thought +that our end was near many times last night. I did not get a bit of +sleep. + + + Tuesday, _April 13, 1915._ + +It is still stormy and pouring with rain, not at all a nice crossing. +We did not see Malta; we were too far away, but we were only about two +miles from Sicily. We have been playing bridge nearly all day. + + + Wednesday, _April 14, 1915._ + +A fine day and the wind has gone down. Four of our unit have been ill, +owing to the bad food (two of them fainted and were in great pain), +and several in the other units. We expect to get to Salonika on +Thursday, midday. We have just passed Belopulo; we shall be passing +Andros and Tinos. To-night we are all to appear in fancy dress. I am +going as a mattress, a pillow arranged on my head, pillows stuffed +inside a mattress ticking, and my feet coming through at the bottom +with bed-socks on. The time has altered; we are 1-½ hours in advance +of England. It is light at 4.30 in the morning, but dark soon after 6 +o'clock. We had a swallow following our boat most of yesterday. + +The fancy dress was a great success; it was really splendid, as none +of us had many things with us, as we are all in uniform. Mr. Claude +Askew was very amusing, introducing us as Mrs. Jarley's waxworks. + + + Thursday, _April 15, 1915._ + +It was a rough and very cold night again. I slept in the lifeboat part +of the night, but had to get on deck at 2 o'clock as it was so cold +and rough. We get to Salonika about 1 o'clock. We have just passed +Mount Olympus; it looks glorious with the sun on it and snow-capped. I +heard the guns in the night--from Smyrna, I suppose. The engineer took +me down to see the engines last night. It is a good thing for us that +we have had a rough crossing. We should have been caught by submarines +if we had not, owing to the cargo we are carrying; it is supposed to +be coal. + +We are only forty miles from Salonika; we expect to arrive at 1 +o'clock. We telegraphed for rooms at the hotel from Gibraltar. We +expect to stay in Salonika a week, as we have to wait for the stores. +We are all such a happy party, and all the units on board have been so +friendly. + +A Greek boat told us that there had been a big battle at the +Dardanelles yesterday, but the result was not known. We have no +wireless on this boat. The sunrise was gorgeous this morning; it is +much finer to-day. I shall post this directly I arrive at Salonika. It +is dreadful not having any news from home. I cannot hear anything for +a month. We shall not be able to send our permanent address for some +time yet. + +The most dangerous part of our journey was the forty-eight hours +through the Irish Sea. It is interesting to know that the boat has +gone 1,000,000 revolutions to Salonika from Liverpool, and a +revolution is 25 feet. As we got into the harbour at Salonika there +was a vessel called the _Athena_; it belongs to the Germans. We +arrived at Salonika at 2 o'clock; we had to anchor outside. The +doctor, the English Consul, and the head of the police came on board. +Twenty-three little boats arrived to take us across; the men simply +fought, and we had quite a difficulty. We found we could not get +accommodation at the hotel sufficient for our unit, so the captain +told us to sleep on board. We had our tea and dinner at the Hotel +Olympus. The latter meal the captain of the _Saidieh_ had with us. We +returned to the boat at 10 o'clock. + + + Friday, _April 16, 1915._ + +The _Torcello_ arrived with all our equipments at the same time our +boat arrived. Salonika is the most picturesque place; it is so hot, +just like midsummer in England. The yachts sailing about in the +harbour are lovely. There is a wreckage just near. It is April 7 +there, and in England it is the 15th. + +After breakfast we took a carriage and went to St. Demetrius, the +Greek Church. It is perfectly gorgeous. Large marble pillars and +granite supposed to be extinct. The arches are wonderful and all +inlaid with mosaic. Then we saw sarcophagus or some of the remains +dating back to 136. The pictures all round are gorgeous, very bright +colours. Many people came to pray. One little family went into a +corner where there was a picture of Adam and Eve in the Garden of +Eden, the serpent was up a tree. They prayed at this picture, then +kissed each figure; they crossed the altar, and kissed each figure in +the other pictures. Then we went to the Church Sophia, another Greek +one. We saw many more people praying and kissing the figures in the +pictures and crossing themselves. The Baptistery in St. Demetrius was +wonderful; there was a wonderful shell-like font under a massive stone +canopy. A little distance away there was a huge bell under an arch. We +then went into another church which was being restored. On approaching +we could smell nothing but disinfectant; we thought this strange. The +interior of the church was beautifully arched. We had not been in the +church long when we found that the floor was a mass of fleas and that +all of us were covered. We went into a courtyard and caught hundreds; +women and children helped. We were in a most uncomfortable condition. +Most of the houses are full of them, and also other livestock. One can +see the fleas jumping in the sand in the streets. + +Some of the churches are full of Greek refugees from Asia Minor. + + + Saturday, _April 17, 1915._ + +We went to see the French Hospital. An English nun took us over. We +also went to see the soup kitchens, and at 12 o'clock one hundred of +the refugees came with tickets for soup. We helped to serve it out to +them; it was most interesting. All of them wanted more than their +share. After we met the remainder of our unit, which had just arrived +by the _Lotos_; they came overland to Marseilles, then by steamer. +They had all had the most delightful time, stopping at most of the +ports. We envied them after our ghastly journey. Dr. Dearmer and +several others of the party and I went into the town, then to St. +Nicholas, a church full of refugees--a sight I shall never forget; +each family had been allotted a corner, and they just sit on a mat. +One family was busy at lunch; they had one large bowl of soup in the +centre of the mat, and they all sat round; father, mother and three +children each had a spoon, and they all ate out of the same bowl. This +seems to be the custom in the poorer quarters in Greece and Serbia. +There were several little babies only a day or two old done up like +brown-paper parcels. + +In the afternoon we went to see where Abdul Hamid was imprisoned. He +was allowed eighteen wives. He abdicated. The Germans threatened to +rescue him, so high walls were built all round so that aircraft could +not get near. After eighteen months he was told he might leave the +country, otherwise be shot, so he went to Asia Minor, and now the +house is used for military purposes. + + + Sunday, _April 18, 1915._ + +We had Communion Service, which Dr. Dearmer conducted at 8.30. Then +went to Turkish town, which is most interesting. We then went to the +Greek military prison. Then to the Turkish Church. Before entering the +church we had to remove our shoes; the floor was covered with squares +of carpet. In the afternoon we went to St. Demetrius and saw a +christening--most interesting. The priest first covered the baby, +which was naked, with oil--head, eyes, cheeks, ears, body, legs, feet, +back; then the mother poured a handful of oil over the baby's head. +Then the priest took the babe and put it into a font of oil and water +which completely covered it; then the baby was again crossed with oil, +using a brush this time and taking the oil out of a bottle; then the +babe was put into a piece of flannel into the mother's arms. She held +two candles, one in each hand, and the priest took incense, which he +swung backwards and forwards, and then went twice round the font. Then +he read and kissed the book, and the woman kissed it twice, and the +ceremony was finished. + +We then went to the Greek cemetery, and saw where all the soldiers +were buried in the last war. The Turkish cemetery was near by. We saw +another large barracks and the Greek Military Hospital. + + + Monday, _April 19, 1915._ + +We were shopping all morning, getting ready for our departure for +Kragujevatz to-morrow, Tuesday. We leave soon after 7 o'clock. This +afternoon we went with Mrs. Stobart as far as the tram went, then we +walked to the beach. We were a party of twenty-four; we all had tea +and then paddled and came home. I have just finished packing for +Serbia. + + + Tuesday, _April 20, 1915._ + +Got up at 6 o'clock, went to Hotel Splendide for breakfast; then we +all marched behind a funny old cart, which had our luggage, to the +station. I had a tin of honey, fifty-six pounds, which I bought at +Salonika; the tin cracked and it began to run out; a cork came out of +a paraffin bottle, and this began to _run_; then the luggage kept +taking flying leaps off the cart: we had to keep running after it, to +put it back: the man went on, never stopping for any catastrophe. When +we landed at the station we had the time of our life, such a scuffle +and rush to get into the train. Only twelve of us left to-day, and the +other thirty-six follow us on Thursday. All the unit saw us off. The +train left at 9.15; it was to have left at 8. + +The smell of formalin in the train was very strong, and all of us were +covered with paraffin, so the two smells _together_ were not very +delightful! Besides this, some of us had carbon balls and camphor in +our pockets. + +It took us about half an hour to get out of Greece. The country all +along is simply wonderful; the most glorious scenery, hills, rocks and +valleys, with the most gorgeous colourings. All along we saw herons, +storks and eagles, vultures, magpies and jackdaws. All these birds are +most plentiful and very tame. All the carts are pulled by buffalo oxen +and donkeys. Most of the sheep are black; also the pigs and goats. + +The train first stopped at Topsin, then at Amatovar and then Karasuli; +these are all the Greek stations we passed. The first Serbian station +we stopped at one and a half hours. It was at Ghevgheli. There were +many Austrian prisoners and Serbian soldiers on the platform. The +Serbians looked very tired, and their clothes were very shabby. They +are very badly shod, only a kind of moccasin on their feet. A good +many of the Serbians have khaki clothes, but it seems that they have +been given by the English. On lots of the house-tops and chimney-tops +the herons have built their nests; this was most interesting to see. A +great many of the soldiers have lambs following them about like dogs. +They are so pretty. + +Eight lovely peacocks were on the platform, and they kept walking +under the train; also one or two white guinea-fowls. We saw no end of +tortoises all along the line, and we got one and brought it into the +carriage, but we had to put it out again as we had no green stuff to +feed it on. All the lakes and reservoirs are full of bull frogs; these +make a tremendous noise just like a lot of ducks quacking. The trees +in this part of the country are quite small ones, and there are no +hedges; the blossom on the trees is perfectly lovely. We watched the +butter being made from goat's milk, and very good it is. Most of the +work in the fields is done by women and oxen, and the women look very +picturesque in their different coloured garments. We had lovely +flowers all the way, especially poppies. We kept passing swamps, full +of different grasses. The mountains are wonderful, covered with snow, +and we hear that when some of the snow melts dead bodies are found +underneath. We crossed over the bridges which were blown up three +weeks ago by the Bulgarians; we came through a wonderful tunnel cut in +the rocks, and we passed no end of churchyards, where the men are +buried in the different battles--Turks, Serbians, and Bulgarians--it +is really pitiful to see them. We are guarded by soldiers all along +the lines and on the trains. We passed lots of rows of little crosses +where all the women, children and men were buried after the Bulgarian +raid a week ago. A rope was put round their necks and they were hung +up on trees to die. All the soldiers come and salute us at each +station and along the line. They all look so sad. Uskub we stopped at +7 o'clock, and we were met by Sir Ralph Paget. We had dinner at the +station: soup floating with grease and omelet as tough as leather; the +bread was almost black and very sour. The room was very dirty, and +many men were sprinkling disinfectants about. This amused me very +much. We slept in the train. + + + Thursday, _April 22, 1915._ + +We got up before 6 o'clock; had breakfast. It is much colder, and we +are very near snow-clad mountains. We got to Nish at 8 and had two +hours to wait. We were met by the Serbian Minister and doctor, and +taken in a funny little carriage to the Reserve Hospital, where we +washed. + +This was the Hospital which contained 1,500 Serbian wounded when it +fell into the hands of the Bulgarians. We then had breakfast--bread, +raw bacon and eggs; not good; but we must be thankful for anything in +these bad times. The beds in the wards are several planks of wood, +with straw mattress and pillows--quite clean. The women are not a +bad-looking race. The minister showed us a terrible photograph he had +taken of women and children hanging from trees, where the Bulgarians +had strung them up. Two units we left at Nish; one is coming in a few +days to Kragujevatz, the other to Belgrade. We drove back to the +station; impossible to walk; the mud is eight or ten inches deep. + +We slept in the train, three in a compartment, and none of us got +bitten. We first cleaned all the carriages out with paraffin. We +passed through vineyards and maize-fields. The women do the ploughing +with the oxen. There are hundreds of wounded Austrians everywhere to +be seen. On arriving at Kragujevatz we were met by doctors and +officers, and were taken out to dinner. Four carriages, two horses to +each carriage, a most quaint turn-out. The horses seem to fly along, +and the roads are in the most awful condition; it was all we could do +to prevent ourselves being pitched out. + +We first went to the sanitary department and were introduced round, +and then we all washed our hands in disinfectants, and were taken on +to the Prince's Palace; it is now turned into a dining club for +officers. We had a big dinner, starting with very fine Russian +caviare. The dinner lasted until 10 o'clock. We then returned to the +station and stayed the night in the train. One vanload of luggage had +not then arrived, and it was too late to pitch tents. The bull-frogs +were singing all night. When a Serbian introduces his wife, he says, +"Excuse me, but may I introduce my wife?" When a party is given, the +wife never appears at table. They must think it strange that our women +are treated so differently. + + + Friday, _April 23, 1915._ + +Mrs. Stobart has been with some of the officers to find a site for the +Hospital; it is right at the top of the hill, and before the war +started it was a race-course, and it was also used for sports. We +spent the afternoon putting up the tents. The custom in Serbia is, +when a death occurs, they put out a black flag for six days or more, +and it was sad to see two or three dozen flags all along the town. We +have been hard at work all day putting away stores. + +The officers are most kind; they invited us to dinner, but we were all +too busy to go, so they sent us a lovely dinner to the tents--some +fried fish, a stew of beef, and a small lamb roasted whole, and a +salad. One of the Government officials joined us. + + + Sunday, _April 25, 1915._ + +We had a service at 8.30 a.m., which Dr. Dearmer conducted, and he +conducted another service at 2.30 and 5.30. Several of the nurses and +officers came from other hospitals. The weather is very hot, but the +nights cold. We hear the owls, nightingales and cuckoo all night. +Several of our staff are ill. I have delightful people to work with, +and we are very comfortable. Four of us in a big tent. They call me +the "Little Mother," but my general name is Cookie. The Government +officials all call me Miss Cookie. + +We have now started getting up at 4.30, breakfast at 5. We have had to +put on our summer clothes as it is very hot. I bought five lambs +to-day, 15 dinas each. They eat the meat the same day it is killed. +The small lambs and pigs are cooked whole. Forty wounded arrived to +day; they all had a bath with disinfectant in, and then put on clean +clothes, their own baked and tied up and put away with their names on. +Some of the wounded look very ill, but this place will soon do them +good. It makes us very happy to see them improving. + + + Tuesday, _April 27, 1915._ + +More wounded are to arrive to-day. We are to have surgical cases. When +the fighting starts our Field Hospital is to move on with the army. We +get quite used to getting up early. We are up at 4.30 and to bed at 9 +o'clock; it saves lights. I sleep outside the tent, and many of the +others do likewise. It is perfectly lovely. I shall never want to +sleep in again. + +The sun is glorious, rising above the mountain-tops. We are getting +quite used to the noises at night. We have the nightingales, one +singing against the other; the owls calling out; big black crickets, +which live in holes in the ground all over our camp and fields, making +their funny noise. Then there are fireflies, which at first I thought +were searchlights, as they were so very bright; cocks are crowing all +round at the various farms; stray dogs, which seem almost wild, visit +the camp at night and try to get into the kitchens to the stores, and +occasionally they will start barking and howling; in ponds near are +frogs croaking. + +My staff are so nice, it makes work so much easier. I went into +Kragujevatz to-day to do some shopping. None of us are allowed to go +on account of typhus, but there is not much fear when one takes +precautions. The shops are quite nice and the shoes and clothes +quaint. Singer's sewing machines are seen everywhere; also Sunlight +soap, Colman's mustard, Peak Frean's biscuits, Peter's milk chocolate. +These things remind us of home. Rice, haricot beans and prunes are +very plentiful, and they form some of the chief articles of diet. + + + Wednesday, _April 28, 1915._ + +The wagons are drawn by oxen; they only do twenty miles a day. They +are magnificent beasts and are well cared for. We have bought two of +them and have called them Derry & Toms, as Derry & Toms gave us two or +three of their carts to bring out here. + +We have had six officers dining with us to-day. The heat is terrific. +I can't imagine what it will be in June. The Serbian food is very +funny, but good. For breakfast they have a kind of bread-pudding; they +call it our "English" bread-pudding, but the Serbian name is "Popiri." +You put bread cut into dice into boiling water, with salt and fat; +they beat it all together and serve. They like it so much and do not +care for anything else; for a change they have stewed prunes and +bread. They drink tea or coffee and the ones on special diet have +eggs. + + + Sunday, _May 2, 1915._ + +We have so much work here we seldom know the day or the date. We have +just had tent drill, as we may move on soon, then we shall have to +pull down our tents ourselves. We have lost several of our stores +coming out: all the bacon and lots of other things. Some of the men +look dreadful and half starved; they seem to like our food. I have +five Austrian prisoners working for me. It is difficult to get much +work out of them, as they say, "No pay, no work"; but I said then +there will be no food, and now they cannot do enough for us; they are +not bad on the whole. I have a funny man who buys for me in the +market. He is too fat to fight, and he is always telling me, with his +arms in the air, that he works only for me. We slept outside on our +camp beds last night; it began to rain and the night nurses had to +carry us in. It is lovely to see how the wounded enjoy this camp life; +they are so happy. When they arrive they have a paraffin bath and +their clothes baked. We brought a lot of clothes with us from England. +Four officers came to see us this morning, and they lent us their +horses for half an hour for us to ride. I am to go next time. + + [Illustration: Mrs. Stobart and part of the unit going out to + Serbia on the _Saidieh_, having Swedish drill.] + + [Illustration: Hospital at Nish. When captured by the + Bulgarians, contained 1,500 patients. + _Face page 32_] + +One of the doctors and I went for a lovely evening walk; the frogs +were singing to each other, quite a different noise to what we heard +before. This morning I took all my kitchen orderlies to have a bath, +five of them. + +Mrs. Stobart took our photos and I gave the men their new clothes. I +managed to get them each a blanket and they were all very happy. They +built themselves a hut to sleep in. They are all Austrian prisoners. + + + Monday, _May 3, 1915._ + +A Dispensary has been started on the road side near our Field +Hospital, and people are coming for miles to get medicine and advice. +There are many cases of diphtheria, typhoid, typhus, scarlet fever, +consumption and other diseases. The civil population are suffering +terribly on account of the war; they have been so neglected. One girl +walked twenty miles to get medicine for her father, mother, sister +and brother who were all down with typhus. A number of the patients +come in ox carts and they travel all right; it is wonderful how +quickly they have got to hear of the Dispensary. Mrs. Stobart has +decided to open many more. + + + Thursday, _May 6, 1915._ + +This has been a great festival for the Serbians--St. George's +Day--they keep it as a holiday. We had two of the officers to dinner, +and a bonfire at 8 o'clock, and we all danced and sang; quite a good +evening. The wounded quite enjoyed themselves. + + + Friday, _May 7, 1915._ + +I went for a walk with two of the doctors to a cemetery near here. +There are thousands of little wooden crosses where the Serbians fell +in the last battle, also for those who died from typhus. The Austrian +prisoners are digging rows and rows of new graves. The dead are not +buried in coffins; there are several empty coffins lying about. + +Many of the crosses have several numbers, so many are buried in the +same grave, four and six. Our Dispensaries are getting on splendidly; +some of the patients walked forty miles; one can scarcely believe it. +We feed all those that come a long distance. We had over 100 patients +to-day. I bought in the market to-day ten sheep, six turkeys, five +geese and nine ducks. We eat two and three lambs just for the staff at +one meal; they are very small. + + + Sunday, _May 9, 1915._ + +I was up just after 4 this morning. Mrs. Stobart and three Serbian +officials went off to find another site for a Dispensary. Colonel +Harrison, our English Military Attaché, has been to dinner. I gave +them boiled turkey and white sauce and macaroni. Turkeys are cheap; I +got six for 57 dinas, and you get 36 dinas for a sovereign. After +dinner Colonel Harrison gave us some very good records on his +gramaphone. Our gramaphone has been lost. + +The Austrians are still shelling Belgrade. One of my five Austrian +orderlies gives me a lot of trouble. He goes off sometimes for three +or four hours to get drink, so I had to report him; he has had his +ears well boxed in front of me by the sergeant. If he had struck the +sergeant back he would have been shot. + +We have several wounded Austrians and one German. When the German is +spoken to he always stands at attention; he is really a nice man! + +The camp is quite a swamp. I got up at 4.30 and went to market with +Mr. Greenhalgh. The market did not open till late, so we went into a +café which was not at all nice; beetles were running about on the +tables and floor. I sat with my feet tucked under me. + +A lot of young wounded soldiers sat drinking whisky; it is only a +penny for a little decanter out of which they drink. Other people had +Russian coffee with a glass of cold water. + +I am very troubled with dogs and cats; they get into the kitchen and +steal the food. I have stopped the dogs getting in, but the cats I +cannot keep out. + +The wild flowers are very beautiful; we have different kinds gathered +for the wards and for the tables; they are much finer than ours. I +cannot get out much, I am so tired when off duty. + + + Monday, _May 17, 1915._ + +One of my cooks has a revolver, and early this morning she was +unloading it when it went off and hit me on the arm; fortunately it +was not serious. The shot went through her box, then a thick pocket +book, and thence into a tea caddy, where it remained. It was really +very terrifying. A Russian and French Military Attaché came in this +afternoon. + +We have ten hospital tents and each one holds ten patients, and as +they are all full more tents have to be put up. At 9 o'clock this +evening a very bad case of typhus arrived in an ox cart--a poor +soldier who was just on leave. His old mother and father came with +him; they were to sleep under the cart, and as the ground was inches +thick with mud, we got them bundles of straw; we also gave them hot +coffee and bread. One sees some sad sights. + +I went again to the market; it is very picturesque. Some of the gipsy +women are very handsome and their costumes charming. Most of the +materials for their dresses and aprons are homespun. The different +shades of reds, blues, yellow and green are lovely, they all tone so +well. We are just on 200 at the camp now, but the numbers never worry +me. We bought cheese and great rolls of sausages in the market. My +store tent is almost under water. I have had to put down bricks and +planks and have a trench dug through the centre. We are told we shall +have it wet for three weeks. The rain comes down in torrents, much +heavier than in England. The patients are all looking so much better +and much fatter. I have bought two large copper boilers for soup; one +cost 123 dinas and the other 77 dinas, but I should think they would +last for ever. I have had a brick wall set round them and a flue at +the back and a grate underneath. We only cook with wood; it is really +very excellent as it retains the heat so long, and really I like it +better than coal. But at first the smoke made us all cry until I got +the stoves properly set. + + + Tuesday, _May 18, 1915._ + +We have had an exciting day as the Prince Alexandra of Serbia was +expected to see our Field Hospital. He and his suite arrived on +horseback. The Prince is the most delightful man, so very friendly and +easy to get on with. Mrs. Stobart presented me. He was much interested +in the kitchen departments, and shook hands with me three times. He +seemed delighted and interested in all the hospitals. A Field Hospital +seems quite a novelty out here. I talked to his horse, a charming +creature called "Sugar." + +Dr. May returns to London to-morrow to bring out new equipments, as we +are to have six more Dispensaries and a Civil Hospital. I have been +doing out lists for new stores all morning. + +I am having a lovely Serbian dress given me. I made some good Serbian +cheese to-day; it is quite easy to make and it is really nice. I wish +friends would send me newspapers; they would be very welcome. I picked +up a cannon ball and horseshoe to add to my treasures. We had another +bad storm; the rain drops are as large as a 2_s._ piece. It is really +amusing when it gets windy as every one rushes to their tent to +tighten their guy ropes, and when it has been raining some little time +they have to be loosened. In the night it is not so pleasant turning +out of a nice comfortable bed. But for all this camp life is very +delightful. + +The Serbians have been at war for the last four years. They fought +first against Turkey, then against Bulgaria, and twice against +Austria-Hungary. + +Valievo was in the hands of the Austrians at the beginning of +December, 1914. Then the Austrians captured Belgrade where they +remained for thirteen days. On December 15 Belgrade was recaptured by +the Serbians. Of the army of 300,000 who crossed the Save River, +nearly half was put out of action. More than 41,500 prisoners were +taken together with 133 guns, 71 maxims, 386 ammunition wagons, 3,350 +transport wagons, and more than 3,250 horses and oxen. The dead and +wounded Austro-Hungarians left on the battlefield exceeded 60,000. + + + Thursday, _May 20, 1915._ + +The cannon ball that I told you about that I picked up was used 100 +years ago against the Turks; there are no end lying about the fields. + +Dr. May returned to England this evening; she will be away about six +weeks. She will bring out more stores and will collect fresh funds for +the upkeep of our Hospital and Dispensary. + +Transport wagons are passing along the road near our camp all night, +so perhaps we shall move on shortly. Oxen are used and they only +travel about twenty English miles a day. + +We have no fresh cases in hospital because there is no fighting at +present. There are over one hundred patients at the road-side +dispensary; each day some of the cases are terrible--typhus, scarlet +fever, diphtheria, and a very bad case of small-pox, but there are no +hospitals to send these sort of cases to. To-day a poor girl arrived +with one foot black, all the flesh eaten off her leg with gangrene; +she had a tubercular foot which she had had a year and it had never +been attended to. Women arrive with dreadful diseases, some with +cancer. + +People in dear old England cannot imagine the state of this part of +the world; thousands and thousands are suffering and cannot get +attention. + +We are now trying to stop some of the dreadful diseases spreading, and +are starting another Hospital called the Civil, and this Hospital will +take in some of these bad cases. We are also hoping to have the six +dispensaries along the line. Our Field Hospital is only for surgical +cases. + +Another wet day; we had a terrible thunderstorm which returned two +nights running; the lightning is much more vivid than in England; in +fact it lights up the hills all round and the sky seems to almost +open. + +To-day is only May 9 with the Serbians; thirteen days difference; it +seems so strange. + +To-day a man was seen buying Serbian whisky; he gave it to two of the +patients and made them drunk. One of my orderlies did the same and was +sent away last week. Owing to this one man the whole lot of Austrian +orderlies were called into line, twenty-seven in all, and they were +marched to the office tent, where Major Partridge talked to them all, +boxed the man's ears who bought the whisky and sent him to prison for +ten days. + +There are three kinds of punishment for prisoners: first, boxing their +ears; second, sending to prison for ten days on bread and water and +solitary confinement; and third, to shoot them. It makes me quite ill +to see the men have their ears boxed. The Serbians seem really good to +their prisoners; I hope ours in Germany are being treated as well. + +I had a lovely dish of wild strawberries brought me to-day as a +present; the strawberries were strung on grasses and they are sold for +1_d._ a string. I also had a bunch of cherries and some sweets, and +this evening two of the Austrian prisoners gave me their prison +badges, so I was in luck's way. + +All around our camp we have funny round holes. I discovered that +black-looking beetles lived down them, but to-night I found they are +crickets; they sing all night and are such dears. I dug one out of its +hole and put it in the kitchen. We also found some of these funny +holes where great large spiders live with hairy legs, and they spin +such a nice strong web over their holes. I suppose this is their front +door. We have been up to our knees in mud the last few days, and +little streams run through our camp, but one gets used to these +things; the ground is of hard clay and the water does not disperse +quickly unless the sun comes out, then it dries up in quite a short +time. This makes us think of our poor soldiers in the trenches. + + + Sunday, _May 23, 1915._ + +This morning one of the doctors came for me to go and see an +operation. It was a poor man who had recovered from typhus, then got +frost-bitten toes, and they had fallen off; new skin had to be grafted +over the stumps, and it was taken from the thigh. It will be +interesting to see how it grows on the foot. + +In the afternoon two of the doctors and I went for a long walk. We +went about twelve miles right on the top of the highest hill, and from +there, a few months back, one could see the battle raging from +Belgrade. At the top of these hills we could see great holes where the +shells had burst. Wild flowers are gorgeous. The acacia trees are +wonderful, much finer than ours. Most of the hedges are acacias. The +fields are covered with wild strawberries. + +Mrs. Stobart and one of the doctors have gone to Nish till Wednesday +morning. + +The girl I told you of, who had the gangrene on her leg, had the leg +off to-day. We put a little tent up for her; we could not let her go +on suffering. + +Another terrible day. I have never seen such rain; we are simply +flooded; the storm lasted five or six hours. + +Mrs. Stobart and the doctor arrived home at 6 o'clock this morning. We +shall soon hear when our camp moves on. I cannot continue writing as +we have another bad storm. The hailstones were like small marbles. We +have now streams running through our camp. + +This evening we had several of the officers to dinner, and Colonel +Harrison's gramaphone after. + +We hear that the Italian Military Attaché arrived here to-day, and +that fighting round about here will start in ten days. This morning it +was interesting to see the transport wagons pass on their way to +Belgrade. + +This evening, while I was waiting for the last whistle to blow for +lights out, I went a little walk to see the frogs in some ponds near +by; in one pond they were singing in a high key--I suppose they must +have had soprano voices--and in another pond they were croaking as if +they had bass voices, and as they made this quaint noise their jaws +swelled out to a tremendous size. They came to the edge of the pond to +see who I was and seemed to say, What are you doing here! The light +from the hurricane lamp must have attracted them. The crickets are +also singing everywhere; we can see their holes all over the hills. +They work their wings together to make their quaint noise. And the +cuckoo was also singing. With all these different noises it was quite +an entertainment. + + + Friday, _May 28, 1915._ + +Got up at 4.15 a.m. and went to market. I bought one sheep, some beef, +five ducks, six kilos of sausages, 200 eggs, some carrots and peas. +The sheep I gave 20 dinas for, and as 35 dinas go to the £1 it is not +much. Ducks vary from 1-½ to 3 dinas. Eggs were 9 dinas a hundred and +very good. + +Wild strawberries and cherries are plentiful, but too expensive to buy +at present. Market is over at 12. I got back by 9 o'clock. I have a +man that looks after all the live stock we buy in the market, and he +kills them as they are required for table. + +There are three different markets--one for oxen, hay and wood; another +for sheep, goats and pigs; and another for eggs, vegetables, cheese +and fruits. + +The pigs are all different colours, yellow, black, white, elephant +colour. They are very tame, as they are made into pets and many of the +little ones live in the houses. + +On the way to the sheep market we saw a lot of guns, officers and +transport going to Bosnia. The officers' horses had wreaths of roses +round their necks; it is the usual custom, and the officers are +presented with a bouquet. + +There has been a scarcity of sugar in Kragujevatz for about two weeks; +the other day they managed to get about 20,000 kilos, and at the shop +it was being sold there was quite a raid. It was sold for 1_s._ 6_d._ +per lb. There is no butter to be got; it cannot be made with the milk +on account of typhus; the milk has to be boiled directly it comes in; +it never tastes or smells nice. It costs 5_d._ per litre. + +Mrs. Stobart has had a lovely bell given her by the Serbian +Government. It has Mrs. Stobart's Hospital on it in English, and the +Serbian crest. We only had a little goat's bell to ring to bring +people to meals. + +To-day I had one of the Army Medical Corps Field Trenches dug, and it +was most successful. We do not require it for cooking, but Mrs. +Stobart wanted one made as they may be required at the Dispensaries. I +have already four lovely stoves with fine ovens and two large stewpans +with wood fire under them. The pans are of copper. We have portable +boilers for the hot water, which are most excellent; and Serbians have +been to take the measurements of the boilers and stoves so that they +can have some made like them. + +Just been to help one of the doctors by holding a patient's arm while +it was lanced for an abscess. I constantly regret that I was not +trained to be a doctor. I am most interested in seeing operations, as +one always has the satisfaction in knowing that the patients will soon +be relieved from their sufferings. + + + Tuesday, _June 1, 1915._ + +Sir Thomas Lipton arrived for 8 o'clock breakfast this morning. He had +with him the _Daily Chronicle_, _Times_, and one or two other +reporters. Two or three Serbian officers also came with him. Mrs. +Stobart had been down to meet the train from Uskab at 5 a.m. + +We had a very big party in the evening. Sir Thomas Lipton and many of +the officers came to dinner, and afterwards a concert of forty +musicians. The convalescent patients thoroughly enjoyed the evening. + +We were all overjoyed after our guests had left to hear that our +letters, which were a month overdue from England, had arrived. + +I had nineteen letters, three papers and a book. I stayed up nearly +all night reading them. + +The sheep I bought the other day for 20 dinas is a great pet, just +like a dog and follows us everywhere. We call it our mascot. It has a +great blue ribbon bow round its neck which one of the nurses gave it. + +To-day our sergeant, who helps with secretarial work, has typhus. He +has been sent to the Scottish Fever Hospital. He is such a nice man +and has been with us ever since we arrived at the camp. + +We had another terrible storm. I never saw such rain; if one is out +you are soaked through in a minute. + +Several of our members have high temperatures to-day; they have been +isolated. + +I have been to an operation this afternoon. It was to see a toe +removed and two web fingers cut. I am really proud of our women +surgeons. They are really excellent and so quick. + + + Friday, _June 4, 1915._ + +We are still paddling about, up to our ankles. Two more members of our +staff are in bed with high temperatures. We hope it is only malaria. +Two of the Serbian Army Medical Corps came to see our camp. + +Mrs. Stobart is still in bed with high temperature. I have to take all +my staff's temperatures every morning and report to the doctors. + +Two of Dr. Berry's unit have come to stay in this camp for a few days. +Our six staff invalids are going on well, but they all ask for +different kinds of food which is somewhat trying. + +Lady Lethbridge is posting this for me. + +We do not know what this fever is. Some of our staff and the doctors +are beginning to think it is typhoid, but the temperature charts are +most curious, not a bit like the ordinary typhoid. + +I have felt unhappy to-day for our sanitary inspector has put +disinfectants in all the ponds on the camp as the water was getting +stagnant, and all the happy little frogs are suffering. Thirteen ducks +from the farm near by have been to drink the poisoned water, and they +have just run down to the kitchen gasping and their eyes nearly out of +their heads. They have been given bowls of water and it seems as +though they would never stop drinking. It has taken quite six hours +for them to recover from the chloride of lime and water. + + + Sunday, _June 6, 1915._ + +We had service at 5.30 a.m. in the mess tent. Two ducks walked in +during the service. They made a great noise, and after the service we +found that they had laid an egg just outside the tent. We had another +service at 10 and another at 4 o'clock, but the ducks this time did +not visit us. + +My pet sheep had to be sent away, as it loved having its afternoon nap +in the other tents. I did not mind it as I had disinfected it, and it +was beautifully white and so clean; it was a great pet. I call it Sir +Thomas. It was killed for dinner, and I went without meat for several +days. It had grown so fat, and it was the best piece of meat we had in +the camp. It was most painful doing the carving. + + + Tuesday, _June 8, 1915._ + +We had five visitors to-day, four doctors and Lady Lethbridge. We +again had turkey. This is quite a common dish in Serbia, and they are +so cheap, only 7 dinas each; some are 5 dinas. Many of our units are +down with fever; it makes us very busy. + + + Wednesday, _June 9, 1915._ + +To-day Dr. Dearmer and two of my kitchen staff and I went for a lovely +motor ride as we have been too tired to go for walks, and Mr. Black +took us in his car. We started at 2 o'clock and got back at 6. The +weather is very hot, and in some of the tents the temperature is +110°. + + + Thursday, _June 10, 1915._ + +At 3.30 this morning I was awakened by a gun being fired; I did not +think anything of this, as one gets so used to the noise of guns. At +4.30 I dressed and went to inquire what the patients were going to +have for breakfast, and when one of the nurses and I were standing +talking we heard a great explosion. I knew at once that it was a bomb, +as I had experienced the same thing in Antwerp. We then heard, as we +thought, the Marconi working, and we looked above us and saw it was a +German aeroplane. Then we saw another German aeroplane, and then two +Austrian ones. We knew at once they were attacking Kragujevatz. They +began dropping bombs first near the arsenal, which did not, +fortunately, do any damage; then one near the King's Palace, which did +no harm but battered several shops and made holes in the walls of the +cathedral. The bomb fell in the middle of the road. Many windows were +broken in the cathedral. Another bomb fell in a cottage and killed a +girl of fourteen who had only been in Kragujevatz three days; her +parents had sent her from Belgrade as she was so afraid of the raids +there. Sixteen people were injured and five killed. Then they came +over our camp, a splendid target for them as the Marconi is only 150 +yards away. The next bomb dropped was about 150 yards from our camp. +The smoke was terrible; I felt sure some of us would be the next +victims. Most of our unit turned out in their night attire. I was glad +that I was presentable. The next bomb dropped was about 110 yards and +the pieces were scattered all round the mess tent and the kitchen. One +of the doctors came hurrying along and called for me to pick up some +pieces of shrapnel, but as we got to the spot we found a poor woman +had been struck. Her arm was quite a pulp; I do not think she will +recover. + +I got about fourteen pieces of shrapnel, a piece of the +hanger-propeller and the fuse. Lots of trees were struck and I got a +piece of shrapnel out of the bark. A wireless was sent from here and +one of the aeroplanes was brought down. + +There has never been a raid on Kragujevatz before. All the guards +round our camp fired their rifles, but there were no air-craft guns +fired. We have not got large guns round us as there had never been a +raid on Kragujevatz before. + +Another poor woman was brought in wounded about 11 o'clock. She had a +little baby which was _not_ hurt; she was struck on the leg. The baby +is exactly like a little old man, and it only weighs 6-½ lbs. and is a +year old; its bones are coming nearly out of its flesh. + +Some of our staff who have fever are very ill, and some delirious. +Mrs. Stobart is much better. + +Dr. Dearmer is going to Salonika. He is meeting some fresh members for +our unit, they are due on June 18. A Civil Hospital and some +Dispensaries are to be started. They will be branches of this one. The +pontoon bridges and the regiments pass our camp every day. The +weather is terribly hot. + +We have started to use our mosquito nets. I had an arrow given me +yesterday by a French aviator, one of the kind they throw out of the +aeroplanes; and I have had a very nice Turkish dress given me. + +Letters come from England very well now; they take about thirteen +days. + +Our convalescents sing and play at nights; some of them have very good +voices. Their songs were generally battle songs, and relate to their +friends who had fallen in the war. They are very clever in making +their instruments--flutes, violins--which are excellent. + +Just heard that some more aeroplanes have been seen but they have been +stopped coming over here. The Serbian Government think that they tried +to drop the bombs on our camp; we can be sighted miles away. + + + Friday, _June 11, 1915._ + +Eleven of our staff are down with fever; it is getting quite serious. +The strange part of it is the doctors cannot yet discover what the +fever is. + +We have 125 patients in the hospital, thirty-seven soldiers as +orderlies, Austrians and Serbs, and fifty-nine of our own staff. + +It was very funny the other day. Two large eagles were seen flying +very high. They were taken for aeroplanes, and were immediately fired +upon. The Serbians are quite ready for air raids, as we have some +splendid air-craft guns placed in excellent positions. + + + Sunday, _June 13, 1915._ + +The weather is very hot. I have never experienced anything like it, +quite tropical. One of our doctors has been taken ill to-day; that +makes twelve of our staff down with fever. + +Mrs. Dearmer has been taken ill. Mrs. Stobart, a doctor and I had a +conference about the disease. It was pronounced by the doctor to be +typhoid. One doctor stated that it was due to flies; but this point +was condemned, as the flies have only become plentiful the last week. +It was suggested that it might be raw salad; but this was again +knocked on the head, as no raw salad has been eaten for about three +weeks, and then it was washed in distilled water and vinegar, and +several of the fever patients never ate salad. The last suggestion was +the camp itself. This is the most probable, as before we arrived this +camp was covered with refugees from all parts; and with the very dry +weather, and then the heavy rains, most of the doctors think it is due +to this. Some of the cases have been pretty bad in spite of the +inoculation. Temperatures are 104.8 and several are delirious. +Fortunately none of the wounded have it. + +We have had a terrible hurricane to-day, and a bad thunderstorm. Two +tents were blown down. The hailstones were as big as large marbles. + + + Tuesday, _June 15, 1915._ + +I was taken bad to-day with gastritis. Dr. Atkinson is attending me. I +hope to be up in a few days. It is due to overstrain of the nerves. We +have sent for five more nurses to come and help us. I have a lot to be +thankful for that I have not got typhoid. + + + Wednesday, _June 16, 1915._ + +Mrs. Stobart is about again. + +Prince Alexis came to see our camp this evening. I feel a little +better. + +This has been a funny day, one that we shall never forget. At 6.30 a +telephone message came up from the Government Office that we were +going to have an aerial raid, and that we had better clear our camp. +Twenty aeroplanes were expected, six were to throw bombs on +Kragujevatz, and the others were going on to the Danube. All the +patients had to be taken by one road and the staff by another, and +they had to go about half a mile from the camp. Two oxen were put into +one of Derry & Tom's carts, and patients who could not walk were put +in, and these were the first to leave. Then the motors came round for +the staff that could not walk. Dr. May Atkinson did not want me to go; +however, Mrs. Stobart insisted, and I was the last of the poor victims +to be carted away. I was put on a stretcher and jolted down the road +for half a mile with the other members of the unit, and we were +plumped down on the roadside while others were fetched, and this went +on until the camp was actually cleared. This was at 6.30 and the +aeroplanes were expected at 8. + +No aeroplanes came after all this excitement. Some kind member of the +unit managed to get me some bovril, as I was not allowed solid food. +At about 10.30 breakfast was sent up, boiled eggs and some cheese. I +expect this was thought a suitable diet for a patient suffering from a +high temperature. + +The army camp near was also cleared of its soldiers and oxen. At 11.30 +a message came that we could return to our camp as the flight had been +stopped, and that one of the aeroplanes had been brought down by the +French and Italians. + +I have five Austrian orderlies; their names are--Mike, Mick, Peet, +Steve and Milko; they are really splendid, and so willing. They are +all so sorry I am ill, and they all come round to see me and wanted to +know if I was "too much sick." Mike works harder than ever, and says +"Missis ill, Mike work hard, Mike good boy." + + + Friday, _June 18, 1915._ + +I have been in bed all day but am feeling better. It is very hot +again. Four nurses from the Farmer's unit at Belgrade arrived to help +us; two from the Scotch Hospital came on Wednesday, and four have come +from another unit, so we shall no longer be single-handed. + +All the staff who have typhoid are getting on nicely. + + + Saturday, _June 19, 1915._ + +I am allowed up for a little this afternoon, so to-morrow I hope to be +about again. + +Two great guns have been brought up near this camp. Two of the +patients are about again. Dr. Atkinson will not let me go back to work +again until my temperature has been normal for forty-eight hours. The +work is very hard and there is no end to it. I hear we are to be sent +for a few days' rest to another unit. We constantly have members of +other units coming over for two or three days' rest here; it is so +nice being friendly with all the other different units out here. + +Dr. Dearmer has gone to Salonika to fetch the members of the new unit; +they arrive to-morrow. + +We have heard that the _Saidieh_ has been torpedoed, and seven of the +crew are lost. The Germans have been after this boat for a long time. +We should have been torpedoed coming out if it had not been for the +rough weather and the sea-fog on Easter Sunday. + +The _Saidieh_ had just returned to England under sealed orders by the +Government. I am thankful that our nice captain was saved--John +Reginald Ryall. We are anxious to hear about the chief officer and +chief engineer. + +I have a Serbian to take my place while I am away from work in the +patients' kitchen; he is a splendid cook. He amuses us with his +moustache; he keeps it pressed in a frame in the early morning. I +think if it got burnt with his cooking it would be the death of him. + +We started working this camp two months ago this Friday. We hear that +Dr. May left England on the 18th with a fresh unit. + +The baby belonging to the poor woman who was wounded by shrapnel died +this morning; it is a blessing as the poor little thing had been so +neglected. But the dear nurse that was looking after the baby was +heartbroken. We called her Copper Nob, because she had such lovely red +hair. + +Most of the wounded soldiers have quite lost their nerve. When they +hear that aeroplanes are coming they are quite panic-struck. We were +to have had practice this morning with balloons; one man fled. + +We have such a number of hooded crows here, and some birds called +golden oriole. + + + Monday, _June 21, 1915._ + +Nothing of interest has happened this evening. We still have crowds of +visitors every day to see the camp. + + + Tuesday, _June 22, 1915._ + +I am still not allowed out of my tent. I just feel like a naughty +child who has been sent to her room. My temperature will not be +obedient and go to its normal condition. To-day three of our unit who +have been ill have gone for a few days to Vrynatchka Banja to Dr. +Berry's unit. When they return the doctors want me to go. We are just +in the midst of another bad storm. + + + Wednesday, _June 23, 1915._ + +Two of the second Farmer's unit have come to see our Field Hospital +to-day; they are from Pojeropatz. We have the most ghastly +thunderstorm every evening; the lightning scarcely ever ceases now; +the thunder generally lasts about two hours; the rain comes down in +pailfuls. + + + Thursday, _June 24, 1915._ + +We have _The Times_ Correspondent, a Mr. Robinson, staying here. It is +interesting in the evening to see the little fireflies flying about +all round the camps; they seem to be more and more each night. + + + Friday, _June 25, 1915._ + +I am still in the doctor's hands, and am not allowed to work owing to +my having a temperature. I have been in my tent nearly two weeks but +am almost better. I am to be sent for four or five days' change to Dr. +Berry's unit at Vrynatchka Banja. It is almost thirty miles from here, +and a glorious place I hear. We shall motor over. No more of our +patients have typhoid. Twenty-six of our unit have been ill all +together; some have been very serious cases. I have had a greater +power of resistance owing to my inoculation; most of those who have +had typhoid were inoculated just before coming out here. + + + Saturday, _June 26, 1915._ + +I have been allowed out to-day. Dr. Dearmer arrived from Salonika +yesterday, with two cooks, five nurses and a chauffeur; he went to +meet them from England. They are for the roadside dispensaries, so +they are staying here for a little time to give us some help. Mrs. +Dearmer has been very ill with typhoid. + + + Sunday, _June 27, 1915._ + +Sir Ralph Paget has been over to see us to-day, also a Mr. Petrovitch. +Five of the doctors and my two cooks came over to have tea with me. +To-morrow I am going away. + + + Monday, _June 28, 1915._ + +Three of the doctors have been ill, so we did not get off to Dr. +Berry's to-day. We had the most ghastly thunderstorm this evening, +lasting two hours, such big hailstones. Dr. Payne, Nurse Berry and +Nurse Newhall, Mr. Black and myself had breakfast at 6.15. We took +plenty of refreshments with us and left the camp in the motor +ambulance for Vrynatchka Banja. It is sixty miles from Kragujevatz. We +came through the most gorgeous scenery, and it was so picturesque to +see the women and the boys working in the maize fields. The women +never wear hats, only coloured handkerchiefs over their heads, and if +in mourning the handkerchiefs are black. We had lunch when we got +about half way; then another bad storm came on and in a few minutes we +could scarcely see in front of us for thick mist. We soon drove +through it and came into quite dry ground again. The fields are +perfectly wonderful with wild flowers, the most beautiful colours. + +The hedges are all acacia trees, and the most lovely wild flowers. +Butterflies and beetles are very plentiful. We had only one puncture, +and changed the wheel and went on merrily again. We arrived at +Vrynatchka Banja at about 2.30. We had a lovely welcome from the +members of Dr. Berry's unit; six of them had come out on the _Saidieh_ +with us; several of them have been over to see us at our camp. We had +tea at 4 o'clock and at 6 we went to a lecture given by Dr. Berry. In +the evening we had some music. The other members of our unit which +were here when we arrived left at 9 o'clock for Kragujevatz the +following morning, leaving us three here for a rest. We saw them off; +then Nurse Berry and I went to see the town, leaving Nurse Newhall in +bed. This place is simply charming; it is far more beautiful than +Kragujevatz, and is one of the fashionable watering places in Serbia. +This hospital is very large and we have hot and cold water and +electric light. Dr. Berry has several other hospitals besides; they +have only 130 patients. This afternoon I went into the large ward for +some music with the wounded. We sang and played to them. The wounded +are most grateful for all that is done. They call us all "Sistra" and +often "Dobra Sistra," which means good sister. The Serbian men look so +fragile, with the exception of the higher class, who are mostly fine, +strong-looking men. The women are splendid, so handsome and strong +looking; they do most of the manual labour. The magnificent courage of +the Serbian women will never be forgotten. Some have lost father, +brothers, husbands and sons. These women have one simple answer: +"Sistra, they died for their country!" Before such patriotism we can +but kneel and pray for the simple faith which shall teach each one of +us to be brave enough to do the same. Their country, beautiful and +fertile like our own, is ravaged; disease, war and famine, yet they +still go on. The Austrian prisoners do most of the work; they are such +a nice race of men, and so willing, and never mind what they do. They +hate warfare. We are all impressed with them. It seems hard that they +have to fight against the Serbs. We went for a pretty walk after tea; +we all went to bed early. + + + Thursday, _July 1, 1915._ + +It is just three months to-day since we left home. This morning I went +into the kitchen and learnt several Serbian dishes. My two companions +were not well, so stayed in bed. I went to see them at 10.30 and found +Nurse Berry very flushed. I took her temperature and found it 103°, +and her pulse 116°, so I fetched the doctor and she has to stay in +bed. I spent this afternoon with Nurse Berry, and this evening we were +taken to see the town. We went over two hospitals, then through the +park, and to the post to get stamps. The Post Office was closed, but +the girl was outside, so she served us; she had not change and trusted +us with 2 dinas' worth of stamps, which shows how the Serbs trust the +English. The town is very picturesque, such lovely trees everywhere; +the shops are very small. I bought some lovely coloured stockings. A +man in the hospital has to be operated on for glands and is not +allowed food. When it was time for his operation he refused to be +done; however, the doctors persuaded him. After the chloroform he was +violently sick, and he brought up nothing but red matter. The doctors +thought at first it was blood and they thought they had cut a vein. +However, it appears the man had gone off and gorged himself with +mulberries as he did not like being starved. White and red mulberry +trees grow wild over here. I went to see a doctor at Dr. Banks' unit +at the Red Cross Hospital for Dr. Dearmer; they told us the story that +Dr. Dearmer had written in the English papers about the man who was +thought to be dead and was put into his coffin. After the coffin was +put into the mortuary the man managed to get out and was found by the +nurse back in his bed. + + + Friday, _July 2, 1915._ + +I have had a most interesting day; I spent part of the morning in the +wards, helping with dressings. It is really terrible to see these poor +men; most of them have lost their legs and feet; hundreds and hundreds +of the men have lost their toes and feet through frost-bite; one poor +fellow of only twenty-two has lost both his feet, and often calls me +to show me the two stumps. It would be a blessing if some of these +poor men had been killed right out, instead of all the suffering they +go through. Most of them seem happy, and it is because they won't be +able to go and fight again. Nurse Berry and Nurse Newhall have been in +bed nearly all day; they are in my care. After lunch I spent the +afternoon in the kitchen, learning Serbian cooking; their method of +pastry making is perfectly wonderful. They make the flour into a paste +with water and fat. Then it is stretched over tables and it is pulled +out until it is as thin as paper. This evening I was to have gone into +the town, but we made a call on a French lady and a big storm came on +and we did not get any further. + + + Saturday, _July 3, 1915._ + +Dr. and Mrs. Berry went to Kragujevatz in the morning for a +conference. We went into the town, did some shopping and had some +raspberry drink and cakes at a café; we had a glorious walk back. This +afternoon we heard that there was a funeral; then we heard a lot of +wailing in the distance, so we put on our things and went to the +cemetery. We met the procession of about twenty women with a lot of +banners and baskets of food. It seems that the corpse they were +mourning for had been dead some time, forty days, so it was just an +anniversary. When we arrived at the cemetery the women put the flags +against a tree, then knelt down round the grave and began to wail and +cry bitterly. Then they lighted candles and put them on the grave. +They unpacked the baskets and put plates of food all over the +grave--bread, rice, cucumber cut in slices, cherries, little bowls of +jam, onions, little glasses of wine and decanters of water. We watched +this ceremony for about half an hour. Some of the mourners ate the +food and kept kissing the grave. There were no end of mourners at +other graves doing the same thing. It was the most pathetic sight I +have ever seen, so sad to see the poor things. + + + Sunday, _July 4, 1915._ + +A very wet day; nothing but rain and thunder. After tea we went down +for a sulphur bath. Such a quaint place; it was a round deep hole with +running water only about six yards wide; the water was warm. After +breakfast we went another walk up to the cemetery. All the food that +had been left on the graves on Saturday had been eaten by the women +who had been wailing round the graves, with the exception of a few +apples and cherries that had been left on the ledges of some of the +crosses. We had a lovely walk back through some woods. There are +crowds of wild cherry trees laden with cherries, wild mulberries and +walnuts. The vine trees are also plentiful and so well trained. The +land is fairly well cultivated, considering that all the men are +fighting. The women are splendid workers. This afternoon I went again +to learn some Serbian dishes. There is such a nice woman here as cook. +As soon as she heard I was interested she said she would show me some +of their dishes, and Dr. Berry's sister is so good in letting me go +down into the kitchen to learn. We have been over most of the +hospitals here; really very good, and they are so clean. The park is +glorious, but it amused me to see spittoons all along the pathways. + + + Tuesday, _July 6, 1915._ + +We went shopping this morning and came home through the park. After +lunch we rested till 2.30, then went for a picnic as it was one of the +nurses' birthdays. We did not go far, only to the top of the hill, but +the view round was magnificent, the lights and shades so perfect. Just +before we started for our picnic, Mrs. Berry, who had been spending +the week-end at our camp, arrived back with one nurse to take me back +to the camp. They came by train; Dr. Berry and another of our nurses +came by car. We heard some very sad news, and this was that one of the +nurses was dead, Nurse Ferris, a strong healthy girl of twenty-five +years of age. She was to be married in September. She was taken ill +just about a week before me with typhoid. It does not say much for +inoculation. Nurse Ferris was a good nurse; she had a bright cheerful +manner and was always the same. She knew Serbian better than any one +in the camp, and could sing the Serbian anthem. It seems strange that +she should have picked up Serbian in this manner and then be put to +rest in the country. It seems she died on Sunday afternoon at 3 +o'clock. She was taken to the mortuary in the town and then laid to +rest on Monday. She had a large military funeral. All the staff from +our camp went, all the Government officials and the units from the +other hospitals, and all the doctors from these parts who had come +over to Kragujevatz for the doctors' conference. They had a band and +she was buried near the other nurses who had died from the Scotch +Hospital at Kragujevatz. She was only put into a temporary grave as, +when the war is over, the Government will erect a monument to all who +have died. Dr. Dearmer conducted the service. The last I saw of Nurse +Ferris was the night before I came here. I went to have a peep at all +our poor invalids. When the poor girl saw me she looked up and smiled +and waved to me. I little thought it was the last time I should see +her. Nurse Ferris and I always had little jokes together when she came +to meals; she was beloved by all in her ward. It seems this is the +first English service that has been conducted in a Greek cathedral; +the prince gave his consent and sent his secretary. + + [Illustration: A child having an abscess removed outside the + Operating Theatre.] + + [Illustration: Lady Cook and Austrian prisoner orderlies at Mrs. + Stobart's camp Hospital, Kragujevatz. + _Face page 64._] + + + Wednesday, _July 7, 1915._ + +We leave this afternoon at 3 o'clock. This morning I went shopping, +bought a lot of handkerchiefs and some Serbian pots. At 2.30 the +carriage came to take the two nurses, who had come over to fetch me, +and myself to the station. Nurse Newhall came with us, and Mrs. +Berry's sister, Miss Dickinson. We had three miles' drive to the +station; we arrived at 3.20 and the train was expected at 4.15 but it +never arrived till 5.10. This is the usual thing in Serbia; we only +have sixty miles to go. We arrived at 9; the train stopped at every +station from 15 to 20 minutes, so the people get out of the train and +sit by the side of the railways. It makes the journey quite enjoyable +when one is not pressed for time. Our train was going on to Belgrade. +We had two French people, and all the rest were Serbians in our +carriage. The train was full of soldiers going to Belgrade. The +soldiers all travel in trucks, the officers in the ordinary way. I +wonder how our Tommies would like this. We were to spend the night at +a little cottage rented by Dr. Banks for the Red Cross at Stellatch. A +boy at the station insisted on saying there was no such place; the +railway officials wanted us to remain at the station, but we insisted +on our little cottage and we soon found it in the dark. A very nice +woman lived at this cottage, and her two children, a girl and a boy. +We were put into this room with two stretchers. A nice Serbian who +could talk French at the station said there were only two stretchers, +so he sent up a third. We had a few sandwiches which we brought with +us, then tucked ourselves up for the night on the stretchers, but it +was impossible to sleep for fleas and mosquitoes. We heard that the +train for Kragujevatz left at 7 o'clock, so we got up soon after 5. It +was very quaint on the way seeing little boys and girls driving along +the roads flocks of sheep, pigs and chickens. All the children here +seem quite grown up; the schools are all closed and they have to help +in the fields with their mothers. The girls are very neat looking; +they all part their hair at the side and have a neat plait at the +back or wound round their head, and they have a handkerchief tied on +their head. The middle-aged women part their hair in the middle and +the hair always covers the ears. It is dreadfully hot. On arriving at +the station we were told that the train would not leave till 1.30. We +have been trying to shade ourselves under a tree all day as it is too +hot to walk. It is now 12.45 and our train is appearing in the +station; our porter had just rushed up the hill to fetch us; it is not +often one gets a train leaving fifty minutes before the time. We got +to Kragujevatz at 7 o'clock, after a most tedious journey. It was so +funny. Half an hour before getting to Kragujevatz I discovered that +Miss Vera Holmes and Mrs. Haverfield were in the same train. It was so +nice to see them; they were going to the Scotch Hospital, so they have +asked me to go to tea with them to-morrow. On arriving at Kragujevatz +we could not get a cab, so we had to telephone for one of the motors +to fetch us. + + + Friday, _July 9, 1915._ + +We had such a welcome back. One of the cooks is not well, so I had to +do her work. I went to tea to the Scottish Women's Hospital to meet +Miss Vera Holmes and Mrs. Haverfield. I did not stay long as I had a +lot to do, so many of our unit are ill. Mrs. Dearmer is seriously ill. +This is the most anxious night; she has five doctors with her; she has +typhoid and double pneumonia. Every twenty minutes she has oxygen +given her; it would be terrible if anything happened to her; she is so +nice and we are all so fond of her. + + + Saturday, _July 10, 1915._ + +Mrs. Dearmer just a little easier to-day. The stores arrived to-day +for the wayside dispensaries. + + + Sunday, _July 11, 1915._ + +This has been a very sad day. Dear Mrs. Dearmer passed away at 7.30; +she was buried this afternoon at 5 o'clock owing to the hot weather, +and it being a general holiday it had to take place at once. At 7 +o'clock four of Dr. Berry's unit from Vrynatchka Banja came to stay at +our camp for two days. I have been looking after the invalid dishes +for the typhoid fever patients. I made Mrs. Dearmer a large cross of +some gorgeous white wild flowers with acacia and clematis. The Serbian +Government sent up some lovely wreaths; the coffin was of silver and +gilt, very handsome; it had the Union Jack over and was covered with +wreaths. At 4.30 the remains were brought from her own tent to a tent +we had turned into a little chapel; it really looked sweet. At 5 +o'clock the hearse arrived, a ghastly looking thing, with a statue of +a man in armour seated on the top. It gave me a dreadful shock when I +saw it; it reminded me of a circus; then all the Government officials +arrived, officers--the French, English and Serbian, and the prince +sent a representative. Crowds of people arrived from other units. We +had a military band; then the priests arrived, two in pale blue +oriental satin robes decorated with gold, and one a peacock oriental +satin edged with gold, one a rich velvet decorated with gold, one a +red oriental satin edged with gold, and the sixth a black gown edged +with silver. Each priest carried a candle, then two other men came +carrying incense. We all followed the hearse in twos as far as the +Greek cathedral; all the streets were lined with people to the +cathedral, and the cathedral was packed. The coffin was put near the +altar and we all stood round. A large lighted candle was put facing +the coffin and the six priests stood in front. They all took part in +the service. I forgot to say one cross was in silver, with Mabel +Dearmer written on it, and it had a large ribbon bow. The band played +until we got to the cathedral, and when it stopped the people sang. +The Serbs have lovely voices. They remind me of the Welsh. It was +terribly sad; the singing in the cathedral was glorious; the service +lasted about an hour and a half. One of the French officers read a +little address from the cathedral steps, then we walked on to the +cemetery, about a mile; the band led, then the hearse and the +mourners. Dr. Dearmer, Dr. Marsden and Dr. Atkinson met us at the +cemetery gates; the priests continued their prayers in Serbian; then +Rev. Mr. Little, who has come to join our unit, read our English +service. The grave was lined with white and decorated with clematis. +Mrs. Dearmer was buried next to Nurse Ferris. The coffin was lowered +into a box, then the lid was put on. After the service Dr. Dearmer, +Dr. Marsden, Dr. Atkinson went off in the motor for a few days. We all +got into motors and carriages and returned to the camp. + + + Monday, _July 12, 1915._ + +We have been busy all day packing and getting ready the roadside +dispensary; this will be the chief depōt; the first dispensary will be +twenty-five miles from here. The units for the dispensary go on +Wednesday. I had the most lovely caterpillar given me to-day; it is +three inches long, and is a most lovely green with lovely pale blue +spots on it, and little tufts of hair come round the blue spots. What +it is I do not know, and a man who is very well up in these kind of +things could not tell me. I went to see two members of our unit off to +Nish this evening. To-day a Frenchman has been practising in a Serbian +aeroplane over our camp; it is most exciting. + +Dr. Dearmer has decided to return to England to-morrow. + + + Tuesday, _July 13, 1915._ + +We finished getting ready the stores for the dispensary to-day. Dr. +Dearmer and Dr. Marsden left for Malta; Dr. Dearmer has his son there. + + Wednesday, _July 14, 1915._ + +This morning we were up at 4.15 as ten of the new unit were leaving to +start the dispensary, twenty-five miles away; they left with all their +equipments. Just as they were ready to start the Rev. Mr. Sewell +arrived, and Mrs. Sewell from Belgrade. Dr. Hanson and Mr. and Mrs. +Sewell and I had tea together in Dr. Atkinson's tent. This morning +Major Potridge took me to the arsenal to choose a transport kitchen +which the Serbians captured from the Austrians. I was taken all over +the arsenal, which was most interesting. It is most wonderful the +amount of guns which the Serbs have taken from the Austrians. Mr. +Paulhan, the French aviator, is here. He won the _Daily Mail_ prize; +he flies over the camp very often going to Belgrade. Six of our unit +go to Belgrade this evening for a few days. I hope to go before +returning to England. + + + Friday, _July 16, 1915._ + +Mrs. Stobart and three of the Government officials went to choose a +site for another dispensary. I was up at 3.30 and we had breakfast at +4.30. I went to the market to order things for the week. Sunday is the +great day for the market. It is so picturesque to see all the Serbs in +their quaint costumes. The gipsies are lovely. They have gorgeous +striped skirts, homespun, lovely coloured belts with large buckles, +home-made stockings wonderfully embroidered, fancy zouave, and fancy +coloured scarves on their heads. One of the doctors and I were invited +out to an engagement ceremony. It was really most interesting. One of +our interpreters who was single was told that there was a girl who +would make him a suitable wife, so he went to see her early last +week, liked her, so proposed. She is nineteen and he is about +thirty-five years of age. The girl possesses a maize field, a wheat +field and a walnut tree. This is considered a very good dowry. At 3.30 +the interpreter called for us; the cottage where the girl and her +people live is about ten minutes walk from the camp. On our way we met +several of the man's relations. On arriving at the house we were met +by her relations, who were standing all along the pathway to the front +door. The men shook hands with us and the women kissed our hands. We +were taken into the front room, a good sized one with a table in the +middle; there was tapestry all round the walls which had been done by +the girl. The Serbs do the most beautiful work with the handlooms, and +it is all done with the pure wool from the sheep, which one sees the +women spinning as they walk along the streets. We sat round the table +and talked till all the guests had arrived. The girl went round +kissing all the women relations on the hands and face, the men and the +guests on the hands, the fiancé did likewise; then the engaged couple +stood in the centre of the room and had the ring presented, a gold +ring with a diamond and ruby. The ring was put on the little finger of +the right hand. The engaged couple kissed all the people again; we +then started with refreshments. The girl did everything. A tray was +handed round first with a dish of cakes and glasses of wine; this was +to drink the health of the guests. We only took a sip of wine and the +glasses were put back on the tray; then the girl went out and brought +in another tray, the same wine and cakes; this was to drink the +bride's health; then a third lot was brought in to drink the +bridegroom's health. Then a tray came in with two dishes of jam and +glasses of cold water and spoons. We all eat a spoonful of jam and +drank a little water; the last tray had little cups of Turkish coffee. +After this we sat and talked; the ceremony was over. Fortunately we +were not far from the camp as a blizzard came up with a terrible sand +storm. We rushed round to help with the tents and patients. This was a +difficult task. We got our patients taken away in the motors to our +new building near. The hospital ward tents stood well; as they are all +double, only three came down, and the poles were not broken, so were +soon put up. Fifteen came down in all, the staff mess tent, the men's +mess tent, the kitchen tent and some of the sleeping tents. We had +several of the military authorities helping us. The storm lasted for +two hours and then all was quite calm again. We had a lovely picnic +supper under a large shelter the Government officials had put up for +us. The next day we were busy putting things straight after the storm. +I was not well again, so was sent to bed. I had to get up in the +afternoon to pack, as Dr. Atkinson had arranged for me to go to +Belgrade to the British Fever Hospital. Four of our unit are returning +to England, so they have come with us to Belgrade. Eight of us left +for Belgrade by the 12 train. We had a through carriage, most +comfortable. Dr. Curcin had arranged it for us. The English military +attaché, Col. Harrison, came to see us off. A motor took us from the +camp; we had a lovely journey and arrived at Belgrade at 10 a.m. It is +sad to see how Belgrade is destroyed. Our driver was too funny. The +roads were terribly bad; we had quite a young boy to drive us. He +jumped off the box part way to shake hands with some of his friends in +a cart; he got a cigar from them, lighted it and then ran after his +carriage again. We had gone on quite a long distance with our two +horses. When we got a little further our driver jumped down again, +this time for a drink of water on the roadside, and to buy a cake. We +arrived at the British Fever Hospital at 11 o'clock; we were given a +very nice ward, and the two nurses and I were sent to bed, and we had +to go on light diet for forty-eight hours. I have been put on milk +only, so I am very cross; it is very dull in bed, but I know many of +the Farmers' unit as so many came out in the _Saidieh_ with us. + + + Tuesday, _July 20, 1915._ + +We have had a dull day in bed. Belgrade has been terribly shattered +with bombs. This hospital faces the Danube; it is most interesting. +The snipers have been firing a good deal to-day, and we hear the guns +at night. It seems a shame that so many of these lovely buildings are +in ruins. + + + Wednesday, _July 21, 1915._ + +Still in bed on milk diet; it is dull work. This afternoon an +Austrian aeroplane has been flying over us, and the Serbs have been +firing at it. + + + Thursday, _July 22, 1915._ + +At 3.40 this morning heavy firing started, and it continued for half +an hour; soon after we heard aeroplanes; there were two Austrian ones +which came over dropping bombs. They flew over this hospital many +times. The Serbs started firing at them, and the shrapnel fell on the +road below, quite a lot of it. If I had been all right I should have +got some. The aeroplanes now have dropped a lot of sealed packets with +long silvery ribbon which floated along for many miles in the air; it +was quite nice to see them in the sun. We have just heard that the +long silver ribbon contained a sealed packet addressed to the governor +of Belgrade, saying that unless the Serbians surrender they will start +bombarding the town. It is the anniversary of the declaration of war +on Serbia to-day. I have just had three more months' extension of +leave from the Governors of the Institute, saying they have +appreciated all the valuable work I have been doing, and have granted +me another three months' leave, from the commencement of next session. + + + + + THE BRITISH FEVER HOSPITAL, + BELGRADE, + SERBIA, + Friday, _July 23, 1915._ + +Six of our unit arrived over from the camp to say good-bye to us; +they were returning to England; they wanted to see Belgrade before +returning. A few guns were fired at Semlin by the Serbs. It is +splendid to see the way the Serbian women work. Some of the work-rooms +at the arsenal were full of them, and even little boys and girls of +fourteen and fifteen years of age. When the bullets and cartridges are +finished they are tested in another machine, and if they have any +defects they are shot out again. The Austrian kitchens are considered +wonderful, they are so well fitted up. + + + Saturday, _July 24, 1915._ + +I was awakened this morning at 5 o'clock by more guns being fired, but +it only lasted a short time. Sir Ralph and Lady Paget called to see +one of their nurses who is at this hospital with typhus (so they came +in to see us). One of the doctors is here with an orderly to look +after her. Lady Paget still looks very ill after her illness of +typhus. I had a long talk with her; she is a charming woman, and Sir +Ralph is very nice. There has been an interesting fźte given to-day by +the gipsies; they sent invitations to all the hospitals here. It was +held in a large building. Several trays of refreshments were handed +round; after that they played violins and some other funny +instruments; they play and sing very well, but it is so weird. The +French have sent round to the gipsy villages as their huts were +condemned as not being fit to live in; but the funny part is that the +gipsy quarter has had no cases of disease like other parts of Serbia. +It is pouring with rain and the streets are simply flooded several +inches deep; the children take off their shoes and stockings and +paddle, but most of the children do not wear shoes and stockings. This +is the only place in Serbia where there are wood and asphalt roads, +all the other roads are in a terribly cobbly state, and in a most +deplorable condition. The shops are nearly all closed. Some of the +people just open in the evening. The air raid we had the other day: a +French aviator went up and there was a battle in the air; Monsieur +Paulhan fired on the Austrian aeroplane and brought it down in +Austrian territory; the aviator was killed; a photograph was taken +after shooting. This is the third Austrian aeroplane that has been +brought down by the French aviator since he came here. We hear the +guns each day; the French aeroplane goes over the Austrian territory, +and then we hear the Austrians firing on it. We have some of our +Marines five miles from here with large guns, also French and Russian. +The doctor allowed one of the nurses and me to go for an hour's drive +to-day. We drove all round the town past the King's Palace. Some of +the buildings are very fine but so many are in ruins. No trams or +trains are allowed to run, otherwise the Austrians begin firing. If +any of the nurses are seen near with their caps and aprons the +Austrians begin at once firing; they think they must be Serbian +officers. + + + Wednesday, _July 28, 1915._ + +The French aeroplane has been flying round again to-day. One of the +nurses and I went for another drive in a ramshackle carriage with two +horses. When we got a little way the wheel came off; it was soon +mended and we started off again, and the poor old carriage came to +grief a second time, but fortunately we were near a blacksmith's +place. + + + Thursday, _July 29, 1915._ + +This has been a dull day. The doctor would not allow me to go out as +my temperature is inclined to go up and I have a bad pulse. The +Austrians are splendid men, and it seems so terrible to see these nice +refined men doing all kinds of dirty work; it makes me think of our +poor English prisoners in Germany. + +I am much better to-day and the doctor allowed the nurse to take me +across to the hotel where we had tea; it was such a nice change. +Another of our unit came over from the camp to stay a few days. I had +a letter from Dr. Atkinson telling me that Dr. May had arrived from +England, and that Mrs. Stobart had gone to Lapovo to start another +dispensary. Two Serbian regiments passed last evening, the best +drilled Serbs we have seen since we arrived; there were eighty in each +regiment; then a lot of horses and donkeys passed, laden with wood. I +am proud to say that I have not seen any soldiers march better than +our men in England since I left. + + + Sunday, _August 1, 1915._ + +I have not been allowed out the last two days, as the doctor was not +pleased with me. This is a lovely hospital, it will hold over 500 +beds; it was an university before the war; the art rooms on the top +floor are splendid. + + + Monday, _August 2, 1915._ + +I have been allowed out for a little to-day. I went round to the hotel +to tea with our nurses who were returning to England with eight of +this unit. + +In the morning our French aeroplane flew over to spy on the Austrians, +so the Austrians fired on it. It was so curious to see clouds of grey +and red smoke when the shells burst; it was quite different from the +ordinary shot that had been fired at the aeroplanes before. A lot of +the people here had a near shave of being blown up with the bombs. One +fell just near a man I met yesterday and he was blown up four feet and +not hurt at all. + + + Tuesday, _August 3, 1915._ + +To-day I had a walk round Belgrade to see the shops; some of them are +very fine, but things are most expensive and the shop-people are very +quaint, they do not care if they sell their goods or not. The sister +who looks after me took me for a little walk this afternoon. We went +down near the Save to look across at Semlin; we are not allowed to go +too near, otherwise the snipers fire upon us. We saw the bridge that +crosses the Save, which the Serbians blew up to prevent the Austrians +crossing. We also went into several houses that have been ruined with +bombs. We could see the cathedral at Semlin quite plainly. The sister +and I went after to see the cathedral; the paintings are very fine. It +is fortunate that--up to the present--it has not been damaged inside. +Malaria is starting here; we had four cases in yesterday. The doctor +is afraid of our getting it, so we are to return to the camp +to-morrow. I am not to go on duty for another two weeks. There has +been much discussion in Serbia about our camp, and it seems that the +site chosen was not a suitable one. First of all a camp should be on a +slope, as I have always learnt from my V.A.D. lectures. Secondly, the +kind of soil should have been taken into consideration; I should have +thought that a porous soil would have been best, but our camp is on +clay. Thirdly, I think inquiries should have been made as to what the +land had been used for before pitching our tents. Another camp had +been on our site before, and we heard that refugees had been living on +the land for some time. When we arrived the land was covered with +bullocks, sheep, goats, pigs, fowls, ducks, which, of course, produced +flies, and as flies carry disease, I should think it was very +unsuitable. + + + Friday, _August 6, 1915._ + +I was taken bad in the night, so the doctor would not let me return to +the camp with the other members of our unit. The nurses are giving us +a tea-party, as they have had all kinds of lovely things sent from +England. I had Sister Barnes looking after me, such a nice girl, who +has travelled a great deal; a nurse who was at the Battersea A.V.S.H. +for four years, also a doctor's wife, who is married to one of the +doctors here; she is a Yorkshire girl, very charming. The three +members in our unit return to the camp this evening at Vrynatchka +Banja. One of the patients produced an egg every morning for his +breakfast; it was discovered that he had encouraged a hen to come into +his bed, and then it took to laying its eggs. We have sixteen more +patients brought in to-night with malaria; it seems to be spreading +rapidly, so it is a good thing that our people have returned to +Kragujevatz. All the doctors out here think that mistakes were made at +the first when typhus broke out, by sending the cases all over Serbia +to different hospitals, instead of keeping them in hospitals at Nish, +where it first started, and finding out the cause. It seems that +Serbia still requires more sanitary inspectors, though a great deal +has been done and is being done at the present time. + + + Saturday, _August 7, 1915._ + +I was taken bad again in the night, so I am again in bed. The doctor +has given me something to make me sleep, so I feel a little better. +They say I went on duty too soon after enteric. It does seem a shame +that the Austrian prisoners from the hospital have been sent +elsewhere to-day, they were such nice men and they do their work +splendidly. The one that looked after my ward brought me a large bowl +of flowers this morning, and he was always so pleased when the nurse +allowed him to bring me my medicine. I have had forty-five letters in +less than three weeks, people are so good in writing to me. I hear +that I have more letters than any one in the camp. Mrs. Askew is +staying in Belgrade, and she heard I was ill, so came in to see me. +They have no work to do in their unit just now. Mrs. Askew has had a +horse given her, so she goes out riding every morning from 4.30 to +5.30. The chaplain, Mr. Sewell, comes to see me very often; his wife +helps in the kitchen; they are a delightful couple. They come from +Bristol; a good many people here come from the North of England. A +little boy of thirteen years of age was brought in here yesterday; he +has fever, was in the Serbian uniform, and is a sergeant-major, such a +curious little fellow. + + + Monday, _August 9, 1915._ + +This morning Mr. Sewell had a little service for one of the nurses who +has had typhus and me; it is very nice having a chaplain with us. +Still in bed, so feel rather dull. Mr. Winch, the head of this unit, +paid me a visit this morning; then Mr. Sewell, the chaplain, came. +Miss Trendle, the matron, brought me books and papers. A nurse was +telling me a story that had been told her: the doctors heard a great +scream, went out to see what had happened; an old woman had fallen +and dislocated her patella; she would not allow any one to touch her, +and they sent off for a funny old woman whom they looked upon as a +witch. She came, and first put some sugar over the fractured part, +then a poached egg; then a bandage was put on; then the old witch got +people to hold the injured woman while she took the bad foot and +pulled and pulled as hard as she could. + +We hear that a lot of Austrians swam across the Danube the other day +to join the Serbian Army; the Austrians were drowned; the Serbs sent a +boat to rescue them, but it was too late. A few weeks ago one of the +Serbs swam across and joined the Austrians. + + + Thursday, _August 12, 1915._ + +This afternoon at 2 o'clock the Austrians started shelling this town. +The first shell dropped two doors from this hospital, setting the +place in flames; two shells struck two of the hotels. The shelling +lasted about three-quarters of an hour, but our firing soon stopped +them. It was from Semlin the Austrians were firing, and the guns must +have been very big as the shells were a very large size; I have a +piece of one. This is indeed a wicked war, so many people absolutely +ruined and their homes smashed to pieces. The matron from this +hospital returns to England in about ten days' time; she is having a +picnic this afternoon in the Botanical Gardens. One of our naval men +has just come up here. It seems that the Austrians fired two shells +on to Milanovatz; we replied by firing back four shells into one of +their towns. The Austrians replied by firing back eleven shells on +Belgrade; we sent back twenty-two shells into Semlin; then the house +was set on fire two doors from this hospital. A man blew a big whistle +for the fire alarm in the middle of the road. The doctor had me moved +into one of the back wards, as this ward is in the range for firing; +all the patients were removed to the back. + + + Friday, _August 13, 1915._ + +We hear that twenty-two bombs fired from here destroyed a lot of +houses and a lot of people in Semlin. Fires were seen blazing all +round; only one man was killed here and very little damage done. The +shells fired by the Austrians were from their 6-inch guns. The ward I +am in is a mass of flowers to-day; a lot of the nurses brought them +for me last night; they are all so kind to me. + + + Saturday, _August 14, 1915._ + +This evening about 10 o'clock a fire broke out at the back of this +hospital, about 150 yards away. It was a large brewery and was burnt +to the ground. We watched it until 12 o'clock; the sparks were a sight +floating along in the air. It was a chance for the Austrians to +attack, as Belgrade was lighted up all round. The searchlights look +lovely all along the Danube. We have Serbs, English and French here. + + + Sunday, _August 15, 1915._ + +This morning the Serbians have been shelling some of the islands along +the Danube. + + + Monday, _August 16, 1915._ + +The Serbians and Austrians have been busy firing all the afternoon and +evening. We hear that the Austrians have found out where the English +guns are. They have smashed one of our English cannons; several +Serbians have been wounded. The Austrians have been trying for some +time to move their camp, as they want to go and help the Turks. The +Serbs, as soon as any attempt is made, fire on them. The sky was +lighted up with searchlights last night; this has never occurred +before, and probably Zeppelins were expected. The searchlights are +generally on the Danube and Save. My doctor here returned from our +camp this evening, so I have had another doctor looking after me. + + + Wednesday, _August 18, 1915._ + +Several of our unit came over from the camp to-day; they have two +days' leave, so they have come over to see Belgrade. Two are staying +on for a few days, as one is still feeling ill. I hear Dr. Atkinson is +over at Vrynatchka Banja with one of the orderlies who has had an +operation; they thought she was going to have cancer in the chest, but +it is a cist. I am much better this evening. + + + Thursday, _August 19, 1915._ + +We have had no more of the Austrian fireworks over here the last two +days; I expect the Serbs, English and French quieted them down the +other evening; we have plenty of large guns here. King Peter has a +lovely palace, but it has been very much damaged. This afternoon I was +allowed to go for a short walk, then I went to tea with one of the +nurses who has had typhus. Nineteen of us went to her tea-party. + + + Friday, _August 20, 1915._ + +Sister Barnes goes to Uskub to-morrow, so it has been arranged that +she takes me with her to stay a few days before returning to +Kragujevatz. We have had a nice wire from Lady Paget this afternoon, +saying that she was sending to meet us. Every one is so kind to me; +the doctors will not allow me to return to the camp until I have had +another change. This morning I went to the fort, as I had not been +anywhere; the commandant took us all over and showed us everything. We +looked through glasses from the trenches and saw the Austrians on the +other side; we could see the damage done by our shells on Semlin. We +could see two monitors on the Danube; they are only allowed to move a +few miles, otherwise we fire on them. We went into the trenches, but +had to be careful not to be seen. We saw a large unexploded bomb; it +was fortunate it had not burst; we also saw a small one which had gone +right into a tree. The buildings round the forts are quite in ruins. +At 4.30 the matron had a carriage for me and let me go to see the +hospital they have got for babies; so many babies had died through +neglect, so they have got this "Baby Farm," as they call it. It looks +on the Danube, and you can see the railway bridge that went over to +Austria, which was blown up by the Serbs. We had tea with a friend of +mine, Miss Bankhart, and the doctor who has been attending me; we +could not stay long as the carriage was waiting for us. I forgot to +say at the forts we went under a dark tunnel, which goes under the +Danube and lands one in Austria; it is blocked up part-way now. I hear +the other three nurses from Kragujevatz returned this evening; they +came to say good-bye to me but I was up at the Baby Farm. I leave for +Lady Paget's this evening. + + + Saturday, _August 21, 1915._ + +Sister Barnes and I left Belgrade at 6 o'clock; our coachman was a boy +of thirteen. He took us along a forbidden road to Topschaite; we had +to drive furiously on account of the snipers in the hedges on the +river Save which we were skirting, and only fifty miles away. The +horses went at such a speed that Miss Barnes' box took a flying leap +off the carriage; the Jehu turned round and gazed as if we were to get +out and pick it up. We left Topschaite station at 8. We had some +interesting Americans who have a camp at Nish; their camp is called +"Columbia" owing to the unit being chiefly made up from the university +of that name. One specially interested us as he told us that an +American Jew had inoculated him for typhus, a thing that we heard in +London was quite impossible. He was a Dr. Plot from New York; he is +only twenty-five years of age. We are told typhus is due to dirt, +lice, and sanitary conditions, and it was introduced into Serbia by +the Austrian prisoners. Among the other travellers who interested us +was a man with a blue-grey hat, a khaki coat, red knickers and black +top boots. He was very sorry for himself; his bull-dog had taken a +slice out of his trousers. He carried a beautiful embossed sword. We +arrived at Nish, which is a place that seems to be suffering from the +seven plagues of Egypt, from flies, dust, dirt, smells, etc. We were +told that the Serbs have brains like scrambled eggs, as they scatter +their diseases all over their country. We arrived at Nish at 11 +o'clock. We were taken to the rest house by the Americans. We visited +the American camp, then went to the Serbian Red Cross office to get +Miss Barnes' typhus medal. We left by the 8 o'clock train for Uskub, +or Scoplie. + + + Monday, _August 23, 1915._ + +We had a comfortable night in the train, arriving at Scoplie at 6 a.m. +We saw a lot of buffalo and storks in the fields on the way. Lady +Paget sent to meet us. We had breakfast and then went to bed. Lady +Paget has Lord and Lady Templemore; they are the father and mother of +Mr. Chichester who died a few days ago from typhoid. I shall be here +about a week. + +The change is doing me a lot of good here, and I am feeling quite +better again and ready for work. I hope to return to the camp on +Sunday evening, arriving at Kragujevatz early Tuesday morning. I have +thoroughly enjoyed being here, and am quite in love with this place, +it is so Eastern. + +After breakfast Sister Barnes and I went to rest, had lunch and then +went to the village in a carriage which was driven by Turks. We bought +a lot of lovely things. This is the most ideal place in Serbia; it is +like an Eastern village, and it is full of Turks, and the costumes are +most picturesque. This has been a wet day; there is a large market +held here every Tuesday. The train for Salonika left at 6 o'clock. I +went down to the station with some of the doctors and Lady Paget; the +latter was seeing Lord and Lady Templemore off. We met some of the +Farmers' unit from Belgrade, who were passing through. We got home +about 8 o'clock and I was sent to rest until luncheon. After lunch I +went into the village to do some shopping with two of the nurses. +Scoplie belonged to the Turks only two years ago; it is more Turkish +than Serbian. + + + Wednesday, _August 25, 1915._ + +This morning the four night nurses and I drove down to the market to +do some shopping; I also went to see the park. The market here is very +picturesque. To ring the church bells a man has to sit on the roof. +Some of the roofs of the houses are made of biscuit tins; as long as +the rain does not come in it does not matter what they use. + + + Thursday, _August 26, 1915._ + +Have been to the Turkish villages again to-day. We went to see a +chapel which is full of coffins. There was a white cloth over them and +a Turkish hat, and also a stone at the top, and a lighted candle. +These coffins have to be kept for 100 years; they contain the bodies +of priests and Turkish kings. To advertise tailors here, one sees a +large placard of an Englishman in a frock coat and a top hat. To +advertise dentists they have large cases of false teeth, and they +write the name of the dentist with the teeth. Turkish cemeteries are +to be seen everywhere, and one sees skeletons and bones lying about +the fields. The cemeteries are not railed in at all. There are harems +all over the place; one can always tell them as the windows are +barred. Most of the pathways round here are paved with old Turkish +tombstones. + + + Friday, _August 27, 1915._ + +We hear that Belgrade is being bombarded again, and that no private +people are allowed to go there. This morning we went into the Turkish +quarter, and we went over some old Turkish baths. I saw over the wards +at the hospital; there are over 400 patients. Malaria is very bad +here, and there have been several deaths from it. It is the malignant +malaria that is so dangerous. Mr. Chichester died of typhoid and +para-typhoid combined. Para-typhoid affects the nervous system. There +is also another kind of typhoid, A and B, and one can be inoculated +for the three. + + + Saturday, _August 28, 1915._ + +This morning the night nurses and I drove over to see the melon and +tobacco fields. The tobacco leaves are threaded on string and are +dried on the outside of houses under the eaves; it looks so nice +hanging down. After tea one of the sisters and I went for a drive by +the river, and we passed thousands and thousands of troops coming from +Albania. They were Albanians and Serbians; they had hundreds of +horses, who were laden with ammunition and all kinds of transport on +their backs. Lots of them had goats and fowls on their backs, which +looked perfectly happy and quite tame. I expect all these troops were +going to line the Bulgarian border, but we have not heard yet. 150,000 +have passed through Scoplie the last few days. If the roofs of the +small cottages get damaged they are repaired with petrol or biscuit +tins. + + + Sunday, _August 29, 1915._ + +We went down into the little village for a drive. On our way back we +saw a quaint band and a lot of Turks and Serbs in the most lovely +costumes, wrestling; it was amusing to watch them. I left Lady Paget's +to catch the 7 o'clock train. Lady Paget came to see me off. Mr. Askew +was on the train, so it was nice knowing some one. + + + Monday, _August 30, 1915._ + +We arrived at Nish at 8 a.m. Our carriage was very full: a Serbian +doctor, three Serbian officers, and a French lady who was travelling +with me. The Serbians brought us a beautiful melon; they are quite +different to our English ones. I am writing this at the station at +Nish. My train leaves to-night for Kragujevatz at 8 o'clock. We got off +comfortably. Mr. Askew went down and got me a nice sleeping-carriage, +but unfortunately I had to change at 3 o'clock at Lapovo. I arrived at +Kragujevatz at 6 o'clock. + + + Tuesday, _August 31, 1915._ + +On arriving at the camp, Mrs. Stobart was just off to another +dispensary. We have five dispensaries working now. Another is to be +started on Saturday; this is the last. The chief, I hear, is to return +to England in about three weeks, as her son has returned from America. +Dr. May will be left in charge of this camp. Colonel Harrison came to +dinner; he is the English Military Attaché. He is returning to England +as his health has broken down. Very few English people can stand the +climate for very long. + + + Wednesday, _September 1, 1915._ + +Mrs. Stobart returned from the dispensary. Colonel Harrison came to +dinner with the new English Attaché; Colonel Harrison left directly +after for England. He has left us the most beautiful gramaphone. + +We heard the sad news to-day that Nurse Berry died on arriving in +England. She was a beautiful girl and a splendid nurse. She was my +nurse when I first became ill, and she was taken bad a few days after +we were together at Vrynatchka Banja; she was craving to get home. + + + Thursday, _September 2, 1915._ + +Nothing of interest has happened to-day. I am not on duty, but hope to +be in a day or two. + +The weather is still very hot, but we have a good deal of wind; the +guy ropes constantly want tightening. + + + Sunday, _September 5, 1915._ + +We had service at 5.30 a.m. I helped one of the sisters get ready for +Mr. Little. Several of the Scotch unit came up. Friday and Saturday I +was busy doing the accounts, as my part has not been done since I +left, and we have about fifty of the staff and 125 patients. + + + Monday, _September 6, 1915._ + +I have been for two walks to-day, first with one of the doctors, and +then with one of the sisters, the first walk since I was ill. This +morning we went through maize fields, and on our way met several women +spinning; they are always at their knitting or spinning working on the +fields. Their knitting is wonderful as they make such lovely patterns +with different coloured wools. We saw a man making baskets. He first +gathered the willow sticks, which he put into boiling water, removed +the skin, then he started his basket work. This morning I went up to +the cemetery. Fancy, over 11,000 graves since November, 1914, all +soldiers, and there are just plain little wooden crosses to each, and +four in a grave. Dr. and Lady Finlay came over to see our camp; she +came out with us on the _Saidieh_. + +I got the accounts finished up to date, and in the afternoon about +fifteen of us went off on two bullock wagons to get blackberries, as +we have scarcely any jam left. Mrs. Stobart had asked us at lunch who +would volunteer. We took tea with us. We went about two miles but did +not get any, only one of our unit who lost us, and she found a hedge +covered and so managed to get a bowl full. The fields are full of +maize, and amongst the maize they grow pumpkins and marrows, and large +sunflowers, and up the maize stalks they grow beans. The soil is +wonderfully rich. Some of our party brought a large pumpkin back with +them. The peasant women are much to be admired; they do all the field +work, and one will meet them driving the oxen and nursing a baby. The +oxen are lovely beasts and so well cared for, but they are very slow +in their movements. The hills round are lovely; the most wonderful +colourings. + + + Tuesday, _September 7, 1915._ + +I am not on duty yet, so this morning I have been doing a little +washing and ironing. This afternoon I went for a short walk and got +some lovely cape gooseberries and flowers; they are very plentiful. +The Serbians make quite a nice jam out of the cape gooseberries. + + + Wednesday, _September 8, 1915._ + +I went into Kragujevatz this morning to do some shopping; met Miss +Vera Holmes. We bought a hat for one of the sisters going to a +dispensary. You never saw such things; the hats are just like those at +the sales in London for which we give 6-½_d._ I went for a walk with +Dr. Coxon, and as we were passing a vineyard such a nice woman called +us in and gave us grapes and flowers. It is wonderful the richness of +the soil, for when we arrived here in April there was very little on +the land, and it all seems to spring up at once. We are getting short +of provisions here; we managed to get some Serbian bacon, but when you +want anything of this kind you find there is a long line of people +outside the shop waiting for it to open, and my commissionaire goes in +at the back door and buys it all up; it seems too bad. Tea is 15_s._ +per lb.; bread, 8-½_d._ per loaf; sugar, 1_s._ 6_d._; butter, 7_s._ + + + Thursday, _September 9, 1915._ + +I went to see a camp of Serbian soldiers; they had many large guns and +carts full of shells which they showed us. Sixteen shells in each +cart; they were 15 cc. They also had boxes full of rings of gun +cotton, with powder in the centre; these they put on the top part of +the shell before firing it off. There are about 200 bullocks and carts +at this camp. The hood part of the ox-cart is used as a shelter for +two soldiers to sleep under, and very comfortable it looks, and they +only have a very few tents to pitch and quite small ones, low to the +ground; one cannot stand up in them. Six men sleep in one tent. We +went to see the air-craft guns and were shown how they were worked; it +was most interesting. We then went on to where the Serbs were +practising firing the shells. They have high stone walls which they +use as a target, and there are two or three trenches near the walls. +We saw lots of bursted shells. In the afternoon we went for another +walk and saw the women making wine out of plums. They pack large +barrels full of plums, then fill them up with water and put some sugar +in; these are left for a month or longer; then the liquor is drawn off +and bottled. I wish the plums had been washed! We met some women +knitting some elaborate coloured stockings; the colour is worked in +after the stockings are knitted. Some of the walnuts here are almost +as large as a hen's egg. + + + Saturday, _September 11, 1915._ + +To-day I have been in the wards taking the numbers down of all the +patients. I also did some washing, then I got some lovely wild flowers +and arranged them in our sitting-room. We have a gorgeous Indian tent; +it is cool in the hot weather and warm in cold; it is lined inside +with yellow. I have a very large tent all to myself; it would hold +quite six or eight beds, so I am in luck's way. On my table I +constantly find dishes of grapes, and to-night I found a dish of +boiled corn--so good, I invited four of the nurses up to help eat it. +The farm girls bring me all these good things, but of course I have to +be careful what I eat. Five of the Second Farmers' unit have been to +spend the day with us; one of them comes from St. Leonards. She has +asked me to go and see her when I return to England. I also met a +nurse from Holland; she knows me quite well by sight; she used to work +for Dr. Stanley Turner at Battersea. + + + Sunday, _September 12, 1915._ + +I have been for two short walks to-day. The fields are still a mass of +lovely wild flowers, and the hedges full of red berries. I keep the +sitting-room supplied with flowers as I am not allowed to do work, so +I do all kinds of odd jobs. + + + Monday, _September 13, 1915._ + +A wet day, so I wrote cards this morning and mended stockings. Letters +and papers are coming very badly from home. We have seven dispensaries +at work; Mrs. Stobart has just started the last one. + + + Tuesday, _September 14, 1915._ + +I went for a walk with one of the sisters. We saw a large Serbian +camp, then on to a gipsy village. We had crowds of little children +after us; they are not used to seeing strangers about. We then saw a +cemetery where some Austrian prisoners were digging up some old +graves; the skulls and bones they were collecting and putting into +handkerchiefs to re-bury them; it was a ghastly sight. In this +cemetery they had little arched fireplaces made of brick at the head +of each grave. I suppose in the cold weather when they come to wail +over the grave they light a fire. I have picked up seven horseshoes, +so I ought to have some good luck. + + [Illustration: A waggon drawn by oxen at Kragujevatz.] + + [Illustration: Gun captured from the Turks in the last war. Used + by the Serbs to bring down German aeroplanes. + _Face page 96._] + + + Wednesday, _September 15, 1915._ + +I was not well again to-day, so I stayed in bed all day. The doctors +say I am not to do any work for six months in the kitchen departments; +it is very annoying. + + + Thursday, _September 16, 1915._ + +It seems that the peasants only have three sets of clothes to last +them their life; the cloth is homespun, very strong and heavy, and a +dark brown colour, most serviceable. It is trimmed with black braid. + + + Saturday, _September 18, 1915._ + +Two of the sisters arrived last night from the dispensary. They have +had several cases of small-pox; out of six cases in the village, two +died. The peasants are the most funny people. Three days before the +death of one of the smallpox patients everything was got ready for the +burial. The coffin was made by friends on the premises. The girl was +told, when our nurse went to feed her, not to take any more food. +Before the girl was actually dead she was put in her very best clothes +to be buried in; she was also laid out before the breath was out of +her body. The coffin was left open until just before putting into the +grave. There were no priests in the village, and the girl was buried +by her friends. + + + Sunday, _September 19, 1915._ + +We had service at 5.30 a.m. The priests in Serbia are not allowed to +go into the church until they are married. In war time no priests are +allowed to marry, so they are not able to go into the church. The +priest at Natalintse went to have dinner at our dispensary. He took +with him all the things that he thought they would not have, cheese +and wine. They were having goose for dinner. He took this course, and +then he kept stretching across the table, took a fork without asking, +and kept helping himself; he had five helpings of goose. Pudding he +refused, but our interpreter was sitting next to him, so he took a +fork and took a taste of his pudding without asking. Five little boys +keep the church in order and they ring the bell. The priests and +people think nothing of spitting on the floor of the church. I thought +this habit was bad enough in the streets in England, but I find that +it is worse abroad. This morning a Red Cross ambulance corps, pulled +by bullock-wagons, passed this camp; they were the first to go to +Malanovatz to join the first field ambulance, the Bevis unit. This +afternoon I went up to see another Serbian camp, and took photographs. + + + Monday, _September 20, 1915._ + +We are having lovely weather, but the nights are terribly cold, and +there is a thick frost in the morning. The days are very hot. It seems +that when the Austrians last year got into Belgrade they were there +for thirteen days. When the Serbs drove them out, they found a +freshly-made cemetery full of wooden crosses. The Serbs thought that +it was strange within such a short time, and the graves were a curious +shape. The Serbs turned up the soil and found about 80,000 pieces of +ammunition. + + + Tuesday, _September 21, 1915._ + +Mrs. Stobart, Mr. Greenhalgh, Colonel Gentnich, Mr. Little and myself +motored over to Vilanovatz to see the dispensary. There is one doctor, +a nurse, a cook and two orderlies; the dispensary site is very +beautiful. They are doing good work and they have about 70 to 100 +patients every day; they come for miles; some of them are in a +terrible condition. This dispensary is fifteen miles away; the ride is +lovely, the scenery being so very beautiful. The fields are looking so +pretty with wild crocuses. There is only one shop in the village. +Paprica grows very plentifully out here; the stews are quite red with +it. The paprica is also eaten in the green state filled with meat +minced. + + + Wednesday, _September 22, 1915._ + +This morning one of the sisters and I went on the top of some hills to +see the Serbians practising and testing some Turkish shells. It was +most interesting, for they were telephoning up to the arsenal after +every one that was fired, stating the distances. In the afternoon we +both went up to get a shell; there were fourteen unexploded ones. + + + Thursday, _September 23, 1915._ + +We have heard nothing but firing most of the day. I forgot to say that +on Tuesday a message came up from the Government to say that an aerial +raid was expected, but they were again driven back. + + + Friday, _September 24, 1915._ + +To-day we hear that the Bulgarians have joined with the Austrians, and +that fighting has started on the Bulgarian frontier. All along the +Danube and at Belgrade the Austrians were bombarding. One hundred +shells were fired. + + + Saturday, _September 25, 1915._ + +To-day we had a message from the Serbian Government to say that part +of our unit had to go to form a hospital near the Bulgarian frontier. +The Serbians have a splendid equipment ready. Twenty of this unit are +going: Mrs. Stobart, Mr. Greenhalgh, two doctors, six chauffeurs, two +cooks, two orderlies, and six nurses. They are taking six motors. We +shall be very busy here with so many of the staff away. The doctors +want me to stay a little longer to help in the wards, do the diet +sheets and the accounts, and help the nurses. + + + Sunday, _September 26, 1915._ + +We had two services to-day, one at 5 a.m., the other at 5 p.m. We are +still having very hot days but the nights are cold. The wild flowers +are beautiful, and there are lots of butterflies, little blues, and a +dark yellow with black edge round the wings, and swallow-tail. There +are scarcely any cabbage butterflies here, but there are some quite +small white, like the cabbage. + + + Monday, _September 27, 1915._ + +The part of our unit that was to go to the Bulgarian frontier had to +be inspected to-day, with all their baggage. There is some difficulty +in getting through to Salonika, owing to the troops going to the +frontier. + + + Tuesday, _September 28, 1915._ + +I hope to be back on duty in a few days. To-night the sky was most +gorgeous, quite indescribable; there were two of the most beautiful +rainbows, absolutely perfect, with a sunset which illuminated the +mountains all round. Moles are very plentiful here; they make a +dreadful mess of all the fields. One lived under the ground-sheet in +our sleeping-tent, but, poor thing, it got trodden on and we found it +dead. There are a few bats; they are a tremendous size, much larger +than they are in England. Grasshoppers and locusts are also plentiful. +Small birds are scarce, only a few sparrows and swallows and +sand-martins and larks. The swallows have their nests right inside +some of the houses on the tops of the electric light and in some of +the corners. They fly about at night, catching flies, not caring for +any one. We heard last night that the Scottish unit had lost one of +their nurses, with typhoid; it was at Valievo. Dr. Inglis, from +Kragujevatz, and the head of the Scottish women's hospital, a woman +doctor, had to read the burial service. I had a lovely large bunch of +hyssop given to me this morning; it is used in the churches at +christenings to sprinkle the infant with holy water. + + + Wednesday, _September 29, 1915._ + +To-day we had a medal presented to us from King Peter. It is a coat of +arms on a cross of Serbia, and is called the Cross of Charity. Two of +the Government officials came up to present us with them, and they +gave us a testimonial of their appreciation of our services. We hear +to-day that the Bulgarians have started fighting. I saw some of the +Serbian cavalry starting for the Bulgarian frontier; they were going +to Nish, then towards Pirot. The Serbs are very brave and some of them +stand pain so well. One man had an operation on his spine, some broken +bone removed, and he was walking about two hours after. Another man +had some varicose veins removed and he was walking ten minutes after. + + + Thursday, _September 30, 1915._ + +This morning at 7 o'clock we had an air raid; six German aeroplanes +came over dropping thirty bombs on Kragujevatz. Most of the bombs +dropped near the arsenal and at the station; they tried to get the +magazine, but did not succeed. The bombs did little damage, but six +people were killed and several wounded. We brought one aeroplane +down; we saw quite plainly and the bombs seemed to drop right on the +aeroplane--a great blaze of fire we could see--and the aeroplane fell +to the ground only a few minutes' walk from this camp in the main +street, just near the cathedral. It came down quite gently, and as it +got to the ground there was a great crash; the men were both Germans; +they were smashed to pieces. I have taken two photographs; all the +woodwork was burnt away. I have several interesting pieces of the +aeroplane. The Germans had their diaries on them; these of course were +taken to the Government office. An officer was killed at the arsenal, +so they had a military funeral for him this afternoon. The other +portion of our unit may go to the front any time now; they are only +waiting for orders. + + + Friday, _October 1, 1915._ + +This morning at 6.45 we had another air raid. We soon cleared the camp +of the patients. Three aeroplanes came over in all, and dropped about +fifteen bombs on Kragujevatz. Five fell in the arsenal, but little +damage was done; several fell round about the station. Several of the +station men got into a truck for shelter. One shell fell just outside +smashing up the pavement along the line. A piece of the shell went +through the truck; no one was injured, and it was given to me +afterwards. The air raid lasted about one hour. When all was over Dr. +May and Dr. Berry asked me to take them to see the aircraft guns. +These were about seven minutes' walk from the camp on the top of a +hill; two of the Serbian camps were also near by. I knew several of +the officers at the camp. On arriving we were met by some of them; +they took us round and showed us the guns and the shells, explaining +and describing all about them. There are three very large guns, and +these took the 12 inch shells; they were of French make, and two +smaller ones which were captured from the Turks in the last war. + +We had only been up on the firing ground about five minutes when the +signal was given that enemy aeroplanes were sighted. All men were at +their posts in a second, and it was splendid to see the order and +discipline. + +It was no use our retiring, as it would not have been safe, so we +stood by while the firing was going on. The vibration and noise were +terrific; one could not see even these large shells coming out of the +guns, only fire and smoke. I took a photograph while the firing was +going on. Five bombs were dropped in Kragujevatz, one on our camp, +which fortunately did not explode. It was only a few yards away from +the night nurse's tent and mine, otherwise we should have had our poor +tents in pieces. Two bombs fell on the magazine, destroying lots of +our stores; three tents were burnt, but the fire was soon +extinguished. Nine 7 lb. tins of marmalade were smashed to pieces; +marmalade was all over the floor, windows, ceilings and walls, making +the place in the most terrible mess; other stores were also spoilt; +pieces of shrapnel were found in the sugar. About eighty shells were +fired on the aeroplanes, and it got so hot for them that they soon +fled. The air raid was over at 10, so our patients were allowed to +return. + +In the evening we had a farewell party, given by one of the sisters, +as she was leaving for Lady Paget's hospital, and twenty of our unit +were leaving for the Bulgarian frontier with Mrs. Stobart, and they +were to go to Perot. They left at 10 p.m., and slept in the train all +night; the train left at 7.20 in the morning. They have taken five +motor ambulances, three bullock wagons, one kitchen that was captured +from the Austrians by the Serbs, a few bandages and medical stores. A +Serbian army was supplying all the other necessary medical stores and +equipments for "The Flying Field Hospital." I was to have gone, but +owing to having had typhoid was not allowed. It was arranged that the +doctors, nurses, cooks and orderlies should change over every month, +so that all could get a variety of work. + + + Saturday, _October 2, 1915._ + +Another telephone message arrived at 7 a.m., to say that three +aeroplanes had crossed the frontier. We got breakfast over at 5.30 and +the camp was cleared of all the patients, and then we left ourselves. +It is interesting to see all the townspeople going out miles into the +country for safety. Fortunately the wind got up and the flyers had to +return, but they managed to drop their fifteen bombs on another town +close by. On our return home to the camp we went by the guns, and I +was introduced to the man who brought down the aeroplane on Thursday, +September 30. It was the Turkish aircraft gun he was using, quite a +small one. We expect air raids every day now; this means breakfast at +5.30. We are clearing this hospital of the old patients, and are +getting ready for the fresh wounded, and it will not take us long to +be straight. + +We can do nothing much in the mornings now, so we work hard all +afternoon. The arsenal is also closed in the mornings. + + + Sunday, _October 3, 1915._ + +It has been too cloudy and too windy for an air raid to-day, so we +have had a day of rest. Pontoon bridges have been passing most of the +afternoon on the road by our camp. I expect these are going to the +Bulgarian frontier. + +A very young student at a village near here was full of mischief, and +for a lark he poured a pot of red paint into the holy water. The +priest at the early service looked up, and found that all his +congregation had red crosses on their foreheads. The priest told us +this story, and the boy got into great trouble over it. + +The name of the aeroplane that was brought down at Kragujevatz was the +"Albatross." The younger German killed was an engineer twenty-six +years of age. + +Pieces of aeroplane were found at Ratcher, but nothing else. Another +aeroplane was seen to turn over outside a small village, but has not +been found. + + + Monday, _October 4, 1915._ + +The camp was cleared about 7 o'clock, as we received a message that +six aeroplanes had been sighted over the frontier; they were prevented +from getting to Kragujevatz. The Germans say they will smash up +Kragujevatz, also the railway line. A very little damage has been done +considering. + +We had a card from the other part of our unit which left for Perot, +saying that they had arrived safely, and that they liked their +position; they were on the top of a hill, and looked down on the +enemy. + + + Tuesday, _October 5, 1915._ + +Two aeroplanes flew over Lapovo, dropped three bombs on the line, but +no damage was done. We cleared our camp as on previous days but +nothing happened. + + + Wednesday, _October 6, 1915._ + +We are about ready for the fresh wounded; we have put up one or two +fresh marquees, which hold each about twenty-six beds. We have +seventy-two tents in all, and a number in reserve if required. We have +long buildings when the weather gets cold, which have been built +during the summer by the Austrian prisoners; these were intended for +cholera, but fortunately we did not get this disease in Serbia, so the +buildings have been promised us by the Government for wards for our +patients during the winter months. They are very long low buildings +and would hold about thirty or forty beds; there were about six +buildings in all. + +On one occasion, in our ward, a patient who was on light diet, was +found to have a parcel under his pillow. This parcel was found to +contain a little roasted pig, from which he had been helping himself +to small pieces. His relations had been to visit him that afternoon +and had given it to him, regardless of whether it was a suitable +present or not. Pigs in this country are cooked when they are quite +tiny, and a leg is only sufficient for one person's meal. Lambs are +also killed and cooked about the same age, and it is really difficult +to find any meat on the bones after they are roasted. The Serbs do not +consider meat good when it is fully grown, excepting oxen, and beef in +Serbia is one of the worst classes of meat, probably on account of +their being used for labour. Milk is scarce owing to the cows being +used for transport. + +They have an extraordinary one-stringed instrument which they will +play for the whole of the day; crowds of people will sit round +listening; this was most trying when the patients got hold of it in +the wards, very monotonous and trying, and some of the singing is also +very weird, being only on one or two notes, but on the whole they are +the most musical people. In the cathedrals the singing is perfectly +lovely, such well trained voices. + +We hear that the Germans started shelling Belgrade at 3 a.m.; it +lasted for many hours. We had a thick fog at night, which reminded one +of London, being equally dense but not so yellow. + + + Thursday, _October 7, 1915._ + +Still a thick fog, and we hear that Belgrade is still being bombarded. +The English and French troops have been expected for some time to help +the poor Serbs, and we are told that Nish and many other towns are +decorated in their honour. + +I understand that the bombardment of Belgrade has not been quite so +severe to-day, but all English missions have been told to leave. The +Germans have landed in three places. They crossed the Save in boats +and by pontoon bridges; there were about 3,000 of them. It was a misty +night, and they thought they would not be noticed. The Serbs allowed +them to cross, and then took 2,000 prisoners. The pontoon bridges and +boats were sunk; then they had a hand-to-hand fight in the streets, +knives being principally used, and we heard that even the women joined +in. Many bodies were floating in the Danube and the Save; we heard +that two of our Marines were killed and several wounded. + +This afternoon we went over the wounded Allies' hospital at +Kragujevatz with one of the sisters. In one ward there was a brigand +who was wounded; he had told the nurses that that was his profession. +We also saw an Austrian who was an artist, and he had obtained in the +hospital several orders for his pictures, for which he made the sum of +10_s._ We also saw a German who had had both his legs amputated; he +was allowed to make baskets, and was selling them. + +This evening one of the doctors consented to my leaving, as having an +appointment in England I had only another two or three weeks leave of +absence and as we heard it might be rather difficult later on to get +away. I was asked to look after an orderly from the second Farmers' +unit, who had just recovered from typhoid; she would not have been +able to do any work for some weeks so it was decided she should return +to England in my care. + + + Friday, _October 8, 1915._ + +I was busy packing most of the morning, then I did up the accounts and +the diet sheets for the wards, finishing up this part of my work. In +the afternoon one of the sisters and I went to the arsenal and I was +presented with a medal of King Peter. We also saw many of the +treasures which were taken off the German aeroplane which was brought +down. They showed us an orange printed paper with full instructions +on. It was of course in German and it said that they had to come to +Kragujevatz and drop four bombs. + +It was very painful saying good-bye to my kitchen staff, principally +Austrian prisoners who had done such good work. When they first came +they said, "No pay, therefore no work." I replied, "No work, therefore +no food," and they quickly fell in with my views, which they never +resented but really worked well. The commissionaire came up to say +good-bye with his daughter, and brought from his wife two cooked +chickens for our journey, a dozen eggs, walnuts, apples and jam. I +packed these up, then went in to dinner. When I returned I found my +parcels had been unpacked by the dogs from the farm near by; the +chickens had gone, the eggs eaten, and bits of shell all over the +floor of my tent. Eggs when boiled hard out here the white will often +be found soft no matter how long one boils it. Also the apples and the +nuts scattered about; my tent was a sight to behold, but fortunately +we had other things provided for the journey. + +At 9 o'clock fifteen wounded men were brought in from Belgrade. They +were in the most terrible condition, and they described to us the most +awful slaughter that had taken place there. + +At 10 o'clock one of the Government officials came up to say good-bye, +and to bring my pass on the railway as far as the Greek frontier, and +also gave me some sweets. + +At 11.30 the carriage came to take us to the station. The train was +leaving at 12 o'clock. A terrible night, pouring with rain, and we all +got wet through before starting. We had a comfortable journey as far +as Lapovo, where we arrived at 2 a.m. Here we had to change, and were +supposed to get a train on in an hour's time, but waited about till 5 +o'clock, and were then told that there would not be a train on till +noon. We piled our luggage up and went to our dispensary, which is on +the line. We found the windows open and the door unlocked and every +one in bed. They had left it like this as they were expecting the +doctor from Nish, who had gone to fetch fresh supplies of stores. We +took off our boots and lay down on the beds in the ward until 7 +o'clock, then we had breakfast and took it in turns to go back to the +station to take charge of the luggage. It was a pitiful sight while in +the station, watching the train loads of refugees coming in from +Belgrade. Many of the women were crying as they related their sad +experiences to the people on the platform. Also train loads of wounded +were coming in; many had been to our dispensary on the Thursday to +have their wounds dressed before going on to a permanent hospital. + +We were told that 6,000 or 7,000 shells had been fired in Belgrade, +and that many places were on fire. + +At 11 o'clock a train came in from Belgrade, and I heard several +voices calling to me, and I found there were some of Admiral +Troubridge's unit on the train, and three or four of the first +Farmers' unit. They all looked very ill and were covered with mud. +They had left Belgrade at 6 o'clock the night before, and had had to +walk many miles before they could get the train, and had left +everything behind them, only having the clothes they stood up in. They +had only had bread to eat and were almost famished, so I told them to +come and get into our carriage, as we could give them some of the food +we had for our journey. I then went to the guard and asked where this +train was going to, and he replied "to Nish"; but there was only a +cattle truck for us, so we all got into it, and as it was very +doubtful about our getting a train at 12 o'clock we thought it better +to go on. We gave them all a good meal of tongue and beef sandwiches, +bread and cheese and apples and lemonade, and they were indeed +thankful, poor things! for they had gone through a terrible time. They +told us many sad stories of our brave Serbians, who ran into the +hospitals, had their wounds dressed, and then went back to fight. All +the patients in the hospitals who were suffering from bronchitis, +pneumonia, and consumption, and many other diseases, put on their +clothes and went to the trenches. They also told us that the American +hospital was staying on, so all their luggage was sent to this +hospital for safety; later on the American hospital was seen in +flames. The members of these units got out of the train at Chupria, to +join Admiral Troubridge. We heard that the English batteries, with the +exception of one, had been quieted at Belgrade. At Chupria many +wounded soldiers got into our truck. They were going to the hospital +at Nish, we to the rest station which belonged to Sir Ralph and Lady +Paget, and it was for the use of the different English units that were +coming to Serbia. We arrived at 9.30, and as we were very tired we +went to bed at once. + + + Sunday, _October 10, 1915._ + +We had breakfast at 7.30, then went to see Sir Ralph Paget, then to +the bank, which fortunately we found open, then to the Serbian Red +Cross. + +Several other members of different units arrived from Belgrade during +the day. + +At 2.30 an enemy aeroplane came over Nish. No bombs were dropped, so +they had come to spy. Three French aeroplanes went after it and drove +it away; they also fired on it with the aircraft guns. We heard that +one of the trains from Belgrade had been fired at by the Germans and +that twenty-five civilians had been killed. We had a service at the +rest house at 5 o'clock. Two aeroplanes had arrived during the +afternoon and were going on to Kragujevatz. + +We left by the 8.30 p.m. train for Salonika. + + + Monday, _October 11, 1915._ + +It was a lovely day and most interesting journey. All along there are +camps, wire entanglements and trenches. Some of the camps are amongst +the trees and can scarcely be seen, as they are made of sticks and +mud. The sentry guards also along the line have curious dug-outs, to +which they go down by steps. The haystacks, instead of being on the +ground as in England, are fixed up in trees, like huge beehives, as +the ground gets so swampy. The Serbs and the Albanians look most +picturesque. These must have been the regiments I saw coming along +when I was staying at Uskub. We have just seen a wolf chasing a young +deer; they passed close by the train. It seems dreadful to leave this +glorious country with its brilliant sunshine and bright colours, until +we see all the horrors that are going on so near to us. + +We arrived at Uskub at 7 o'clock; had breakfast at the station, and a +few minutes before our train arrived 170 Bulgarian prisoners had been +brought in. They were tied together in batches by ropes. I saw one or +two of the nurses from Lady Paget's on the platform; they had been to +see some friends off. Our train left again at 7.25; then we passed +through wonderful gorges; this of course would make the fighting very +difficult. + +Our next stop was the frontier Ghevghili(?). Most of the passengers' +luggage was examined; it was also weighed, and we had to pay on ours. + +We arrived at Salonika at 8.30 p.m. We found the station full of Greek +soldiers; many of them were on the ground asleep. We had to leave our +large luggage for the night, then we took a carriage and went to the +hotel _Olympus_, where we had wired for rooms. We saw many of our +English and French troops as we drove down; this of course cheered us +up. We heard there were 25,000 French and 11,000 English, and that +they had been detained by the Greeks, as they were expected in Serbia +some days before. + +On arriving at the hotel we made ourselves tidy, went down to dinner, +found the room full of English and French; several of them gave us a +hearty welcome as there were no English women in Salonika. One officer +told us that an American, sitting at their table had insisted on it +that we were Americans, and what a great deal the Americans had been +doing in Serbia, and the point had been argued, so there was great +excitement to know what nationality we were, and the English officers +were delighted to find they were right. + +We are all hoping that the Greeks will join us, and that they will all +be going up to Serbia in a day or so. + + + Tuesday, _October 12, 1915._ + +Two English officers invited us out to tea to the café near, and were +much interested in hearing all our experiences in Serbia. In the +evening we went to a cinema. + + + Wednesday, _October 13, 1915._ + +We had to go and have our passports inspected by the English, French, +and Italian consuls; we got some money changed and did some shopping. + +The Turkish markets are very interesting and the salesmen very +amusing, and bargaining is very necessary as they begin by asking +often more than double the amount they are prepared to take. + +The Greek shops are very fine, full of beautiful things, and the +fashions quite up to date. We have a nice little Greek lady staying +here from Athens; she told us it was a known fact that the Germans had +lost over three million men. She also told us that seven French +officers had escaped from Stuttgart; they were let out of prison as +they bribed the man who was looking after them. They walked all the +way from Stuttgart through Switzerland to France, having been given +sufficient food for their journey, a compass and a map, and advised +not to speak to any one on the way. They said they never met a man all +the way through Germany; women were armed outside forts, railways and +along roads; every man had gone to fight. + + + Thursday, _October 14, 1915._ + +There are eight battleships in the harbour, French and English. The +Greeks are mobilized, and are ready to join whichever side they think +the best. They have copied the English in their uniform. + +A Turkish aeroplane passed over to-day. Our boat, the _Sydney_, has +arrived in the harbour, so we went to choose our berths. + +About forty boats arrived to-day with English, French, and Greek +troops. We went to watch the horses and mules being unloaded at the +docks; there are more mules than horses; they find them much hardier. + + + Friday, _October 15, 1915._ + +We had an interesting day; one of the doctors from Lady Paget's came +to see me, then the captain from the _Abbassieh_, who had brought out +some of the units and knew the three sisters who were with me. He +invited us to lunch on his ship; he had brought in troops from the +Dardanelles, and was doing transport work. He told us that he had +brought 1,300 and that he had only sufficient life boats for 300. In +Salonika we had the Dorsets, the Norfolks, the Herefords, Royal West +Kent, Royal Engineers, the Army Service Corps, and the Royal Army +Medical Corps, and several other regiments that were going up to +Serbia. + +The captain asked what boat I had come out on to Serbia. When I said +"the _Saidieh_," he said, "Why, the chief officer is now on my boat, +as the _Saidieh_ was torpedoed some time ago"; and he sent for him to +see us. It was very pleasant meeting again and hearing his story; he +was made captain of another boat, but it had been so much damaged with +shell fire that it could not be used. + + + Saturday, _October 16, 1915._ + +In the afternoon the commander from the battleship H.M.S. _Albion_ +came to have tea with us, and invited us to tea on his ship the +following day. + +We heard to-day that some of the French troops had gone up to the +Bulgarian frontier; we also heard that Perot had been taken by the +Bulgarians, and that the line between Nish and Uskub had been blown +up. + +Martial law is in force here, and pickets are all along the front. The +English, French, and Greek officers all had to salute each other. + + + Sunday, _October 17, 1915._ + +This morning we went over two old Greek temples, Demetrius and St. +George; they were taken by the Turks and turned into mosques. The +Turks had whitewashed all over the mosaic and marble pillars; +fortunately the whitewash is crumbling away, and one can see the +mosaic through. + +A story is told that one of the large panels of marble is supposed to +bleed when anything serious is going to happen; it is a kind of +grey-red, very lovely, and the blood trickles through the cracks. The +priest in Demetrius was standing with a cross and a piece of bosaliac, +known to us as hyssop. The Greek soldiers were going up to him, +kissing the cross, and then he sprinkled their heads with holy water +with the bosaliac. + +We went to see the wonderful old bridge that Hadrian, the Roman +Emperor, built. + +In the afternoon we went to H.M.S. _Albion_ to tea; it is a very fine +ship, and of course of great interest to us. It has been damaged many +times with shell fire; we went all over and it was most interesting. + +Lady Paget arrived here last evening, and five of the sisters from +Admiral Troubridge's unit, as they had been staying the night with her +at Uskub. Two of them were returning to England with us. + + + Monday, _October 18, 1915._ + +We hear that the _Sydney_ sails to-morrow at 4 o'clock, so we made our +preparations for leaving. + +We have seen crowds of refugees coming into the town to-day, many of +them sleeping on the doorsteps, huddled up in the corners. One poor +man died on the road, and I expect many others will not survive as +they had walked so many miles. + + + Tuesday, _October 19, 1915._ + +We got our luggage on our boat the _Sydney_ early, then we took a +small boat out to the hospital ship, the _Grantully Castle_, London, +as the military doctor said the matron would so much like to see us. +On arriving we were received by the matron and the English chaplain; +we were taken all over the ship; it was beautifully fitted up, and +they had every convenience. There were three of our naval men from +Belgrade, two of whom had been wounded, and the other one was +threatened with appendicitis. Forty English soldiers had been taken on +board the night before, suffering from illnesses of different kinds. +The nine nurses were Australians, the matron English. We were invited +to lunch, but could not spare the time, as we had to get back early to +the hotel on account of leaving in the afternoon. We left the hotel at +3.30 and at once went on board. One of the doctors from Lady Paget's +hospital is with us, two of the nurses from Admiral Troubridge's unit, +six of the Scottish nurses from the women's hospital, Valievo, two +French doctors, and an English lady from Bulgaria who had been +teaching there for the last six years, also the military attaché from +Bulgaria, a naval member of Parliament who was carrying dispatches, +also Brigadier General Koe, who was engaged in transport work. + +We left Solonika at 5 o'clock. This boat is quite nice and beautifully +clean, very different from the one we came out in. It is a French boat +belonging to the Maritime Line. We had a good passage as far as +Lemnos, where we arrived at 7 p.m. General Koe got off here. + + + Wednesday, _October 20, 1915._ + +Lemnos is a barren-looking place, mountainous all round, no trees, and +it is covered with the English and French camps. There is a new +hospital being built at the water's edge. There is no fresh water, and +experts have been sent from England to sink artesian wells. The water +had to be taken out in tanks. One lady at Marseilles sent out +ship-loads of soda water for the soldiers. The harbour is full of +battleships, chiefly French, and there are several hospital ships, +also many transports. The largest ship is the _Aquitania_ from +Liverpool, with four large funnels. Mines and nets are all round us; +at several points of the island guns are fixed; we could hear firing +this afternoon, and we were told that at Imbros one could see the +shells bursting at the Dardanelles. We stayed at Lemnos eight hours; +it is a lovely day and very calm. + + + Thursday, _October 21, 1915._ + +We arrived at Piraeus at 6 a.m., landed at 8, then took the train to +Athens, and went straight to Cook's office and wrote letters to +friends staying here, arranging to return for any answers. We then +took a carriage and went to the museum; the statuary is very fine and +beautiful. We returned to Cook's and found a letter from our Greek +friends, inviting us to luncheon at 1 o'clock. We had an hour and a +half more to spare, so took a carriage and went to the Acropolis. It +is indeed wonderful the view of Athens from the top, most beautiful. +We thoroughly enjoyed this sight; the trees all along are most +interesting--avenues of pepper trees, date palms, aloes and cactus; we +also saw a few orange trees. We then went to our friend's house at 1 +o'clock. There were three married sisters and their children, and an +English girl, governess to the children. After luncheon they took us +sight-seeing, first to the Polytechnic Institute, founded in 1837 by +some wealthy Greek, and containing memoirs of the Greek War of +Independence, portraits and native costumes, and the clothes of the +Greek King who was shot at Salonika. A tomb has been erected on the +pavement there where he was shot, and a chapel is to be built near. +The pistol that shot him was in the case with the clothes. We also saw +many flags that the Greeks had captured in many different wars, a +sword of Lord Byron's, and his portrait and visiting card. + +After leaving here we took the carriage and drove round the principal +streets, then went to the Keremakos market, where there are wonderful +tombs containing the remains of three people in each; the bones are +visible, and the statue of the bull. We then went down the oldest +streets, and to the ancient Church Eglise de Capnicarea. We saw the +temple, the bank, the general post office and the theatre; had tea at +a café and took the train back to the port, and arrived on the boat in +time for dinner. Another lovely night; I slept on deck. I forgot to +mention we passed, on Wednesday, some burning rocks; the chief officer +told us they are set on fire by oil by the shepherds, to watch their +flocks by night. + + + Friday, _October 22, 1915._ + +We did not leave Athens until 8.30 this morning. We were held up much +longer than we expected. An aeroplane followed our boat for a little +way, but it was a Greek one, so we had nothing to fear. At 3 p.m. we +had quite an excitement; a message was sent to the ship to say we had +to go into the Island of Milos for orders; submarines had been seen +round the neighbourhood. We got into Milos and found five French +battleships, submarine destroyers. One of the maritime ships was in +the harbour that had been torpedoed two weeks ago. The island is very +picturesque; the houses are built in the Turkish style. We remained in +the harbour for about two hours. We have a submarine destroyer +escorting us, also another ship was with us, so we feel quite safe. +Written notices were sent round to each passenger with instructions +what to do in case we were struck. The captain had an anxious voyage +from here on, keeping watch all the time. We kept going out of our +course and the destroyer and our boat were constantly signalling to +each other. We had to come round by Crete instead of Cape Matapan. The +wind has risen and it is very rough; most of the people are ill. We +had a bad night, continuous thunderstorms and heavy rain. The boat is +rolling as well as pitching. + + + Saturday, _October 23, 1915._ + +It still continues very rough and very few passengers are visible. +Nothing exciting has happened; our two escorts are still in front of +us. + + + Sunday, _October 24, 1915._ + +This morning a large steamer signalled to our destroyer, so it left us +for two or three hours and then returned. In the night it was +exchanged for another one. We were told that they had to be very +careful along this route, as nine boats were torpedoed in one week; +naturally we were all more or less anxious, looking down into the cold +water. I much dreaded the risk we ran as I should much prefer to be +shot or shelled to being drowned. We heard that we reach Malta in the +evening, but owing to our having to go so much out of our course we +did not arrive until the following morning at 6 a.m. It was an anxious +night; neither the captain nor the chief officer appeared for dinner; +no end of men were on the watch for enemy submarines; it seems that +there are many in the Mediterranean just now, and we were told that +this is the worst danger zone at present. The Germans have a specially +large new one here which is doing a lot of damage. It has been very +rough all night, and the boat had to slacken speed as we were not +allowed to enter Malta before 6 a.m. I met a very interesting English +lady from Constantinople on board this morning. She has lived there +for forty years. Her husband is a doctor. She had three sons--two +solicitors, the third an invalid. He suffers from fits. The youngest +son's name was down on the list to be sent to Gallipoli with the +English and French prisoners, whom the Turks were sending from +Constantinople, in the hope that this would prevent our troops from +bombarding Gallipoli. This poor mother was so distressed, and pleaded +so hard to the Turkish officials that they consented that her son +should be released. She then made another plea for her husband to be +allowed to leave the country, and he left for Malta. Then she procured +the release of her delicate son, and he also joined his father, and +now she herself is on her way to join them. The other two sons were +not allowed to leave; they are being kindly treated, but have come +down to breaking stones. I felt very sorry for her, but admired her +courage and cheerfulness in such distressing circumstances. All her +valuables from her lovely home she sent to the Turkish bank, but of +course has no hope of seeing them again; they are sure to be +confiscated. Fifty or more of our men were sent to Gallipoli from +Constantinople, so that should the place be bombarded they would be +the first to fall; but the English and French threatened the Turks +with other reprisals, and they were withdrawn. They left the ship and +spent five days in a mosque, where they had to rough it terribly, +though the officials were very kind to them, and on their return to +Constantinople gave them a good dinner. Everybody out here speaks so +well of the Turks, and all those we have met seem so very sorry that +they are fighting against the English, and they said it would be their +ruin joining the Germans, their great dread being the loss of +Constantinople. Three little birds are following our boat, often +coming on board; one is a robin, but the other two we do not know. We +had several cats on board and were much afraid for the safety of the +birds. Two sparrowhawks also pursued them. + + + Monday, _October 25, 1915._ + +We were allowed to land at Malta at 8 a.m. As we only had three hours +on land we took a carriage, only 1 fr.80 the hour, and drove all +round. The carriages are different from ours, so picturesque, and the +Maltese women, with their curious headgear, are very fascinating. We +went first to the gardens to see flowers and palms, which were looking +lovely, then to the Church of St. John's, where a service was taking +place, so we remained a little time. We saw the Governor's Palace, +then the Chapel of Bones, formerly attached to the hospital. Over +2,000 skulls are shown, and the remaining framework of the body is +most artistically arranged, but very gruesome. We had not time to +enter the museum as we had to do a little shopping before returning to +the boat. We sailed at 11.30, still very rough, and we could not keep +a straight course; our escort was with us. + +There were three suspicious characters on board, and we hear they had +been locked up. + + + Tuesday, _October 26, 1915._ + +Still very rough, and most of the passengers have had to retire; +those who were able to remain played bridge. + +We have no butter for tea, only biscuits and dry bread; this was not +such a hardship to me as to some of the other passengers. We had had +no butter in Serbia for more than three months as butter cost there +7_s._ per pound, and as we could only obtain such small quantities, +even at that price, it was not worth buying for our large unit. + + + Wednesday, _October 27, 1915._ + +We had a bad thunderstorm to-day, and the sea is still very rough. +Nothing of any importance happened. + + + Thursday, _October 28, 1915._ + +We arrived at Marseilles at 8 a.m., for which we were all truly +thankful, as it is not much pleasure to be facing such dangers as we +had done. + +At the Customs our luggage was most carefully searched, even the +leaves of our Bibles and other books being turned over. We were all +much amused and wondered if we should be searched next. This I believe +happened to some of the women, but not any of our party. + +We had our passports seen, and also paid a visit to the police station +to obtain a pass to Boulogne. This took up most of the day, and we +remained two nights in Marseilles. There is an Indian camp, as they +come here to be climatized before going to the front. It was +interesting seeing them about the town. + + + Saturday, _October 30, 1915._ + +We left at 7 p.m., and on our arrival at Boulogne found the times had +been altered, and our boat did not leave until the next day at 3 p.m. + + + Monday, _November 1, 1915._ + +When we got on to the quay a hospital train came along, and we were +told our King was in it, and his boat left just before ours, so we +felt quite safe--and not at all sorry when we arrived once more in +England. + + + + +Butler & Tanner Frome and London + + + + * * * * * + + +-----------------------------------------------------------+ + | Typographical errors corrected in text: | + | | + | Page 51: "Temperatures are 1048" changed to | + | "Temperatures are 104.8" | + | Page 69: areoplane replaced with aeroplane | + | | + +-----------------------------------------------------------+ + + * * * * * + + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of My Diary in Serbia: April 1, 1915-Nov. +1, 1915, by Monica M. 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Stanley. + </title> + <style type="text/css"> + p { margin-top: .5em; + text-align: justify; + margin-bottom: .5em; + text-indent: 1em; + } + h1 { + text-align: center; font-family: garamond, serif; /* all headings centered */ + } + h5,h6 { + text-align: center; font-family: garamond, serif; /* all headings centered */ + } + h2 { + text-align: center; font-family: garamond, serif; /* all headings centered */ + } + h3 { + text-align: center; font-family: garamond, serif; /* all headings centered */ + } + h4 { + text-align: center; font-family: garamond, serif; /* all headings centered */ + } + hr { width: 33%; + margin-top: 1em; + margin-bottom: 1em; + } + body{margin-left: 15%; + margin-right: 15%; + } + a {text-decoration: none} /* no lines under links */ + div.centered {text-align: center;} /* work around for IE centering with CSS problem part 1 */ + div.centered table {margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: left;} /* work around for IE centering with CSS problem part 2 */ + + .cen {text-align: center; text-indent: 0em;} /* centering paragraphs */ + .sc {font-variant: small-caps;} /* small caps */ + .noin {text-indent: 0em;} /* no indenting */ + .right {text-align: right; padding-right: 2em;} /* right aligning paragraphs */ + .img {text-align: center; padding: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;} /* centering images */ + .tr {margin-left: 15%; margin-right: 15%; margin-top: 5%; margin-bottom: 5%; padding: 1em; background-color: #f6f2f2; color: black; border: dotted black 1px;} /* transcriber's notes */ + + .pagenum { /* uncomment the next line for invisible page numbers */ + /* visibility: hidden; */ + position: absolute; right: 2%; + font-size: 75%; + color: gray; + background-color: inherit; + text-align: right; + text-indent: 0em; + font-style: normal; + font-weight: normal; + font-variant: normal;} /* page numbers */ + + </style> + </head> +<body> + + +<pre> + +The Project Gutenberg EBook of My Diary in Serbia: April 1, 1915-Nov. 1, +1915, by Monica M. Stanley + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: My Diary in Serbia: April 1, 1915-Nov. 1, 1915 + +Author: Monica M. Stanley + +Release Date: June 27, 2010 [EBook #33001] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK MY DIARY IN SERBIA *** + + + + +Produced by The Online Distributed Proofreading Team at +https://www.pgdp.net (This file was produced from images +generously made available by The Internet Archive/American +Libraries.) + + + + + + +</pre> + + +<br /> +<hr /> +<br /> + +<div class="tr"> +<p class="cen" style="font-weight: bold;">Transcriber's Note:</p> +<br /> +<p class="noin">Inconsistent hyphenation in the original document has been preserved.</p> +<p class="noin" style="text-align: left;">Obvious typographical errors have been corrected. +For a complete list, please see the <span style="white-space: nowrap;"><a href="#TN">end of this document</a>.</span></p> +<p class="noin">Click on the images to see a larger version.</p> +</div> + +<br /> +<hr /> +<br /> + +<h2>MY DIARY IN SERBIA</h2> + +<h4>April 1, 1915—Nov. 1, 1915</h4> + +<br /> +<hr /> +<br /> + +<div class="img"> +<a href="images/frontis.jpg"> +<img border="0" src="images/frontis.jpg" width="45%" alt="The Author" /></a><br /> +<p class="cen" style="margin-top: .2em;">The Author—<span class="sc">Monica M. Stanley.</span></p> +<p class="right" style="margin-top: .2em; padding-right: 20%;"><i>Frontispiece.</i></p> +</div> + +<br /> +<hr /> +<br /> + +<h1>MY DIARY IN<br /> +SERBIA</h1> + +<h3>April 1, 1915—Nov. 1, 1915</h3> + +<br /> +<br /> + +<h4>By</h4> +<h3>MONICA M. STANLEY</h3> +<h5><i>Attached to the "Stobart Field Hospital" in Serbia</i></h5> + +<br /> +<br /> + +<h4>ILLUSTRATED WITH PHOTOS</h4> + +<br /> +<br /> +<br /> +<br /> +<br /> + +<h5>LONDON: SIMPKIN, MARSHALL,<br /> +HAMILTON, KENT & CO., LIMITED</h5> + +<br /> +<hr /> +<br /> +<br /> +<br /> +<br /> + + +<h4><span class="sc">Copyright.</span><br /> +<br /> +First issued, Feb., 1916.</h4> + +<br /> +<br /> +<br /> +<br /> +<hr /> +<br /> +<br /> +<br /> +<br /> + +<h4>To<br /> +My very dear Aunt</h4> + +<h3>ELIZABETH STANLEY</h3> + +<h4>this book is<br /> +Dedicated</h4> + +<br /> +<br /> +<br /> +<br /> +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_7" id="Page_7">[7]</a></span><hr /> +<br /> + +<h3>PREFACE</h3> +<br /> + +<p>Brave Serbia has not been forgotten in her hour of need by the women +of England. For the Women's Imperial Service League, with Mrs. St. +Clair Stobart as directress, went out to Serbia under the ægis of the +Serbian Relief Fund, after arduous work out in Antwerp and after at +Cherbourg. Mrs. Stobart decided that ours should be a Field Hospital +owing to typhus and other fever raging in the country.</p> + +<p>We left on April 1, 1915, on the Admiralty transport <i>Saidieh</i> for +Salonica. The staff consisted of Mrs. St. Clair Stobart as directress, +Mr. J.H. Greenhalgh as treasurer, a secretary, seven women doctors, +eighteen trained nurses, four trained cooks, one dispenser, one +sanitary inspector, an English chaplain and fourteen orderlies, of +which some were chauffeurs.</p> + +<p>The Field Hospital was perfectly equipped; everything we took with us. +We had over sixty tents, 300 beds, with every necessary for them; +bales of clothes for wounded and the civil population; the kitchen +requisites, with four excellent cooking stoves with ovens; several +portable boilers for hot water; large tanks for cold water; laundry +equipments; medical stores; over £300 of food-stuffs; X-ray; all +sanitary necessaries; motor ambulances. Our Field Hospital was to be +at <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_8" id="Page_8">[8]</a></span>Kragujevatz; the tents were soon pitched and well arranged.</p> + +<p>We had the following tents: one for X-ray, operating theatre; one to +receive the patients; a large mess tent for patients and one for +staff; one for linen—laundry; two kitchens—one for patients and one +for staff; dispensary; food stores; a recreation tent for the staff, +and one for the doctors; then there were lavatory and bath tents; the +rest were wards and for the staff to sleep in. Our Hospital was soon +full. I was the head of the kitchen departments, and I looked after +the catering and food stores. I was very happy with my staff, in spite +of the work being hard and the hours long, but we knew that we were +doing good to our fellow-countrymen.</p> + +<p>Mrs. Stobart and the doctors found that the civil population was +suffering terribly owing to the war, as there was a scarcity of +doctors and no proper hospitals to send them to; and as we were trying +to stamp out all disease before fighting started again, it was decided +that we should have some roadside dispensaries and a civil hospital +for all the worst cases. Arrangements were made that Dr. May should +return to England to raise funds for more equipments. We also wanted +more doctors, nurses and cooks. It did not take long before everything +was forthcoming. Seven dispensaries were started and excellent work +was accomplished in quite a short time. Over one hundred people +attended the dispensaries most days, and over eleven thousand of the +poor suffering population were soon relieved from their pain and +suffering.</p> + +<p class="right">MONICA M. STANLEY.</p> + +<br /> +<br /> +<br /> +<br /> +<hr /> +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_9" id="Page_9">[9]</a></span><br /> + +<h3>SERBIA'S GREAT NEED</h3> +<br /> + +<p>Mrs. St. Clair Stobart with Mr. Greenhalgh, doctors, nurses, and +orderlies, were to have left for Serbia on Saturday, March 27. On +Friday the unit met at 39, St. James' Street to have their photos +taken, then at 4.30 a service at St. Martin's-in-the-Field, conducted +by the Rev. Percy Dearmer. We had two hymns, a nice address; a +collection was taken of just over £12 for our unit. After the service +we went to a farewell tea at Lady Cowdray's, 16, Carlton Terrace. Lady +Muir Mackenzie and several others from the Women's Imperial Service +League were there. Sir T. Lipton, who had just arrived home, told us +of his experiences in Serbia, with all the horrors and hardships. Lady +Cowdray presented the unit with a Thermos flask each, as a parting +gift. Lady Muir Mackenzie gave each a Tommy's cooker, which I found +most useful. We heard that the Admiralty had again put off our unit, +and that half of us only could leave on the following Wednesday or +Thursday. The following Monday we had orders from Mrs. Stobart that +nineteen of us would leave on April 1 with her (the heads of the +departments, with one or two other members). We also heard that Dr. +and Mrs. Dearmer were going with us, the former as Chaplain to visit +the sick and wounded, and his wife as an orderly to our unit.</p> + +<br /> +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_10" id="Page_10">[10]</a></span><br /> +<br /> +<br /> +<hr /> +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_11" id="Page_11">[11]</a></span><br /> + +<h3>MY DIARY IN SERBIA</h3> +<br /> + +<p class="right">Thursday, <i>April 1, 1915.</i></p> + +<p>Nineteen of the unit left for Serbia. We met at Euston station at +9.30. The train left at 10.30 a.m. for Liverpool. We had crowds of +friends to see us off. All the equipments for our Field Hospital had +gone the previous Saturday by the <i>Torcello</i> from the East Indian +Docks by the Admiralty transport. We are taking out sixty-three tents; +the large ones hold fifteen to twenty patients. We have 300 beds and +all other equipments to fit up a Hospital, with over £300 worth of +food-stuffs.</p> + +<p>All the unit are in a dark grey uniform with large pockets, making it +most useful, and nice hats to match.</p> + +<p>We arrived in Liverpool at 2.30 p.m. on Thursday; then collected our +luggage. We were each allowed to take one cabin trunk and a hold-all.</p> + +<p>On reaching the docks we got on the boat <i>Saidieh</i> for Salonika. We +left the docks at 10 o'clock, and lay in the harbour till Good Friday, +starting at 8.30 p.m. We could not leave before, we heard, owing to +messages sent to the captain. It was nice and calm Friday night, but I +did not take off <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_12" id="Page_12">[12]</a></span>my clothes and could not sleep, thinking and +wondering if any danger might come to us. The <i>Saidieh</i> is a horrid +boat, not at all clean, and the sanitary arrangements are terrible. It +is a Greek boat of about 3,000 tons; in the usual way it carries mails +and cargo to and from Greece and Constantinople. The weather was good +as far as St. George's Channel; we could see Ireland when in the Irish +Sea; but it became rather misty, a sea fog came on, and the horn was +continually sounded.</p> + +<br /> +<br /> + +<p class="right">Saturday, <i>April 3, 1915.</i></p> + +<p>The weather continues to get stormy, the boat rolls terribly; most of +the passengers are getting ill, so we get fewer and fewer to meals. At +midday the captain gave out that no passenger must take off any +clothes at night, and that boat station would be held on the upper +deck at 3 o'clock; this did not sound at all nice. At 3 o'clock we all +went on deck and had tickets given us for the lifeboats in case of +danger. Fourteen of us had tickets for No. 1 boat, two for No. 3 and +three for No. 6. We were nearly all separated at first, but I managed +to get our tickets changed. Mrs. Stobart was delighted, as of course +it was nicer for all to be together. It seems we were in great danger +till we passed the Scilly Isles. Saturday evening we were a very tiny +party for dinner. There are about 150 passengers on board, all units +going to different parts of Serbia. We have some of Dr. Berry's unit; +Mr. Wynch's unit, called the British<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_13" id="Page_13">[13]</a></span> Farmers, owing to the farmers +collecting the money for it.</p> + +<div class="img"><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_14" id="Page_14">[14]</a></span> +<a href="images/map_p013.jpg"> +<img border="0" src="images/map_p013.jpg" width="45%" alt="Map showing position of Mrs. Stobart's Field Dispensaries." /></a><br /> +<p class="cen" style="margin-top: .2em;">Map showing position of Mrs. Stobart's Field Dispensaries.</p> +</div> + +<p>I forgot to say that on Good Friday we had a short service conducted +by Mr. Wynch; we had the hymn for those at sea. There is Dr. Bevis' +unit, a Russian one, and the other units are the wounded Allies and +Admiral Trowbridge's unit.</p> + +<p>Saturday evening some of us played bridge, two doctors, a nurse and +myself.</p> + +<br /> +<br /> + +<p class="right">Sunday, Easter Day, <i>April 4, 1915.</i></p> + +<p>Nearly every passenger dreadfully ill; only about ten people for +breakfast. The boat rolls most dreadfully. We could have no service. A +terrible Easter Sunday. I shall never forget it. I was kept busy all +the day. In the afternoon the only one of our unit left was overcome +with sleep, so she had to rest. The captain said that if any one was +not ill, they could consider themselves good sailors. I am more than +pleased that I have not been ill. We are having a very bad crossing; +every minute I think our end is coming. I have never been in such a +horrid boat. We have no stewardesses, only stewards, and they are +Africans—all black. The captain is English, and the first and second +mates Greeks.</p> + +<p>The other thirty of our unit left to-day; they go from Folkestone to +Boulogne and thence by train to Marseilles, where they catch another +boat for Salonica. Owing to our leaving a day later they may arrive at +Salonica before we do.</p> + +<br /> +<br /> + +<p class="right">Monday, <i>April 5, 1915.</i><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_15" id="Page_15">[15]</a></span></p> + +<p>We are still having a terrible tossing. I have given up my berth and +am sleeping on deck. The noises at night are something terrible, all +kinds of things falling and smashing. On Saturday night I jumped up at +2.30; I thought our end had come. I went round to see what had +happened; the luggage was pitched all over the place. I have slept in +the dining saloon the last two nights. The captain told us to-day that +we could undress at night, we were out of danger of submarines, but I +shall not until we are out of the Bay of Biscay. Most of us have been +on deck to-day. I am hoping by to-morrow they will all be well again. +To-night about 12 o'clock we hope to be at Cape Finisterre. I shall be +thankful, for I have not slept since I left home; the noise on this +boat has been so terrific.</p> + +<p>We passed Villan's lighthouse at 10 p.m. It was a lovely night and the +water lit up with phosphorus. The captain appeared at dinner this +evening, so things are getting better for us.</p> + +<br /> +<br /> + +<p class="right">Tuesday, <i>April 6, 1915.</i></p> + +<p>All the sick are sitting on deck to-day, so we have not much to do. +This morning I played deck quoits with several of the passengers. I +learnt a little Serbian. We are a happy party; every one is so +friendly. We have sheep, ducks and fowls on board—all have been sick; +also two dogs. I slept on deck last night, a perfectly lovely night.</p> + +<br /> +<br /> + +<p class="right">Wednesday, <i>April 7, 1915.</i><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_16" id="Page_16">[16]</a></span></p> + +<p>The weather has quite changed; it is perfectly glorious to-day. This +morning we learnt Serbian for a little and wrote letters. This +afternoon I have been sitting in a lifeboat, with the sun streaming on +me; it was heavenly. We have just passed Portugal. I took several +photos. We passed Cape St. Vincent at 2.30 p.m. We could never have +been saved if anything had gone wrong with this boat; it is a terrible +old tub. We get to Gibraltar to-morrow, I hear, about 10 o'clock, so +this will be posted.</p> + +<p>We have just been having Swedish drill on deck, as the doctors wish to +keep us in good health for the hard work we expect later.</p> + +<br /> +<br /> + +<p class="right">Thursday, <i>April 8, 1915.</i></p> + +<p>Slept on deck last night, but always have to be up at 6 o'clock for +deck to be cleaned. A glorious morning. Up at six, went down and +dressed, then came on deck; it was a little misty. We could see +Tangier quite well and all along the coast of Africa. Later on in the +morning, and on the opposite side was Gibraltar. It was quite +interesting. We were inspected, and the captain got our letters taken +back for us. I took a great many photographs. We saw shoals of +porpoises, which followed the boat for some distance. I took a +snapshot of them. The day got hotter and hotter, so we sat in the +lifeboat and enjoyed the view. We had to get out our shady hats, and +we had no coats on. At 12 o'clock we <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_17" id="Page_17">[17]</a></span>had drill. This afternoon I have +been playing bridge with the doctors, a perfect day. At 4.30 we passed +the most gorgeous snow-capped mountains, Sierra Nevada. This evening +the captain is having dinner with us, and after we are to have a +dance. It is getting very rough again this evening, and all the +portholes have had to be closed.</p> + +<br /> +<br /> + +<p class="right">Friday, <i>April 9, 1915.</i></p> + +<p>A nice morning. We had drill on deck, then had our Serbian lesson. +After lunch it began to get rough, and a great many of the passengers +are ill again. We passed Algiers to-day, and we have a very bad swell +on to-night, owing to being near the Gulf of Lyons. We have been +playing bridge this afternoon. We had a dance last evening. To-night +we were to have had games, but it has been too rough. We have to learn +two pages of Serbian every day; it is very dry.</p> + +<br /> +<br /> + +<p class="right">Saturday, <i>April 10, 1915.</i></p> + +<p>A dreadful night. We slept on deck, and at 1 o'clock it began to +thunder, lightning and hail. We got simply drenched. We are having it +quite as rough as in the Bay of Biscay.</p> + +<p>It is blowing a gale to-day. We are to have a bridge party to-night. +We had an amusing dinner; we had to hold on to everything. A dish of +chicken was thrown all over the saloon, glasses, plates, knives, +forks, oranges and apples. We could none of us sit in our places. +Great trunks were thrown all over the passages. It will be a wonderful +thing <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_18" id="Page_18">[18]</a></span>if we get to Salonika. It makes me feel happy to think that I +have so many kind friends at home remembering us in their prayers. I +wish the Admiralty could be sent out on this boat. The food is nearly +all bad; we can scarcely eat anything, and I hear we are getting short +of water. We are not allowed to stop until we get to Salonika.</p> + +<p>Our bridge party went off well, but it was a bit slow. Mrs. Claude +Askew got the first prize.</p> + +<p>The African niggers are very amusing; they call us all Misses. They +told us if we did go into the sea and drown we should get plenty of +fresh air, as we are so fond of having our portholes open in our +berths. They will come and tuck us up at night.</p> + +<br /> +<br /> + +<p class="right">Sunday, <i>April 11, 1915.</i></p> + +<p>It still continues to be rough. We are to have our service this +evening. We passed Tunis at 8 o'clock this morning. We had a very bad +thunderstorm last night again; the lightning was very vivid. A good +many of us had to sleep in the saloon.</p> + +<p>I am learning Serbian with Mrs. Stobart; she has just heard my lesson +and given me twenty more words to learn. It is a most uninteresting +language.</p> + +<br /> +<br /> + +<p class="right">Monday, <i>April 12, 1915.</i></p> + +<p>Had drill at 10 o'clock, then "follow my leader" all over the ship. At +10.30 we passed Sicily; we could see the olive groves. An Italian +destroyer has been following us. We erected the English flag, so they +soon left us. I am taking part in <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_19" id="Page_19">[19]</a></span>some tableaux, so we rehearsed this +afternoon. Since I have been playing bridge. It is dreadfully rough +again, and we have another bad thunderstorm. It will be the greatest +wonder if we land at Salonika safely in this wretched boat. I thought +that our end was near many times last night. I did not get a bit of +sleep.</p> + +<br /> +<br /> + +<p class="right">Tuesday, <i>April 13, 1915.</i></p> + +<p>It is still stormy and pouring with rain, not at all a nice crossing. +We did not see Malta; we were too far away, but we were only about two +miles from Sicily. We have been playing bridge nearly all day.</p> + +<br /> +<br /> + +<p class="right">Wednesday, <i>April 14, 1915.</i></p> + +<p>A fine day and the wind has gone down. Four of our unit have been ill, +owing to the bad food (two of them fainted and were in great pain), +and several in the other units. We expect to get to Salonika on +Thursday, midday. We have just passed Belopulo; we shall be passing +Andros and Tinos. To-night we are all to appear in fancy dress. I am +going as a mattress, a pillow arranged on my head, pillows stuffed +inside a mattress ticking, and my feet coming through at the bottom +with bed-socks on. The time has altered; we are 1-½ hours in advance +of England. It is light at 4.30 in the morning, but dark soon after 6 +o'clock. We had a swallow following our boat most of yesterday.</p> + +<p>The fancy dress was a great success; it was really splendid, as none +of us had many things <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_20" id="Page_20">[20]</a></span>with us, as we are all in uniform. Mr. Claude +Askew was very amusing, introducing us as Mrs. Jarley's waxworks.</p> + +<br /> +<br /> + +<p class="right">Thursday, <i>April 15, 1915.</i></p> + +<p>It was a rough and very cold night again. I slept in the lifeboat part +of the night, but had to get on deck at 2 o'clock as it was so cold +and rough. We get to Salonika about 1 o'clock. We have just passed +Mount Olympus; it looks glorious with the sun on it and snow-capped. I +heard the guns in the night—from Smyrna, I suppose. The engineer took +me down to see the engines last night. It is a good thing for us that +we have had a rough crossing. We should have been caught by submarines +if we had not, owing to the cargo we are carrying; it is supposed to +be coal.</p> + +<p>We are only forty miles from Salonika; we expect to arrive at 1 +o'clock. We telegraphed for rooms at the hotel from Gibraltar. We +expect to stay in Salonika a week, as we have to wait for the stores. +We are all such a happy party, and all the units on board have been so +friendly.</p> + +<p>A Greek boat told us that there had been a big battle at the +Dardanelles yesterday, but the result was not known. We have no +wireless on this boat. The sunrise was gorgeous this morning; it is +much finer to-day. I shall post this directly I arrive at Salonika. It +is dreadful not having any news from home. I cannot hear anything for +a month. We shall not be able to send our permanent address for some +time yet.</p> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_21" id="Page_21">[21]</a></span>The most dangerous part of our journey was the forty-eight hours +through the Irish Sea. It is interesting to know that the boat has +gone 1,000,000 revolutions to Salonika from Liverpool, and a +revolution is 25 feet. As we got into the harbour at Salonika there +was a vessel called the <i>Athena</i>; it belongs to the Germans. We +arrived at Salonika at 2 o'clock; we had to anchor outside. The +doctor, the English Consul, and the head of the police came on board. +Twenty-three little boats arrived to take us across; the men simply +fought, and we had quite a difficulty. We found we could not get +accommodation at the hotel sufficient for our unit, so the captain +told us to sleep on board. We had our tea and dinner at the Hotel +Olympus. The latter meal the captain of the <i>Saidieh</i> had with us. We +returned to the boat at 10 o'clock.</p> + +<br /> +<br /> + +<p class="right">Friday, <i>April 16, 1915.</i></p> + +<p>The <i>Torcello</i> arrived with all our equipments at the same time our +boat arrived. Salonika is the most picturesque place; it is so hot, +just like midsummer in England. The yachts sailing about in the +harbour are lovely. There is a wreckage just near. It is April 7 +there, and in England it is the 15th.</p> + +<p>After breakfast we took a carriage and went to St. Demetrius, the +Greek Church. It is perfectly gorgeous. Large marble pillars and +granite supposed to be extinct. The arches are wonderful and all +inlaid with mosaic. Then we saw <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_22" id="Page_22">[22]</a></span>sarcophagus or some of the remains +dating back to 136. The pictures all round are gorgeous, very bright +colours. Many people came to pray. One little family went into a +corner where there was a picture of Adam and Eve in the Garden of +Eden, the serpent was up a tree. They prayed at this picture, then +kissed each figure; they crossed the altar, and kissed each figure in +the other pictures. Then we went to the Church Sophia, another Greek +one. We saw many more people praying and kissing the figures in the +pictures and crossing themselves. The Baptistery in St. Demetrius was +wonderful; there was a wonderful shell-like font under a massive stone +canopy. A little distance away there was a huge bell under an arch. We +then went into another church which was being restored. On approaching +we could smell nothing but disinfectant; we thought this strange. The +interior of the church was beautifully arched. We had not been in the +church long when we found that the floor was a mass of fleas and that +all of us were covered. We went into a courtyard and caught hundreds; +women and children helped. We were in a most uncomfortable condition. +Most of the houses are full of them, and also other livestock. One can +see the fleas jumping in the sand in the streets.</p> + +<p>Some of the churches are full of Greek refugees from Asia Minor.</p> + +<br /> +<br /> + +<p class="right">Saturday, <i>April 17, 1915.</i></p> + +<p>We went to see the French Hospital. An <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_23" id="Page_23">[23]</a></span>English nun took us over. We +also went to see the soup kitchens, and at 12 o'clock one hundred of +the refugees came with tickets for soup. We helped to serve it out to +them; it was most interesting. All of them wanted more than their +share. After we met the remainder of our unit, which had just arrived +by the <i>Lotos</i>; they came overland to Marseilles, then by steamer. +They had all had the most delightful time, stopping at most of the +ports. We envied them after our ghastly journey. Dr. Dearmer and +several others of the party and I went into the town, then to St. +Nicholas, a church full of refugees—a sight I shall never forget; +each family had been allotted a corner, and they just sit on a mat. +One family was busy at lunch; they had one large bowl of soup in the +centre of the mat, and they all sat round; father, mother and three +children each had a spoon, and they all ate out of the same bowl. This +seems to be the custom in the poorer quarters in Greece and Serbia. +There were several little babies only a day or two old done up like +brown-paper parcels.</p> + +<p>In the afternoon we went to see where Abdul Hamid was imprisoned. He +was allowed eighteen wives. He abdicated. The Germans threatened to +rescue him, so high walls were built all round so that aircraft could +not get near. After eighteen months he was told he might leave the +country, otherwise be shot, so he went to Asia Minor, and now the +house is used for military purposes.</p> + +<br /> +<br /> + +<p class="right">Sunday, <i>April 18, 1915.</i><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_24" id="Page_24">[24]</a></span></p> + +<p>We had Communion Service, which Dr. Dearmer conducted at 8.30. Then +went to Turkish town, which is most interesting. We then went to the +Greek military prison. Then to the Turkish Church. Before entering the +church we had to remove our shoes; the floor was covered with squares +of carpet. In the afternoon we went to St. Demetrius and saw a +christening—most interesting. The priest first covered the baby, +which was naked, with oil—head, eyes, cheeks, ears, body, legs, feet, +back; then the mother poured a handful of oil over the baby's head. +Then the priest took the babe and put it into a font of oil and water +which completely covered it; then the baby was again crossed with oil, +using a brush this time and taking the oil out of a bottle; then the +babe was put into a piece of flannel into the mother's arms. She held +two candles, one in each hand, and the priest took incense, which he +swung backwards and forwards, and then went twice round the font. Then +he read and kissed the book, and the woman kissed it twice, and the +ceremony was finished.</p> + +<p>We then went to the Greek cemetery, and saw where all the soldiers +were buried in the last war. The Turkish cemetery was near by. We saw +another large barracks and the Greek Military Hospital.</p> + +<br /> +<br /> + +<p class="right">Monday, <i>April 19, 1915.</i></p> + +<p>We were shopping all morning, getting ready for our departure for +Kragujevatz to-morrow, Tuesday. <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_25" id="Page_25">[25]</a></span>We leave soon after 7 o'clock. This +afternoon we went with Mrs. Stobart as far as the tram went, then we +walked to the beach. We were a party of twenty-four; we all had tea +and then paddled and came home. I have just finished packing for +Serbia.</p> + +<br /> +<br /> + +<p class="right">Tuesday, <i>April 20, 1915.</i></p> + +<p>Got up at 6 o'clock, went to Hotel Splendide for breakfast; then we +all marched behind a funny old cart, which had our luggage, to the +station. I had a tin of honey, fifty-six pounds, which I bought at +Salonika; the tin cracked and it began to run out; a cork came out of +a paraffin bottle, and this began to <i>run</i>; then the luggage kept +taking flying leaps off the cart: we had to keep running after it, to +put it back: the man went on, never stopping for any catastrophe. When +we landed at the station we had the time of our life, such a scuffle +and rush to get into the train. Only twelve of us left to-day, and the +other thirty-six follow us on Thursday. All the unit saw us off. The +train left at 9.15; it was to have left at 8.</p> + +<p>The smell of formalin in the train was very strong, and all of us were +covered with paraffin, so the two smells <i>together</i> were not very +delightful! Besides this, some of us had carbon balls and camphor in +our pockets.</p> + +<p>It took us about half an hour to get out of Greece. The country all +along is simply wonderful; the most glorious scenery, hills, rocks and +valleys, with the most gorgeous colourings. All along we saw herons, +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_26" id="Page_26">[26]</a></span>storks and eagles, vultures, magpies and jackdaws. All these birds are +most plentiful and very tame. All the carts are pulled by buffalo oxen +and donkeys. Most of the sheep are black; also the pigs and goats.</p> + +<p>The train first stopped at Topsin, then at Amatovar and then Karasuli; +these are all the Greek stations we passed. The first Serbian station +we stopped at one and a half hours. It was at Ghevgheli. There were +many Austrian prisoners and Serbian soldiers on the platform. The +Serbians looked very tired, and their clothes were very shabby. They +are very badly shod, only a kind of moccasin on their feet. A good +many of the Serbians have khaki clothes, but it seems that they have +been given by the English. On lots of the house-tops and chimney-tops +the herons have built their nests; this was most interesting to see. A +great many of the soldiers have lambs following them about like dogs. +They are so pretty.</p> + +<p>Eight lovely peacocks were on the platform, and they kept walking +under the train; also one or two white guinea-fowls. We saw no end of +tortoises all along the line, and we got one and brought it into the +carriage, but we had to put it out again as we had no green stuff to +feed it on. All the lakes and reservoirs are full of bull frogs; these +make a tremendous noise just like a lot of ducks quacking. The trees +in this part of the country are quite small ones, and there are no +hedges; the blossom on the trees is perfectly lovely. We <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_27" id="Page_27">[27]</a></span>watched the +butter being made from goat's milk, and very good it is. Most of the +work in the fields is done by women and oxen, and the women look very +picturesque in their different coloured garments. We had lovely +flowers all the way, especially poppies. We kept passing swamps, full +of different grasses. The mountains are wonderful, covered with snow, +and we hear that when some of the snow melts dead bodies are found +underneath. We crossed over the bridges which were blown up three +weeks ago by the Bulgarians; we came through a wonderful tunnel cut in +the rocks, and we passed no end of churchyards, where the men are +buried in the different battles—Turks, Serbians, and Bulgarians—it +is really pitiful to see them. We are guarded by soldiers all along +the lines and on the trains. We passed lots of rows of little crosses +where all the women, children and men were buried after the Bulgarian +raid a week ago. A rope was put round their necks and they were hung +up on trees to die. All the soldiers come and salute us at each +station and along the line. They all look so sad. Uskub we stopped at +7 o'clock, and we were met by Sir Ralph Paget. We had dinner at the +station: soup floating with grease and omelet as tough as leather; the +bread was almost black and very sour. The room was very dirty, and +many men were sprinkling disinfectants about. This amused me very +much. We slept in the train.</p> + +<br /> +<br /> + +<p class="right">Thursday, <i>April 22, 1915.</i><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_28" id="Page_28">[28]</a></span></p> + +<p>We got up before 6 o'clock; had breakfast. It is much colder, and we +are very near snow-clad mountains. We got to Nish at 8 and had two +hours to wait. We were met by the Serbian Minister and doctor, and +taken in a funny little carriage to the Reserve Hospital, where we +washed.</p> + +<p>This was the Hospital which contained 1,500 Serbian wounded when it +fell into the hands of the Bulgarians. We then had breakfast—bread, +raw bacon and eggs; not good; but we must be thankful for anything in +these bad times. The beds in the wards are several planks of wood, +with straw mattress and pillows—quite clean. The women are not a +bad-looking race. The minister showed us a terrible photograph he had +taken of women and children hanging from trees, where the Bulgarians +had strung them up. Two units we left at Nish; one is coming in a few +days to Kragujevatz, the other to Belgrade. We drove back to the +station; impossible to walk; the mud is eight or ten inches deep.</p> + +<p>We slept in the train, three in a compartment, and none of us got +bitten. We first cleaned all the carriages out with paraffin. We +passed through vineyards and maize-fields. The women do the ploughing +with the oxen. There are hundreds of wounded Austrians everywhere to +be seen. On arriving at Kragujevatz we were met by doctors and +officers, and were taken out to dinner. Four carriages, two horses to +each carriage, a most quaint turn-out. The horses seem to fly along, +and the roads <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_29" id="Page_29">[29]</a></span>are in the most awful condition; it was all we could do +to prevent ourselves being pitched out.</p> + +<p>We first went to the sanitary department and were introduced round, +and then we all washed our hands in disinfectants, and were taken on +to the Prince's Palace; it is now turned into a dining club for +officers. We had a big dinner, starting with very fine Russian +caviare. The dinner lasted until 10 o'clock. We then returned to the +station and stayed the night in the train. One vanload of luggage had +not then arrived, and it was too late to pitch tents. The bull-frogs +were singing all night. When a Serbian introduces his wife, he says, +"Excuse me, but may I introduce my wife?" When a party is given, the +wife never appears at table. They must think it strange that our women +are treated so differently.</p> + +<br /> +<br /> + +<p class="right">Friday, <i>April 23, 1915.</i></p> + +<p>Mrs. Stobart has been with some of the officers to find a site for the +Hospital; it is right at the top of the hill, and before the war +started it was a race-course, and it was also used for sports. We +spent the afternoon putting up the tents. The custom in Serbia is, +when a death occurs, they put out a black flag for six days or more, +and it was sad to see two or three dozen flags all along the town. We +have been hard at work all day putting away stores.</p> + +<p>The officers are most kind; they invited us to dinner, but we were all +too busy to go, so they sent us a lovely dinner to the tents—some +fried fish, <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_30" id="Page_30">[30]</a></span>a stew of beef, and a small lamb roasted whole, and a +salad. One of the Government officials joined us.</p> + +<br /> +<br /> + +<p class="right">Sunday, <i>April 25, 1915.</i></p> + +<p>We had a service at 8.30 a.m., which Dr. Dearmer conducted, and he +conducted another service at 2.30 and 5.30. Several of the nurses and +officers came from other hospitals. The weather is very hot, but the +nights cold. We hear the owls, nightingales and cuckoo all night. +Several of our staff are ill. I have delightful people to work with, +and we are very comfortable. Four of us in a big tent. They call me +the "Little Mother," but my general name is Cookie. The Government +officials all call me Miss Cookie.</p> + +<p>We have now started getting up at 4.30, breakfast at 5. We have had to +put on our summer clothes as it is very hot. I bought five lambs +to-day, 15 dinas each. They eat the meat the same day it is killed. +The small lambs and pigs are cooked whole. Forty wounded arrived to +day; they all had a bath with disinfectant in, and then put on clean +clothes, their own baked and tied up and put away with their names on. +Some of the wounded look very ill, but this place will soon do them +good. It makes us very happy to see them improving.</p> + +<br /> +<br /> + +<p class="right">Tuesday, <i>April 27, 1915.</i></p> + +<p>More wounded are to arrive to-day. We are to have surgical cases. When +the fighting starts our Field Hospital is to move on with the army. We +get <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_31" id="Page_31">[31]</a></span>quite used to getting up early. We are up at 4.30 and to bed at 9 +o'clock; it saves lights. I sleep outside the tent, and many of the +others do likewise. It is perfectly lovely. I shall never want to +sleep in again.</p> + +<p>The sun is glorious, rising above the mountain-tops. We are getting +quite used to the noises at night. We have the nightingales, one +singing against the other; the owls calling out; big black crickets, +which live in holes in the ground all over our camp and fields, making +their funny noise. Then there are fireflies, which at first I thought +were searchlights, as they were so very bright; cocks are crowing all +round at the various farms; stray dogs, which seem almost wild, visit +the camp at night and try to get into the kitchens to the stores, and +occasionally they will start barking and howling; in ponds near are +frogs croaking.</p> + +<p>My staff are so nice, it makes work so much easier. I went into +Kragujevatz to-day to do some shopping. None of us are allowed to go +on account of typhus, but there is not much fear when one takes +precautions. The shops are quite nice and the shoes and clothes +quaint. Singer's sewing machines are seen everywhere; also Sunlight +soap, Colman's mustard, Peak Frean's biscuits, Peter's milk chocolate. +These things remind us of home. Rice, haricot beans and prunes are +very plentiful, and they form some of the chief articles of diet.</p> + +<br /> +<br /> + +<p class="right">Wednesday, <i>April 28, 1915.</i><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_32" id="Page_32">[32]</a></span></p> + +<p>The wagons are drawn by oxen; they only do twenty miles a day. They +are magnificent beasts and are well cared for. We have bought two of +them and have called them Derry & Toms, as Derry & Toms gave us two or +three of their carts to bring out here.</p> + +<p>We have had six officers dining with us to-day. The heat is terrific. +I can't imagine what it will be in June. The Serbian food is very +funny, but good. For breakfast they have a kind of bread-pudding; they +call it our "English" bread-pudding, but the Serbian name is "Popiri." +You put bread cut into dice into boiling water, with salt and fat; +they beat it all together and serve. They like it so much and do not +care for anything else; for a change they have stewed prunes and +bread. They drink tea or coffee and the ones on special diet have +eggs.</p> + +<br /> +<br /> + +<p class="right">Sunday, <i>May 2, 1915.</i></p> + +<p>We have so much work here we seldom know the day or the date. We have +just had tent drill, as we may move on soon, then we shall have to +pull down our tents ourselves. We have lost several of our stores +coming out: all the bacon and lots of other things. Some of the men +look dreadful and half starved; they seem to like our food. I have +five Austrian prisoners working for me. It is difficult to get much +work out of them, as they say, "No pay, no work"; but I said then +there will be no food, and now they cannot do enough for us; they are +not <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_33" id="Page_33">[33]</a></span>bad on the whole. I have a funny man who buys for me in the +market. He is too fat to fight, and he is always telling me, with his +arms in the air, that he works only for me. We slept outside on our +camp beds last night; it began to rain and the night nurses had to +carry us in. It is lovely to see how the wounded enjoy this camp life; +they are so happy. When they arrive they have a paraffin bath and +their clothes baked. We brought a lot of clothes with us from England. +Four officers came to see us this morning, and they lent us their +horses for half an hour for us to ride. I am to go next time.</p> + +<div class="img"> +<a href="images/imagep32a.jpg"> +<img border="0" src="images/imagep32a.jpg" width="75%" alt="Swedish drill" /></a><br /> +<p class="cen" style="margin-top: .2em;">Mrs. Stobart and part of the unit going out to Serbia on the <i>Saidieh</i>, having Swedish drill.</p> +</div> + +<div class="img"> +<a href="images/imagep32b.jpg"> +<img border="0" src="images/imagep32b.jpg" width="75%" alt="Hospital at Nish" /></a><br /> +<p class="cen" style="margin-top: .2em;">Hospital at Nish. When captured by the Bulgarians, contained 1,500 patients.</p> +<p class="right" style="margin-top: .2em; padding-right: 20%;"><i>Face page 32</i></p> +</div> + +<p>One of the doctors and I went for a lovely evening walk; the frogs +were singing to each other, quite a different noise to what we heard +before. This morning I took all my kitchen orderlies to have a bath, +five of them.</p> + +<p>Mrs. Stobart took our photos and I gave the men their new clothes. I +managed to get them each a blanket and they were all very happy. They +built themselves a hut to sleep in. They are all Austrian prisoners.</p> + +<br /> +<br /> + +<p class="right">Monday, <i>May 3, 1915.</i></p> + +<p>A Dispensary has been started on the road side near our Field +Hospital, and people are coming for miles to get medicine and advice. +There are many cases of diphtheria, typhoid, typhus, scarlet fever, +consumption and other diseases. The civil population are suffering +terribly on account of the war; they have been so neglected. One girl +walked twenty miles to get medicine for her father, mother, sister +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_34" id="Page_34">[34]</a></span>and brother who were all down with typhus. A number of the patients +come in ox carts and they travel all right; it is wonderful how +quickly they have got to hear of the Dispensary. Mrs. Stobart has +decided to open many more.</p> + +<br /> +<br /> + +<p class="right">Thursday, <i>May 6, 1915.</i></p> + +<p>This has been a great festival for the Serbians—St. George's +Day—they keep it as a holiday. We had two of the officers to dinner, +and a bonfire at 8 o'clock, and we all danced and sang; quite a good +evening. The wounded quite enjoyed themselves.</p> + +<br /> +<br /> + +<p class="right">Friday, <i>May 7, 1915.</i></p> + +<p>I went for a walk with two of the doctors to a cemetery near here. +There are thousands of little wooden crosses where the Serbians fell +in the last battle, also for those who died from typhus. The Austrian +prisoners are digging rows and rows of new graves. The dead are not +buried in coffins; there are several empty coffins lying about.</p> + +<p>Many of the crosses have several numbers, so many are buried in the +same grave, four and six. Our Dispensaries are getting on splendidly; +some of the patients walked forty miles; one can scarcely believe it. +We feed all those that come a long distance. We had over 100 patients +to-day. I bought in the market to-day ten sheep, six turkeys, five +geese and nine ducks. We eat two and three lambs just for the staff at +one meal; they are very small.</p> + +<br /> +<br /> + +<p class="right">Sunday, <i>May 9, 1915.</i><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_35" id="Page_35">[35]</a></span></p> + +<p>I was up just after 4 this morning. Mrs. Stobart and three Serbian +officials went off to find another site for a Dispensary. Colonel +Harrison, our English Military Attaché, has been to dinner. I gave +them boiled turkey and white sauce and macaroni. Turkeys are cheap; I +got six for 57 dinas, and you get 36 dinas for a sovereign. After +dinner Colonel Harrison gave us some very good records on his +gramaphone. Our gramaphone has been lost.</p> + +<p>The Austrians are still shelling Belgrade. One of my five Austrian +orderlies gives me a lot of trouble. He goes off sometimes for three +or four hours to get drink, so I had to report him; he has had his +ears well boxed in front of me by the sergeant. If he had struck the +sergeant back he would have been shot.</p> + +<p>We have several wounded Austrians and one German. When the German is +spoken to he always stands at attention; he is really a nice man!</p> + +<p>The camp is quite a swamp. I got up at 4.30 and went to market with +Mr. Greenhalgh. The market did not open till late, so we went into a +café which was not at all nice; beetles were running about on the +tables and floor. I sat with my feet tucked under me.</p> + +<p>A lot of young wounded soldiers sat drinking whisky; it is only a +penny for a little decanter out of which they drink. Other people had +Russian coffee with a glass of cold water.</p> + +<p>I am very troubled with dogs and cats; they get <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_36" id="Page_36">[36]</a></span>into the kitchen and +steal the food. I have stopped the dogs getting in, but the cats I +cannot keep out.</p> + +<p>The wild flowers are very beautiful; we have different kinds gathered +for the wards and for the tables; they are much finer than ours. I +cannot get out much, I am so tired when off duty.</p> + +<br /> +<br /> + +<p class="right">Monday, <i>May 17, 1915.</i></p> + +<p>One of my cooks has a revolver, and early this morning she was +unloading it when it went off and hit me on the arm; fortunately it +was not serious. The shot went through her box, then a thick pocket +book, and thence into a tea caddy, where it remained. It was really +very terrifying. A Russian and French Military Attaché came in this +afternoon.</p> + +<p>We have ten hospital tents and each one holds ten patients, and as +they are all full more tents have to be put up. At 9 o'clock this +evening a very bad case of typhus arrived in an ox cart—a poor +soldier who was just on leave. His old mother and father came with +him; they were to sleep under the cart, and as the ground was inches +thick with mud, we got them bundles of straw; we also gave them hot +coffee and bread. One sees some sad sights.</p> + +<p>I went again to the market; it is very picturesque. Some of the gipsy +women are very handsome and their costumes charming. Most of the +materials for their dresses and aprons are homespun. The different +shades of reds, blues, yellow and green are lovely, they all tone so +well. We are just on 200 at the camp now, but the numbers never worry +me. <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_37" id="Page_37">[37]</a></span>We bought cheese and great rolls of sausages in the market. My +store tent is almost under water. I have had to put down bricks and +planks and have a trench dug through the centre. We are told we shall +have it wet for three weeks. The rain comes down in torrents, much +heavier than in England. The patients are all looking so much better +and much fatter. I have bought two large copper boilers for soup; one +cost 123 dinas and the other 77 dinas, but I should think they would +last for ever. I have had a brick wall set round them and a flue at +the back and a grate underneath. We only cook with wood; it is really +very excellent as it retains the heat so long, and really I like it +better than coal. But at first the smoke made us all cry until I got +the stoves properly set.</p> + +<br /> +<br /> + +<p class="right">Tuesday, <i>May 18, 1915.</i></p> + +<p>We have had an exciting day as the Prince Alexandra of Serbia was +expected to see our Field Hospital. He and his suite arrived on +horseback. The Prince is the most delightful man, so very friendly and +easy to get on with. Mrs. Stobart presented me. He was much interested +in the kitchen departments, and shook hands with me three times. He +seemed delighted and interested in all the hospitals. A Field Hospital +seems quite a novelty out here. I talked to his horse, a charming +creature called "Sugar."</p> + +<p>Dr. May returns to London to-morrow to bring out new equipments, as we +are to have six more <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_38" id="Page_38">[38]</a></span>Dispensaries and a Civil Hospital. I have been +doing out lists for new stores all morning.</p> + +<p>I am having a lovely Serbian dress given me. I made some good Serbian +cheese to-day; it is quite easy to make and it is really nice. I wish +friends would send me newspapers; they would be very welcome. I picked +up a cannon ball and horseshoe to add to my treasures. We had another +bad storm; the rain drops are as large as a 2<i>s.</i> piece. It is really +amusing when it gets windy as every one rushes to their tent to +tighten their guy ropes, and when it has been raining some little time +they have to be loosened. In the night it is not so pleasant turning +out of a nice comfortable bed. But for all this camp life is very +delightful.</p> + +<p>The Serbians have been at war for the last four years. They fought +first against Turkey, then against Bulgaria, and twice against +Austria-Hungary.</p> + +<p>Valievo was in the hands of the Austrians at the beginning of +December, 1914. Then the Austrians captured Belgrade where they +remained for thirteen days. On December 15 Belgrade was recaptured by +the Serbians. Of the army of 300,000 who crossed the Save River, +nearly half was put out of action. More than 41,500 prisoners were +taken together with 133 guns, 71 maxims, 386 ammunition wagons, 3,350 +transport wagons, and more than 3,250 horses and oxen. The dead and +wounded Austro-Hungarians left on the battlefield exceeded 60,000.</p> + +<br /> +<br /> + +<p class="right">Thursday, <i>May 20, 1915.</i><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_39" id="Page_39">[39]</a></span></p> + +<p>The cannon ball that I told you about that I picked up was used 100 +years ago against the Turks; there are no end lying about the fields.</p> + +<p>Dr. May returned to England this evening; she will be away about six +weeks. She will bring out more stores and will collect fresh funds for +the upkeep of our Hospital and Dispensary.</p> + +<p>Transport wagons are passing along the road near our camp all night, +so perhaps we shall move on shortly. Oxen are used and they only +travel about twenty English miles a day.</p> + +<p>We have no fresh cases in hospital because there is no fighting at +present. There are over one hundred patients at the road-side +dispensary; each day some of the cases are terrible—typhus, scarlet +fever, diphtheria, and a very bad case of small-pox, but there are no +hospitals to send these sort of cases to. To-day a poor girl arrived +with one foot black, all the flesh eaten off her leg with gangrene; +she had a tubercular foot which she had had a year and it had never +been attended to. Women arrive with dreadful diseases, some with +cancer.</p> + +<p>People in dear old England cannot imagine the state of this part of +the world; thousands and thousands are suffering and cannot get +attention.</p> + +<p>We are now trying to stop some of the dreadful diseases spreading, and +are starting another Hospital called the Civil, and this Hospital will +take in some of these bad cases. We are also hoping to have the <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_40" id="Page_40">[40]</a></span>six +dispensaries along the line. Our Field Hospital is only for surgical +cases.</p> + +<p>Another wet day; we had a terrible thunderstorm which returned two +nights running; the lightning is much more vivid than in England; in +fact it lights up the hills all round and the sky seems to almost +open.</p> + +<p>To-day is only May 9 with the Serbians; thirteen days difference; it +seems so strange.</p> + +<p>To-day a man was seen buying Serbian whisky; he gave it to two of the +patients and made them drunk. One of my orderlies did the same and was +sent away last week. Owing to this one man the whole lot of Austrian +orderlies were called into line, twenty-seven in all, and they were +marched to the office tent, where Major Partridge talked to them all, +boxed the man's ears who bought the whisky and sent him to prison for +ten days.</p> + +<p>There are three kinds of punishment for prisoners: first, boxing their +ears; second, sending to prison for ten days on bread and water and +solitary confinement; and third, to shoot them. It makes me quite ill +to see the men have their ears boxed. The Serbians seem really good to +their prisoners; I hope ours in Germany are being treated as well.</p> + +<p>I had a lovely dish of wild strawberries brought me to-day as a +present; the strawberries were strung on grasses and they are sold for +1<i>d.</i> a string. I also had a bunch of cherries and some sweets, and +this evening two of the Austrian prisoners gave me their prison +badges, so I was in luck's way.</p> + +<p>All around our camp we have funny round holes. <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_41" id="Page_41">[41]</a></span>I discovered that +black-looking beetles lived down them, but to-night I found they are +crickets; they sing all night and are such dears. I dug one out of its +hole and put it in the kitchen. We also found some of these funny +holes where great large spiders live with hairy legs, and they spin +such a nice strong web over their holes. I suppose this is their front +door. We have been up to our knees in mud the last few days, and +little streams run through our camp, but one gets used to these +things; the ground is of hard clay and the water does not disperse +quickly unless the sun comes out, then it dries up in quite a short +time. This makes us think of our poor soldiers in the trenches.</p> + +<br /> +<br /> + +<p class="right">Sunday, <i>May 23, 1915.</i></p> + +<p>This morning one of the doctors came for me to go and see an +operation. It was a poor man who had recovered from typhus, then got +frost-bitten toes, and they had fallen off; new skin had to be grafted +over the stumps, and it was taken from the thigh. It will be +interesting to see how it grows on the foot.</p> + +<p>In the afternoon two of the doctors and I went for a long walk. We +went about twelve miles right on the top of the highest hill, and from +there, a few months back, one could see the battle raging from +Belgrade. At the top of these hills we could see great holes where the +shells had burst. Wild flowers are gorgeous. The acacia trees are +wonderful, much finer than ours. Most of the hedges are acacias. The +fields are covered with wild strawberries.</p> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_42" id="Page_42">[42]</a></span>Mrs. Stobart and one of the doctors have gone to Nish till Wednesday +morning.</p> + +<p>The girl I told you of, who had the gangrene on her leg, had the leg +off to-day. We put a little tent up for her; we could not let her go +on suffering.</p> + +<p>Another terrible day. I have never seen such rain; we are simply +flooded; the storm lasted five or six hours.</p> + +<p>Mrs. Stobart and the doctor arrived home at 6 o'clock this morning. We +shall soon hear when our camp moves on. I cannot continue writing as +we have another bad storm. The hailstones were like small marbles. We +have now streams running through our camp.</p> + +<p>This evening we had several of the officers to dinner, and Colonel +Harrison's gramaphone after.</p> + +<p>We hear that the Italian Military Attaché arrived here to-day, and +that fighting round about here will start in ten days. This morning it +was interesting to see the transport wagons pass on their way to +Belgrade.</p> + +<p>This evening, while I was waiting for the last whistle to blow for +lights out, I went a little walk to see the frogs in some ponds near +by; in one pond they were singing in a high key—I suppose they must +have had soprano voices—and in another pond they were croaking as if +they had bass voices, and as they made this quaint noise their jaws +swelled out to a tremendous size. They came to the edge of the pond to +see who I was and seemed to say, What are you doing here! The light +from the hurricane lamp <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_43" id="Page_43">[43]</a></span>must have attracted them. The crickets are +also singing everywhere; we can see their holes all over the hills. +They work their wings together to make their quaint noise. And the +cuckoo was also singing. With all these different noises it was quite +an entertainment.</p> + +<br /> +<br /> + +<p class="right">Friday, <i>May 28, 1915.</i></p> + +<p>Got up at 4.15 a.m. and went to market. I bought one sheep, some beef, +five ducks, six kilos of sausages, 200 eggs, some carrots and peas. +The sheep I gave 20 dinas for, and as 35 dinas go to the £1 it is not +much. Ducks vary from 1-½ to 3 dinas. Eggs were 9 dinas a hundred and +very good.</p> + +<p>Wild strawberries and cherries are plentiful, but too expensive to buy +at present. Market is over at 12. I got back by 9 o'clock. I have a +man that looks after all the live stock we buy in the market, and he +kills them as they are required for table.</p> + +<p>There are three different markets—one for oxen, hay and wood; another +for sheep, goats and pigs; and another for eggs, vegetables, cheese +and fruits.</p> + +<p>The pigs are all different colours, yellow, black, white, elephant +colour. They are very tame, as they are made into pets and many of the +little ones live in the houses.</p> + +<p>On the way to the sheep market we saw a lot of guns, officers and +transport going to Bosnia. The officers' horses had wreaths of roses +round their necks; it is the usual custom, and the officers are +presented with a bouquet.</p> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_44" id="Page_44">[44]</a></span>There has been a scarcity of sugar in Kragujevatz for about two weeks; +the other day they managed to get about 20,000 kilos, and at the shop +it was being sold there was quite a raid. It was sold for 1<i>s.</i> 6<i>d.</i> +per lb. There is no butter to be got; it cannot be made with the milk +on account of typhus; the milk has to be boiled directly it comes in; +it never tastes or smells nice. It costs 5<i>d.</i> per litre.</p> + +<p>Mrs. Stobart has had a lovely bell given her by the Serbian +Government. It has Mrs. Stobart's Hospital on it in English, and the +Serbian crest. We only had a little goat's bell to ring to bring +people to meals.</p> + +<p>To-day I had one of the Army Medical Corps Field Trenches dug, and it +was most successful. We do not require it for cooking, but Mrs. +Stobart wanted one made as they may be required at the Dispensaries. I +have already four lovely stoves with fine ovens and two large stewpans +with wood fire under them. The pans are of copper. We have portable +boilers for the hot water, which are most excellent; and Serbians have +been to take the measurements of the boilers and stoves so that they +can have some made like them.</p> + +<p>Just been to help one of the doctors by holding a patient's arm while +it was lanced for an abscess. I constantly regret that I was not +trained to be a doctor. I am most interested in seeing operations, as +one always has the satisfaction in knowing that the patients will soon +be relieved from their sufferings.</p> + +<br /> +<br /> + +<p class="right">Tuesday, <i>June 1, 1915.</i><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_45" id="Page_45">[45]</a></span></p> + +<p>Sir Thomas Lipton arrived for 8 o'clock breakfast this morning. He had +with him the <i>Daily Chronicle</i>, <i>Times</i>, and one or two other +reporters. Two or three Serbian officers also came with him. Mrs. +Stobart had been down to meet the train from Uskab at 5 a.m.</p> + +<p>We had a very big party in the evening. Sir Thomas Lipton and many of +the officers came to dinner, and afterwards a concert of forty +musicians. The convalescent patients thoroughly enjoyed the evening.</p> + +<p>We were all overjoyed after our guests had left to hear that our +letters, which were a month overdue from England, had arrived.</p> + +<p>I had nineteen letters, three papers and a book. I stayed up nearly +all night reading them.</p> + +<p>The sheep I bought the other day for 20 dinas is a great pet, just +like a dog and follows us everywhere. We call it our mascot. It has a +great blue ribbon bow round its neck which one of the nurses gave it.</p> + +<p>To-day our sergeant, who helps with secretarial work, has typhus. He +has been sent to the Scottish Fever Hospital. He is such a nice man +and has been with us ever since we arrived at the camp.</p> + +<p>We had another terrible storm. I never saw such rain; if one is out +you are soaked through in a minute.</p> + +<p>Several of our members have high temperatures to-day; they have been +isolated.</p> + +<p>I have been to an operation this afternoon. It was to see a toe +removed and two web fingers cut. I am <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_46" id="Page_46">[46]</a></span>really proud of our women +surgeons. They are really excellent and so quick.</p> + +<br /> +<br /> + +<p class="right">Friday, <i>June 4, 1915.</i></p> + +<p>We are still paddling about, up to our ankles. Two more members of our +staff are in bed with high temperatures. We hope it is only malaria. +Two of the Serbian Army Medical Corps came to see our camp.</p> + +<p>Mrs. Stobart is still in bed with high temperature. I have to take all +my staff's temperatures every morning and report to the doctors.</p> + +<p>Two of Dr. Berry's unit have come to stay in this camp for a few days. +Our six staff invalids are going on well, but they all ask for +different kinds of food which is somewhat trying.</p> + +<p>Lady Lethbridge is posting this for me.</p> + +<p>We do not know what this fever is. Some of our staff and the doctors +are beginning to think it is typhoid, but the temperature charts are +most curious, not a bit like the ordinary typhoid.</p> + +<p>I have felt unhappy to-day for our sanitary inspector has put +disinfectants in all the ponds on the camp as the water was getting +stagnant, and all the happy little frogs are suffering. Thirteen ducks +from the farm near by have been to drink the poisoned water, and they +have just run down to the kitchen gasping and their eyes nearly out of +their heads. They have been given bowls of water and it seems as +though they would never stop drinking. It has taken quite six hours +for them to recover from the chloride of lime and water.</p> + +<br /> +<br /> + +<p class="right">Sunday, <i>June 6, 1915.</i><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_47" id="Page_47">[47]</a></span></p> + +<p>We had service at 5.30 a.m. in the mess tent. Two ducks walked in +during the service. They made a great noise, and after the service we +found that they had laid an egg just outside the tent. We had another +service at 10 and another at 4 o'clock, but the ducks this time did +not visit us.</p> + +<p>My pet sheep had to be sent away, as it loved having its afternoon nap +in the other tents. I did not mind it as I had disinfected it, and it +was beautifully white and so clean; it was a great pet. I call it Sir +Thomas. It was killed for dinner, and I went without meat for several +days. It had grown so fat, and it was the best piece of meat we had in +the camp. It was most painful doing the carving.</p> + +<br /> +<br /> + +<p class="right">Tuesday, <i>June 8, 1915.</i></p> + +<p>We had five visitors to-day, four doctors and Lady Lethbridge. We +again had turkey. This is quite a common dish in Serbia, and they are +so cheap, only 7 dinas each; some are 5 dinas. Many of our units are +down with fever; it makes us very busy.</p> + +<br /> +<br /> + +<p class="right">Wednesday, <i>June 9, 1915.</i></p> + +<p>To-day Dr. Dearmer and two of my kitchen staff and I went for a lovely +motor ride as we have been too tired to go for walks, and Mr. Black +took us in his car. We started at 2 o'clock and got back at 6. The +weather is very hot, and in some of the tents the temperature is +110°.</p> + +<br /> +<br /> + +<p class="right">Thursday, <i>June 10, 1915.</i><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_48" id="Page_48">[48]</a></span></p> + +<p>At 3.30 this morning I was awakened by a gun being fired; I did not +think anything of this, as one gets so used to the noise of guns. At +4.30 I dressed and went to inquire what the patients were going to +have for breakfast, and when one of the nurses and I were standing +talking we heard a great explosion. I knew at once that it was a bomb, +as I had experienced the same thing in Antwerp. We then heard, as we +thought, the Marconi working, and we looked above us and saw it was a +German aeroplane. Then we saw another German aeroplane, and then two +Austrian ones. We knew at once they were attacking Kragujevatz. They +began dropping bombs first near the arsenal, which did not, +fortunately, do any damage; then one near the King's Palace, which did +no harm but battered several shops and made holes in the walls of the +cathedral. The bomb fell in the middle of the road. Many windows were +broken in the cathedral. Another bomb fell in a cottage and killed a +girl of fourteen who had only been in Kragujevatz three days; her +parents had sent her from Belgrade as she was so afraid of the raids +there. Sixteen people were injured and five killed. Then they came +over our camp, a splendid target for them as the Marconi is only 150 +yards away. The next bomb dropped was about 150 yards from our camp. +The smoke was terrible; I felt sure some of us would be the next +victims. Most of our unit turned out in their night attire. I was glad +that I was <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_49" id="Page_49">[49]</a></span>presentable. The next bomb dropped was about 110 yards and +the pieces were scattered all round the mess tent and the kitchen. One +of the doctors came hurrying along and called for me to pick up some +pieces of shrapnel, but as we got to the spot we found a poor woman +had been struck. Her arm was quite a pulp; I do not think she will +recover.</p> + +<p>I got about fourteen pieces of shrapnel, a piece of the +hanger-propeller and the fuse. Lots of trees were struck and I got a +piece of shrapnel out of the bark. A wireless was sent from here and +one of the aeroplanes was brought down.</p> + +<p>There has never been a raid on Kragujevatz before. All the guards +round our camp fired their rifles, but there were no air-craft guns +fired. We have not got large guns round us as there had never been a +raid on Kragujevatz before.</p> + +<p>Another poor woman was brought in wounded about 11 o'clock. She had a +little baby which was <i>not</i> hurt; she was struck on the leg. The baby +is exactly like a little old man, and it only weighs 6-½ lbs. and is a +year old; its bones are coming nearly out of its flesh.</p> + +<p>Some of our staff who have fever are very ill, and some delirious. +Mrs. Stobart is much better.</p> + +<p>Dr. Dearmer is going to Salonika. He is meeting some fresh members for +our unit, they are due on June 18. A Civil Hospital and some +Dispensaries are to be started. They will be branches of this one. The +pontoon bridges and the regiments <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_50" id="Page_50">[50]</a></span>pass our camp every day. The +weather is terribly hot.</p> + +<p>We have started to use our mosquito nets. I had an arrow given me +yesterday by a French aviator, one of the kind they throw out of the +aeroplanes; and I have had a very nice Turkish dress given me.</p> + +<p>Letters come from England very well now; they take about thirteen +days.</p> + +<p>Our convalescents sing and play at nights; some of them have very good +voices. Their songs were generally battle songs, and relate to their +friends who had fallen in the war. They are very clever in making +their instruments—flutes, violins—which are excellent.</p> + +<p>Just heard that some more aeroplanes have been seen but they have been +stopped coming over here. The Serbian Government think that they tried +to drop the bombs on our camp; we can be sighted miles away.</p> + +<br /> +<br /> + +<p class="right">Friday, <i>June 11, 1915.</i></p> + +<p>Eleven of our staff are down with fever; it is getting quite serious. +The strange part of it is the doctors cannot yet discover what the +fever is.</p> + +<p>We have 125 patients in the hospital, thirty-seven soldiers as +orderlies, Austrians and Serbs, and fifty-nine of our own staff.</p> + +<p>It was very funny the other day. Two large eagles were seen flying +very high. They were taken for aeroplanes, and were immediately fired +upon. <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_51" id="Page_51">[51]</a></span>The Serbians are quite ready for air raids, as we have some +splendid air-craft guns placed in excellent positions.</p> + +<br /> +<br /> + +<p class="right">Sunday, <i>June 13, 1915.</i></p> + +<p>The weather is very hot. I have never experienced anything like it, +quite tropical. One of our doctors has been taken ill to-day; that +makes twelve of our staff down with fever.</p> + +<p>Mrs. Dearmer has been taken ill. Mrs. Stobart, a doctor and I had a +conference about the disease. It was pronounced by the doctor to be +typhoid. One doctor stated that it was due to flies; but this point +was condemned, as the flies have only become plentiful the last week. +It was suggested that it might be raw salad; but this was again +knocked on the head, as no raw salad has been eaten for about three +weeks, and then it was washed in distilled water and vinegar, and +several of the fever patients never ate salad. The last suggestion was +the camp itself. This is the most probable, as before we arrived this +camp was covered with refugees from all parts; and with the very dry +weather, and then the heavy rains, most of the doctors think it is due +to this. Some of the cases have been pretty bad in spite of the +inoculation. Temperatures are 104.8 and several are delirious. +Fortunately none of the wounded have it.</p> + +<p>We have had a terrible hurricane to-day, and a bad thunderstorm. Two +tents were blown down. The hailstones were as big as large marbles.</p> + +<br /> +<br /> + +<p class="right">Tuesday, <i>June 15, 1915.</i><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_52" id="Page_52">[52]</a></span></p> + +<p>I was taken bad to-day with gastritis. Dr. Atkinson is attending me. I +hope to be up in a few days. It is due to overstrain of the nerves. We +have sent for five more nurses to come and help us. I have a lot to be +thankful for that I have not got typhoid.</p> + +<br /> +<br /> + +<p class="right">Wednesday, <i>June 16, 1915.</i></p> + +<p>Mrs. Stobart is about again.</p> + +<p>Prince Alexis came to see our camp this evening. I feel a little +better.</p> + +<p>This has been a funny day, one that we shall never forget. At 6.30 a +telephone message came up from the Government Office that we were +going to have an aerial raid, and that we had better clear our camp. +Twenty aeroplanes were expected, six were to throw bombs on +Kragujevatz, and the others were going on to the Danube. All the +patients had to be taken by one road and the staff by another, and +they had to go about half a mile from the camp. Two oxen were put into +one of Derry & Tom's carts, and patients who could not walk were put +in, and these were the first to leave. Then the motors came round for +the staff that could not walk. Dr. May Atkinson did not want me to go; +however, Mrs. Stobart insisted, and I was the last of the poor victims +to be carted away. I was put on a stretcher and jolted down the road +for half a mile with the other members of the unit, and we were +plumped down on the roadside while others were fetched, and this went +on until the <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_53" id="Page_53">[53]</a></span>camp was actually cleared. This was at 6.30 and the +aeroplanes were expected at 8.</p> + +<p>No aeroplanes came after all this excitement. Some kind member of the +unit managed to get me some bovril, as I was not allowed solid food. +At about 10.30 breakfast was sent up, boiled eggs and some cheese. I +expect this was thought a suitable diet for a patient suffering from a +high temperature.</p> + +<p>The army camp near was also cleared of its soldiers and oxen. At 11.30 +a message came that we could return to our camp as the flight had been +stopped, and that one of the aeroplanes had been brought down by the +French and Italians.</p> + +<p>I have five Austrian orderlies; their names are—Mike, Mick, Peet, +Steve and Milko; they are really splendid, and so willing. They are +all so sorry I am ill, and they all come round to see me and wanted to +know if I was "too much sick." Mike works harder than ever, and says +"Missis ill, Mike work hard, Mike good boy."</p> + +<br /> +<br /> + +<p class="right">Friday, <i>June 18, 1915.</i></p> + +<p>I have been in bed all day but am feeling better. It is very hot +again. Four nurses from the Farmer's unit at Belgrade arrived to help +us; two from the Scotch Hospital came on Wednesday, and four have come +from another unit, so we shall no longer be single-handed.</p> + +<p>All the staff who have typhoid are getting on nicely.</p> + +<br /> +<br /> + +<p class="right">Saturday, <i>June 19, 1915.</i><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_54" id="Page_54">[54]</a></span></p> + +<p>I am allowed up for a little this afternoon, so to-morrow I hope to be +about again.</p> + +<p>Two great guns have been brought up near this camp. Two of the +patients are about again. Dr. Atkinson will not let me go back to work +again until my temperature has been normal for forty-eight hours. The +work is very hard and there is no end to it. I hear we are to be sent +for a few days' rest to another unit. We constantly have members of +other units coming over for two or three days' rest here; it is so +nice being friendly with all the other different units out here.</p> + +<p>Dr. Dearmer has gone to Salonika to fetch the members of the new unit; +they arrive to-morrow.</p> + +<p>We have heard that the <i>Saidieh</i> has been torpedoed, and seven of the +crew are lost. The Germans have been after this boat for a long time. +We should have been torpedoed coming out if it had not been for the +rough weather and the sea-fog on Easter Sunday.</p> + +<p>The <i>Saidieh</i> had just returned to England under sealed orders by the +Government. I am thankful that our nice captain was saved—John +Reginald Ryall. We are anxious to hear about the chief officer and +chief engineer.</p> + +<p>I have a Serbian to take my place while I am away from work in the +patients' kitchen; he is a splendid cook. He amuses us with his +moustache; he keeps it pressed in a frame in the early morning. <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_55" id="Page_55">[55]</a></span>I +think if it got burnt with his cooking it would be the death of him.</p> + +<p>We started working this camp two months ago this Friday. We hear that +Dr. May left England on the 18th with a fresh unit.</p> + +<p>The baby belonging to the poor woman who was wounded by shrapnel died +this morning; it is a blessing as the poor little thing had been so +neglected. But the dear nurse that was looking after the baby was +heartbroken. We called her Copper Nob, because she had such lovely red +hair.</p> + +<p>Most of the wounded soldiers have quite lost their nerve. When they +hear that aeroplanes are coming they are quite panic-struck. We were +to have had practice this morning with balloons; one man fled.</p> + +<p>We have such a number of hooded crows here, and some birds called +golden oriole.</p> + +<br /> +<br /> + +<p class="right">Monday, <i>June 21, 1915.</i></p> + +<p>Nothing of interest has happened this evening. We still have crowds of +visitors every day to see the camp.</p> + +<br /> +<br /> + +<p class="right">Tuesday, <i>June 22, 1915.</i></p> + +<p>I am still not allowed out of my tent. I just feel like a naughty +child who has been sent to her room. My temperature will not be +obedient and go to its normal condition. To-day three of our unit who +have been ill have gone for a few days to Vrynatchka Banja to Dr. +Berry's unit. When they return the doctors want me to go. We are just +in the midst of another bad storm.</p> + +<br /> +<br /> + +<p class="right">Wednesday, <i>June 23, 1915.</i><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_56" id="Page_56">[56]</a></span></p> + +<p>Two of the second Farmer's unit have come to see our Field Hospital +to-day; they are from Pojeropatz. We have the most ghastly +thunderstorm every evening; the lightning scarcely ever ceases now; +the thunder generally lasts about two hours; the rain comes down in +pailfuls.</p> + +<br /> +<br /> + +<p class="right">Thursday, <i>June 24, 1915.</i></p> + +<p>We have <i>The Times</i> Correspondent, a Mr. Robinson, staying here. It is +interesting in the evening to see the little fireflies flying about +all round the camps; they seem to be more and more each night.</p> + +<br /> +<br /> + +<p class="right">Friday, <i>June 25, 1915.</i></p> + +<p>I am still in the doctor's hands, and am not allowed to work owing to +my having a temperature. I have been in my tent nearly two weeks but +am almost better. I am to be sent for four or five days' change to Dr. +Berry's unit at Vrynatchka Banja. It is almost thirty miles from here, +and a glorious place I hear. We shall motor over. No more of our +patients have typhoid. Twenty-six of our unit have been ill all +together; some have been very serious cases. I have had a greater +power of resistance owing to my inoculation; most of those who have +had typhoid were inoculated just before coming out here.</p> + +<br /> +<br /> + +<p class="right">Saturday, <i>June 26, 1915.</i></p> + +<p>I have been allowed out to-day. Dr. Dearmer arrived from Salonika +yesterday, with two cooks, five nurses and a chauffeur; he went to +meet them <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_57" id="Page_57">[57]</a></span>from England. They are for the roadside dispensaries, so +they are staying here for a little time to give us some help. Mrs. +Dearmer has been very ill with typhoid.</p> + +<br /> +<br /> + +<p class="right">Sunday, <i>June 27, 1915.</i></p> + +<p>Sir Ralph Paget has been over to see us to-day, also a Mr. Petrovitch. +Five of the doctors and my two cooks came over to have tea with me. +To-morrow I am going away.</p> + +<br /> +<br /> + +<p class="right">Monday, <i>June 28, 1915.</i></p> + +<p>Three of the doctors have been ill, so we did not get off to Dr. +Berry's to-day. We had the most ghastly thunderstorm this evening, +lasting two hours, such big hailstones. Dr. Payne, Nurse Berry and +Nurse Newhall, Mr. Black and myself had breakfast at 6.15. We took +plenty of refreshments with us and left the camp in the motor +ambulance for Vrynatchka Banja. It is sixty miles from Kragujevatz. We +came through the most gorgeous scenery, and it was so picturesque to +see the women and the boys working in the maize fields. The women +never wear hats, only coloured handkerchiefs over their heads, and if +in mourning the handkerchiefs are black. We had lunch when we got +about half way; then another bad storm came on and in a few minutes we +could scarcely see in front of us for thick mist. We soon drove +through it and came into quite dry ground again. The fields are +perfectly wonderful with wild flowers, the most beautiful colours.</p> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_58" id="Page_58">[58]</a></span>The hedges are all acacia trees, and the most lovely wild flowers. +Butterflies and beetles are very plentiful. We had only one puncture, +and changed the wheel and went on merrily again. We arrived at +Vrynatchka Banja at about 2.30. We had a lovely welcome from the +members of Dr. Berry's unit; six of them had come out on the <i>Saidieh</i> +with us; several of them have been over to see us at our camp. We had +tea at 4 o'clock and at 6 we went to a lecture given by Dr. Berry. In +the evening we had some music. The other members of our unit which +were here when we arrived left at 9 o'clock for Kragujevatz the +following morning, leaving us three here for a rest. We saw them off; +then Nurse Berry and I went to see the town, leaving Nurse Newhall in +bed. This place is simply charming; it is far more beautiful than +Kragujevatz, and is one of the fashionable watering places in Serbia. +This hospital is very large and we have hot and cold water and +electric light. Dr. Berry has several other hospitals besides; they +have only 130 patients. This afternoon I went into the large ward for +some music with the wounded. We sang and played to them. The wounded +are most grateful for all that is done. They call us all "Sistra" and +often "Dobra Sistra," which means good sister. The Serbian men look so +fragile, with the exception of the higher class, who are mostly fine, +strong-looking men. The women are splendid, so handsome and strong +looking; they do most of the manual labour. The magnificent courage of +the Serbian women will <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_59" id="Page_59">[59]</a></span>never be forgotten. Some have lost father, +brothers, husbands and sons. These women have one simple answer: +"Sistra, they died for their country!" Before such patriotism we can +but kneel and pray for the simple faith which shall teach each one of +us to be brave enough to do the same. Their country, beautiful and +fertile like our own, is ravaged; disease, war and famine, yet they +still go on. The Austrian prisoners do most of the work; they are such +a nice race of men, and so willing, and never mind what they do. They +hate warfare. We are all impressed with them. It seems hard that they +have to fight against the Serbs. We went for a pretty walk after tea; +we all went to bed early.</p> + +<br /> +<br /> + +<p class="right">Thursday, <i>July 1, 1915.</i></p> + +<p>It is just three months to-day since we left home. This morning I went +into the kitchen and learnt several Serbian dishes. My two companions +were not well, so stayed in bed. I went to see them at 10.30 and found +Nurse Berry very flushed. I took her temperature and found it 103°, +and her pulse 116°, so I fetched the doctor and she has to stay in +bed. I spent this afternoon with Nurse Berry, and this evening we were +taken to see the town. We went over two hospitals, then through the +park, and to the post to get stamps. The Post Office was closed, but +the girl was outside, so she served us; she had not change and trusted +us with 2 dinas' worth of stamps, which shows how the Serbs trust the +English. The town is very picturesque, such lovely <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_60" id="Page_60">[60]</a></span>trees everywhere; +the shops are very small. I bought some lovely coloured stockings. A +man in the hospital has to be operated on for glands and is not +allowed food. When it was time for his operation he refused to be +done; however, the doctors persuaded him. After the chloroform he was +violently sick, and he brought up nothing but red matter. The doctors +thought at first it was blood and they thought they had cut a vein. +However, it appears the man had gone off and gorged himself with +mulberries as he did not like being starved. White and red mulberry +trees grow wild over here. I went to see a doctor at Dr. Banks' unit +at the Red Cross Hospital for Dr. Dearmer; they told us the story that +Dr. Dearmer had written in the English papers about the man who was +thought to be dead and was put into his coffin. After the coffin was +put into the mortuary the man managed to get out and was found by the +nurse back in his bed.</p> + +<br /> +<br /> + +<p class="right">Friday, <i>July 2, 1915.</i></p> + +<p>I have had a most interesting day; I spent part of the morning in the +wards, helping with dressings. It is really terrible to see these poor +men; most of them have lost their legs and feet; hundreds and hundreds +of the men have lost their toes and feet through frost-bite; one poor +fellow of only twenty-two has lost both his feet, and often calls me +to show me the two stumps. It would be a blessing if some of these +poor men had been killed right out, instead of all the suffering they +go through. Most <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_61" id="Page_61">[61]</a></span>of them seem happy, and it is because they won't be +able to go and fight again. Nurse Berry and Nurse Newhall have been in +bed nearly all day; they are in my care. After lunch I spent the +afternoon in the kitchen, learning Serbian cooking; their method of +pastry making is perfectly wonderful. They make the flour into a paste +with water and fat. Then it is stretched over tables and it is pulled +out until it is as thin as paper. This evening I was to have gone into +the town, but we made a call on a French lady and a big storm came on +and we did not get any further.</p> + +<br /> +<br /> + +<p class="right">Saturday, <i>July 3, 1915.</i></p> + +<p>Dr. and Mrs. Berry went to Kragujevatz in the morning for a +conference. We went into the town, did some shopping and had some +raspberry drink and cakes at a café; we had a glorious walk back. This +afternoon we heard that there was a funeral; then we heard a lot of +wailing in the distance, so we put on our things and went to the +cemetery. We met the procession of about twenty women with a lot of +banners and baskets of food. It seems that the corpse they were +mourning for had been dead some time, forty days, so it was just an +anniversary. When we arrived at the cemetery the women put the flags +against a tree, then knelt down round the grave and began to wail and +cry bitterly. Then they lighted candles and put them on the grave. +They unpacked the baskets and put plates of food all over the +grave—bread, rice, <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_62" id="Page_62">[62]</a></span>cucumber cut in slices, cherries, little bowls of +jam, onions, little glasses of wine and decanters of water. We watched +this ceremony for about half an hour. Some of the mourners ate the +food and kept kissing the grave. There were no end of mourners at +other graves doing the same thing. It was the most pathetic sight I +have ever seen, so sad to see the poor things.</p> + +<br /> +<br /> + +<p class="right">Sunday, <i>July 4, 1915.</i></p> + +<p>A very wet day; nothing but rain and thunder. After tea we went down +for a sulphur bath. Such a quaint place; it was a round deep hole with +running water only about six yards wide; the water was warm. After +breakfast we went another walk up to the cemetery. All the food that +had been left on the graves on Saturday had been eaten by the women +who had been wailing round the graves, with the exception of a few +apples and cherries that had been left on the ledges of some of the +crosses. We had a lovely walk back through some woods. There are +crowds of wild cherry trees laden with cherries, wild mulberries and +walnuts. The vine trees are also plentiful and so well trained. The +land is fairly well cultivated, considering that all the men are +fighting. The women are splendid workers. This afternoon I went again +to learn some Serbian dishes. There is such a nice woman here as cook. +As soon as she heard I was interested she said she would show me some +of their dishes, and Dr. Berry's sister is so good in letting me go +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_63" id="Page_63">[63]</a></span>down into the kitchen to learn. We have been over most of the +hospitals here; really very good, and they are so clean. The park is +glorious, but it amused me to see spittoons all along the pathways.</p> + +<br /> +<br /> + +<p class="right">Tuesday, <i>July 6, 1915.</i></p> + +<p>We went shopping this morning and came home through the park. After +lunch we rested till 2.30, then went for a picnic as it was one of the +nurses' birthdays. We did not go far, only to the top of the hill, but +the view round was magnificent, the lights and shades so perfect. Just +before we started for our picnic, Mrs. Berry, who had been spending +the week-end at our camp, arrived back with one nurse to take me back +to the camp. They came by train; Dr. Berry and another of our nurses +came by car. We heard some very sad news, and this was that one of the +nurses was dead, Nurse Ferris, a strong healthy girl of twenty-five +years of age. She was to be married in September. She was taken ill +just about a week before me with typhoid. It does not say much for +inoculation. Nurse Ferris was a good nurse; she had a bright cheerful +manner and was always the same. She knew Serbian better than any one +in the camp, and could sing the Serbian anthem. It seems strange that +she should have picked up Serbian in this manner and then be put to +rest in the country. It seems she died on Sunday afternoon at 3 +o'clock. She was taken to the mortuary in the town and then laid to +rest on Monday. She had a large military funeral. All the staff from +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_64" id="Page_64">[64]</a></span>our camp went, all the Government officials and the units from the +other hospitals, and all the doctors from these parts who had come +over to Kragujevatz for the doctors' conference. They had a band and +she was buried near the other nurses who had died from the Scotch +Hospital at Kragujevatz. She was only put into a temporary grave as, +when the war is over, the Government will erect a monument to all who +have died. Dr. Dearmer conducted the service. The last I saw of Nurse +Ferris was the night before I came here. I went to have a peep at all +our poor invalids. When the poor girl saw me she looked up and smiled +and waved to me. I little thought it was the last time I should see +her. Nurse Ferris and I always had little jokes together when she came +to meals; she was beloved by all in her ward. It seems this is the +first English service that has been conducted in a Greek cathedral; +the prince gave his consent and sent his secretary.</p> + +<div class="img"> +<a href="images/imagep64a.jpg"> +<img border="0" src="images/imagep64a.jpg" width="75%" alt="A child having an abscess removed outside the Operating Theatre." /></a><br /> +<p class="cen" style="margin-top: .2em;">A child having an abscess removed outside the Operating Theatre.</p> +</div> + +<div class="img"> +<a href="images/imagep64b.jpg"> +<img border="0" src="images/imagep64b.jpg" width="75%" alt="Camp Hospital, Kragujevatz." /></a><br /> +<p class="cen" style="margin-top: .2em;">Lady Cook and Austrian prisoner orderlies at Mrs. Stobart's camp Hospital, Kragujevatz.</p> +<p class="right" style="margin-top: .2em; padding-right: 20%;"><i>Face page 64</i></p> +</div> + +<br /> +<br /> + +<p class="right">Wednesday, <i>July 7, 1915.</i></p> + +<p>We leave this afternoon at 3 o'clock. This morning I went shopping, +bought a lot of handkerchiefs and some Serbian pots. At 2.30 the +carriage came to take the two nurses, who had come over to fetch me, +and myself to the station. Nurse Newhall came with us, and Mrs. +Berry's sister, Miss Dickinson. We had three miles' drive to the +station; we arrived at 3.20 and the train was expected at 4.15 but it +never arrived till 5.10. This is the usual thing in Serbia; we only +have sixty miles to go. <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_65" id="Page_65">[65]</a></span>We arrived at 9; the train stopped at every +station from 15 to 20 minutes, so the people get out of the train and +sit by the side of the railways. It makes the journey quite enjoyable +when one is not pressed for time. Our train was going on to Belgrade. +We had two French people, and all the rest were Serbians in our +carriage. The train was full of soldiers going to Belgrade. The +soldiers all travel in trucks, the officers in the ordinary way. I +wonder how our Tommies would like this. We were to spend the night at +a little cottage rented by Dr. Banks for the Red Cross at Stellatch. A +boy at the station insisted on saying there was no such place; the +railway officials wanted us to remain at the station, but we insisted +on our little cottage and we soon found it in the dark. A very nice +woman lived at this cottage, and her two children, a girl and a boy. +We were put into this room with two stretchers. A nice Serbian who +could talk French at the station said there were only two stretchers, +so he sent up a third. We had a few sandwiches which we brought with +us, then tucked ourselves up for the night on the stretchers, but it +was impossible to sleep for fleas and mosquitoes. We heard that the +train for Kragujevatz left at 7 o'clock, so we got up soon after 5. It +was very quaint on the way seeing little boys and girls driving along +the roads flocks of sheep, pigs and chickens. All the children here +seem quite grown up; the schools are all closed and they have to help +in the fields with their mothers. The girls are very neat looking; +they all part their <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_66" id="Page_66">[66]</a></span>hair at the side and have a neat plait at the +back or wound round their head, and they have a handkerchief tied on +their head. The middle-aged women part their hair in the middle and +the hair always covers the ears. It is dreadfully hot. On arriving at +the station we were told that the train would not leave till 1.30. We +have been trying to shade ourselves under a tree all day as it is too +hot to walk. It is now 12.45 and our train is appearing in the +station; our porter had just rushed up the hill to fetch us; it is not +often one gets a train leaving fifty minutes before the time. We got +to Kragujevatz at 7 o'clock, after a most tedious journey. It was so +funny. Half an hour before getting to Kragujevatz I discovered that +Miss Vera Holmes and Mrs. Haverfield were in the same train. It was so +nice to see them; they were going to the Scotch Hospital, so they have +asked me to go to tea with them to-morrow. On arriving at Kragujevatz +we could not get a cab, so we had to telephone for one of the motors +to fetch us.</p> + +<br /> +<br /> + +<p class="right">Friday, <i>July 9, 1915.</i></p> + +<p>We had such a welcome back. One of the cooks is not well, so I had to +do her work. I went to tea to the Scottish Women's Hospital to meet +Miss Vera Holmes and Mrs. Haverfield. I did not stay long as I had a +lot to do, so many of our unit are ill. Mrs. Dearmer is seriously ill. +This is the most anxious night; she has five doctors with her; she has +typhoid and double pneumonia. Every <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_67" id="Page_67">[67]</a></span>twenty minutes she has oxygen +given her; it would be terrible if anything happened to her; she is so +nice and we are all so fond of her.</p> + +<br /> +<br /> + +<p class="right">Saturday, <i>July 10, 1915.</i></p> + +<p>Mrs. Dearmer just a little easier to-day. The stores arrived to-day +for the wayside dispensaries.</p> + +<br /> +<br /> + +<p class="right">Sunday, <i>July 11, 1915.</i></p> + +<p>This has been a very sad day. Dear Mrs. Dearmer passed away at 7.30; +she was buried this afternoon at 5 o'clock owing to the hot weather, +and it being a general holiday it had to take place at once. At 7 +o'clock four of Dr. Berry's unit from Vrynatchka Banja came to stay at +our camp for two days. I have been looking after the invalid dishes +for the typhoid fever patients. I made Mrs. Dearmer a large cross of +some gorgeous white wild flowers with acacia and clematis. The Serbian +Government sent up some lovely wreaths; the coffin was of silver and +gilt, very handsome; it had the Union Jack over and was covered with +wreaths. At 4.30 the remains were brought from her own tent to a tent +we had turned into a little chapel; it really looked sweet. At 5 +o'clock the hearse arrived, a ghastly looking thing, with a statue of +a man in armour seated on the top. It gave me a dreadful shock when I +saw it; it reminded me of a circus; then all the Government officials +arrived, officers—the French, English and Serbian, and the prince +sent a representative. Crowds of people arrived from other units. We +had a military band; then the priests arrived, two <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_68" id="Page_68">[68]</a></span>in pale blue +oriental satin robes decorated with gold, and one a peacock oriental +satin edged with gold, one a rich velvet decorated with gold, one a +red oriental satin edged with gold, and the sixth a black gown edged +with silver. Each priest carried a candle, then two other men came +carrying incense. We all followed the hearse in twos as far as the +Greek cathedral; all the streets were lined with people to the +cathedral, and the cathedral was packed. The coffin was put near the +altar and we all stood round. A large lighted candle was put facing +the coffin and the six priests stood in front. They all took part in +the service. I forgot to say one cross was in silver, with Mabel +Dearmer written on it, and it had a large ribbon bow. The band played +until we got to the cathedral, and when it stopped the people sang. +The Serbs have lovely voices. They remind me of the Welsh. It was +terribly sad; the singing in the cathedral was glorious; the service +lasted about an hour and a half. One of the French officers read a +little address from the cathedral steps, then we walked on to the +cemetery, about a mile; the band led, then the hearse and the +mourners. Dr. Dearmer, Dr. Marsden and Dr. Atkinson met us at the +cemetery gates; the priests continued their prayers in Serbian; then +Rev. Mr. Little, who has come to join our unit, read our English +service. The grave was lined with white and decorated with clematis. +Mrs. Dearmer was buried next to Nurse Ferris. The coffin was lowered +into a box, then the lid was put on. After the <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_69" id="Page_69">[69]</a></span>service Dr. Dearmer, +Dr. Marsden, Dr. Atkinson went off in the motor for a few days. We all +got into motors and carriages and returned to the camp.</p> + +<br /> +<br /> + +<p class="right">Monday, <i>July 12, 1915.</i></p> + +<p>We have been busy all day packing and getting ready the roadside +dispensary; this will be the chief depôt; the first dispensary will be +twenty-five miles from here. The units for the dispensary go on +Wednesday. I had the most lovely caterpillar given me to-day; it is +three inches long, and is a most lovely green with lovely pale blue +spots on it, and little tufts of hair come round the blue spots. What +it is I do not know, and a man who is very well up in these kind of +things could not tell me. I went to see two members of our unit off to +Nish this evening. To-day a Frenchman has been practising in a Serbian +aeroplane over our camp; it is most exciting.</p> + +<p>Dr. Dearmer has decided to return to England to-morrow.</p> + +<br /> +<br /> + +<p class="right">Tuesday, <i>July 13, 1915.</i></p> + +<p>We finished getting ready the stores for the dispensary to-day. Dr. +Dearmer and Dr. Marsden left for Malta; Dr. Dearmer has his son there.</p> +<br /> +<br /> + +<p class="right">Wednesday, <i>July 14, 1915.</i></p> + +<p>This morning we were up at 4.15 as ten of the new unit were leaving to +start the dispensary, twenty-five miles away; they left with all their +equipments. Just as they were ready to start the Rev. Mr. Sewell +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_70" id="Page_70">[70]</a></span>arrived, and Mrs. Sewell from Belgrade. Dr. Hanson and Mr. and Mrs. +Sewell and I had tea together in Dr. Atkinson's tent. This morning +Major Potridge took me to the arsenal to choose a transport kitchen +which the Serbians captured from the Austrians. I was taken all over +the arsenal, which was most interesting. It is most wonderful the +amount of guns which the Serbs have taken from the Austrians. Mr. +Paulhan, the French aviator, is here. He won the <i>Daily Mail</i> prize; +he flies over the camp very often going to Belgrade. Six of our unit +go to Belgrade this evening for a few days. I hope to go before +returning to England.</p> + +<br /> +<br /> + +<p class="right">Friday, <i>July 16, 1915.</i></p> + +<p>Mrs. Stobart and three of the Government officials went to choose a +site for another dispensary. I was up at 3.30 and we had breakfast at +4.30. I went to the market to order things for the week. Sunday is the +great day for the market. It is so picturesque to see all the Serbs in +their quaint costumes. The gipsies are lovely. They have gorgeous +striped skirts, homespun, lovely coloured belts with large buckles, +home-made stockings wonderfully embroidered, fancy zouave, and fancy +coloured scarves on their heads. One of the doctors and I were invited +out to an engagement ceremony. It was really most interesting. One of +our interpreters who was single was told that there was a girl who +would make him a suitable wife, so he went to see her early last +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_71" id="Page_71">[71]</a></span>week, liked her, so proposed. She is nineteen and he is about +thirty-five years of age. The girl possesses a maize field, a wheat +field and a walnut tree. This is considered a very good dowry. At 3.30 +the interpreter called for us; the cottage where the girl and her +people live is about ten minutes walk from the camp. On our way we met +several of the man's relations. On arriving at the house we were met +by her relations, who were standing all along the pathway to the front +door. The men shook hands with us and the women kissed our hands. We +were taken into the front room, a good sized one with a table in the +middle; there was tapestry all round the walls which had been done by +the girl. The Serbs do the most beautiful work with the handlooms, and +it is all done with the pure wool from the sheep, which one sees the +women spinning as they walk along the streets. We sat round the table +and talked till all the guests had arrived. The girl went round +kissing all the women relations on the hands and face, the men and the +guests on the hands, the fiancé did likewise; then the engaged couple +stood in the centre of the room and had the ring presented, a gold +ring with a diamond and ruby. The ring was put on the little finger of +the right hand. The engaged couple kissed all the people again; we +then started with refreshments. The girl did everything. A tray was +handed round first with a dish of cakes and glasses of wine; this was +to drink the health of the guests. We only took a sip of wine and the +glasses were put back on the <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_72" id="Page_72">[72]</a></span>tray; then the girl went out and brought +in another tray, the same wine and cakes; this was to drink the +bride's health; then a third lot was brought in to drink the +bridegroom's health. Then a tray came in with two dishes of jam and +glasses of cold water and spoons. We all eat a spoonful of jam and +drank a little water; the last tray had little cups of Turkish coffee. +After this we sat and talked; the ceremony was over. Fortunately we +were not far from the camp as a blizzard came up with a terrible sand +storm. We rushed round to help with the tents and patients. This was a +difficult task. We got our patients taken away in the motors to our +new building near. The hospital ward tents stood well; as they are all +double, only three came down, and the poles were not broken, so were +soon put up. Fifteen came down in all, the staff mess tent, the men's +mess tent, the kitchen tent and some of the sleeping tents. We had +several of the military authorities helping us. The storm lasted for +two hours and then all was quite calm again. We had a lovely picnic +supper under a large shelter the Government officials had put up for +us. The next day we were busy putting things straight after the storm. +I was not well again, so was sent to bed. I had to get up in the +afternoon to pack, as Dr. Atkinson had arranged for me to go to +Belgrade to the British Fever Hospital. Four of our unit are returning +to England, so they have come with us to Belgrade. Eight of us left +for Belgrade by the 12 train. We had a through carriage, most +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_73" id="Page_73">[73]</a></span>comfortable. Dr. Curcin had arranged it for us. The English military +attaché, Col. Harrison, came to see us off. A motor took us from the +camp; we had a lovely journey and arrived at Belgrade at 10 a.m. It is +sad to see how Belgrade is destroyed. Our driver was too funny. The +roads were terribly bad; we had quite a young boy to drive us. He +jumped off the box part way to shake hands with some of his friends in +a cart; he got a cigar from them, lighted it and then ran after his +carriage again. We had gone on quite a long distance with our two +horses. When we got a little further our driver jumped down again, +this time for a drink of water on the roadside, and to buy a cake. We +arrived at the British Fever Hospital at 11 o'clock; we were given a +very nice ward, and the two nurses and I were sent to bed, and we had +to go on light diet for forty-eight hours. I have been put on milk +only, so I am very cross; it is very dull in bed, but I know many of +the Farmers' unit as so many came out in the <i>Saidieh</i> with us.</p> + +<br /> +<br /> + +<p class="right">Tuesday, <i>July 20, 1915.</i></p> + +<p>We have had a dull day in bed. Belgrade has been terribly shattered +with bombs. This hospital faces the Danube; it is most interesting. +The snipers have been firing a good deal to-day, and we hear the guns +at night. It seems a shame that so many of these lovely buildings are +in ruins.</p> + +<br /> +<br /> + +<p class="right">Wednesday, <i>July 21, 1915.</i></p> + +<p>Still in bed on milk diet; it is dull work. This <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_74" id="Page_74">[74]</a></span>afternoon an +Austrian aeroplane has been flying over us, and the Serbs have been +firing at it.</p> + +<br /> +<br /> + +<p class="right">Thursday, <i>July 22, 1915.</i></p> + +<p>At 3.40 this morning heavy firing started, and it continued for half +an hour; soon after we heard aeroplanes; there were two Austrian ones +which came over dropping bombs. They flew over this hospital many +times. The Serbs started firing at them, and the shrapnel fell on the +road below, quite a lot of it. If I had been all right I should have +got some. The aeroplanes now have dropped a lot of sealed packets with +long silvery ribbon which floated along for many miles in the air; it +was quite nice to see them in the sun. We have just heard that the +long silver ribbon contained a sealed packet addressed to the governor +of Belgrade, saying that unless the Serbians surrender they will start +bombarding the town. It is the anniversary of the declaration of war +on Serbia to-day. I have just had three more months' extension of +leave from the Governors of the Institute, saying they have +appreciated all the valuable work I have been doing, and have granted +me another three months' leave, from the commencement of next session.</p> + +<br /> +<br /> + +<p class="right"><span class="sc" style="padding-right: 4%;">The British Fever Hospital,</span><br /> +<span class="sc" style="padding-right: 6%;">Belgrade,</span><br /> +<span class="sc" style="padding-right: 4%;">Serbia,</span><br /> +<span style="padding-right: 2%;">Friday, <i>July 23, 1915.</i></span></p> + +<p>Six of our unit arrived over from the camp to <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_75" id="Page_75">[75]</a></span>say good-bye to us; +they were returning to England; they wanted to see Belgrade before +returning. A few guns were fired at Semlin by the Serbs. It is +splendid to see the way the Serbian women work. Some of the work-rooms +at the arsenal were full of them, and even little boys and girls of +fourteen and fifteen years of age. When the bullets and cartridges are +finished they are tested in another machine, and if they have any +defects they are shot out again. The Austrian kitchens are considered +wonderful, they are so well fitted up.</p> + +<br /> +<br /> + +<p class="right">Saturday, <i>July 24, 1915.</i></p> + +<p>I was awakened this morning at 5 o'clock by more guns being fired, but +it only lasted a short time. Sir Ralph and Lady Paget called to see +one of their nurses who is at this hospital with typhus (so they came +in to see us). One of the doctors is here with an orderly to look +after her. Lady Paget still looks very ill after her illness of +typhus. I had a long talk with her; she is a charming woman, and Sir +Ralph is very nice. There has been an interesting fête given to-day by +the gipsies; they sent invitations to all the hospitals here. It was +held in a large building. Several trays of refreshments were handed +round; after that they played violins and some other funny +instruments; they play and sing very well, but it is so weird. The +French have sent round to the gipsy villages as their huts were +condemned as not being fit to live in; but the funny <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_76" id="Page_76">[76]</a></span>part is that the +gipsy quarter has had no cases of disease like other parts of Serbia. +It is pouring with rain and the streets are simply flooded several +inches deep; the children take off their shoes and stockings and +paddle, but most of the children do not wear shoes and stockings. This +is the only place in Serbia where there are wood and asphalt roads, +all the other roads are in a terribly cobbly state, and in a most +deplorable condition. The shops are nearly all closed. Some of the +people just open in the evening. The air raid we had the other day: a +French aviator went up and there was a battle in the air; Monsieur +Paulhan fired on the Austrian aeroplane and brought it down in +Austrian territory; the aviator was killed; a photograph was taken +after shooting. This is the third Austrian aeroplane that has been +brought down by the French aviator since he came here. We hear the +guns each day; the French aeroplane goes over the Austrian territory, +and then we hear the Austrians firing on it. We have some of our +Marines five miles from here with large guns, also French and Russian. +The doctor allowed one of the nurses and me to go for an hour's drive +to-day. We drove all round the town past the King's Palace. Some of +the buildings are very fine but so many are in ruins. No trams or +trains are allowed to run, otherwise the Austrians begin firing. If +any of the nurses are seen near with their caps and aprons the +Austrians begin at once firing; they think they must be Serbian +officers.</p> + +<br /> +<br /> + +<p class="right">Wednesday, <i>July 28, 1915.</i><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_77" id="Page_77">[77]</a></span></p> + +<p>The French aeroplane has been flying round again to-day. One of the +nurses and I went for another drive in a ramshackle carriage with two +horses. When we got a little way the wheel came off; it was soon +mended and we started off again, and the poor old carriage came to +grief a second time, but fortunately we were near a blacksmith's +place.</p> + +<br /> +<br /> + +<p class="right">Thursday, <i>July 29, 1915.</i></p> + +<p>This has been a dull day. The doctor would not allow me to go out as +my temperature is inclined to go up and I have a bad pulse. The +Austrians are splendid men, and it seems so terrible to see these nice +refined men doing all kinds of dirty work; it makes me think of our +poor English prisoners in Germany.</p> + +<p>I am much better to-day and the doctor allowed the nurse to take me +across to the hotel where we had tea; it was such a nice change. +Another of our unit came over from the camp to stay a few days. I had +a letter from Dr. Atkinson telling me that Dr. May had arrived from +England, and that Mrs. Stobart had gone to Lapovo to start another +dispensary. Two Serbian regiments passed last evening, the best +drilled Serbs we have seen since we arrived; there were eighty in each +regiment; then a lot of horses and donkeys passed, laden with wood. I +am proud to say that I have not seen any soldiers march better than +our men in England since I left.</p> + +<br /> +<br /> + +<p class="right">Sunday, <i>August 1, 1915.</i><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_78" id="Page_78">[78]</a></span></p> + +<p>I have not been allowed out the last two days, as the doctor was not +pleased with me. This is a lovely hospital, it will hold over 500 +beds; it was an university before the war; the art rooms on the top +floor are splendid.</p> + +<br /> +<br /> + +<p class="right">Monday, <i>August 2, 1915.</i></p> + +<p>I have been allowed out for a little to-day. I went round to the hotel +to tea with our nurses who were returning to England with eight of +this unit.</p> + +<p>In the morning our French aeroplane flew over to spy on the Austrians, +so the Austrians fired on it. It was so curious to see clouds of grey +and red smoke when the shells burst; it was quite different from the +ordinary shot that had been fired at the aeroplanes before. A lot of +the people here had a near shave of being blown up with the bombs. One +fell just near a man I met yesterday and he was blown up four feet and +not hurt at all.</p> + +<br /> +<br /> + +<p class="right">Tuesday, <i>August 3, 1915.</i></p> + +<p>To-day I had a walk round Belgrade to see the shops; some of them are +very fine, but things are most expensive and the shop-people are very +quaint, they do not care if they sell their goods or not. The sister +who looks after me took me for a little walk this afternoon. We went +down near the Save to look across at Semlin; we are not allowed to go +too near, otherwise the snipers fire upon us. We saw the bridge that +crosses the <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_79" id="Page_79">[79]</a></span>Save, which the Serbians blew up to prevent the Austrians +crossing. We also went into several houses that have been ruined with +bombs. We could see the cathedral at Semlin quite plainly. The sister +and I went after to see the cathedral; the paintings are very fine. It +is fortunate that—up to the present—it has not been damaged inside. +Malaria is starting here; we had four cases in yesterday. The doctor +is afraid of our getting it, so we are to return to the camp +to-morrow. I am not to go on duty for another two weeks. There has +been much discussion in Serbia about our camp, and it seems that the +site chosen was not a suitable one. First of all a camp should be on a +slope, as I have always learnt from my V.A.D. lectures. Secondly, the +kind of soil should have been taken into consideration; I should have +thought that a porous soil would have been best, but our camp is on +clay. Thirdly, I think inquiries should have been made as to what the +land had been used for before pitching our tents. Another camp had +been on our site before, and we heard that refugees had been living on +the land for some time. When we arrived the land was covered with +bullocks, sheep, goats, pigs, fowls, ducks, which, of course, produced +flies, and as flies carry disease, I should think it was very +unsuitable.</p> + +<br /> +<br /> + +<p class="right">Friday, <i>August 6, 1915.</i></p> + +<p>I was taken bad in the night, so the doctor would not let me return to +the camp with the other <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_80" id="Page_80">[80]</a></span>members of our unit. The nurses are giving us +a tea-party, as they have had all kinds of lovely things sent from +England. I had Sister Barnes looking after me, such a nice girl, who +has travelled a great deal; a nurse who was at the Battersea A.V.S.H. +for four years, also a doctor's wife, who is married to one of the +doctors here; she is a Yorkshire girl, very charming. The three +members in our unit return to the camp this evening at Vrynatchka +Banja. One of the patients produced an egg every morning for his +breakfast; it was discovered that he had encouraged a hen to come into +his bed, and then it took to laying its eggs. We have sixteen more +patients brought in to-night with malaria; it seems to be spreading +rapidly, so it is a good thing that our people have returned to +Kragujevatz. All the doctors out here think that mistakes were made at +the first when typhus broke out, by sending the cases all over Serbia +to different hospitals, instead of keeping them in hospitals at Nish, +where it first started, and finding out the cause. It seems that +Serbia still requires more sanitary inspectors, though a great deal +has been done and is being done at the present time.</p> + +<br /> +<br /> + +<p class="right">Saturday, <i>August 7, 1915.</i></p> + +<p>I was taken bad again in the night, so I am again in bed. The doctor +has given me something to make me sleep, so I feel a little better. +They say I went on duty too soon after enteric. It does seem a shame +that the Austrian prisoners from the hospital <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_81" id="Page_81">[81]</a></span>have been sent +elsewhere to-day, they were such nice men and they do their work +splendidly. The one that looked after my ward brought me a large bowl +of flowers this morning, and he was always so pleased when the nurse +allowed him to bring me my medicine. I have had forty-five letters in +less than three weeks, people are so good in writing to me. I hear +that I have more letters than any one in the camp. Mrs. Askew is +staying in Belgrade, and she heard I was ill, so came in to see me. +They have no work to do in their unit just now. Mrs. Askew has had a +horse given her, so she goes out riding every morning from 4.30 to +5.30. The chaplain, Mr. Sewell, comes to see me very often; his wife +helps in the kitchen; they are a delightful couple. They come from +Bristol; a good many people here come from the North of England. A +little boy of thirteen years of age was brought in here yesterday; he +has fever, was in the Serbian uniform, and is a sergeant-major, such a +curious little fellow.</p> + +<br /> +<br /> + +<p class="right">Monday, <i>August 9, 1915.</i></p> + +<p>This morning Mr. Sewell had a little service for one of the nurses who +has had typhus and me; it is very nice having a chaplain with us. +Still in bed, so feel rather dull. Mr. Winch, the head of this unit, +paid me a visit this morning; then Mr. Sewell, the chaplain, came. +Miss Trendle, the matron, brought me books and papers. A nurse was +telling me a story that had been told her: the doctors heard a great +scream, went out to see <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_82" id="Page_82">[82]</a></span>what had happened; an old woman had fallen +and dislocated her patella; she would not allow any one to touch her, +and they sent off for a funny old woman whom they looked upon as a +witch. She came, and first put some sugar over the fractured part, +then a poached egg; then a bandage was put on; then the old witch got +people to hold the injured woman while she took the bad foot and +pulled and pulled as hard as she could.</p> + +<p>We hear that a lot of Austrians swam across the Danube the other day +to join the Serbian Army; the Austrians were drowned; the Serbs sent a +boat to rescue them, but it was too late. A few weeks ago one of the +Serbs swam across and joined the Austrians.</p> + +<br /> +<br /> + +<p class="right">Thursday, <i>August 12, 1915.</i></p> + +<p>This afternoon at 2 o'clock the Austrians started shelling this town. +The first shell dropped two doors from this hospital, setting the +place in flames; two shells struck two of the hotels. The shelling +lasted about three-quarters of an hour, but our firing soon stopped +them. It was from Semlin the Austrians were firing, and the guns must +have been very big as the shells were a very large size; I have a +piece of one. This is indeed a wicked war, so many people absolutely +ruined and their homes smashed to pieces. The matron from this +hospital returns to England in about ten days' time; she is having a +picnic this afternoon in the Botanical Gardens. One of our naval men +has just come up <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_83" id="Page_83">[83]</a></span>here. It seems that the Austrians fired two shells +on to Milanovatz; we replied by firing back four shells into one of +their towns. The Austrians replied by firing back eleven shells on +Belgrade; we sent back twenty-two shells into Semlin; then the house +was set on fire two doors from this hospital. A man blew a big whistle +for the fire alarm in the middle of the road. The doctor had me moved +into one of the back wards, as this ward is in the range for firing; +all the patients were removed to the back.</p> + +<br /> +<br /> + +<p class="right">Friday, <i>August 13, 1915.</i></p> + +<p>We hear that twenty-two bombs fired from here destroyed a lot of +houses and a lot of people in Semlin. Fires were seen blazing all +round; only one man was killed here and very little damage done. The +shells fired by the Austrians were from their 6-inch guns. The ward I +am in is a mass of flowers to-day; a lot of the nurses brought them +for me last night; they are all so kind to me.</p> + +<br /> +<br /> + +<p class="right">Saturday, <i>August 14, 1915.</i></p> + +<p>This evening about 10 o'clock a fire broke out at the back of this +hospital, about 150 yards away. It was a large brewery and was burnt +to the ground. We watched it until 12 o'clock; the sparks were a sight +floating along in the air. It was a chance for the Austrians to +attack, as Belgrade was lighted up all round. The searchlights look +lovely all along the Danube. We have Serbs, English and French here.</p> + +<br /> +<br /> + +<p class="right">Sunday, <i>August 15, 1915.</i><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_84" id="Page_84">[84]</a></span></p> + +<p>This morning the Serbians have been shelling some of the islands along +the Danube.</p> + +<br /> +<br /> + +<p class="right">Monday, <i>August 16, 1915.</i></p> + +<p>The Serbians and Austrians have been busy firing all the afternoon and +evening. We hear that the Austrians have found out where the English +guns are. They have smashed one of our English cannons; several +Serbians have been wounded. The Austrians have been trying for some +time to move their camp, as they want to go and help the Turks. The +Serbs, as soon as any attempt is made, fire on them. The sky was +lighted up with searchlights last night; this has never occurred +before, and probably Zeppelins were expected. The searchlights are +generally on the Danube and Save. My doctor here returned from our +camp this evening, so I have had another doctor looking after me.</p> + +<br /> +<br /> + +<p class="right">Wednesday, <i>August 18, 1915.</i></p> + +<p>Several of our unit came over from the camp to-day; they have two +days' leave, so they have come over to see Belgrade. Two are staying +on for a few days, as one is still feeling ill. I hear Dr. Atkinson is +over at Vrynatchka Banja with one of the orderlies who has had an +operation; they thought she was going to have cancer in the chest, but +it is a cist. I am much better this evening.</p> + +<br /> +<br /> + +<p class="right">Thursday, <i>August 19, 1915.</i></p> + +<p>We have had no more of the Austrian fireworks over here the last two +days; I expect the Serbs, <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_85" id="Page_85">[85]</a></span>English and French quieted them down the +other evening; we have plenty of large guns here. King Peter has a +lovely palace, but it has been very much damaged. This afternoon I was +allowed to go for a short walk, then I went to tea with one of the +nurses who has had typhus. Nineteen of us went to her tea-party.</p> + +<br /> +<br /> + +<p class="right">Friday, <i>August 20, 1915.</i></p> + +<p>Sister Barnes goes to Uskub to-morrow, so it has been arranged that +she takes me with her to stay a few days before returning to +Kragujevatz. We have had a nice wire from Lady Paget this afternoon, +saying that she was sending to meet us. Every one is so kind to me; +the doctors will not allow me to return to the camp until I have had +another change. This morning I went to the fort, as I had not been +anywhere; the commandant took us all over and showed us everything. We +looked through glasses from the trenches and saw the Austrians on the +other side; we could see the damage done by our shells on Semlin. We +could see two monitors on the Danube; they are only allowed to move a +few miles, otherwise we fire on them. We went into the trenches, but +had to be careful not to be seen. We saw a large unexploded bomb; it +was fortunate it had not burst; we also saw a small one which had gone +right into a tree. The buildings round the forts are quite in ruins. +At 4.30 the matron had a carriage for me and let me go to see the +hospital they have got for babies; so many babies had died through +neglect, so they have got <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_86" id="Page_86">[86]</a></span>this "Baby Farm," as they call it. It looks +on the Danube, and you can see the railway bridge that went over to +Austria, which was blown up by the Serbs. We had tea with a friend of +mine, Miss Bankhart, and the doctor who has been attending me; we +could not stay long as the carriage was waiting for us. I forgot to +say at the forts we went under a dark tunnel, which goes under the +Danube and lands one in Austria; it is blocked up part-way now. I hear +the other three nurses from Kragujevatz returned this evening; they +came to say good-bye to me but I was up at the Baby Farm. I leave for +Lady Paget's this evening.</p> + +<br /> +<br /> + +<p class="right">Saturday, <i>August 21, 1915.</i></p> + +<p>Sister Barnes and I left Belgrade at 6 o'clock; our coachman was a boy +of thirteen. He took us along a forbidden road to Topschaite; we had +to drive furiously on account of the snipers in the hedges on the +river Save which we were skirting, and only fifty miles away. The +horses went at such a speed that Miss Barnes' box took a flying leap +off the carriage; the Jehu turned round and gazed as if we were to get +out and pick it up. We left Topschaite station at 8. We had some +interesting Americans who have a camp at Nish; their camp is called +"Columbia" owing to the unit being chiefly made up from the university +of that name. One specially interested us as he told us that an +American Jew had inoculated him for typhus, a thing that we heard in +London was quite <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_87" id="Page_87">[87]</a></span>impossible. He was a Dr. Plot from New York; he is +only twenty-five years of age. We are told typhus is due to dirt, +lice, and sanitary conditions, and it was introduced into Serbia by +the Austrian prisoners. Among the other travellers who interested us +was a man with a blue-grey hat, a khaki coat, red knickers and black +top boots. He was very sorry for himself; his bull-dog had taken a +slice out of his trousers. He carried a beautiful embossed sword. We +arrived at Nish, which is a place that seems to be suffering from the +seven plagues of Egypt, from flies, dust, dirt, smells, etc. We were +told that the Serbs have brains like scrambled eggs, as they scatter +their diseases all over their country. We arrived at Nish at 11 +o'clock. We were taken to the rest house by the Americans. We visited +the American camp, then went to the Serbian Red Cross office to get +Miss Barnes' typhus medal. We left by the 8 o'clock train for Uskub, +or Scoplie.</p> + +<br /> +<br /> + +<p class="right">Monday, <i>August 23, 1915.</i></p> + +<p>We had a comfortable night in the train, arriving at Scoplie at 6 a.m. +We saw a lot of buffalo and storks in the fields on the way. Lady +Paget sent to meet us. We had breakfast and then went to bed. Lady +Paget has Lord and Lady Templemore; they are the father and mother of +Mr. Chichester who died a few days ago from typhoid. I shall be here +about a week.</p> + +<p>The change is doing me a lot of good here, and I <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_88" id="Page_88">[88]</a></span>am feeling quite +better again and ready for work. I hope to return to the camp on +Sunday evening, arriving at Kragujevatz early Tuesday morning. I have +thoroughly enjoyed being here, and am quite in love with this place, +it is so Eastern.</p> + +<p>After breakfast Sister Barnes and I went to rest, had lunch and then +went to the village in a carriage which was driven by Turks. We bought +a lot of lovely things. This is the most ideal place in Serbia; it is +like an Eastern village, and it is full of Turks, and the costumes are +most picturesque. This has been a wet day; there is a large market +held here every Tuesday. The train for Salonika left at 6 o'clock. I +went down to the station with some of the doctors and Lady Paget; the +latter was seeing Lord and Lady Templemore off. We met some of the +Farmers' unit from Belgrade, who were passing through. We got home +about 8 o'clock and I was sent to rest until luncheon. After lunch I +went into the village to do some shopping with two of the nurses. +Scoplie belonged to the Turks only two years ago; it is more Turkish +than Serbian.</p> + +<br /> +<br /> + +<p class="right">Wednesday, <i>August 25, 1915.</i></p> + +<p>This morning the four night nurses and I drove down to the market to +do some shopping; I also went to see the park. The market here is very +picturesque. To ring the church bells a man has to sit on the roof. +Some of the roofs of the houses are made of biscuit tins; as long as +the rain does not come in it does not matter what they use.</p> + +<br /> +<br /> + +<p class="right">Thursday, <i>August 26, 1915.</i><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_89" id="Page_89">[89]</a></span></p> + +<p>Have been to the Turkish villages again to-day. We went to see a +chapel which is full of coffins. There was a white cloth over them and +a Turkish hat, and also a stone at the top, and a lighted candle. +These coffins have to be kept for 100 years; they contain the bodies +of priests and Turkish kings. To advertise tailors here, one sees a +large placard of an Englishman in a frock coat and a top hat. To +advertise dentists they have large cases of false teeth, and they +write the name of the dentist with the teeth. Turkish cemeteries are +to be seen everywhere, and one sees skeletons and bones lying about +the fields. The cemeteries are not railed in at all. There are harems +all over the place; one can always tell them as the windows are +barred. Most of the pathways round here are paved with old Turkish +tombstones.</p> + +<br /> +<br /> + +<p class="right">Friday, <i>August 27, 1915.</i></p> + +<p>We hear that Belgrade is being bombarded again, and that no private +people are allowed to go there. This morning we went into the Turkish +quarter, and we went over some old Turkish baths. I saw over the wards +at the hospital; there are over 400 patients. Malaria is very bad +here, and there have been several deaths from it. It is the malignant +malaria that is so dangerous. Mr. Chichester died of typhoid and +para-typhoid combined. Para-typhoid affects the nervous system. There +is also another kind of typhoid, A and B, and one can be inoculated +for the three.</p> + +<br /> +<br /> + +<p class="right">Saturday, <i>August 28, 1915.</i><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_90" id="Page_90">[90]</a></span></p> + +<p>This morning the night nurses and I drove over to see the melon and +tobacco fields. The tobacco leaves are threaded on string and are +dried on the outside of houses under the eaves; it looks so nice +hanging down. After tea one of the sisters and I went for a drive by +the river, and we passed thousands and thousands of troops coming from +Albania. They were Albanians and Serbians; they had hundreds of +horses, who were laden with ammunition and all kinds of transport on +their backs. Lots of them had goats and fowls on their backs, which +looked perfectly happy and quite tame. I expect all these troops were +going to line the Bulgarian border, but we have not heard yet. 150,000 +have passed through Scoplie the last few days. If the roofs of the +small cottages get damaged they are repaired with petrol or biscuit +tins.</p> + +<br /> +<br /> + +<p class="right">Sunday, <i>August 29, 1915.</i></p> + +<p>We went down into the little village for a drive. On our way back we +saw a quaint band and a lot of Turks and Serbs in the most lovely +costumes, wrestling; it was amusing to watch them. I left Lady Paget's +to catch the 7 o'clock train. Lady Paget came to see me off. Mr. Askew +was on the train, so it was nice knowing some one.</p> + +<br /> +<br /> + +<p class="right">Monday, <i>August 30, 1915.</i></p> + +<p>We arrived at Nish at 8 a.m. Our carriage was very full: a Serbian +doctor, three Serbian officers, and a French lady who was travelling +with me. <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_91" id="Page_91">[91]</a></span>The Serbians brought us a beautiful melon; they are quite +different to our English ones. I am writing this at the station at +Nish. My train leaves to-night for Kragujevatz at 8 o'clock. We got off +comfortably. Mr. Askew went down and got me a nice sleeping-carriage, +but unfortunately I had to change at 3 o'clock at Lapovo. I arrived at +Kragujevatz at 6 o'clock.</p> + +<br /> +<br /> + +<p class="right">Tuesday, <i>August 31, 1915.</i></p> + +<p>On arriving at the camp, Mrs. Stobart was just off to another +dispensary. We have five dispensaries working now. Another is to be +started on Saturday; this is the last. The chief, I hear, is to return +to England in about three weeks, as her son has returned from America. +Dr. May will be left in charge of this camp. Colonel Harrison came to +dinner; he is the English Military Attaché. He is returning to England +as his health has broken down. Very few English people can stand the +climate for very long.</p> + +<br /> +<br /> + +<p class="right">Wednesday, <i>September 1, 1915.</i></p> + +<p>Mrs. Stobart returned from the dispensary. Colonel Harrison came to +dinner with the new English Attaché; Colonel Harrison left directly +after for England. He has left us the most beautiful gramaphone.</p> + +<p>We heard the sad news to-day that Nurse Berry died on arriving in +England. She was a beautiful girl and a splendid nurse. She was my +nurse when I first became ill, and she was taken bad a few days <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_92" id="Page_92">[92]</a></span>after +we were together at Vrynatchka Banja; she was craving to get home.</p> + +<br /> +<br /> + +<p class="right">Thursday, <i>September 2, 1915.</i></p> + +<p>Nothing of interest has happened to-day. I am not on duty, but hope to +be in a day or two.</p> + +<p>The weather is still very hot, but we have a good deal of wind; the +guy ropes constantly want tightening.</p> + +<br /> +<br /> + +<p class="right">Sunday, <i>September 5, 1915.</i></p> + +<p>We had service at 5.30 a.m. I helped one of the sisters get ready for +Mr. Little. Several of the Scotch unit came up. Friday and Saturday I +was busy doing the accounts, as my part has not been done since I +left, and we have about fifty of the staff and 125 patients.</p> + +<br /> +<br /> + +<p class="right">Monday, <i>September 6, 1915.</i></p> + +<p>I have been for two walks to-day, first with one of the doctors, and +then with one of the sisters, the first walk since I was ill. This +morning we went through maize fields, and on our way met several women +spinning; they are always at their knitting or spinning working on the +fields. Their knitting is wonderful as they make such lovely patterns +with different coloured wools. We saw a man making baskets. He first +gathered the willow sticks, which he put into boiling water, removed +the skin, then he started his basket work. This morning I went up to +the cemetery. Fancy, over 11,000 graves since November, 1914, all +soldiers, and there are just plain little wooden crosses to each, and +four in a <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_93" id="Page_93">[93]</a></span>grave. Dr. and Lady Finlay came over to see our camp; she +came out with us on the <i>Saidieh</i>.</p> + +<p>I got the accounts finished up to date, and in the afternoon about +fifteen of us went off on two bullock wagons to get blackberries, as +we have scarcely any jam left. Mrs. Stobart had asked us at lunch who +would volunteer. We took tea with us. We went about two miles but did +not get any, only one of our unit who lost us, and she found a hedge +covered and so managed to get a bowl full. The fields are full of +maize, and amongst the maize they grow pumpkins and marrows, and large +sunflowers, and up the maize stalks they grow beans. The soil is +wonderfully rich. Some of our party brought a large pumpkin back with +them. The peasant women are much to be admired; they do all the field +work, and one will meet them driving the oxen and nursing a baby. The +oxen are lovely beasts and so well cared for, but they are very slow +in their movements. The hills round are lovely; the most wonderful +colourings.</p> + +<br /> +<br /> + +<p class="right">Tuesday, <i>September 7, 1915.</i></p> + +<p>I am not on duty yet, so this morning I have been doing a little +washing and ironing. This afternoon I went for a short walk and got +some lovely cape gooseberries and flowers; they are very plentiful. +The Serbians make quite a nice jam out of the cape gooseberries.</p> + +<br /> +<br /> + +<p class="right">Wednesday, <i>September 8, 1915.</i></p> + +<p>I went into Kragujevatz this morning to do some <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_94" id="Page_94">[94]</a></span>shopping; met Miss +Vera Holmes. We bought a hat for one of the sisters going to a +dispensary. You never saw such things; the hats are just like those at +the sales in London for which we give 6-½<i>d.</i> I went for a walk with +Dr. Coxon, and as we were passing a vineyard such a nice woman called +us in and gave us grapes and flowers. It is wonderful the richness of +the soil, for when we arrived here in April there was very little on +the land, and it all seems to spring up at once. We are getting short +of provisions here; we managed to get some Serbian bacon, but when you +want anything of this kind you find there is a long line of people +outside the shop waiting for it to open, and my commissionaire goes in +at the back door and buys it all up; it seems too bad. Tea is 15<i>s.</i> +per lb.; bread, 8-½<i>d.</i> per loaf; sugar, 1<i>s.</i> 6<i>d.</i>; butter, 7<i>s.</i></p> + +<br /> +<br /> + +<p class="right">Thursday, <i>September 9, 1915.</i></p> + +<p>I went to see a camp of Serbian soldiers; they had many large guns and +carts full of shells which they showed us. Sixteen shells in each +cart; they were 15 cc. They also had boxes full of rings of gun +cotton, with powder in the centre; these they put on the top part of +the shell before firing it off. There are about 200 bullocks and carts +at this camp. The hood part of the ox-cart is used as a shelter for +two soldiers to sleep under, and very comfortable it looks, and they +only have a very few tents to pitch and quite small ones, low to the +ground; one cannot stand up in them. Six men <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_95" id="Page_95">[95]</a></span>sleep in one tent. We +went to see the air-craft guns and were shown how they were worked; it +was most interesting. We then went on to where the Serbs were +practising firing the shells. They have high stone walls which they +use as a target, and there are two or three trenches near the walls. +We saw lots of bursted shells. In the afternoon we went for another +walk and saw the women making wine out of plums. They pack large +barrels full of plums, then fill them up with water and put some sugar +in; these are left for a month or longer; then the liquor is drawn off +and bottled. I wish the plums had been washed! We met some women +knitting some elaborate coloured stockings; the colour is worked in +after the stockings are knitted. Some of the walnuts here are almost +as large as a hen's egg.</p> + +<br /> +<br /> + +<p class="right">Saturday, <i>September 11, 1915.</i></p> + +<p>To-day I have been in the wards taking the numbers down of all the +patients. I also did some washing, then I got some lovely wild flowers +and arranged them in our sitting-room. We have a gorgeous Indian tent; +it is cool in the hot weather and warm in cold; it is lined inside +with yellow. I have a very large tent all to myself; it would hold +quite six or eight beds, so I am in luck's way. On my table I +constantly find dishes of grapes, and to-night I found a dish of +boiled corn—so good, I invited four of the nurses up to help eat it. +The farm girls bring me all these good things, but of course I have to +be careful what I eat. Five of <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_96" id="Page_96">[96]</a></span>the Second Farmers' unit have been to +spend the day with us; one of them comes from St. Leonards. She has +asked me to go and see her when I return to England. I also met a +nurse from Holland; she knows me quite well by sight; she used to work +for Dr. Stanley Turner at Battersea.</p> + +<br /> +<br /> + +<p class="right">Sunday, <i>September 12, 1915.</i></p> + +<p>I have been for two short walks to-day. The fields are still a mass of +lovely wild flowers, and the hedges full of red berries. I keep the +sitting-room supplied with flowers as I am not allowed to do work, so +I do all kinds of odd jobs.</p> + +<br /> +<br /> + +<p class="right">Monday, <i>September 13, 1915.</i></p> + +<p>A wet day, so I wrote cards this morning and mended stockings. Letters +and papers are coming very badly from home. We have seven dispensaries +at work; Mrs. Stobart has just started the last one.</p> + +<br /> +<br /> + +<p class="right">Tuesday, <i>September 14, 1915.</i></p> + +<p>I went for a walk with one of the sisters. We saw a large Serbian +camp, then on to a gipsy village. We had crowds of little children +after us; they are not used to seeing strangers about. We then saw a +cemetery where some Austrian prisoners were digging up some old +graves; the skulls and bones they were collecting and putting into +handkerchiefs to re-bury them; it was a ghastly sight. In this +cemetery they had little arched fireplaces made of brick at the head +of each grave. I suppose in the <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_97" id="Page_97">[97]</a></span>cold weather when they come to wail +over the grave they light a fire. I have picked up seven horseshoes, +so I ought to have some good luck.</p> + +<div class="img"> +<a href="images/imagep96a.jpg"> +<img border="0" src="images/imagep96a.jpg" width="75%" alt="A waggon drawn by oxen at Kragujevatz." /></a><br /> +<p class="cen" style="margin-top: .2em;">A waggon drawn by oxen at Kragujevatz.</p> +</div> + +<div class="img"> +<a href="images/imagep96b.jpg"> +<img border="0" src="images/imagep96b.jpg" width="75%" alt="Gun captured from the Turks in the last war." /></a><br /> +<p class="cen" style="margin-top: .2em;">Gun captured from the Turks in the last war. Used by the Serbs to bring down German aeroplanes.</p> +<p class="right" style="margin-top: .2em; padding-right: 20%;"><i>Face page 96.</i></p> +</div> + +<br /> +<br /> + +<p class="right">Wednesday, <i>September 15, 1915.</i></p> + +<p>I was not well again to-day, so I stayed in bed all day. The doctors +say I am not to do any work for six months in the kitchen departments; +it is very annoying.</p> + +<br /> +<br /> + +<p class="right">Thursday, <i>September 16, 1915.</i></p> + +<p>It seems that the peasants only have three sets of clothes to last +them their life; the cloth is homespun, very strong and heavy, and a +dark brown colour, most serviceable. It is trimmed with black braid.</p> + +<br /> +<br /> + +<p class="right">Saturday, <i>September 18, 1915.</i></p> + +<p>Two of the sisters arrived last night from the dispensary. They have +had several cases of small-pox; out of six cases in the village, two +died. The peasants are the most funny people. Three days before the +death of one of the smallpox patients everything was got ready for the +burial. The coffin was made by friends on the premises. The girl was +told, when our nurse went to feed her, not to take any more food. +Before the girl was actually dead she was put in her very best clothes +to be buried in; she was also laid out before the breath was out of +her body. The coffin was left open until just before putting into the +grave. There were no priests in the village, and the girl was buried +by her friends.</p> + +<br /> +<br /> + +<p class="right">Sunday, <i>September 19, 1915.</i><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_98" id="Page_98">[98]</a></span></p> + +<p>We had service at 5.30 a.m. The priests in Serbia are not allowed to +go into the church until they are married. In war time no priests are +allowed to marry, so they are not able to go into the church. The +priest at Natalintse went to have dinner at our dispensary. He took +with him all the things that he thought they would not have, cheese +and wine. They were having goose for dinner. He took this course, and +then he kept stretching across the table, took a fork without asking, +and kept helping himself; he had five helpings of goose. Pudding he +refused, but our interpreter was sitting next to him, so he took a +fork and took a taste of his pudding without asking. Five little boys +keep the church in order and they ring the bell. The priests and +people think nothing of spitting on the floor of the church. I thought +this habit was bad enough in the streets in England, but I find that +it is worse abroad. This morning a Red Cross ambulance corps, pulled +by bullock-wagons, passed this camp; they were the first to go to +Malanovatz to join the first field ambulance, the Bevis unit. This +afternoon I went up to see another Serbian camp, and took photographs.</p> + +<br /> +<br /> + +<p class="right">Monday, <i>September 20, 1915.</i></p> + +<p>We are having lovely weather, but the nights are terribly cold, and +there is a thick frost in the morning. The days are very hot. It seems +that when the Austrians last year got into Belgrade they were <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_99" id="Page_99">[99]</a></span>there +for thirteen days. When the Serbs drove them out, they found a +freshly-made cemetery full of wooden crosses. The Serbs thought that +it was strange within such a short time, and the graves were a curious +shape. The Serbs turned up the soil and found about 80,000 pieces of +ammunition.</p> + +<br /> +<br /> + +<p class="right">Tuesday, <i>September 21, 1915.</i></p> + +<p>Mrs. Stobart, Mr. Greenhalgh, Colonel Gentnich, Mr. Little and myself +motored over to Vilanovatz to see the dispensary. There is one doctor, +a nurse, a cook and two orderlies; the dispensary site is very +beautiful. They are doing good work and they have about 70 to 100 +patients every day; they come for miles; some of them are in a +terrible condition. This dispensary is fifteen miles away; the ride is +lovely, the scenery being so very beautiful. The fields are looking so +pretty with wild crocuses. There is only one shop in the village. +Paprica grows very plentifully out here; the stews are quite red with +it. The paprica is also eaten in the green state filled with meat +minced.</p> + +<br /> +<br /> + +<p class="right">Wednesday, <i>September 22, 1915.</i></p> + +<p>This morning one of the sisters and I went on the top of some hills to +see the Serbians practising and testing some Turkish shells. It was +most interesting, for they were telephoning up to the arsenal after +every one that was fired, stating the distances. In the afternoon we +both went up to get a shell; there were fourteen unexploded ones.</p> + +<br /> +<br /> + +<p class="right">Thursday, <i>September 23, 1915.</i><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_100" id="Page_100">[100]</a></span></p> + +<p>We have heard nothing but firing most of the day. I forgot to say that +on Tuesday a message came up from the Government to say that an aerial +raid was expected, but they were again driven back.</p> + +<br /> +<br /> + +<p class="right">Friday, <i>September 24, 1915.</i></p> + +<p>To-day we hear that the Bulgarians have joined with the Austrians, and +that fighting has started on the Bulgarian frontier. All along the +Danube and at Belgrade the Austrians were bombarding. One hundred +shells were fired.</p> + +<br /> +<br /> + +<p class="right">Saturday, <i>September 25, 1915.</i></p> + +<p>To-day we had a message from the Serbian Government to say that part +of our unit had to go to form a hospital near the Bulgarian frontier. +The Serbians have a splendid equipment ready. Twenty of this unit are +going: Mrs. Stobart, Mr. Greenhalgh, two doctors, six chauffeurs, two +cooks, two orderlies, and six nurses. They are taking six motors. We +shall be very busy here with so many of the staff away. The doctors +want me to stay a little longer to help in the wards, do the diet +sheets and the accounts, and help the nurses.</p> + +<br /> +<br /> + +<p class="right">Sunday, <i>September 26, 1915.</i></p> + +<p>We had two services to-day, one at 5 a.m., the other at 5 p.m. We are +still having very hot days but the nights are cold. The wild flowers +are beautiful, and there are lots of butterflies, little blues, <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_101" id="Page_101">[101]</a></span>and a +dark yellow with black edge round the wings, and swallow-tail. There +are scarcely any cabbage butterflies here, but there are some quite +small white, like the cabbage.</p> + +<br /> +<br /> + +<p class="right">Monday, <i>September 27, 1915.</i></p> + +<p>The part of our unit that was to go to the Bulgarian frontier had to +be inspected to-day, with all their baggage. There is some difficulty +in getting through to Salonika, owing to the troops going to the +frontier.</p> + +<br /> +<br /> + +<p class="right">Tuesday, <i>September 28, 1915.</i></p> + +<p>I hope to be back on duty in a few days. To-night the sky was most +gorgeous, quite indescribable; there were two of the most beautiful +rainbows, absolutely perfect, with a sunset which illuminated the +mountains all round. Moles are very plentiful here; they make a +dreadful mess of all the fields. One lived under the ground-sheet in +our sleeping-tent, but, poor thing, it got trodden on and we found it +dead. There are a few bats; they are a tremendous size, much larger +than they are in England. Grasshoppers and locusts are also plentiful. +Small birds are scarce, only a few sparrows and swallows and +sand-martins and larks. The swallows have their nests right inside +some of the houses on the tops of the electric light and in some of +the corners. They fly about at night, catching flies, not caring for +any one. We heard last night that the Scottish unit had lost one of +their nurses, with <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_102" id="Page_102">[102]</a></span>typhoid; it was at Valievo. Dr. Inglis, from +Kragujevatz, and the head of the Scottish women's hospital, a woman +doctor, had to read the burial service. I had a lovely large bunch of +hyssop given to me this morning; it is used in the churches at +christenings to sprinkle the infant with holy water.</p> + +<br /> +<br /> + +<p class="right">Wednesday, <i>September 29, 1915.</i></p> + +<p>To-day we had a medal presented to us from King Peter. It is a coat of +arms on a cross of Serbia, and is called the Cross of Charity. Two of +the Government officials came up to present us with them, and they +gave us a testimonial of their appreciation of our services. We hear +to-day that the Bulgarians have started fighting. I saw some of the +Serbian cavalry starting for the Bulgarian frontier; they were going +to Nish, then towards Pirot. The Serbs are very brave and some of them +stand pain so well. One man had an operation on his spine, some broken +bone removed, and he was walking about two hours after. Another man +had some varicose veins removed and he was walking ten minutes after.</p> + +<br /> +<br /> + +<p class="right">Thursday, <i>September 30, 1915.</i></p> + +<p>This morning at 7 o'clock we had an air raid; six German aeroplanes +came over dropping thirty bombs on Kragujevatz. Most of the bombs +dropped near the arsenal and at the station; they tried to get the +magazine, but did not succeed. The bombs did little damage, but six +people were killed and <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_103" id="Page_103">[103]</a></span>several wounded. We brought one aeroplane +down; we saw quite plainly and the bombs seemed to drop right on the +aeroplane—a great blaze of fire we could see—and the aeroplane fell +to the ground only a few minutes' walk from this camp in the main +street, just near the cathedral. It came down quite gently, and as it +got to the ground there was a great crash; the men were both Germans; +they were smashed to pieces. I have taken two photographs; all the +woodwork was burnt away. I have several interesting pieces of the +aeroplane. The Germans had their diaries on them; these of course were +taken to the Government office. An officer was killed at the arsenal, +so they had a military funeral for him this afternoon. The other +portion of our unit may go to the front any time now; they are only +waiting for orders.</p> + +<br /> +<br /> + +<p class="right">Friday, <i>October 1, 1915.</i></p> + +<p>This morning at 6.45 we had another air raid. We soon cleared the camp +of the patients. Three aeroplanes came over in all, and dropped about +fifteen bombs on Kragujevatz. Five fell in the arsenal, but little +damage was done; several fell round about the station. Several of the +station men got into a truck for shelter. One shell fell just outside +smashing up the pavement along the line. A piece of the shell went +through the truck; no one was injured, and it was given to me +afterwards. The air raid lasted about one hour. When all was over Dr. +May and Dr. Berry asked me to take them to see the aircraft <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_104" id="Page_104">[104]</a></span>guns. +These were about seven minutes' walk from the camp on the top of a +hill; two of the Serbian camps were also near by. I knew several of +the officers at the camp. On arriving we were met by some of them; +they took us round and showed us the guns and the shells, explaining +and describing all about them. There are three very large guns, and +these took the 12 inch shells; they were of French make, and two +smaller ones which were captured from the Turks in the last war.</p> + +<p>We had only been up on the firing ground about five minutes when the +signal was given that enemy aeroplanes were sighted. All men were at +their posts in a second, and it was splendid to see the order and +discipline.</p> + +<p>It was no use our retiring, as it would not have been safe, so we +stood by while the firing was going on. The vibration and noise were +terrific; one could not see even these large shells coming out of the +guns, only fire and smoke. I took a photograph while the firing was +going on. Five bombs were dropped in Kragujevatz, one on our camp, +which fortunately did not explode. It was only a few yards away from +the night nurse's tent and mine, otherwise we should have had our poor +tents in pieces. Two bombs fell on the magazine, destroying lots of +our stores; three tents were burnt, but the fire was soon +extinguished. Nine 7 lb. tins of marmalade were smashed to pieces; +marmalade was all over the floor, windows, ceilings and walls, making +the place in the most terrible mess; other stores were also spoilt; +pieces of <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_105" id="Page_105">[105]</a></span>shrapnel were found in the sugar. About eighty shells were +fired on the aeroplanes, and it got so hot for them that they soon +fled. The air raid was over at 10, so our patients were allowed to +return.</p> + +<p>In the evening we had a farewell party, given by one of the sisters, +as she was leaving for Lady Paget's hospital, and twenty of our unit +were leaving for the Bulgarian frontier with Mrs. Stobart, and they +were to go to Perot. They left at 10 p.m., and slept in the train all +night; the train left at 7.20 in the morning. They have taken five +motor ambulances, three bullock wagons, one kitchen that was captured +from the Austrians by the Serbs, a few bandages and medical stores. A +Serbian army was supplying all the other necessary medical stores and +equipments for "The Flying Field Hospital." I was to have gone, but +owing to having had typhoid was not allowed. It was arranged that the +doctors, nurses, cooks and orderlies should change over every month, +so that all could get a variety of work.</p> + +<br /> +<br /> + +<p class="right">Saturday, <i>October 2, 1915.</i></p> + +<p>Another telephone message arrived at 7 a.m., to say that three +aeroplanes had crossed the frontier. We got breakfast over at 5.30 and +the camp was cleared of all the patients, and then we left ourselves. +It is interesting to see all the townspeople going out miles into the +country for safety. Fortunately the wind got up and the flyers had to +return, but they managed to drop their fifteen bombs on another town +close by. On our return home to the camp we went by the <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_106" id="Page_106">[106]</a></span>guns, and I +was introduced to the man who brought down the aeroplane on Thursday, +September 30. It was the Turkish aircraft gun he was using, quite a +small one. We expect air raids every day now; this means breakfast at +5.30. We are clearing this hospital of the old patients, and are +getting ready for the fresh wounded, and it will not take us long to +be straight.</p> + +<p>We can do nothing much in the mornings now, so we work hard all +afternoon. The arsenal is also closed in the mornings.</p> + +<br /> +<br /> + +<p class="right">Sunday, <i>October 3, 1915.</i></p> + +<p>It has been too cloudy and too windy for an air raid to-day, so we +have had a day of rest. Pontoon bridges have been passing most of the +afternoon on the road by our camp. I expect these are going to the +Bulgarian frontier.</p> + +<p>A very young student at a village near here was full of mischief, and +for a lark he poured a pot of red paint into the holy water. The +priest at the early service looked up, and found that all his +congregation had red crosses on their foreheads. The priest told us +this story, and the boy got into great trouble over it.</p> + +<p>The name of the aeroplane that was brought down at Kragujevatz was the +"Albatross." The younger German killed was an engineer twenty-six +years of age.</p> + +<p>Pieces of aeroplane were found at Ratcher, but nothing else. Another +aeroplane was seen to turn over outside a small village, but has not +been found.</p> + +<br /> +<br /> + +<p class="right">Monday, <i>October 4, 1915.</i><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_107" id="Page_107">[107]</a></span></p> + +<p>The camp was cleared about 7 o'clock, as we received a message that +six aeroplanes had been sighted over the frontier; they were prevented +from getting to Kragujevatz. The Germans say they will smash up +Kragujevatz, also the railway line. A very little damage has been done +considering.</p> + +<p>We had a card from the other part of our unit which left for Perot, +saying that they had arrived safely, and that they liked their +position; they were on the top of a hill, and looked down on the +enemy.</p> + +<br /> +<br /> + +<p class="right">Tuesday, <i>October 5, 1915.</i></p> + +<p>Two aeroplanes flew over Lapovo, dropped three bombs on the line, but +no damage was done. We cleared our camp as on previous days but +nothing happened.</p> + +<br /> +<br /> + +<p class="right">Wednesday, <i>October 6, 1915.</i></p> + +<p>We are about ready for the fresh wounded; we have put up one or two +fresh marquees, which hold each about twenty-six beds. We have +seventy-two tents in all, and a number in reserve if required. We have +long buildings when the weather gets cold, which have been built +during the summer by the Austrian prisoners; these were intended for +cholera, but fortunately we did not get this disease in Serbia, so the +buildings have been promised us by the Government for wards for our +patients during the winter months. They are very long low buildings +and would hold about thirty or forty beds; there were about six +buildings in all.</p> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_108" id="Page_108">[108]</a></span>On one occasion, in our ward, a patient who was on light diet, was +found to have a parcel under his pillow. This parcel was found to +contain a little roasted pig, from which he had been helping himself +to small pieces. His relations had been to visit him that afternoon +and had given it to him, regardless of whether it was a suitable +present or not. Pigs in this country are cooked when they are quite +tiny, and a leg is only sufficient for one person's meal. Lambs are +also killed and cooked about the same age, and it is really difficult +to find any meat on the bones after they are roasted. The Serbs do not +consider meat good when it is fully grown, excepting oxen, and beef in +Serbia is one of the worst classes of meat, probably on account of +their being used for labour. Milk is scarce owing to the cows being +used for transport.</p> + +<p>They have an extraordinary one-stringed instrument which they will +play for the whole of the day; crowds of people will sit round +listening; this was most trying when the patients got hold of it in +the wards, very monotonous and trying, and some of the singing is also +very weird, being only on one or two notes, but on the whole they are +the most musical people. In the cathedrals the singing is perfectly +lovely, such well trained voices.</p> + +<p>We hear that the Germans started shelling Belgrade at 3 a.m.; it +lasted for many hours. We had a thick fog at night, which reminded one +of London, being equally dense but not so yellow.</p> + +<br /> +<br /> + +<p class="right">Thursday, <i>October 7, 1915.</i><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_109" id="Page_109">[109]</a></span></p> + +<p>Still a thick fog, and we hear that Belgrade is still being bombarded. +The English and French troops have been expected for some time to help +the poor Serbs, and we are told that Nish and many other towns are +decorated in their honour.</p> + +<p>I understand that the bombardment of Belgrade has not been quite so +severe to-day, but all English missions have been told to leave. The +Germans have landed in three places. They crossed the Save in boats +and by pontoon bridges; there were about 3,000 of them. It was a misty +night, and they thought they would not be noticed. The Serbs allowed +them to cross, and then took 2,000 prisoners. The pontoon bridges and +boats were sunk; then they had a hand-to-hand fight in the streets, +knives being principally used, and we heard that even the women joined +in. Many bodies were floating in the Danube and the Save; we heard +that two of our Marines were killed and several wounded.</p> + +<p>This afternoon we went over the wounded Allies' hospital at +Kragujevatz with one of the sisters. In one ward there was a brigand +who was wounded; he had told the nurses that that was his profession. +We also saw an Austrian who was an artist, and he had obtained in the +hospital several orders for his pictures, for which he made the sum of +10<i>s.</i> We also saw a German who had had both his legs amputated; he +was allowed to make baskets, and was selling them.</p> + +<p>This evening one of the doctors consented to my leaving, as having an +appointment in England I had <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_110" id="Page_110">[110]</a></span>only another two or three weeks leave of +absence and as we heard it might be rather difficult later on to get +away. I was asked to look after an orderly from the second Farmers' +unit, who had just recovered from typhoid; she would not have been +able to do any work for some weeks so it was decided she should return +to England in my care.</p> + +<br /> +<br /> + +<p class="right">Friday, <i>October 8, 1915.</i></p> + +<p>I was busy packing most of the morning, then I did up the accounts and +the diet sheets for the wards, finishing up this part of my work. In +the afternoon one of the sisters and I went to the arsenal and I was +presented with a medal of King Peter. We also saw many of the +treasures which were taken off the German aeroplane which was brought +down. They showed us an orange printed paper with full instructions +on. It was of course in German and it said that they had to come to +Kragujevatz and drop four bombs.</p> + +<p>It was very painful saying good-bye to my kitchen staff, principally +Austrian prisoners who had done such good work. When they first came +they said, "No pay, therefore no work." I replied, "No work, therefore +no food," and they quickly fell in with my views, which they never +resented but really worked well. The commissionaire came up to say +good-bye with his daughter, and brought from his wife two cooked +chickens for our journey, a dozen eggs, walnuts, apples and jam. I +packed these up, then went in to dinner. When I returned I found my +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_111" id="Page_111">[111]</a></span>parcels had been unpacked by the dogs from the farm near by; the +chickens had gone, the eggs eaten, and bits of shell all over the +floor of my tent. Eggs when boiled hard out here the white will often +be found soft no matter how long one boils it. Also the apples and the +nuts scattered about; my tent was a sight to behold, but fortunately +we had other things provided for the journey.</p> + +<p>At 9 o'clock fifteen wounded men were brought in from Belgrade. They +were in the most terrible condition, and they described to us the most +awful slaughter that had taken place there.</p> + +<p>At 10 o'clock one of the Government officials came up to say good-bye, +and to bring my pass on the railway as far as the Greek frontier, and +also gave me some sweets.</p> + +<p>At 11.30 the carriage came to take us to the station. The train was +leaving at 12 o'clock. A terrible night, pouring with rain, and we all +got wet through before starting. We had a comfortable journey as far +as Lapovo, where we arrived at 2 a.m. Here we had to change, and were +supposed to get a train on in an hour's time, but waited about till 5 +o'clock, and were then told that there would not be a train on till +noon. We piled our luggage up and went to our dispensary, which is on +the line. We found the windows open and the door unlocked and every +one in bed. They had left it like this as they were expecting the +doctor from Nish, who had gone to fetch fresh supplies of stores. We +took off our boots and lay down on the beds in the ward until 7 +o'clock, then we <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_112" id="Page_112">[112]</a></span>had breakfast and took it in turns to go back to the +station to take charge of the luggage. It was a pitiful sight while in +the station, watching the train loads of refugees coming in from +Belgrade. Many of the women were crying as they related their sad +experiences to the people on the platform. Also train loads of wounded +were coming in; many had been to our dispensary on the Thursday to +have their wounds dressed before going on to a permanent hospital.</p> + +<p>We were told that 6,000 or 7,000 shells had been fired in Belgrade, +and that many places were on fire.</p> + +<p>At 11 o'clock a train came in from Belgrade, and I heard several +voices calling to me, and I found there were some of Admiral +Troubridge's unit on the train, and three or four of the first +Farmers' unit. They all looked very ill and were covered with mud. +They had left Belgrade at 6 o'clock the night before, and had had to +walk many miles before they could get the train, and had left +everything behind them, only having the clothes they stood up in. They +had only had bread to eat and were almost famished, so I told them to +come and get into our carriage, as we could give them some of the food +we had for our journey. I then went to the guard and asked where this +train was going to, and he replied "to Nish"; but there was only a +cattle truck for us, so we all got into it, and as it was very +doubtful about our getting a train at 12 o'clock we thought it better +to go on. We gave them all a good meal of tongue and beef sandwiches, +bread and cheese and apples and <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_113" id="Page_113">[113]</a></span>lemonade, and they were indeed +thankful, poor things! for they had gone through a terrible time. They +told us many sad stories of our brave Serbians, who ran into the +hospitals, had their wounds dressed, and then went back to fight. All +the patients in the hospitals who were suffering from bronchitis, +pneumonia, and consumption, and many other diseases, put on their +clothes and went to the trenches. They also told us that the American +hospital was staying on, so all their luggage was sent to this +hospital for safety; later on the American hospital was seen in +flames. The members of these units got out of the train at Chupria, to +join Admiral Troubridge. We heard that the English batteries, with the +exception of one, had been quieted at Belgrade. At Chupria many +wounded soldiers got into our truck. They were going to the hospital +at Nish, we to the rest station which belonged to Sir Ralph and Lady +Paget, and it was for the use of the different English units that were +coming to Serbia. We arrived at 9.30, and as we were very tired we +went to bed at once.</p> + +<br /> +<br /> + +<p class="right">Sunday, <i>October 10, 1915.</i></p> + +<p>We had breakfast at 7.30, then went to see Sir Ralph Paget, then to +the bank, which fortunately we found open, then to the Serbian Red +Cross.</p> + +<p>Several other members of different units arrived from Belgrade during +the day.</p> + +<p>At 2.30 an enemy aeroplane came over Nish. No bombs were dropped, so +they had come to spy. Three French aeroplanes went after it and drove +it <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_114" id="Page_114">[114]</a></span>away; they also fired on it with the aircraft guns. We heard that +one of the trains from Belgrade had been fired at by the Germans and +that twenty-five civilians had been killed. We had a service at the +rest house at 5 o'clock. Two aeroplanes had arrived during the +afternoon and were going on to Kragujevatz.</p> + +<p>We left by the 8.30 p.m. train for Salonika.</p> + +<br /> +<br /> + +<p class="right">Monday, <i>October 11, 1915.</i></p> + +<p>It was a lovely day and most interesting journey. All along there are +camps, wire entanglements and trenches. Some of the camps are amongst +the trees and can scarcely be seen, as they are made of sticks and +mud. The sentry guards also along the line have curious dug-outs, to +which they go down by steps. The haystacks, instead of being on the +ground as in England, are fixed up in trees, like huge beehives, as +the ground gets so swampy. The Serbs and the Albanians look most +picturesque. These must have been the regiments I saw coming along +when I was staying at Uskub. We have just seen a wolf chasing a young +deer; they passed close by the train. It seems dreadful to leave this +glorious country with its brilliant sunshine and bright colours, until +we see all the horrors that are going on so near to us.</p> + +<p>We arrived at Uskub at 7 o'clock; had breakfast at the station, and a +few minutes before our train arrived 170 Bulgarian prisoners had been +brought in. They were tied together in batches by ropes. I saw one or +two of the nurses from Lady Paget's on the <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_115" id="Page_115">[115]</a></span>platform; they had been to +see some friends off. Our train left again at 7.25; then we passed +through wonderful gorges; this of course would make the fighting very +difficult.</p> + +<p>Our next stop was the frontier Ghevghili(?). Most of the passengers' +luggage was examined; it was also weighed, and we had to pay on ours.</p> + +<p>We arrived at Salonika at 8.30 p.m. We found the station full of Greek +soldiers; many of them were on the ground asleep. We had to leave our +large luggage for the night, then we took a carriage and went to the +hotel <i>Olympus</i>, where we had wired for rooms. We saw many of our +English and French troops as we drove down; this of course cheered us +up. We heard there were 25,000 French and 11,000 English, and that +they had been detained by the Greeks, as they were expected in Serbia +some days before.</p> + +<p>On arriving at the hotel we made ourselves tidy, went down to dinner, +found the room full of English and French; several of them gave us a +hearty welcome as there were no English women in Salonika. One officer +told us that an American, sitting at their table had insisted on it +that we were Americans, and what a great deal the Americans had been +doing in Serbia, and the point had been argued, so there was great +excitement to know what nationality we were, and the English officers +were delighted to find they were right.</p> + +<p>We are all hoping that the Greeks will join us, and that they will all +be going up to Serbia in a day or so.</p> + +<br /> +<br /> + +<p class="right">Tuesday, <i>October 12, 1915.</i><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_116" id="Page_116">[116]</a></span></p> + +<p>Two English officers invited us out to tea to the café near, and were +much interested in hearing all our experiences in Serbia. In the +evening we went to a cinema.</p> + +<br /> +<br /> + +<p class="right">Wednesday, <i>October 13, 1915.</i></p> + +<p>We had to go and have our passports inspected by the English, French, +and Italian consuls; we got some money changed and did some shopping.</p> + +<p>The Turkish markets are very interesting and the salesmen very +amusing, and bargaining is very necessary as they begin by asking +often more than double the amount they are prepared to take.</p> + +<p>The Greek shops are very fine, full of beautiful things, and the +fashions quite up to date. We have a nice little Greek lady staying +here from Athens; she told us it was a known fact that the Germans had +lost over three million men. She also told us that seven French +officers had escaped from Stuttgart; they were let out of prison as +they bribed the man who was looking after them. They walked all the +way from Stuttgart through Switzerland to France, having been given +sufficient food for their journey, a compass and a map, and advised +not to speak to any one on the way. They said they never met a man all +the way through Germany; women were armed outside forts, railways and +along roads; every man had gone to fight.</p> + +<br /> +<br /> + +<p class="right">Thursday, <i>October 14, 1915.</i><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_117" id="Page_117">[117]</a></span></p> + +<p>There are eight battleships in the harbour, French and English. The +Greeks are mobilized, and are ready to join whichever side they think +the best. They have copied the English in their uniform.</p> + +<p>A Turkish aeroplane passed over to-day. Our boat, the <i>Sydney</i>, has +arrived in the harbour, so we went to choose our berths.</p> + +<p>About forty boats arrived to-day with English, French, and Greek +troops. We went to watch the horses and mules being unloaded at the +docks; there are more mules than horses; they find them much hardier.</p> + +<br /> +<br /> + +<p class="right">Friday, <i>October 15, 1915.</i></p> + +<p>We had an interesting day; one of the doctors from Lady Paget's came +to see me, then the captain from the <i>Abbassieh</i>, who had brought out +some of the units and knew the three sisters who were with me. He +invited us to lunch on his ship; he had brought in troops from the +Dardanelles, and was doing transport work. He told us that he had +brought 1,300 and that he had only sufficient life boats for 300. In +Salonika we had the Dorsets, the Norfolks, the Herefords, Royal West +Kent, Royal Engineers, the Army Service Corps, and the Royal Army +Medical Corps, and several other regiments that were going up to +Serbia.</p> + +<p>The captain asked what boat I had come out on to Serbia. When I said +"the <i>Saidieh</i>," he said, "Why, the chief officer is now on my boat, +as the <i>Saidieh</i> was torpedoed some time ago"; and he sent <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_118" id="Page_118">[118]</a></span>for him to +see us. It was very pleasant meeting again and hearing his story; he +was made captain of another boat, but it had been so much damaged with +shell fire that it could not be used.</p> + +<br /> +<br /> + +<p class="right">Saturday, <i>October 16, 1915.</i></p> + +<p>In the afternoon the commander from the battleship H.M.S. <i>Albion</i> +came to have tea with us, and invited us to tea on his ship the +following day.</p> + +<p>We heard to-day that some of the French troops had gone up to the +Bulgarian frontier; we also heard that Perot had been taken by the +Bulgarians, and that the line between Nish and Uskub had been blown +up.</p> + +<p>Martial law is in force here, and pickets are all along the front. The +English, French, and Greek officers all had to salute each other.</p> + +<br /> +<br /> + +<p class="right">Sunday, <i>October 17, 1915.</i></p> + +<p>This morning we went over two old Greek temples, Demetrius and St. +George; they were taken by the Turks and turned into mosques. The +Turks had whitewashed all over the mosaic and marble pillars; +fortunately the whitewash is crumbling away, and one can see the +mosaic through.</p> + +<p>A story is told that one of the large panels of marble is supposed to +bleed when anything serious is going to happen; it is a kind of +grey-red, very lovely, and the blood trickles through the cracks. The +priest in Demetrius was standing with a cross and a piece of bosaliac, +known to us as hyssop. <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_119" id="Page_119">[119]</a></span>The Greek soldiers were going up to him, +kissing the cross, and then he sprinkled their heads with holy water +with the bosaliac.</p> + +<p>We went to see the wonderful old bridge that Hadrian, the Roman +Emperor, built.</p> + +<p>In the afternoon we went to H.M.S. <i>Albion</i> to tea; it is a very fine +ship, and of course of great interest to us. It has been damaged many +times with shell fire; we went all over and it was most interesting.</p> + +<p>Lady Paget arrived here last evening, and five of the sisters from +Admiral Troubridge's unit, as they had been staying the night with her +at Uskub. Two of them were returning to England with us.</p> + +<br /> +<br /> + +<p class="right">Monday, <i>October 18, 1915.</i></p> + +<p>We hear that the <i>Sydney</i> sails to-morrow at 4 o'clock, so we made our +preparations for leaving.</p> + +<p>We have seen crowds of refugees coming into the town to-day, many of +them sleeping on the doorsteps, huddled up in the corners. One poor +man died on the road, and I expect many others will not survive as +they had walked so many miles.</p> + +<br /> +<br /> + +<p class="right">Tuesday, <i>October 19, 1915.</i></p> + +<p>We got our luggage on our boat the <i>Sydney</i> early, then we took a +small boat out to the hospital ship, the <i>Grantully Castle</i>, London, +as the military doctor said the matron would so much like to see us. +On arriving we were received by the matron and the English chaplain; +we were taken all over the <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_120" id="Page_120">[120]</a></span>ship; it was beautifully fitted up, and +they had every convenience. There were three of our naval men from +Belgrade, two of whom had been wounded, and the other one was +threatened with appendicitis. Forty English soldiers had been taken on +board the night before, suffering from illnesses of different kinds. +The nine nurses were Australians, the matron English. We were invited +to lunch, but could not spare the time, as we had to get back early to +the hotel on account of leaving in the afternoon. We left the hotel at +3.30 and at once went on board. One of the doctors from Lady Paget's +hospital is with us, two of the nurses from Admiral Troubridge's unit, +six of the Scottish nurses from the women's hospital, Valievo, two +French doctors, and an English lady from Bulgaria who had been +teaching there for the last six years, also the military attaché from +Bulgaria, a naval member of Parliament who was carrying dispatches, +also Brigadier General Koe, who was engaged in transport work.</p> + +<p>We left Solonika at 5 o'clock. This boat is quite nice and beautifully +clean, very different from the one we came out in. It is a French boat +belonging to the Maritime Line. We had a good passage as far as +Lemnos, where we arrived at 7 p.m. General Koe got off here.</p> + +<br /> +<br /> + +<p class="right">Wednesday, <i>October 20, 1915.</i></p> + +<p>Lemnos is a barren-looking place, mountainous all round, no trees, and +it is covered with the <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_121" id="Page_121">[121]</a></span>English and French camps. There is a new +hospital being built at the water's edge. There is no fresh water, and +experts have been sent from England to sink artesian wells. The water +had to be taken out in tanks. One lady at Marseilles sent out +ship-loads of soda water for the soldiers. The harbour is full of +battleships, chiefly French, and there are several hospital ships, +also many transports. The largest ship is the <i>Aquitania</i> from +Liverpool, with four large funnels. Mines and nets are all round us; +at several points of the island guns are fixed; we could hear firing +this afternoon, and we were told that at Imbros one could see the +shells bursting at the Dardanelles. We stayed at Lemnos eight hours; +it is a lovely day and very calm.</p> + +<br /> +<br /> + +<p class="right">Thursday, <i>October 21, 1915.</i></p> + +<p>We arrived at Piraeus at 6 a.m., landed at 8, then took the train to +Athens, and went straight to Cook's office and wrote letters to +friends staying here, arranging to return for any answers. We then +took a carriage and went to the museum; the statuary is very fine and +beautiful. We returned to Cook's and found a letter from our Greek +friends, inviting us to luncheon at 1 o'clock. We had an hour and a +half more to spare, so took a carriage and went to the Acropolis. It +is indeed wonderful the view of Athens from the top, most beautiful. +We thoroughly enjoyed this sight; the trees all along are most +interesting—avenues of pepper trees, date palms, aloes and cactus; we +also saw a few orange <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_122" id="Page_122">[122]</a></span>trees. We then went to our friend's house at 1 +o'clock. There were three married sisters and their children, and an +English girl, governess to the children. After luncheon they took us +sight-seeing, first to the Polytechnic Institute, founded in 1837 by +some wealthy Greek, and containing memoirs of the Greek War of +Independence, portraits and native costumes, and the clothes of the +Greek King who was shot at Salonika. A tomb has been erected on the +pavement there where he was shot, and a chapel is to be built near. +The pistol that shot him was in the case with the clothes. We also saw +many flags that the Greeks had captured in many different wars, a +sword of Lord Byron's, and his portrait and visiting card.</p> + +<p>After leaving here we took the carriage and drove round the principal +streets, then went to the Keremakos market, where there are wonderful +tombs containing the remains of three people in each; the bones are +visible, and the statue of the bull. We then went down the oldest +streets, and to the ancient Church Eglise de Capnicarea. We saw the +temple, the bank, the general post office and the theatre; had tea at +a café and took the train back to the port, and arrived on the boat in +time for dinner. Another lovely night; I slept on deck. I forgot to +mention we passed, on Wednesday, some burning rocks; the chief officer +told us they are set on fire by oil by the shepherds, to watch their +flocks by night.</p> + +<br /> +<br /> + +<p class="right">Friday, <i>October 22, 1915.</i><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_123" id="Page_123">[123]</a></span></p> + +<p>We did not leave Athens until 8.30 this morning. We were held up much +longer than we expected. An aeroplane followed our boat for a little +way, but it was a Greek one, so we had nothing to fear. At 3 p.m. we +had quite an excitement; a message was sent to the ship to say we had +to go into the Island of Milos for orders; submarines had been seen +round the neighbourhood. We got into Milos and found five French +battleships, submarine destroyers. One of the maritime ships was in +the harbour that had been torpedoed two weeks ago. The island is very +picturesque; the houses are built in the Turkish style. We remained in +the harbour for about two hours. We have a submarine destroyer +escorting us, also another ship was with us, so we feel quite safe. +Written notices were sent round to each passenger with instructions +what to do in case we were struck. The captain had an anxious voyage +from here on, keeping watch all the time. We kept going out of our +course and the destroyer and our boat were constantly signalling to +each other. We had to come round by Crete instead of Cape Matapan. The +wind has risen and it is very rough; most of the people are ill. We +had a bad night, continuous thunderstorms and heavy rain. The boat is +rolling as well as pitching.</p> + +<br /> +<br /> + +<p class="right">Saturday, <i>October 23, 1915.</i></p> + +<p>It still continues very rough and very few <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_124" id="Page_124">[124]</a></span>passengers are visible. +Nothing exciting has happened; our two escorts are still in front of +us.</p> + +<br /> +<br /> + +<p class="right">Sunday, <i>October 24, 1915.</i></p> + +<p>This morning a large steamer signalled to our destroyer, so it left us +for two or three hours and then returned. In the night it was +exchanged for another one. We were told that they had to be very +careful along this route, as nine boats were torpedoed in one week; +naturally we were all more or less anxious, looking down into the cold +water. I much dreaded the risk we ran as I should much prefer to be +shot or shelled to being drowned. We heard that we reach Malta in the +evening, but owing to our having to go so much out of our course we +did not arrive until the following morning at 6 a.m. It was an anxious +night; neither the captain nor the chief officer appeared for dinner; +no end of men were on the watch for enemy submarines; it seems that +there are many in the Mediterranean just now, and we were told that +this is the worst danger zone at present. The Germans have a specially +large new one here which is doing a lot of damage. It has been very +rough all night, and the boat had to slacken speed as we were not +allowed to enter Malta before 6 a.m. I met a very interesting English +lady from Constantinople on board this morning. She has lived there +for forty years. Her husband is a doctor. She had three sons—two +solicitors, the third an invalid. He suffers from fits. The youngest +son's name was down on the list to <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_125" id="Page_125">[125]</a></span>be sent to Gallipoli with the +English and French prisoners, whom the Turks were sending from +Constantinople, in the hope that this would prevent our troops from +bombarding Gallipoli. This poor mother was so distressed, and pleaded +so hard to the Turkish officials that they consented that her son +should be released. She then made another plea for her husband to be +allowed to leave the country, and he left for Malta. Then she procured +the release of her delicate son, and he also joined his father, and +now she herself is on her way to join them. The other two sons were +not allowed to leave; they are being kindly treated, but have come +down to breaking stones. I felt very sorry for her, but admired her +courage and cheerfulness in such distressing circumstances. All her +valuables from her lovely home she sent to the Turkish bank, but of +course has no hope of seeing them again; they are sure to be +confiscated. Fifty or more of our men were sent to Gallipoli from +Constantinople, so that should the place be bombarded they would be +the first to fall; but the English and French threatened the Turks +with other reprisals, and they were withdrawn. They left the ship and +spent five days in a mosque, where they had to rough it terribly, +though the officials were very kind to them, and on their return to +Constantinople gave them a good dinner. Everybody out here speaks so +well of the Turks, and all those we have met seem so very sorry that +they are fighting against the English, and they said it would be their +ruin joining the Germans, <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_126" id="Page_126">[126]</a></span>their great dread being the loss of +Constantinople. Three little birds are following our boat, often +coming on board; one is a robin, but the other two we do not know. We +had several cats on board and were much afraid for the safety of the +birds. Two sparrowhawks also pursued them.</p> + +<br /> +<br /> + +<p class="right">Monday, <i>October 25, 1915.</i></p> + +<p>We were allowed to land at Malta at 8 a.m. As we only had three hours +on land we took a carriage, only 1 fr.80 the hour, and drove all +round. The carriages are different from ours, so picturesque, and the +Maltese women, with their curious headgear, are very fascinating. We +went first to the gardens to see flowers and palms, which were looking +lovely, then to the Church of St. John's, where a service was taking +place, so we remained a little time. We saw the Governor's Palace, +then the Chapel of Bones, formerly attached to the hospital. Over +2,000 skulls are shown, and the remaining framework of the body is +most artistically arranged, but very gruesome. We had not time to +enter the museum as we had to do a little shopping before returning to +the boat. We sailed at 11.30, still very rough, and we could not keep +a straight course; our escort was with us.</p> + +<p>There were three suspicious characters on board, and we hear they had +been locked up.</p> + +<br /> +<br /> + +<p class="right">Tuesday, <i>October 26, 1915.</i></p> + +<p>Still very rough, and most of the passengers have <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_127" id="Page_127">[127]</a></span>had to retire; +those who were able to remain played bridge.</p> + +<p>We have no butter for tea, only biscuits and dry bread; this was not +such a hardship to me as to some of the other passengers. We had had +no butter in Serbia for more than three months as butter cost there +7<i>s.</i> per pound, and as we could only obtain such small quantities, +even at that price, it was not worth buying for our large unit.</p> + +<br /> +<br /> + +<p class="right">Wednesday, <i>October 27, 1915.</i></p> + +<p>We had a bad thunderstorm to-day, and the sea is still very rough. +Nothing of any importance happened.</p> + +<br /> +<br /> + +<p class="right">Thursday, <i>October 28, 1915.</i></p> + +<p>We arrived at Marseilles at 8 a.m., for which we were all truly +thankful, as it is not much pleasure to be facing such dangers as we +had done.</p> + +<p>At the Customs our luggage was most carefully searched, even the +leaves of our Bibles and other books being turned over. We were all +much amused and wondered if we should be searched next. This I believe +happened to some of the women, but not any of our party.</p> + +<p>We had our passports seen, and also paid a visit to the police station +to obtain a pass to Boulogne. This took up most of the day, and we +remained two nights in Marseilles. There is an Indian camp, as they +come here to be climatized before going to the front. It was +interesting seeing them about the town.</p> + +<br /> +<br /> + +<p class="right">Saturday, <i>October 30, 1915.</i><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_128" id="Page_128">[128]</a></span></p> + +<p>We left at 7 p.m., and on our arrival at Boulogne found the times had +been altered, and our boat did not leave until the next day at 3 p.m.</p> + +<br /> +<br /> + +<p class="right">Monday, <i>November 1, 1915.</i></p> + +<p>When we got on to the quay a hospital train came along, and we were +told our King was in it, and his boat left just before ours, so we +felt quite safe—and not at all sorry when we arrived once more in +England.</p> + +<br /> +<br /> +<br /> +<br /> +<hr /> +<br /> + +<h4>Butler & Tanner Frome and London</h4> + +<br /> +<hr /> +<br /> + +<div class="tr"> +<p class="cen"><a name="TN" id="TN"></a>Typographical errors corrected in text:</p> +<br /> +Page 51: "Temperatures are 1048" changed to "Temperatures are 104.8"<br /> +Page 69: areoplane replaced with aeroplane<br /></div> + +<br /> +<hr /> +<br /> + + + + + + + + +<pre> + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of My Diary in Serbia: April 1, 1915-Nov. +1, 1915, by Monica M. 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Stanley + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: My Diary in Serbia: April 1, 1915-Nov. 1, 1915 + +Author: Monica M. Stanley + +Release Date: June 27, 2010 [EBook #33001] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK MY DIARY IN SERBIA *** + + + + +Produced by The Online Distributed Proofreading Team at +https://www.pgdp.net (This file was produced from images +generously made available by The Internet Archive/American +Libraries.) + + + + + + + * * * * * + + +-----------------------------------------------------------+ + | Transcriber's Note: | + | | + | Inconsistent hyphenation in the original document has | + | been preserved. | + | | + | Obvious typographical errors have been corrected. For | + | a complete list, please see the end of this document. | + | | + +-----------------------------------------------------------+ + + * * * * * + + + + +MY DIARY IN SERBIA + +April 1, 1915--Nov. 1, 1915 + + [Illustration: The Author--MONICA M. STANLEY. + _Frontispiece._] + + + + +MY DIARY IN +SERBIA + +April 1, 1915--Nov. 1, 1915 + +By +MONICA M. STANLEY +_Attached to the "Stobart Field Hospital" in Serbia_ + + +ILLUSTRATED WITH PHOTOS + + +LONDON: SIMPKIN, MARSHALL, +HAMILTON, KENT & CO., LIMITED + + + + +COPYRIGHT. + +First issued, Feb., 1916. + + + + +To +My very dear Aunt +ELIZABETH STANLEY +this book is +Dedicated + + + + +PREFACE + + +Brave Serbia has not been forgotten in her hour of need by the women +of England. For the Women's Imperial Service League, with Mrs. St. +Clair Stobart as directress, went out to Serbia under the aegis of the +Serbian Relief Fund, after arduous work out in Antwerp and after at +Cherbourg. Mrs. Stobart decided that ours should be a Field Hospital +owing to typhus and other fever raging in the country. + +We left on April 1, 1915, on the Admiralty transport _Saidieh_ for +Salonica. The staff consisted of Mrs. St. Clair Stobart as directress, +Mr. J.H. Greenhalgh as treasurer, a secretary, seven women doctors, +eighteen trained nurses, four trained cooks, one dispenser, one +sanitary inspector, an English chaplain and fourteen orderlies, of +which some were chauffeurs. + +The Field Hospital was perfectly equipped; everything we took with us. +We had over sixty tents, 300 beds, with every necessary for them; +bales of clothes for wounded and the civil population; the kitchen +requisites, with four excellent cooking stoves with ovens; several +portable boilers for hot water; large tanks for cold water; laundry +equipments; medical stores; over L300 of food-stuffs; X-ray; all +sanitary necessaries; motor ambulances. Our Field Hospital was to be +at Kragujevatz; the tents were soon pitched and well arranged. + +We had the following tents: one for X-ray, operating theatre; one to +receive the patients; a large mess tent for patients and one for +staff; one for linen--laundry; two kitchens--one for patients and one +for staff; dispensary; food stores; a recreation tent for the staff, +and one for the doctors; then there were lavatory and bath tents; the +rest were wards and for the staff to sleep in. Our Hospital was soon +full. I was the head of the kitchen departments, and I looked after +the catering and food stores. I was very happy with my staff, in spite +of the work being hard and the hours long, but we knew that we were +doing good to our fellow-countrymen. + +Mrs. Stobart and the doctors found that the civil population was +suffering terribly owing to the war, as there was a scarcity of +doctors and no proper hospitals to send them to; and as we were trying +to stamp out all disease before fighting started again, it was decided +that we should have some roadside dispensaries and a civil hospital +for all the worst cases. Arrangements were made that Dr. May should +return to England to raise funds for more equipments. We also wanted +more doctors, nurses and cooks. It did not take long before everything +was forthcoming. Seven dispensaries were started and excellent work +was accomplished in quite a short time. Over one hundred people +attended the dispensaries most days, and over eleven thousand of the +poor suffering population were soon relieved from their pain and +suffering. + + MONICA M. STANLEY. + + + + +SERBIA'S GREAT NEED + + +Mrs. St. Clair Stobart with Mr. Greenhalgh, doctors, nurses, and +orderlies, were to have left for Serbia on Saturday, March 27. On +Friday the unit met at 39, St. James' Street to have their photos +taken, then at 4.30 a service at St. Martin's-in-the-Field, conducted +by the Rev. Percy Dearmer. We had two hymns, a nice address; a +collection was taken of just over L12 for our unit. After the service +we went to a farewell tea at Lady Cowdray's, 16, Carlton Terrace. Lady +Muir Mackenzie and several others from the Women's Imperial Service +League were there. Sir T. Lipton, who had just arrived home, told us +of his experiences in Serbia, with all the horrors and hardships. Lady +Cowdray presented the unit with a Thermos flask each, as a parting +gift. Lady Muir Mackenzie gave each a Tommy's cooker, which I found +most useful. We heard that the Admiralty had again put off our unit, +and that half of us only could leave on the following Wednesday or +Thursday. The following Monday we had orders from Mrs. Stobart that +nineteen of us would leave on April 1 with her (the heads of the +departments, with one or two other members). We also heard that Dr. +and Mrs. Dearmer were going with us, the former as Chaplain to visit +the sick and wounded, and his wife as an orderly to our unit. + + + + +MY DIARY IN SERBIA + + + Thursday, _April 1, 1915._ + + +Nineteen of the unit left for Serbia. We met at Euston station at +9.30. The train left at 10.30 a.m. for Liverpool. We had crowds of +friends to see us off. All the equipments for our Field Hospital had +gone the previous Saturday by the _Torcello_ from the East Indian +Docks by the Admiralty transport. We are taking out sixty-three tents; +the large ones hold fifteen to twenty patients. We have 300 beds and +all other equipments to fit up a Hospital, with over L300 worth of +food-stuffs. + +All the unit are in a dark grey uniform with large pockets, making it +most useful, and nice hats to match. + +We arrived in Liverpool at 2.30 p.m. on Thursday; then collected our +luggage. We were each allowed to take one cabin trunk and a hold-all. + +On reaching the docks we got on the boat _Saidieh_ for Salonika. We +left the docks at 10 o'clock, and lay in the harbour till Good Friday, +starting at 8.30 p.m. We could not leave before, we heard, owing to +messages sent to the captain. It was nice and calm Friday night, but I +did not take off my clothes and could not sleep, thinking and +wondering if any danger might come to us. The _Saidieh_ is a horrid +boat, not at all clean, and the sanitary arrangements are terrible. It +is a Greek boat of about 3,000 tons; in the usual way it carries mails +and cargo to and from Greece and Constantinople. The weather was good +as far as St. George's Channel; we could see Ireland when in the Irish +Sea; but it became rather misty, a sea fog came on, and the horn was +continually sounded. + + + Saturday, _April 3, 1915._ + +The weather continues to get stormy, the boat rolls terribly; most of +the passengers are getting ill, so we get fewer and fewer to meals. At +midday the captain gave out that no passenger must take off any +clothes at night, and that boat station would be held on the upper +deck at 3 o'clock; this did not sound at all nice. At 3 o'clock we all +went on deck and had tickets given us for the lifeboats in case of +danger. Fourteen of us had tickets for No. 1 boat, two for No. 3 and +three for No. 6. We were nearly all separated at first, but I managed +to get our tickets changed. Mrs. Stobart was delighted, as of course +it was nicer for all to be together. It seems we were in great danger +till we passed the Scilly Isles. Saturday evening we were a very tiny +party for dinner. There are about 150 passengers on board, all units +going to different parts of Serbia. We have some of Dr. Berry's unit; +Mr. Wynch's unit, called the British Farmers, owing to the farmers +collecting the money for it. + + [Illustration: Map showing position of Mrs. Stobart's Field + Dispensaries.] + +I forgot to say that on Good Friday we had a short service conducted +by Mr. Wynch; we had the hymn for those at sea. There is Dr. Bevis' +unit, a Russian one, and the other units are the wounded Allies and +Admiral Trowbridge's unit. + +Saturday evening some of us played bridge, two doctors, a nurse and +myself. + + + Sunday, Easter Day, _April 4, 1915._ + +Nearly every passenger dreadfully ill; only about ten people for +breakfast. The boat rolls most dreadfully. We could have no service. A +terrible Easter Sunday. I shall never forget it. I was kept busy all +the day. In the afternoon the only one of our unit left was overcome +with sleep, so she had to rest. The captain said that if any one was +not ill, they could consider themselves good sailors. I am more than +pleased that I have not been ill. We are having a very bad crossing; +every minute I think our end is coming. I have never been in such a +horrid boat. We have no stewardesses, only stewards, and they are +Africans--all black. The captain is English, and the first and second +mates Greeks. + +The other thirty of our unit left to-day; they go from Folkestone to +Boulogne and thence by train to Marseilles, where they catch another +boat for Salonica. Owing to our leaving a day later they may arrive at +Salonica before we do. + + + Monday, _April 5, 1915._ + +We are still having a terrible tossing. I have given up my berth and +am sleeping on deck. The noises at night are something terrible, all +kinds of things falling and smashing. On Saturday night I jumped up at +2.30; I thought our end had come. I went round to see what had +happened; the luggage was pitched all over the place. I have slept in +the dining saloon the last two nights. The captain told us to-day that +we could undress at night, we were out of danger of submarines, but I +shall not until we are out of the Bay of Biscay. Most of us have been +on deck to-day. I am hoping by to-morrow they will all be well again. +To-night about 12 o'clock we hope to be at Cape Finisterre. I shall be +thankful, for I have not slept since I left home; the noise on this +boat has been so terrific. + +We passed Villan's lighthouse at 10 p.m. It was a lovely night and the +water lit up with phosphorus. The captain appeared at dinner this +evening, so things are getting better for us. + + + Tuesday, _April 6, 1915._ + +All the sick are sitting on deck to-day, so we have not much to do. +This morning I played deck quoits with several of the passengers. I +learnt a little Serbian. We are a happy party; every one is so +friendly. We have sheep, ducks and fowls on board--all have been sick; +also two dogs. I slept on deck last night, a perfectly lovely night. + + + Wednesday, _April 7, 1915._ + +The weather has quite changed; it is perfectly glorious to-day. This +morning we learnt Serbian for a little and wrote letters. This +afternoon I have been sitting in a lifeboat, with the sun streaming on +me; it was heavenly. We have just passed Portugal. I took several +photos. We passed Cape St. Vincent at 2.30 p.m. We could never have +been saved if anything had gone wrong with this boat; it is a terrible +old tub. We get to Gibraltar to-morrow, I hear, about 10 o'clock, so +this will be posted. + +We have just been having Swedish drill on deck, as the doctors wish to +keep us in good health for the hard work we expect later. + + + Thursday, _April 8, 1915._ + +Slept on deck last night, but always have to be up at 6 o'clock for +deck to be cleaned. A glorious morning. Up at six, went down and +dressed, then came on deck; it was a little misty. We could see +Tangier quite well and all along the coast of Africa. Later on in the +morning, and on the opposite side was Gibraltar. It was quite +interesting. We were inspected, and the captain got our letters taken +back for us. I took a great many photographs. We saw shoals of +porpoises, which followed the boat for some distance. I took a +snapshot of them. The day got hotter and hotter, so we sat in the +lifeboat and enjoyed the view. We had to get out our shady hats, and +we had no coats on. At 12 o'clock we had drill. This afternoon I have +been playing bridge with the doctors, a perfect day. At 4.30 we passed +the most gorgeous snow-capped mountains, Sierra Nevada. This evening +the captain is having dinner with us, and after we are to have a +dance. It is getting very rough again this evening, and all the +portholes have had to be closed. + + + Friday, _April 9, 1915._ + +A nice morning. We had drill on deck, then had our Serbian lesson. +After lunch it began to get rough, and a great many of the passengers +are ill again. We passed Algiers to-day, and we have a very bad swell +on to-night, owing to being near the Gulf of Lyons. We have been +playing bridge this afternoon. We had a dance last evening. To-night +we were to have had games, but it has been too rough. We have to learn +two pages of Serbian every day; it is very dry. + + + Saturday, _April 10, 1915._ + +A dreadful night. We slept on deck, and at 1 o'clock it began to +thunder, lightning and hail. We got simply drenched. We are having it +quite as rough as in the Bay of Biscay. + +It is blowing a gale to-day. We are to have a bridge party to-night. +We had an amusing dinner; we had to hold on to everything. A dish of +chicken was thrown all over the saloon, glasses, plates, knives, +forks, oranges and apples. We could none of us sit in our places. +Great trunks were thrown all over the passages. It will be a wonderful +thing if we get to Salonika. It makes me feel happy to think that I +have so many kind friends at home remembering us in their prayers. I +wish the Admiralty could be sent out on this boat. The food is nearly +all bad; we can scarcely eat anything, and I hear we are getting short +of water. We are not allowed to stop until we get to Salonika. + +Our bridge party went off well, but it was a bit slow. Mrs. Claude +Askew got the first prize. + +The African niggers are very amusing; they call us all Misses. They +told us if we did go into the sea and drown we should get plenty of +fresh air, as we are so fond of having our portholes open in our +berths. They will come and tuck us up at night. + + + Sunday, _April 11, 1915._ + +It still continues to be rough. We are to have our service this +evening. We passed Tunis at 8 o'clock this morning. We had a very bad +thunderstorm last night again; the lightning was very vivid. A good +many of us had to sleep in the saloon. + +I am learning Serbian with Mrs. Stobart; she has just heard my lesson +and given me twenty more words to learn. It is a most uninteresting +language. + + + Monday, _April 12, 1915._ + +Had drill at 10 o'clock, then "follow my leader" all over the ship. At +10.30 we passed Sicily; we could see the olive groves. An Italian +destroyer has been following us. We erected the English flag, so they +soon left us. I am taking part in some tableaux, so we rehearsed this +afternoon. Since I have been playing bridge. It is dreadfully rough +again, and we have another bad thunderstorm. It will be the greatest +wonder if we land at Salonika safely in this wretched boat. I thought +that our end was near many times last night. I did not get a bit of +sleep. + + + Tuesday, _April 13, 1915._ + +It is still stormy and pouring with rain, not at all a nice crossing. +We did not see Malta; we were too far away, but we were only about two +miles from Sicily. We have been playing bridge nearly all day. + + + Wednesday, _April 14, 1915._ + +A fine day and the wind has gone down. Four of our unit have been ill, +owing to the bad food (two of them fainted and were in great pain), +and several in the other units. We expect to get to Salonika on +Thursday, midday. We have just passed Belopulo; we shall be passing +Andros and Tinos. To-night we are all to appear in fancy dress. I am +going as a mattress, a pillow arranged on my head, pillows stuffed +inside a mattress ticking, and my feet coming through at the bottom +with bed-socks on. The time has altered; we are 1-1/2 hours in advance +of England. It is light at 4.30 in the morning, but dark soon after 6 +o'clock. We had a swallow following our boat most of yesterday. + +The fancy dress was a great success; it was really splendid, as none +of us had many things with us, as we are all in uniform. Mr. Claude +Askew was very amusing, introducing us as Mrs. Jarley's waxworks. + + + Thursday, _April 15, 1915._ + +It was a rough and very cold night again. I slept in the lifeboat part +of the night, but had to get on deck at 2 o'clock as it was so cold +and rough. We get to Salonika about 1 o'clock. We have just passed +Mount Olympus; it looks glorious with the sun on it and snow-capped. I +heard the guns in the night--from Smyrna, I suppose. The engineer took +me down to see the engines last night. It is a good thing for us that +we have had a rough crossing. We should have been caught by submarines +if we had not, owing to the cargo we are carrying; it is supposed to +be coal. + +We are only forty miles from Salonika; we expect to arrive at 1 +o'clock. We telegraphed for rooms at the hotel from Gibraltar. We +expect to stay in Salonika a week, as we have to wait for the stores. +We are all such a happy party, and all the units on board have been so +friendly. + +A Greek boat told us that there had been a big battle at the +Dardanelles yesterday, but the result was not known. We have no +wireless on this boat. The sunrise was gorgeous this morning; it is +much finer to-day. I shall post this directly I arrive at Salonika. It +is dreadful not having any news from home. I cannot hear anything for +a month. We shall not be able to send our permanent address for some +time yet. + +The most dangerous part of our journey was the forty-eight hours +through the Irish Sea. It is interesting to know that the boat has +gone 1,000,000 revolutions to Salonika from Liverpool, and a +revolution is 25 feet. As we got into the harbour at Salonika there +was a vessel called the _Athena_; it belongs to the Germans. We +arrived at Salonika at 2 o'clock; we had to anchor outside. The +doctor, the English Consul, and the head of the police came on board. +Twenty-three little boats arrived to take us across; the men simply +fought, and we had quite a difficulty. We found we could not get +accommodation at the hotel sufficient for our unit, so the captain +told us to sleep on board. We had our tea and dinner at the Hotel +Olympus. The latter meal the captain of the _Saidieh_ had with us. We +returned to the boat at 10 o'clock. + + + Friday, _April 16, 1915._ + +The _Torcello_ arrived with all our equipments at the same time our +boat arrived. Salonika is the most picturesque place; it is so hot, +just like midsummer in England. The yachts sailing about in the +harbour are lovely. There is a wreckage just near. It is April 7 +there, and in England it is the 15th. + +After breakfast we took a carriage and went to St. Demetrius, the +Greek Church. It is perfectly gorgeous. Large marble pillars and +granite supposed to be extinct. The arches are wonderful and all +inlaid with mosaic. Then we saw sarcophagus or some of the remains +dating back to 136. The pictures all round are gorgeous, very bright +colours. Many people came to pray. One little family went into a +corner where there was a picture of Adam and Eve in the Garden of +Eden, the serpent was up a tree. They prayed at this picture, then +kissed each figure; they crossed the altar, and kissed each figure in +the other pictures. Then we went to the Church Sophia, another Greek +one. We saw many more people praying and kissing the figures in the +pictures and crossing themselves. The Baptistery in St. Demetrius was +wonderful; there was a wonderful shell-like font under a massive stone +canopy. A little distance away there was a huge bell under an arch. We +then went into another church which was being restored. On approaching +we could smell nothing but disinfectant; we thought this strange. The +interior of the church was beautifully arched. We had not been in the +church long when we found that the floor was a mass of fleas and that +all of us were covered. We went into a courtyard and caught hundreds; +women and children helped. We were in a most uncomfortable condition. +Most of the houses are full of them, and also other livestock. One can +see the fleas jumping in the sand in the streets. + +Some of the churches are full of Greek refugees from Asia Minor. + + + Saturday, _April 17, 1915._ + +We went to see the French Hospital. An English nun took us over. We +also went to see the soup kitchens, and at 12 o'clock one hundred of +the refugees came with tickets for soup. We helped to serve it out to +them; it was most interesting. All of them wanted more than their +share. After we met the remainder of our unit, which had just arrived +by the _Lotos_; they came overland to Marseilles, then by steamer. +They had all had the most delightful time, stopping at most of the +ports. We envied them after our ghastly journey. Dr. Dearmer and +several others of the party and I went into the town, then to St. +Nicholas, a church full of refugees--a sight I shall never forget; +each family had been allotted a corner, and they just sit on a mat. +One family was busy at lunch; they had one large bowl of soup in the +centre of the mat, and they all sat round; father, mother and three +children each had a spoon, and they all ate out of the same bowl. This +seems to be the custom in the poorer quarters in Greece and Serbia. +There were several little babies only a day or two old done up like +brown-paper parcels. + +In the afternoon we went to see where Abdul Hamid was imprisoned. He +was allowed eighteen wives. He abdicated. The Germans threatened to +rescue him, so high walls were built all round so that aircraft could +not get near. After eighteen months he was told he might leave the +country, otherwise be shot, so he went to Asia Minor, and now the +house is used for military purposes. + + + Sunday, _April 18, 1915._ + +We had Communion Service, which Dr. Dearmer conducted at 8.30. Then +went to Turkish town, which is most interesting. We then went to the +Greek military prison. Then to the Turkish Church. Before entering the +church we had to remove our shoes; the floor was covered with squares +of carpet. In the afternoon we went to St. Demetrius and saw a +christening--most interesting. The priest first covered the baby, +which was naked, with oil--head, eyes, cheeks, ears, body, legs, feet, +back; then the mother poured a handful of oil over the baby's head. +Then the priest took the babe and put it into a font of oil and water +which completely covered it; then the baby was again crossed with oil, +using a brush this time and taking the oil out of a bottle; then the +babe was put into a piece of flannel into the mother's arms. She held +two candles, one in each hand, and the priest took incense, which he +swung backwards and forwards, and then went twice round the font. Then +he read and kissed the book, and the woman kissed it twice, and the +ceremony was finished. + +We then went to the Greek cemetery, and saw where all the soldiers +were buried in the last war. The Turkish cemetery was near by. We saw +another large barracks and the Greek Military Hospital. + + + Monday, _April 19, 1915._ + +We were shopping all morning, getting ready for our departure for +Kragujevatz to-morrow, Tuesday. We leave soon after 7 o'clock. This +afternoon we went with Mrs. Stobart as far as the tram went, then we +walked to the beach. We were a party of twenty-four; we all had tea +and then paddled and came home. I have just finished packing for +Serbia. + + + Tuesday, _April 20, 1915._ + +Got up at 6 o'clock, went to Hotel Splendide for breakfast; then we +all marched behind a funny old cart, which had our luggage, to the +station. I had a tin of honey, fifty-six pounds, which I bought at +Salonika; the tin cracked and it began to run out; a cork came out of +a paraffin bottle, and this began to _run_; then the luggage kept +taking flying leaps off the cart: we had to keep running after it, to +put it back: the man went on, never stopping for any catastrophe. When +we landed at the station we had the time of our life, such a scuffle +and rush to get into the train. Only twelve of us left to-day, and the +other thirty-six follow us on Thursday. All the unit saw us off. The +train left at 9.15; it was to have left at 8. + +The smell of formalin in the train was very strong, and all of us were +covered with paraffin, so the two smells _together_ were not very +delightful! Besides this, some of us had carbon balls and camphor in +our pockets. + +It took us about half an hour to get out of Greece. The country all +along is simply wonderful; the most glorious scenery, hills, rocks and +valleys, with the most gorgeous colourings. All along we saw herons, +storks and eagles, vultures, magpies and jackdaws. All these birds are +most plentiful and very tame. All the carts are pulled by buffalo oxen +and donkeys. Most of the sheep are black; also the pigs and goats. + +The train first stopped at Topsin, then at Amatovar and then Karasuli; +these are all the Greek stations we passed. The first Serbian station +we stopped at one and a half hours. It was at Ghevgheli. There were +many Austrian prisoners and Serbian soldiers on the platform. The +Serbians looked very tired, and their clothes were very shabby. They +are very badly shod, only a kind of moccasin on their feet. A good +many of the Serbians have khaki clothes, but it seems that they have +been given by the English. On lots of the house-tops and chimney-tops +the herons have built their nests; this was most interesting to see. A +great many of the soldiers have lambs following them about like dogs. +They are so pretty. + +Eight lovely peacocks were on the platform, and they kept walking +under the train; also one or two white guinea-fowls. We saw no end of +tortoises all along the line, and we got one and brought it into the +carriage, but we had to put it out again as we had no green stuff to +feed it on. All the lakes and reservoirs are full of bull frogs; these +make a tremendous noise just like a lot of ducks quacking. The trees +in this part of the country are quite small ones, and there are no +hedges; the blossom on the trees is perfectly lovely. We watched the +butter being made from goat's milk, and very good it is. Most of the +work in the fields is done by women and oxen, and the women look very +picturesque in their different coloured garments. We had lovely +flowers all the way, especially poppies. We kept passing swamps, full +of different grasses. The mountains are wonderful, covered with snow, +and we hear that when some of the snow melts dead bodies are found +underneath. We crossed over the bridges which were blown up three +weeks ago by the Bulgarians; we came through a wonderful tunnel cut in +the rocks, and we passed no end of churchyards, where the men are +buried in the different battles--Turks, Serbians, and Bulgarians--it +is really pitiful to see them. We are guarded by soldiers all along +the lines and on the trains. We passed lots of rows of little crosses +where all the women, children and men were buried after the Bulgarian +raid a week ago. A rope was put round their necks and they were hung +up on trees to die. All the soldiers come and salute us at each +station and along the line. They all look so sad. Uskub we stopped at +7 o'clock, and we were met by Sir Ralph Paget. We had dinner at the +station: soup floating with grease and omelet as tough as leather; the +bread was almost black and very sour. The room was very dirty, and +many men were sprinkling disinfectants about. This amused me very +much. We slept in the train. + + + Thursday, _April 22, 1915._ + +We got up before 6 o'clock; had breakfast. It is much colder, and we +are very near snow-clad mountains. We got to Nish at 8 and had two +hours to wait. We were met by the Serbian Minister and doctor, and +taken in a funny little carriage to the Reserve Hospital, where we +washed. + +This was the Hospital which contained 1,500 Serbian wounded when it +fell into the hands of the Bulgarians. We then had breakfast--bread, +raw bacon and eggs; not good; but we must be thankful for anything in +these bad times. The beds in the wards are several planks of wood, +with straw mattress and pillows--quite clean. The women are not a +bad-looking race. The minister showed us a terrible photograph he had +taken of women and children hanging from trees, where the Bulgarians +had strung them up. Two units we left at Nish; one is coming in a few +days to Kragujevatz, the other to Belgrade. We drove back to the +station; impossible to walk; the mud is eight or ten inches deep. + +We slept in the train, three in a compartment, and none of us got +bitten. We first cleaned all the carriages out with paraffin. We +passed through vineyards and maize-fields. The women do the ploughing +with the oxen. There are hundreds of wounded Austrians everywhere to +be seen. On arriving at Kragujevatz we were met by doctors and +officers, and were taken out to dinner. Four carriages, two horses to +each carriage, a most quaint turn-out. The horses seem to fly along, +and the roads are in the most awful condition; it was all we could do +to prevent ourselves being pitched out. + +We first went to the sanitary department and were introduced round, +and then we all washed our hands in disinfectants, and were taken on +to the Prince's Palace; it is now turned into a dining club for +officers. We had a big dinner, starting with very fine Russian +caviare. The dinner lasted until 10 o'clock. We then returned to the +station and stayed the night in the train. One vanload of luggage had +not then arrived, and it was too late to pitch tents. The bull-frogs +were singing all night. When a Serbian introduces his wife, he says, +"Excuse me, but may I introduce my wife?" When a party is given, the +wife never appears at table. They must think it strange that our women +are treated so differently. + + + Friday, _April 23, 1915._ + +Mrs. Stobart has been with some of the officers to find a site for the +Hospital; it is right at the top of the hill, and before the war +started it was a race-course, and it was also used for sports. We +spent the afternoon putting up the tents. The custom in Serbia is, +when a death occurs, they put out a black flag for six days or more, +and it was sad to see two or three dozen flags all along the town. We +have been hard at work all day putting away stores. + +The officers are most kind; they invited us to dinner, but we were all +too busy to go, so they sent us a lovely dinner to the tents--some +fried fish, a stew of beef, and a small lamb roasted whole, and a +salad. One of the Government officials joined us. + + + Sunday, _April 25, 1915._ + +We had a service at 8.30 a.m., which Dr. Dearmer conducted, and he +conducted another service at 2.30 and 5.30. Several of the nurses and +officers came from other hospitals. The weather is very hot, but the +nights cold. We hear the owls, nightingales and cuckoo all night. +Several of our staff are ill. I have delightful people to work with, +and we are very comfortable. Four of us in a big tent. They call me +the "Little Mother," but my general name is Cookie. The Government +officials all call me Miss Cookie. + +We have now started getting up at 4.30, breakfast at 5. We have had to +put on our summer clothes as it is very hot. I bought five lambs +to-day, 15 dinas each. They eat the meat the same day it is killed. +The small lambs and pigs are cooked whole. Forty wounded arrived to +day; they all had a bath with disinfectant in, and then put on clean +clothes, their own baked and tied up and put away with their names on. +Some of the wounded look very ill, but this place will soon do them +good. It makes us very happy to see them improving. + + + Tuesday, _April 27, 1915._ + +More wounded are to arrive to-day. We are to have surgical cases. When +the fighting starts our Field Hospital is to move on with the army. We +get quite used to getting up early. We are up at 4.30 and to bed at 9 +o'clock; it saves lights. I sleep outside the tent, and many of the +others do likewise. It is perfectly lovely. I shall never want to +sleep in again. + +The sun is glorious, rising above the mountain-tops. We are getting +quite used to the noises at night. We have the nightingales, one +singing against the other; the owls calling out; big black crickets, +which live in holes in the ground all over our camp and fields, making +their funny noise. Then there are fireflies, which at first I thought +were searchlights, as they were so very bright; cocks are crowing all +round at the various farms; stray dogs, which seem almost wild, visit +the camp at night and try to get into the kitchens to the stores, and +occasionally they will start barking and howling; in ponds near are +frogs croaking. + +My staff are so nice, it makes work so much easier. I went into +Kragujevatz to-day to do some shopping. None of us are allowed to go +on account of typhus, but there is not much fear when one takes +precautions. The shops are quite nice and the shoes and clothes +quaint. Singer's sewing machines are seen everywhere; also Sunlight +soap, Colman's mustard, Peak Frean's biscuits, Peter's milk chocolate. +These things remind us of home. Rice, haricot beans and prunes are +very plentiful, and they form some of the chief articles of diet. + + + Wednesday, _April 28, 1915._ + +The wagons are drawn by oxen; they only do twenty miles a day. They +are magnificent beasts and are well cared for. We have bought two of +them and have called them Derry & Toms, as Derry & Toms gave us two or +three of their carts to bring out here. + +We have had six officers dining with us to-day. The heat is terrific. +I can't imagine what it will be in June. The Serbian food is very +funny, but good. For breakfast they have a kind of bread-pudding; they +call it our "English" bread-pudding, but the Serbian name is "Popiri." +You put bread cut into dice into boiling water, with salt and fat; +they beat it all together and serve. They like it so much and do not +care for anything else; for a change they have stewed prunes and +bread. They drink tea or coffee and the ones on special diet have +eggs. + + + Sunday, _May 2, 1915._ + +We have so much work here we seldom know the day or the date. We have +just had tent drill, as we may move on soon, then we shall have to +pull down our tents ourselves. We have lost several of our stores +coming out: all the bacon and lots of other things. Some of the men +look dreadful and half starved; they seem to like our food. I have +five Austrian prisoners working for me. It is difficult to get much +work out of them, as they say, "No pay, no work"; but I said then +there will be no food, and now they cannot do enough for us; they are +not bad on the whole. I have a funny man who buys for me in the +market. He is too fat to fight, and he is always telling me, with his +arms in the air, that he works only for me. We slept outside on our +camp beds last night; it began to rain and the night nurses had to +carry us in. It is lovely to see how the wounded enjoy this camp life; +they are so happy. When they arrive they have a paraffin bath and +their clothes baked. We brought a lot of clothes with us from England. +Four officers came to see us this morning, and they lent us their +horses for half an hour for us to ride. I am to go next time. + + [Illustration: Mrs. Stobart and part of the unit going out to + Serbia on the _Saidieh_, having Swedish drill.] + + [Illustration: Hospital at Nish. When captured by the + Bulgarians, contained 1,500 patients. + _Face page 32_] + +One of the doctors and I went for a lovely evening walk; the frogs +were singing to each other, quite a different noise to what we heard +before. This morning I took all my kitchen orderlies to have a bath, +five of them. + +Mrs. Stobart took our photos and I gave the men their new clothes. I +managed to get them each a blanket and they were all very happy. They +built themselves a hut to sleep in. They are all Austrian prisoners. + + + Monday, _May 3, 1915._ + +A Dispensary has been started on the road side near our Field +Hospital, and people are coming for miles to get medicine and advice. +There are many cases of diphtheria, typhoid, typhus, scarlet fever, +consumption and other diseases. The civil population are suffering +terribly on account of the war; they have been so neglected. One girl +walked twenty miles to get medicine for her father, mother, sister +and brother who were all down with typhus. A number of the patients +come in ox carts and they travel all right; it is wonderful how +quickly they have got to hear of the Dispensary. Mrs. Stobart has +decided to open many more. + + + Thursday, _May 6, 1915._ + +This has been a great festival for the Serbians--St. George's +Day--they keep it as a holiday. We had two of the officers to dinner, +and a bonfire at 8 o'clock, and we all danced and sang; quite a good +evening. The wounded quite enjoyed themselves. + + + Friday, _May 7, 1915._ + +I went for a walk with two of the doctors to a cemetery near here. +There are thousands of little wooden crosses where the Serbians fell +in the last battle, also for those who died from typhus. The Austrian +prisoners are digging rows and rows of new graves. The dead are not +buried in coffins; there are several empty coffins lying about. + +Many of the crosses have several numbers, so many are buried in the +same grave, four and six. Our Dispensaries are getting on splendidly; +some of the patients walked forty miles; one can scarcely believe it. +We feed all those that come a long distance. We had over 100 patients +to-day. I bought in the market to-day ten sheep, six turkeys, five +geese and nine ducks. We eat two and three lambs just for the staff at +one meal; they are very small. + + + Sunday, _May 9, 1915._ + +I was up just after 4 this morning. Mrs. Stobart and three Serbian +officials went off to find another site for a Dispensary. Colonel +Harrison, our English Military Attache, has been to dinner. I gave +them boiled turkey and white sauce and macaroni. Turkeys are cheap; I +got six for 57 dinas, and you get 36 dinas for a sovereign. After +dinner Colonel Harrison gave us some very good records on his +gramaphone. Our gramaphone has been lost. + +The Austrians are still shelling Belgrade. One of my five Austrian +orderlies gives me a lot of trouble. He goes off sometimes for three +or four hours to get drink, so I had to report him; he has had his +ears well boxed in front of me by the sergeant. If he had struck the +sergeant back he would have been shot. + +We have several wounded Austrians and one German. When the German is +spoken to he always stands at attention; he is really a nice man! + +The camp is quite a swamp. I got up at 4.30 and went to market with +Mr. Greenhalgh. The market did not open till late, so we went into a +cafe which was not at all nice; beetles were running about on the +tables and floor. I sat with my feet tucked under me. + +A lot of young wounded soldiers sat drinking whisky; it is only a +penny for a little decanter out of which they drink. Other people had +Russian coffee with a glass of cold water. + +I am very troubled with dogs and cats; they get into the kitchen and +steal the food. I have stopped the dogs getting in, but the cats I +cannot keep out. + +The wild flowers are very beautiful; we have different kinds gathered +for the wards and for the tables; they are much finer than ours. I +cannot get out much, I am so tired when off duty. + + + Monday, _May 17, 1915._ + +One of my cooks has a revolver, and early this morning she was +unloading it when it went off and hit me on the arm; fortunately it +was not serious. The shot went through her box, then a thick pocket +book, and thence into a tea caddy, where it remained. It was really +very terrifying. A Russian and French Military Attache came in this +afternoon. + +We have ten hospital tents and each one holds ten patients, and as +they are all full more tents have to be put up. At 9 o'clock this +evening a very bad case of typhus arrived in an ox cart--a poor +soldier who was just on leave. His old mother and father came with +him; they were to sleep under the cart, and as the ground was inches +thick with mud, we got them bundles of straw; we also gave them hot +coffee and bread. One sees some sad sights. + +I went again to the market; it is very picturesque. Some of the gipsy +women are very handsome and their costumes charming. Most of the +materials for their dresses and aprons are homespun. The different +shades of reds, blues, yellow and green are lovely, they all tone so +well. We are just on 200 at the camp now, but the numbers never worry +me. We bought cheese and great rolls of sausages in the market. My +store tent is almost under water. I have had to put down bricks and +planks and have a trench dug through the centre. We are told we shall +have it wet for three weeks. The rain comes down in torrents, much +heavier than in England. The patients are all looking so much better +and much fatter. I have bought two large copper boilers for soup; one +cost 123 dinas and the other 77 dinas, but I should think they would +last for ever. I have had a brick wall set round them and a flue at +the back and a grate underneath. We only cook with wood; it is really +very excellent as it retains the heat so long, and really I like it +better than coal. But at first the smoke made us all cry until I got +the stoves properly set. + + + Tuesday, _May 18, 1915._ + +We have had an exciting day as the Prince Alexandra of Serbia was +expected to see our Field Hospital. He and his suite arrived on +horseback. The Prince is the most delightful man, so very friendly and +easy to get on with. Mrs. Stobart presented me. He was much interested +in the kitchen departments, and shook hands with me three times. He +seemed delighted and interested in all the hospitals. A Field Hospital +seems quite a novelty out here. I talked to his horse, a charming +creature called "Sugar." + +Dr. May returns to London to-morrow to bring out new equipments, as we +are to have six more Dispensaries and a Civil Hospital. I have been +doing out lists for new stores all morning. + +I am having a lovely Serbian dress given me. I made some good Serbian +cheese to-day; it is quite easy to make and it is really nice. I wish +friends would send me newspapers; they would be very welcome. I picked +up a cannon ball and horseshoe to add to my treasures. We had another +bad storm; the rain drops are as large as a 2_s._ piece. It is really +amusing when it gets windy as every one rushes to their tent to +tighten their guy ropes, and when it has been raining some little time +they have to be loosened. In the night it is not so pleasant turning +out of a nice comfortable bed. But for all this camp life is very +delightful. + +The Serbians have been at war for the last four years. They fought +first against Turkey, then against Bulgaria, and twice against +Austria-Hungary. + +Valievo was in the hands of the Austrians at the beginning of +December, 1914. Then the Austrians captured Belgrade where they +remained for thirteen days. On December 15 Belgrade was recaptured by +the Serbians. Of the army of 300,000 who crossed the Save River, +nearly half was put out of action. More than 41,500 prisoners were +taken together with 133 guns, 71 maxims, 386 ammunition wagons, 3,350 +transport wagons, and more than 3,250 horses and oxen. The dead and +wounded Austro-Hungarians left on the battlefield exceeded 60,000. + + + Thursday, _May 20, 1915._ + +The cannon ball that I told you about that I picked up was used 100 +years ago against the Turks; there are no end lying about the fields. + +Dr. May returned to England this evening; she will be away about six +weeks. She will bring out more stores and will collect fresh funds for +the upkeep of our Hospital and Dispensary. + +Transport wagons are passing along the road near our camp all night, +so perhaps we shall move on shortly. Oxen are used and they only +travel about twenty English miles a day. + +We have no fresh cases in hospital because there is no fighting at +present. There are over one hundred patients at the road-side +dispensary; each day some of the cases are terrible--typhus, scarlet +fever, diphtheria, and a very bad case of small-pox, but there are no +hospitals to send these sort of cases to. To-day a poor girl arrived +with one foot black, all the flesh eaten off her leg with gangrene; +she had a tubercular foot which she had had a year and it had never +been attended to. Women arrive with dreadful diseases, some with +cancer. + +People in dear old England cannot imagine the state of this part of +the world; thousands and thousands are suffering and cannot get +attention. + +We are now trying to stop some of the dreadful diseases spreading, and +are starting another Hospital called the Civil, and this Hospital will +take in some of these bad cases. We are also hoping to have the six +dispensaries along the line. Our Field Hospital is only for surgical +cases. + +Another wet day; we had a terrible thunderstorm which returned two +nights running; the lightning is much more vivid than in England; in +fact it lights up the hills all round and the sky seems to almost +open. + +To-day is only May 9 with the Serbians; thirteen days difference; it +seems so strange. + +To-day a man was seen buying Serbian whisky; he gave it to two of the +patients and made them drunk. One of my orderlies did the same and was +sent away last week. Owing to this one man the whole lot of Austrian +orderlies were called into line, twenty-seven in all, and they were +marched to the office tent, where Major Partridge talked to them all, +boxed the man's ears who bought the whisky and sent him to prison for +ten days. + +There are three kinds of punishment for prisoners: first, boxing their +ears; second, sending to prison for ten days on bread and water and +solitary confinement; and third, to shoot them. It makes me quite ill +to see the men have their ears boxed. The Serbians seem really good to +their prisoners; I hope ours in Germany are being treated as well. + +I had a lovely dish of wild strawberries brought me to-day as a +present; the strawberries were strung on grasses and they are sold for +1_d._ a string. I also had a bunch of cherries and some sweets, and +this evening two of the Austrian prisoners gave me their prison +badges, so I was in luck's way. + +All around our camp we have funny round holes. I discovered that +black-looking beetles lived down them, but to-night I found they are +crickets; they sing all night and are such dears. I dug one out of its +hole and put it in the kitchen. We also found some of these funny +holes where great large spiders live with hairy legs, and they spin +such a nice strong web over their holes. I suppose this is their front +door. We have been up to our knees in mud the last few days, and +little streams run through our camp, but one gets used to these +things; the ground is of hard clay and the water does not disperse +quickly unless the sun comes out, then it dries up in quite a short +time. This makes us think of our poor soldiers in the trenches. + + + Sunday, _May 23, 1915._ + +This morning one of the doctors came for me to go and see an +operation. It was a poor man who had recovered from typhus, then got +frost-bitten toes, and they had fallen off; new skin had to be grafted +over the stumps, and it was taken from the thigh. It will be +interesting to see how it grows on the foot. + +In the afternoon two of the doctors and I went for a long walk. We +went about twelve miles right on the top of the highest hill, and from +there, a few months back, one could see the battle raging from +Belgrade. At the top of these hills we could see great holes where the +shells had burst. Wild flowers are gorgeous. The acacia trees are +wonderful, much finer than ours. Most of the hedges are acacias. The +fields are covered with wild strawberries. + +Mrs. Stobart and one of the doctors have gone to Nish till Wednesday +morning. + +The girl I told you of, who had the gangrene on her leg, had the leg +off to-day. We put a little tent up for her; we could not let her go +on suffering. + +Another terrible day. I have never seen such rain; we are simply +flooded; the storm lasted five or six hours. + +Mrs. Stobart and the doctor arrived home at 6 o'clock this morning. We +shall soon hear when our camp moves on. I cannot continue writing as +we have another bad storm. The hailstones were like small marbles. We +have now streams running through our camp. + +This evening we had several of the officers to dinner, and Colonel +Harrison's gramaphone after. + +We hear that the Italian Military Attache arrived here to-day, and +that fighting round about here will start in ten days. This morning it +was interesting to see the transport wagons pass on their way to +Belgrade. + +This evening, while I was waiting for the last whistle to blow for +lights out, I went a little walk to see the frogs in some ponds near +by; in one pond they were singing in a high key--I suppose they must +have had soprano voices--and in another pond they were croaking as if +they had bass voices, and as they made this quaint noise their jaws +swelled out to a tremendous size. They came to the edge of the pond to +see who I was and seemed to say, What are you doing here! The light +from the hurricane lamp must have attracted them. The crickets are +also singing everywhere; we can see their holes all over the hills. +They work their wings together to make their quaint noise. And the +cuckoo was also singing. With all these different noises it was quite +an entertainment. + + + Friday, _May 28, 1915._ + +Got up at 4.15 a.m. and went to market. I bought one sheep, some beef, +five ducks, six kilos of sausages, 200 eggs, some carrots and peas. +The sheep I gave 20 dinas for, and as 35 dinas go to the L1 it is not +much. Ducks vary from 1-1/2 to 3 dinas. Eggs were 9 dinas a hundred and +very good. + +Wild strawberries and cherries are plentiful, but too expensive to buy +at present. Market is over at 12. I got back by 9 o'clock. I have a +man that looks after all the live stock we buy in the market, and he +kills them as they are required for table. + +There are three different markets--one for oxen, hay and wood; another +for sheep, goats and pigs; and another for eggs, vegetables, cheese +and fruits. + +The pigs are all different colours, yellow, black, white, elephant +colour. They are very tame, as they are made into pets and many of the +little ones live in the houses. + +On the way to the sheep market we saw a lot of guns, officers and +transport going to Bosnia. The officers' horses had wreaths of roses +round their necks; it is the usual custom, and the officers are +presented with a bouquet. + +There has been a scarcity of sugar in Kragujevatz for about two weeks; +the other day they managed to get about 20,000 kilos, and at the shop +it was being sold there was quite a raid. It was sold for 1_s._ 6_d._ +per lb. There is no butter to be got; it cannot be made with the milk +on account of typhus; the milk has to be boiled directly it comes in; +it never tastes or smells nice. It costs 5_d._ per litre. + +Mrs. Stobart has had a lovely bell given her by the Serbian +Government. It has Mrs. Stobart's Hospital on it in English, and the +Serbian crest. We only had a little goat's bell to ring to bring +people to meals. + +To-day I had one of the Army Medical Corps Field Trenches dug, and it +was most successful. We do not require it for cooking, but Mrs. +Stobart wanted one made as they may be required at the Dispensaries. I +have already four lovely stoves with fine ovens and two large stewpans +with wood fire under them. The pans are of copper. We have portable +boilers for the hot water, which are most excellent; and Serbians have +been to take the measurements of the boilers and stoves so that they +can have some made like them. + +Just been to help one of the doctors by holding a patient's arm while +it was lanced for an abscess. I constantly regret that I was not +trained to be a doctor. I am most interested in seeing operations, as +one always has the satisfaction in knowing that the patients will soon +be relieved from their sufferings. + + + Tuesday, _June 1, 1915._ + +Sir Thomas Lipton arrived for 8 o'clock breakfast this morning. He had +with him the _Daily Chronicle_, _Times_, and one or two other +reporters. Two or three Serbian officers also came with him. Mrs. +Stobart had been down to meet the train from Uskab at 5 a.m. + +We had a very big party in the evening. Sir Thomas Lipton and many of +the officers came to dinner, and afterwards a concert of forty +musicians. The convalescent patients thoroughly enjoyed the evening. + +We were all overjoyed after our guests had left to hear that our +letters, which were a month overdue from England, had arrived. + +I had nineteen letters, three papers and a book. I stayed up nearly +all night reading them. + +The sheep I bought the other day for 20 dinas is a great pet, just +like a dog and follows us everywhere. We call it our mascot. It has a +great blue ribbon bow round its neck which one of the nurses gave it. + +To-day our sergeant, who helps with secretarial work, has typhus. He +has been sent to the Scottish Fever Hospital. He is such a nice man +and has been with us ever since we arrived at the camp. + +We had another terrible storm. I never saw such rain; if one is out +you are soaked through in a minute. + +Several of our members have high temperatures to-day; they have been +isolated. + +I have been to an operation this afternoon. It was to see a toe +removed and two web fingers cut. I am really proud of our women +surgeons. They are really excellent and so quick. + + + Friday, _June 4, 1915._ + +We are still paddling about, up to our ankles. Two more members of our +staff are in bed with high temperatures. We hope it is only malaria. +Two of the Serbian Army Medical Corps came to see our camp. + +Mrs. Stobart is still in bed with high temperature. I have to take all +my staff's temperatures every morning and report to the doctors. + +Two of Dr. Berry's unit have come to stay in this camp for a few days. +Our six staff invalids are going on well, but they all ask for +different kinds of food which is somewhat trying. + +Lady Lethbridge is posting this for me. + +We do not know what this fever is. Some of our staff and the doctors +are beginning to think it is typhoid, but the temperature charts are +most curious, not a bit like the ordinary typhoid. + +I have felt unhappy to-day for our sanitary inspector has put +disinfectants in all the ponds on the camp as the water was getting +stagnant, and all the happy little frogs are suffering. Thirteen ducks +from the farm near by have been to drink the poisoned water, and they +have just run down to the kitchen gasping and their eyes nearly out of +their heads. They have been given bowls of water and it seems as +though they would never stop drinking. It has taken quite six hours +for them to recover from the chloride of lime and water. + + + Sunday, _June 6, 1915._ + +We had service at 5.30 a.m. in the mess tent. Two ducks walked in +during the service. They made a great noise, and after the service we +found that they had laid an egg just outside the tent. We had another +service at 10 and another at 4 o'clock, but the ducks this time did +not visit us. + +My pet sheep had to be sent away, as it loved having its afternoon nap +in the other tents. I did not mind it as I had disinfected it, and it +was beautifully white and so clean; it was a great pet. I call it Sir +Thomas. It was killed for dinner, and I went without meat for several +days. It had grown so fat, and it was the best piece of meat we had in +the camp. It was most painful doing the carving. + + + Tuesday, _June 8, 1915._ + +We had five visitors to-day, four doctors and Lady Lethbridge. We +again had turkey. This is quite a common dish in Serbia, and they are +so cheap, only 7 dinas each; some are 5 dinas. Many of our units are +down with fever; it makes us very busy. + + + Wednesday, _June 9, 1915._ + +To-day Dr. Dearmer and two of my kitchen staff and I went for a lovely +motor ride as we have been too tired to go for walks, and Mr. Black +took us in his car. We started at 2 o'clock and got back at 6. The +weather is very hot, and in some of the tents the temperature is +110 deg. + + + Thursday, _June 10, 1915._ + +At 3.30 this morning I was awakened by a gun being fired; I did not +think anything of this, as one gets so used to the noise of guns. At +4.30 I dressed and went to inquire what the patients were going to +have for breakfast, and when one of the nurses and I were standing +talking we heard a great explosion. I knew at once that it was a bomb, +as I had experienced the same thing in Antwerp. We then heard, as we +thought, the Marconi working, and we looked above us and saw it was a +German aeroplane. Then we saw another German aeroplane, and then two +Austrian ones. We knew at once they were attacking Kragujevatz. They +began dropping bombs first near the arsenal, which did not, +fortunately, do any damage; then one near the King's Palace, which did +no harm but battered several shops and made holes in the walls of the +cathedral. The bomb fell in the middle of the road. Many windows were +broken in the cathedral. Another bomb fell in a cottage and killed a +girl of fourteen who had only been in Kragujevatz three days; her +parents had sent her from Belgrade as she was so afraid of the raids +there. Sixteen people were injured and five killed. Then they came +over our camp, a splendid target for them as the Marconi is only 150 +yards away. The next bomb dropped was about 150 yards from our camp. +The smoke was terrible; I felt sure some of us would be the next +victims. Most of our unit turned out in their night attire. I was glad +that I was presentable. The next bomb dropped was about 110 yards and +the pieces were scattered all round the mess tent and the kitchen. One +of the doctors came hurrying along and called for me to pick up some +pieces of shrapnel, but as we got to the spot we found a poor woman +had been struck. Her arm was quite a pulp; I do not think she will +recover. + +I got about fourteen pieces of shrapnel, a piece of the +hanger-propeller and the fuse. Lots of trees were struck and I got a +piece of shrapnel out of the bark. A wireless was sent from here and +one of the aeroplanes was brought down. + +There has never been a raid on Kragujevatz before. All the guards +round our camp fired their rifles, but there were no air-craft guns +fired. We have not got large guns round us as there had never been a +raid on Kragujevatz before. + +Another poor woman was brought in wounded about 11 o'clock. She had a +little baby which was _not_ hurt; she was struck on the leg. The baby +is exactly like a little old man, and it only weighs 6-1/2 lbs. and is a +year old; its bones are coming nearly out of its flesh. + +Some of our staff who have fever are very ill, and some delirious. +Mrs. Stobart is much better. + +Dr. Dearmer is going to Salonika. He is meeting some fresh members for +our unit, they are due on June 18. A Civil Hospital and some +Dispensaries are to be started. They will be branches of this one. The +pontoon bridges and the regiments pass our camp every day. The +weather is terribly hot. + +We have started to use our mosquito nets. I had an arrow given me +yesterday by a French aviator, one of the kind they throw out of the +aeroplanes; and I have had a very nice Turkish dress given me. + +Letters come from England very well now; they take about thirteen +days. + +Our convalescents sing and play at nights; some of them have very good +voices. Their songs were generally battle songs, and relate to their +friends who had fallen in the war. They are very clever in making +their instruments--flutes, violins--which are excellent. + +Just heard that some more aeroplanes have been seen but they have been +stopped coming over here. The Serbian Government think that they tried +to drop the bombs on our camp; we can be sighted miles away. + + + Friday, _June 11, 1915._ + +Eleven of our staff are down with fever; it is getting quite serious. +The strange part of it is the doctors cannot yet discover what the +fever is. + +We have 125 patients in the hospital, thirty-seven soldiers as +orderlies, Austrians and Serbs, and fifty-nine of our own staff. + +It was very funny the other day. Two large eagles were seen flying +very high. They were taken for aeroplanes, and were immediately fired +upon. The Serbians are quite ready for air raids, as we have some +splendid air-craft guns placed in excellent positions. + + + Sunday, _June 13, 1915._ + +The weather is very hot. I have never experienced anything like it, +quite tropical. One of our doctors has been taken ill to-day; that +makes twelve of our staff down with fever. + +Mrs. Dearmer has been taken ill. Mrs. Stobart, a doctor and I had a +conference about the disease. It was pronounced by the doctor to be +typhoid. One doctor stated that it was due to flies; but this point +was condemned, as the flies have only become plentiful the last week. +It was suggested that it might be raw salad; but this was again +knocked on the head, as no raw salad has been eaten for about three +weeks, and then it was washed in distilled water and vinegar, and +several of the fever patients never ate salad. The last suggestion was +the camp itself. This is the most probable, as before we arrived this +camp was covered with refugees from all parts; and with the very dry +weather, and then the heavy rains, most of the doctors think it is due +to this. Some of the cases have been pretty bad in spite of the +inoculation. Temperatures are 104.8 and several are delirious. +Fortunately none of the wounded have it. + +We have had a terrible hurricane to-day, and a bad thunderstorm. Two +tents were blown down. The hailstones were as big as large marbles. + + + Tuesday, _June 15, 1915._ + +I was taken bad to-day with gastritis. Dr. Atkinson is attending me. I +hope to be up in a few days. It is due to overstrain of the nerves. We +have sent for five more nurses to come and help us. I have a lot to be +thankful for that I have not got typhoid. + + + Wednesday, _June 16, 1915._ + +Mrs. Stobart is about again. + +Prince Alexis came to see our camp this evening. I feel a little +better. + +This has been a funny day, one that we shall never forget. At 6.30 a +telephone message came up from the Government Office that we were +going to have an aerial raid, and that we had better clear our camp. +Twenty aeroplanes were expected, six were to throw bombs on +Kragujevatz, and the others were going on to the Danube. All the +patients had to be taken by one road and the staff by another, and +they had to go about half a mile from the camp. Two oxen were put into +one of Derry & Tom's carts, and patients who could not walk were put +in, and these were the first to leave. Then the motors came round for +the staff that could not walk. Dr. May Atkinson did not want me to go; +however, Mrs. Stobart insisted, and I was the last of the poor victims +to be carted away. I was put on a stretcher and jolted down the road +for half a mile with the other members of the unit, and we were +plumped down on the roadside while others were fetched, and this went +on until the camp was actually cleared. This was at 6.30 and the +aeroplanes were expected at 8. + +No aeroplanes came after all this excitement. Some kind member of the +unit managed to get me some bovril, as I was not allowed solid food. +At about 10.30 breakfast was sent up, boiled eggs and some cheese. I +expect this was thought a suitable diet for a patient suffering from a +high temperature. + +The army camp near was also cleared of its soldiers and oxen. At 11.30 +a message came that we could return to our camp as the flight had been +stopped, and that one of the aeroplanes had been brought down by the +French and Italians. + +I have five Austrian orderlies; their names are--Mike, Mick, Peet, +Steve and Milko; they are really splendid, and so willing. They are +all so sorry I am ill, and they all come round to see me and wanted to +know if I was "too much sick." Mike works harder than ever, and says +"Missis ill, Mike work hard, Mike good boy." + + + Friday, _June 18, 1915._ + +I have been in bed all day but am feeling better. It is very hot +again. Four nurses from the Farmer's unit at Belgrade arrived to help +us; two from the Scotch Hospital came on Wednesday, and four have come +from another unit, so we shall no longer be single-handed. + +All the staff who have typhoid are getting on nicely. + + + Saturday, _June 19, 1915._ + +I am allowed up for a little this afternoon, so to-morrow I hope to be +about again. + +Two great guns have been brought up near this camp. Two of the +patients are about again. Dr. Atkinson will not let me go back to work +again until my temperature has been normal for forty-eight hours. The +work is very hard and there is no end to it. I hear we are to be sent +for a few days' rest to another unit. We constantly have members of +other units coming over for two or three days' rest here; it is so +nice being friendly with all the other different units out here. + +Dr. Dearmer has gone to Salonika to fetch the members of the new unit; +they arrive to-morrow. + +We have heard that the _Saidieh_ has been torpedoed, and seven of the +crew are lost. The Germans have been after this boat for a long time. +We should have been torpedoed coming out if it had not been for the +rough weather and the sea-fog on Easter Sunday. + +The _Saidieh_ had just returned to England under sealed orders by the +Government. I am thankful that our nice captain was saved--John +Reginald Ryall. We are anxious to hear about the chief officer and +chief engineer. + +I have a Serbian to take my place while I am away from work in the +patients' kitchen; he is a splendid cook. He amuses us with his +moustache; he keeps it pressed in a frame in the early morning. I +think if it got burnt with his cooking it would be the death of him. + +We started working this camp two months ago this Friday. We hear that +Dr. May left England on the 18th with a fresh unit. + +The baby belonging to the poor woman who was wounded by shrapnel died +this morning; it is a blessing as the poor little thing had been so +neglected. But the dear nurse that was looking after the baby was +heartbroken. We called her Copper Nob, because she had such lovely red +hair. + +Most of the wounded soldiers have quite lost their nerve. When they +hear that aeroplanes are coming they are quite panic-struck. We were +to have had practice this morning with balloons; one man fled. + +We have such a number of hooded crows here, and some birds called +golden oriole. + + + Monday, _June 21, 1915._ + +Nothing of interest has happened this evening. We still have crowds of +visitors every day to see the camp. + + + Tuesday, _June 22, 1915._ + +I am still not allowed out of my tent. I just feel like a naughty +child who has been sent to her room. My temperature will not be +obedient and go to its normal condition. To-day three of our unit who +have been ill have gone for a few days to Vrynatchka Banja to Dr. +Berry's unit. When they return the doctors want me to go. We are just +in the midst of another bad storm. + + + Wednesday, _June 23, 1915._ + +Two of the second Farmer's unit have come to see our Field Hospital +to-day; they are from Pojeropatz. We have the most ghastly +thunderstorm every evening; the lightning scarcely ever ceases now; +the thunder generally lasts about two hours; the rain comes down in +pailfuls. + + + Thursday, _June 24, 1915._ + +We have _The Times_ Correspondent, a Mr. Robinson, staying here. It is +interesting in the evening to see the little fireflies flying about +all round the camps; they seem to be more and more each night. + + + Friday, _June 25, 1915._ + +I am still in the doctor's hands, and am not allowed to work owing to +my having a temperature. I have been in my tent nearly two weeks but +am almost better. I am to be sent for four or five days' change to Dr. +Berry's unit at Vrynatchka Banja. It is almost thirty miles from here, +and a glorious place I hear. We shall motor over. No more of our +patients have typhoid. Twenty-six of our unit have been ill all +together; some have been very serious cases. I have had a greater +power of resistance owing to my inoculation; most of those who have +had typhoid were inoculated just before coming out here. + + + Saturday, _June 26, 1915._ + +I have been allowed out to-day. Dr. Dearmer arrived from Salonika +yesterday, with two cooks, five nurses and a chauffeur; he went to +meet them from England. They are for the roadside dispensaries, so +they are staying here for a little time to give us some help. Mrs. +Dearmer has been very ill with typhoid. + + + Sunday, _June 27, 1915._ + +Sir Ralph Paget has been over to see us to-day, also a Mr. Petrovitch. +Five of the doctors and my two cooks came over to have tea with me. +To-morrow I am going away. + + + Monday, _June 28, 1915._ + +Three of the doctors have been ill, so we did not get off to Dr. +Berry's to-day. We had the most ghastly thunderstorm this evening, +lasting two hours, such big hailstones. Dr. Payne, Nurse Berry and +Nurse Newhall, Mr. Black and myself had breakfast at 6.15. We took +plenty of refreshments with us and left the camp in the motor +ambulance for Vrynatchka Banja. It is sixty miles from Kragujevatz. We +came through the most gorgeous scenery, and it was so picturesque to +see the women and the boys working in the maize fields. The women +never wear hats, only coloured handkerchiefs over their heads, and if +in mourning the handkerchiefs are black. We had lunch when we got +about half way; then another bad storm came on and in a few minutes we +could scarcely see in front of us for thick mist. We soon drove +through it and came into quite dry ground again. The fields are +perfectly wonderful with wild flowers, the most beautiful colours. + +The hedges are all acacia trees, and the most lovely wild flowers. +Butterflies and beetles are very plentiful. We had only one puncture, +and changed the wheel and went on merrily again. We arrived at +Vrynatchka Banja at about 2.30. We had a lovely welcome from the +members of Dr. Berry's unit; six of them had come out on the _Saidieh_ +with us; several of them have been over to see us at our camp. We had +tea at 4 o'clock and at 6 we went to a lecture given by Dr. Berry. In +the evening we had some music. The other members of our unit which +were here when we arrived left at 9 o'clock for Kragujevatz the +following morning, leaving us three here for a rest. We saw them off; +then Nurse Berry and I went to see the town, leaving Nurse Newhall in +bed. This place is simply charming; it is far more beautiful than +Kragujevatz, and is one of the fashionable watering places in Serbia. +This hospital is very large and we have hot and cold water and +electric light. Dr. Berry has several other hospitals besides; they +have only 130 patients. This afternoon I went into the large ward for +some music with the wounded. We sang and played to them. The wounded +are most grateful for all that is done. They call us all "Sistra" and +often "Dobra Sistra," which means good sister. The Serbian men look so +fragile, with the exception of the higher class, who are mostly fine, +strong-looking men. The women are splendid, so handsome and strong +looking; they do most of the manual labour. The magnificent courage of +the Serbian women will never be forgotten. Some have lost father, +brothers, husbands and sons. These women have one simple answer: +"Sistra, they died for their country!" Before such patriotism we can +but kneel and pray for the simple faith which shall teach each one of +us to be brave enough to do the same. Their country, beautiful and +fertile like our own, is ravaged; disease, war and famine, yet they +still go on. The Austrian prisoners do most of the work; they are such +a nice race of men, and so willing, and never mind what they do. They +hate warfare. We are all impressed with them. It seems hard that they +have to fight against the Serbs. We went for a pretty walk after tea; +we all went to bed early. + + + Thursday, _July 1, 1915._ + +It is just three months to-day since we left home. This morning I went +into the kitchen and learnt several Serbian dishes. My two companions +were not well, so stayed in bed. I went to see them at 10.30 and found +Nurse Berry very flushed. I took her temperature and found it 103 deg., +and her pulse 116 deg., so I fetched the doctor and she has to stay in +bed. I spent this afternoon with Nurse Berry, and this evening we were +taken to see the town. We went over two hospitals, then through the +park, and to the post to get stamps. The Post Office was closed, but +the girl was outside, so she served us; she had not change and trusted +us with 2 dinas' worth of stamps, which shows how the Serbs trust the +English. The town is very picturesque, such lovely trees everywhere; +the shops are very small. I bought some lovely coloured stockings. A +man in the hospital has to be operated on for glands and is not +allowed food. When it was time for his operation he refused to be +done; however, the doctors persuaded him. After the chloroform he was +violently sick, and he brought up nothing but red matter. The doctors +thought at first it was blood and they thought they had cut a vein. +However, it appears the man had gone off and gorged himself with +mulberries as he did not like being starved. White and red mulberry +trees grow wild over here. I went to see a doctor at Dr. Banks' unit +at the Red Cross Hospital for Dr. Dearmer; they told us the story that +Dr. Dearmer had written in the English papers about the man who was +thought to be dead and was put into his coffin. After the coffin was +put into the mortuary the man managed to get out and was found by the +nurse back in his bed. + + + Friday, _July 2, 1915._ + +I have had a most interesting day; I spent part of the morning in the +wards, helping with dressings. It is really terrible to see these poor +men; most of them have lost their legs and feet; hundreds and hundreds +of the men have lost their toes and feet through frost-bite; one poor +fellow of only twenty-two has lost both his feet, and often calls me +to show me the two stumps. It would be a blessing if some of these +poor men had been killed right out, instead of all the suffering they +go through. Most of them seem happy, and it is because they won't be +able to go and fight again. Nurse Berry and Nurse Newhall have been in +bed nearly all day; they are in my care. After lunch I spent the +afternoon in the kitchen, learning Serbian cooking; their method of +pastry making is perfectly wonderful. They make the flour into a paste +with water and fat. Then it is stretched over tables and it is pulled +out until it is as thin as paper. This evening I was to have gone into +the town, but we made a call on a French lady and a big storm came on +and we did not get any further. + + + Saturday, _July 3, 1915._ + +Dr. and Mrs. Berry went to Kragujevatz in the morning for a +conference. We went into the town, did some shopping and had some +raspberry drink and cakes at a cafe; we had a glorious walk back. This +afternoon we heard that there was a funeral; then we heard a lot of +wailing in the distance, so we put on our things and went to the +cemetery. We met the procession of about twenty women with a lot of +banners and baskets of food. It seems that the corpse they were +mourning for had been dead some time, forty days, so it was just an +anniversary. When we arrived at the cemetery the women put the flags +against a tree, then knelt down round the grave and began to wail and +cry bitterly. Then they lighted candles and put them on the grave. +They unpacked the baskets and put plates of food all over the +grave--bread, rice, cucumber cut in slices, cherries, little bowls of +jam, onions, little glasses of wine and decanters of water. We watched +this ceremony for about half an hour. Some of the mourners ate the +food and kept kissing the grave. There were no end of mourners at +other graves doing the same thing. It was the most pathetic sight I +have ever seen, so sad to see the poor things. + + + Sunday, _July 4, 1915._ + +A very wet day; nothing but rain and thunder. After tea we went down +for a sulphur bath. Such a quaint place; it was a round deep hole with +running water only about six yards wide; the water was warm. After +breakfast we went another walk up to the cemetery. All the food that +had been left on the graves on Saturday had been eaten by the women +who had been wailing round the graves, with the exception of a few +apples and cherries that had been left on the ledges of some of the +crosses. We had a lovely walk back through some woods. There are +crowds of wild cherry trees laden with cherries, wild mulberries and +walnuts. The vine trees are also plentiful and so well trained. The +land is fairly well cultivated, considering that all the men are +fighting. The women are splendid workers. This afternoon I went again +to learn some Serbian dishes. There is such a nice woman here as cook. +As soon as she heard I was interested she said she would show me some +of their dishes, and Dr. Berry's sister is so good in letting me go +down into the kitchen to learn. We have been over most of the +hospitals here; really very good, and they are so clean. The park is +glorious, but it amused me to see spittoons all along the pathways. + + + Tuesday, _July 6, 1915._ + +We went shopping this morning and came home through the park. After +lunch we rested till 2.30, then went for a picnic as it was one of the +nurses' birthdays. We did not go far, only to the top of the hill, but +the view round was magnificent, the lights and shades so perfect. Just +before we started for our picnic, Mrs. Berry, who had been spending +the week-end at our camp, arrived back with one nurse to take me back +to the camp. They came by train; Dr. Berry and another of our nurses +came by car. We heard some very sad news, and this was that one of the +nurses was dead, Nurse Ferris, a strong healthy girl of twenty-five +years of age. She was to be married in September. She was taken ill +just about a week before me with typhoid. It does not say much for +inoculation. Nurse Ferris was a good nurse; she had a bright cheerful +manner and was always the same. She knew Serbian better than any one +in the camp, and could sing the Serbian anthem. It seems strange that +she should have picked up Serbian in this manner and then be put to +rest in the country. It seems she died on Sunday afternoon at 3 +o'clock. She was taken to the mortuary in the town and then laid to +rest on Monday. She had a large military funeral. All the staff from +our camp went, all the Government officials and the units from the +other hospitals, and all the doctors from these parts who had come +over to Kragujevatz for the doctors' conference. They had a band and +she was buried near the other nurses who had died from the Scotch +Hospital at Kragujevatz. She was only put into a temporary grave as, +when the war is over, the Government will erect a monument to all who +have died. Dr. Dearmer conducted the service. The last I saw of Nurse +Ferris was the night before I came here. I went to have a peep at all +our poor invalids. When the poor girl saw me she looked up and smiled +and waved to me. I little thought it was the last time I should see +her. Nurse Ferris and I always had little jokes together when she came +to meals; she was beloved by all in her ward. It seems this is the +first English service that has been conducted in a Greek cathedral; +the prince gave his consent and sent his secretary. + + [Illustration: A child having an abscess removed outside the + Operating Theatre.] + + [Illustration: Lady Cook and Austrian prisoner orderlies at Mrs. + Stobart's camp Hospital, Kragujevatz. + _Face page 64._] + + + Wednesday, _July 7, 1915._ + +We leave this afternoon at 3 o'clock. This morning I went shopping, +bought a lot of handkerchiefs and some Serbian pots. At 2.30 the +carriage came to take the two nurses, who had come over to fetch me, +and myself to the station. Nurse Newhall came with us, and Mrs. +Berry's sister, Miss Dickinson. We had three miles' drive to the +station; we arrived at 3.20 and the train was expected at 4.15 but it +never arrived till 5.10. This is the usual thing in Serbia; we only +have sixty miles to go. We arrived at 9; the train stopped at every +station from 15 to 20 minutes, so the people get out of the train and +sit by the side of the railways. It makes the journey quite enjoyable +when one is not pressed for time. Our train was going on to Belgrade. +We had two French people, and all the rest were Serbians in our +carriage. The train was full of soldiers going to Belgrade. The +soldiers all travel in trucks, the officers in the ordinary way. I +wonder how our Tommies would like this. We were to spend the night at +a little cottage rented by Dr. Banks for the Red Cross at Stellatch. A +boy at the station insisted on saying there was no such place; the +railway officials wanted us to remain at the station, but we insisted +on our little cottage and we soon found it in the dark. A very nice +woman lived at this cottage, and her two children, a girl and a boy. +We were put into this room with two stretchers. A nice Serbian who +could talk French at the station said there were only two stretchers, +so he sent up a third. We had a few sandwiches which we brought with +us, then tucked ourselves up for the night on the stretchers, but it +was impossible to sleep for fleas and mosquitoes. We heard that the +train for Kragujevatz left at 7 o'clock, so we got up soon after 5. It +was very quaint on the way seeing little boys and girls driving along +the roads flocks of sheep, pigs and chickens. All the children here +seem quite grown up; the schools are all closed and they have to help +in the fields with their mothers. The girls are very neat looking; +they all part their hair at the side and have a neat plait at the +back or wound round their head, and they have a handkerchief tied on +their head. The middle-aged women part their hair in the middle and +the hair always covers the ears. It is dreadfully hot. On arriving at +the station we were told that the train would not leave till 1.30. We +have been trying to shade ourselves under a tree all day as it is too +hot to walk. It is now 12.45 and our train is appearing in the +station; our porter had just rushed up the hill to fetch us; it is not +often one gets a train leaving fifty minutes before the time. We got +to Kragujevatz at 7 o'clock, after a most tedious journey. It was so +funny. Half an hour before getting to Kragujevatz I discovered that +Miss Vera Holmes and Mrs. Haverfield were in the same train. It was so +nice to see them; they were going to the Scotch Hospital, so they have +asked me to go to tea with them to-morrow. On arriving at Kragujevatz +we could not get a cab, so we had to telephone for one of the motors +to fetch us. + + + Friday, _July 9, 1915._ + +We had such a welcome back. One of the cooks is not well, so I had to +do her work. I went to tea to the Scottish Women's Hospital to meet +Miss Vera Holmes and Mrs. Haverfield. I did not stay long as I had a +lot to do, so many of our unit are ill. Mrs. Dearmer is seriously ill. +This is the most anxious night; she has five doctors with her; she has +typhoid and double pneumonia. Every twenty minutes she has oxygen +given her; it would be terrible if anything happened to her; she is so +nice and we are all so fond of her. + + + Saturday, _July 10, 1915._ + +Mrs. Dearmer just a little easier to-day. The stores arrived to-day +for the wayside dispensaries. + + + Sunday, _July 11, 1915._ + +This has been a very sad day. Dear Mrs. Dearmer passed away at 7.30; +she was buried this afternoon at 5 o'clock owing to the hot weather, +and it being a general holiday it had to take place at once. At 7 +o'clock four of Dr. Berry's unit from Vrynatchka Banja came to stay at +our camp for two days. I have been looking after the invalid dishes +for the typhoid fever patients. I made Mrs. Dearmer a large cross of +some gorgeous white wild flowers with acacia and clematis. The Serbian +Government sent up some lovely wreaths; the coffin was of silver and +gilt, very handsome; it had the Union Jack over and was covered with +wreaths. At 4.30 the remains were brought from her own tent to a tent +we had turned into a little chapel; it really looked sweet. At 5 +o'clock the hearse arrived, a ghastly looking thing, with a statue of +a man in armour seated on the top. It gave me a dreadful shock when I +saw it; it reminded me of a circus; then all the Government officials +arrived, officers--the French, English and Serbian, and the prince +sent a representative. Crowds of people arrived from other units. We +had a military band; then the priests arrived, two in pale blue +oriental satin robes decorated with gold, and one a peacock oriental +satin edged with gold, one a rich velvet decorated with gold, one a +red oriental satin edged with gold, and the sixth a black gown edged +with silver. Each priest carried a candle, then two other men came +carrying incense. We all followed the hearse in twos as far as the +Greek cathedral; all the streets were lined with people to the +cathedral, and the cathedral was packed. The coffin was put near the +altar and we all stood round. A large lighted candle was put facing +the coffin and the six priests stood in front. They all took part in +the service. I forgot to say one cross was in silver, with Mabel +Dearmer written on it, and it had a large ribbon bow. The band played +until we got to the cathedral, and when it stopped the people sang. +The Serbs have lovely voices. They remind me of the Welsh. It was +terribly sad; the singing in the cathedral was glorious; the service +lasted about an hour and a half. One of the French officers read a +little address from the cathedral steps, then we walked on to the +cemetery, about a mile; the band led, then the hearse and the +mourners. Dr. Dearmer, Dr. Marsden and Dr. Atkinson met us at the +cemetery gates; the priests continued their prayers in Serbian; then +Rev. Mr. Little, who has come to join our unit, read our English +service. The grave was lined with white and decorated with clematis. +Mrs. Dearmer was buried next to Nurse Ferris. The coffin was lowered +into a box, then the lid was put on. After the service Dr. Dearmer, +Dr. Marsden, Dr. Atkinson went off in the motor for a few days. We all +got into motors and carriages and returned to the camp. + + + Monday, _July 12, 1915._ + +We have been busy all day packing and getting ready the roadside +dispensary; this will be the chief depot; the first dispensary will be +twenty-five miles from here. The units for the dispensary go on +Wednesday. I had the most lovely caterpillar given me to-day; it is +three inches long, and is a most lovely green with lovely pale blue +spots on it, and little tufts of hair come round the blue spots. What +it is I do not know, and a man who is very well up in these kind of +things could not tell me. I went to see two members of our unit off to +Nish this evening. To-day a Frenchman has been practising in a Serbian +aeroplane over our camp; it is most exciting. + +Dr. Dearmer has decided to return to England to-morrow. + + + Tuesday, _July 13, 1915._ + +We finished getting ready the stores for the dispensary to-day. Dr. +Dearmer and Dr. Marsden left for Malta; Dr. Dearmer has his son there. + + Wednesday, _July 14, 1915._ + +This morning we were up at 4.15 as ten of the new unit were leaving to +start the dispensary, twenty-five miles away; they left with all their +equipments. Just as they were ready to start the Rev. Mr. Sewell +arrived, and Mrs. Sewell from Belgrade. Dr. Hanson and Mr. and Mrs. +Sewell and I had tea together in Dr. Atkinson's tent. This morning +Major Potridge took me to the arsenal to choose a transport kitchen +which the Serbians captured from the Austrians. I was taken all over +the arsenal, which was most interesting. It is most wonderful the +amount of guns which the Serbs have taken from the Austrians. Mr. +Paulhan, the French aviator, is here. He won the _Daily Mail_ prize; +he flies over the camp very often going to Belgrade. Six of our unit +go to Belgrade this evening for a few days. I hope to go before +returning to England. + + + Friday, _July 16, 1915._ + +Mrs. Stobart and three of the Government officials went to choose a +site for another dispensary. I was up at 3.30 and we had breakfast at +4.30. I went to the market to order things for the week. Sunday is the +great day for the market. It is so picturesque to see all the Serbs in +their quaint costumes. The gipsies are lovely. They have gorgeous +striped skirts, homespun, lovely coloured belts with large buckles, +home-made stockings wonderfully embroidered, fancy zouave, and fancy +coloured scarves on their heads. One of the doctors and I were invited +out to an engagement ceremony. It was really most interesting. One of +our interpreters who was single was told that there was a girl who +would make him a suitable wife, so he went to see her early last +week, liked her, so proposed. She is nineteen and he is about +thirty-five years of age. The girl possesses a maize field, a wheat +field and a walnut tree. This is considered a very good dowry. At 3.30 +the interpreter called for us; the cottage where the girl and her +people live is about ten minutes walk from the camp. On our way we met +several of the man's relations. On arriving at the house we were met +by her relations, who were standing all along the pathway to the front +door. The men shook hands with us and the women kissed our hands. We +were taken into the front room, a good sized one with a table in the +middle; there was tapestry all round the walls which had been done by +the girl. The Serbs do the most beautiful work with the handlooms, and +it is all done with the pure wool from the sheep, which one sees the +women spinning as they walk along the streets. We sat round the table +and talked till all the guests had arrived. The girl went round +kissing all the women relations on the hands and face, the men and the +guests on the hands, the fiance did likewise; then the engaged couple +stood in the centre of the room and had the ring presented, a gold +ring with a diamond and ruby. The ring was put on the little finger of +the right hand. The engaged couple kissed all the people again; we +then started with refreshments. The girl did everything. A tray was +handed round first with a dish of cakes and glasses of wine; this was +to drink the health of the guests. We only took a sip of wine and the +glasses were put back on the tray; then the girl went out and brought +in another tray, the same wine and cakes; this was to drink the +bride's health; then a third lot was brought in to drink the +bridegroom's health. Then a tray came in with two dishes of jam and +glasses of cold water and spoons. We all eat a spoonful of jam and +drank a little water; the last tray had little cups of Turkish coffee. +After this we sat and talked; the ceremony was over. Fortunately we +were not far from the camp as a blizzard came up with a terrible sand +storm. We rushed round to help with the tents and patients. This was a +difficult task. We got our patients taken away in the motors to our +new building near. The hospital ward tents stood well; as they are all +double, only three came down, and the poles were not broken, so were +soon put up. Fifteen came down in all, the staff mess tent, the men's +mess tent, the kitchen tent and some of the sleeping tents. We had +several of the military authorities helping us. The storm lasted for +two hours and then all was quite calm again. We had a lovely picnic +supper under a large shelter the Government officials had put up for +us. The next day we were busy putting things straight after the storm. +I was not well again, so was sent to bed. I had to get up in the +afternoon to pack, as Dr. Atkinson had arranged for me to go to +Belgrade to the British Fever Hospital. Four of our unit are returning +to England, so they have come with us to Belgrade. Eight of us left +for Belgrade by the 12 train. We had a through carriage, most +comfortable. Dr. Curcin had arranged it for us. The English military +attache, Col. Harrison, came to see us off. A motor took us from the +camp; we had a lovely journey and arrived at Belgrade at 10 a.m. It is +sad to see how Belgrade is destroyed. Our driver was too funny. The +roads were terribly bad; we had quite a young boy to drive us. He +jumped off the box part way to shake hands with some of his friends in +a cart; he got a cigar from them, lighted it and then ran after his +carriage again. We had gone on quite a long distance with our two +horses. When we got a little further our driver jumped down again, +this time for a drink of water on the roadside, and to buy a cake. We +arrived at the British Fever Hospital at 11 o'clock; we were given a +very nice ward, and the two nurses and I were sent to bed, and we had +to go on light diet for forty-eight hours. I have been put on milk +only, so I am very cross; it is very dull in bed, but I know many of +the Farmers' unit as so many came out in the _Saidieh_ with us. + + + Tuesday, _July 20, 1915._ + +We have had a dull day in bed. Belgrade has been terribly shattered +with bombs. This hospital faces the Danube; it is most interesting. +The snipers have been firing a good deal to-day, and we hear the guns +at night. It seems a shame that so many of these lovely buildings are +in ruins. + + + Wednesday, _July 21, 1915._ + +Still in bed on milk diet; it is dull work. This afternoon an +Austrian aeroplane has been flying over us, and the Serbs have been +firing at it. + + + Thursday, _July 22, 1915._ + +At 3.40 this morning heavy firing started, and it continued for half +an hour; soon after we heard aeroplanes; there were two Austrian ones +which came over dropping bombs. They flew over this hospital many +times. The Serbs started firing at them, and the shrapnel fell on the +road below, quite a lot of it. If I had been all right I should have +got some. The aeroplanes now have dropped a lot of sealed packets with +long silvery ribbon which floated along for many miles in the air; it +was quite nice to see them in the sun. We have just heard that the +long silver ribbon contained a sealed packet addressed to the governor +of Belgrade, saying that unless the Serbians surrender they will start +bombarding the town. It is the anniversary of the declaration of war +on Serbia to-day. I have just had three more months' extension of +leave from the Governors of the Institute, saying they have +appreciated all the valuable work I have been doing, and have granted +me another three months' leave, from the commencement of next session. + + + + + THE BRITISH FEVER HOSPITAL, + BELGRADE, + SERBIA, + Friday, _July 23, 1915._ + +Six of our unit arrived over from the camp to say good-bye to us; +they were returning to England; they wanted to see Belgrade before +returning. A few guns were fired at Semlin by the Serbs. It is +splendid to see the way the Serbian women work. Some of the work-rooms +at the arsenal were full of them, and even little boys and girls of +fourteen and fifteen years of age. When the bullets and cartridges are +finished they are tested in another machine, and if they have any +defects they are shot out again. The Austrian kitchens are considered +wonderful, they are so well fitted up. + + + Saturday, _July 24, 1915._ + +I was awakened this morning at 5 o'clock by more guns being fired, but +it only lasted a short time. Sir Ralph and Lady Paget called to see +one of their nurses who is at this hospital with typhus (so they came +in to see us). One of the doctors is here with an orderly to look +after her. Lady Paget still looks very ill after her illness of +typhus. I had a long talk with her; she is a charming woman, and Sir +Ralph is very nice. There has been an interesting fete given to-day by +the gipsies; they sent invitations to all the hospitals here. It was +held in a large building. Several trays of refreshments were handed +round; after that they played violins and some other funny +instruments; they play and sing very well, but it is so weird. The +French have sent round to the gipsy villages as their huts were +condemned as not being fit to live in; but the funny part is that the +gipsy quarter has had no cases of disease like other parts of Serbia. +It is pouring with rain and the streets are simply flooded several +inches deep; the children take off their shoes and stockings and +paddle, but most of the children do not wear shoes and stockings. This +is the only place in Serbia where there are wood and asphalt roads, +all the other roads are in a terribly cobbly state, and in a most +deplorable condition. The shops are nearly all closed. Some of the +people just open in the evening. The air raid we had the other day: a +French aviator went up and there was a battle in the air; Monsieur +Paulhan fired on the Austrian aeroplane and brought it down in +Austrian territory; the aviator was killed; a photograph was taken +after shooting. This is the third Austrian aeroplane that has been +brought down by the French aviator since he came here. We hear the +guns each day; the French aeroplane goes over the Austrian territory, +and then we hear the Austrians firing on it. We have some of our +Marines five miles from here with large guns, also French and Russian. +The doctor allowed one of the nurses and me to go for an hour's drive +to-day. We drove all round the town past the King's Palace. Some of +the buildings are very fine but so many are in ruins. No trams or +trains are allowed to run, otherwise the Austrians begin firing. If +any of the nurses are seen near with their caps and aprons the +Austrians begin at once firing; they think they must be Serbian +officers. + + + Wednesday, _July 28, 1915._ + +The French aeroplane has been flying round again to-day. One of the +nurses and I went for another drive in a ramshackle carriage with two +horses. When we got a little way the wheel came off; it was soon +mended and we started off again, and the poor old carriage came to +grief a second time, but fortunately we were near a blacksmith's +place. + + + Thursday, _July 29, 1915._ + +This has been a dull day. The doctor would not allow me to go out as +my temperature is inclined to go up and I have a bad pulse. The +Austrians are splendid men, and it seems so terrible to see these nice +refined men doing all kinds of dirty work; it makes me think of our +poor English prisoners in Germany. + +I am much better to-day and the doctor allowed the nurse to take me +across to the hotel where we had tea; it was such a nice change. +Another of our unit came over from the camp to stay a few days. I had +a letter from Dr. Atkinson telling me that Dr. May had arrived from +England, and that Mrs. Stobart had gone to Lapovo to start another +dispensary. Two Serbian regiments passed last evening, the best +drilled Serbs we have seen since we arrived; there were eighty in each +regiment; then a lot of horses and donkeys passed, laden with wood. I +am proud to say that I have not seen any soldiers march better than +our men in England since I left. + + + Sunday, _August 1, 1915._ + +I have not been allowed out the last two days, as the doctor was not +pleased with me. This is a lovely hospital, it will hold over 500 +beds; it was an university before the war; the art rooms on the top +floor are splendid. + + + Monday, _August 2, 1915._ + +I have been allowed out for a little to-day. I went round to the hotel +to tea with our nurses who were returning to England with eight of +this unit. + +In the morning our French aeroplane flew over to spy on the Austrians, +so the Austrians fired on it. It was so curious to see clouds of grey +and red smoke when the shells burst; it was quite different from the +ordinary shot that had been fired at the aeroplanes before. A lot of +the people here had a near shave of being blown up with the bombs. One +fell just near a man I met yesterday and he was blown up four feet and +not hurt at all. + + + Tuesday, _August 3, 1915._ + +To-day I had a walk round Belgrade to see the shops; some of them are +very fine, but things are most expensive and the shop-people are very +quaint, they do not care if they sell their goods or not. The sister +who looks after me took me for a little walk this afternoon. We went +down near the Save to look across at Semlin; we are not allowed to go +too near, otherwise the snipers fire upon us. We saw the bridge that +crosses the Save, which the Serbians blew up to prevent the Austrians +crossing. We also went into several houses that have been ruined with +bombs. We could see the cathedral at Semlin quite plainly. The sister +and I went after to see the cathedral; the paintings are very fine. It +is fortunate that--up to the present--it has not been damaged inside. +Malaria is starting here; we had four cases in yesterday. The doctor +is afraid of our getting it, so we are to return to the camp +to-morrow. I am not to go on duty for another two weeks. There has +been much discussion in Serbia about our camp, and it seems that the +site chosen was not a suitable one. First of all a camp should be on a +slope, as I have always learnt from my V.A.D. lectures. Secondly, the +kind of soil should have been taken into consideration; I should have +thought that a porous soil would have been best, but our camp is on +clay. Thirdly, I think inquiries should have been made as to what the +land had been used for before pitching our tents. Another camp had +been on our site before, and we heard that refugees had been living on +the land for some time. When we arrived the land was covered with +bullocks, sheep, goats, pigs, fowls, ducks, which, of course, produced +flies, and as flies carry disease, I should think it was very +unsuitable. + + + Friday, _August 6, 1915._ + +I was taken bad in the night, so the doctor would not let me return to +the camp with the other members of our unit. The nurses are giving us +a tea-party, as they have had all kinds of lovely things sent from +England. I had Sister Barnes looking after me, such a nice girl, who +has travelled a great deal; a nurse who was at the Battersea A.V.S.H. +for four years, also a doctor's wife, who is married to one of the +doctors here; she is a Yorkshire girl, very charming. The three +members in our unit return to the camp this evening at Vrynatchka +Banja. One of the patients produced an egg every morning for his +breakfast; it was discovered that he had encouraged a hen to come into +his bed, and then it took to laying its eggs. We have sixteen more +patients brought in to-night with malaria; it seems to be spreading +rapidly, so it is a good thing that our people have returned to +Kragujevatz. All the doctors out here think that mistakes were made at +the first when typhus broke out, by sending the cases all over Serbia +to different hospitals, instead of keeping them in hospitals at Nish, +where it first started, and finding out the cause. It seems that +Serbia still requires more sanitary inspectors, though a great deal +has been done and is being done at the present time. + + + Saturday, _August 7, 1915._ + +I was taken bad again in the night, so I am again in bed. The doctor +has given me something to make me sleep, so I feel a little better. +They say I went on duty too soon after enteric. It does seem a shame +that the Austrian prisoners from the hospital have been sent +elsewhere to-day, they were such nice men and they do their work +splendidly. The one that looked after my ward brought me a large bowl +of flowers this morning, and he was always so pleased when the nurse +allowed him to bring me my medicine. I have had forty-five letters in +less than three weeks, people are so good in writing to me. I hear +that I have more letters than any one in the camp. Mrs. Askew is +staying in Belgrade, and she heard I was ill, so came in to see me. +They have no work to do in their unit just now. Mrs. Askew has had a +horse given her, so she goes out riding every morning from 4.30 to +5.30. The chaplain, Mr. Sewell, comes to see me very often; his wife +helps in the kitchen; they are a delightful couple. They come from +Bristol; a good many people here come from the North of England. A +little boy of thirteen years of age was brought in here yesterday; he +has fever, was in the Serbian uniform, and is a sergeant-major, such a +curious little fellow. + + + Monday, _August 9, 1915._ + +This morning Mr. Sewell had a little service for one of the nurses who +has had typhus and me; it is very nice having a chaplain with us. +Still in bed, so feel rather dull. Mr. Winch, the head of this unit, +paid me a visit this morning; then Mr. Sewell, the chaplain, came. +Miss Trendle, the matron, brought me books and papers. A nurse was +telling me a story that had been told her: the doctors heard a great +scream, went out to see what had happened; an old woman had fallen +and dislocated her patella; she would not allow any one to touch her, +and they sent off for a funny old woman whom they looked upon as a +witch. She came, and first put some sugar over the fractured part, +then a poached egg; then a bandage was put on; then the old witch got +people to hold the injured woman while she took the bad foot and +pulled and pulled as hard as she could. + +We hear that a lot of Austrians swam across the Danube the other day +to join the Serbian Army; the Austrians were drowned; the Serbs sent a +boat to rescue them, but it was too late. A few weeks ago one of the +Serbs swam across and joined the Austrians. + + + Thursday, _August 12, 1915._ + +This afternoon at 2 o'clock the Austrians started shelling this town. +The first shell dropped two doors from this hospital, setting the +place in flames; two shells struck two of the hotels. The shelling +lasted about three-quarters of an hour, but our firing soon stopped +them. It was from Semlin the Austrians were firing, and the guns must +have been very big as the shells were a very large size; I have a +piece of one. This is indeed a wicked war, so many people absolutely +ruined and their homes smashed to pieces. The matron from this +hospital returns to England in about ten days' time; she is having a +picnic this afternoon in the Botanical Gardens. One of our naval men +has just come up here. It seems that the Austrians fired two shells +on to Milanovatz; we replied by firing back four shells into one of +their towns. The Austrians replied by firing back eleven shells on +Belgrade; we sent back twenty-two shells into Semlin; then the house +was set on fire two doors from this hospital. A man blew a big whistle +for the fire alarm in the middle of the road. The doctor had me moved +into one of the back wards, as this ward is in the range for firing; +all the patients were removed to the back. + + + Friday, _August 13, 1915._ + +We hear that twenty-two bombs fired from here destroyed a lot of +houses and a lot of people in Semlin. Fires were seen blazing all +round; only one man was killed here and very little damage done. The +shells fired by the Austrians were from their 6-inch guns. The ward I +am in is a mass of flowers to-day; a lot of the nurses brought them +for me last night; they are all so kind to me. + + + Saturday, _August 14, 1915._ + +This evening about 10 o'clock a fire broke out at the back of this +hospital, about 150 yards away. It was a large brewery and was burnt +to the ground. We watched it until 12 o'clock; the sparks were a sight +floating along in the air. It was a chance for the Austrians to +attack, as Belgrade was lighted up all round. The searchlights look +lovely all along the Danube. We have Serbs, English and French here. + + + Sunday, _August 15, 1915._ + +This morning the Serbians have been shelling some of the islands along +the Danube. + + + Monday, _August 16, 1915._ + +The Serbians and Austrians have been busy firing all the afternoon and +evening. We hear that the Austrians have found out where the English +guns are. They have smashed one of our English cannons; several +Serbians have been wounded. The Austrians have been trying for some +time to move their camp, as they want to go and help the Turks. The +Serbs, as soon as any attempt is made, fire on them. The sky was +lighted up with searchlights last night; this has never occurred +before, and probably Zeppelins were expected. The searchlights are +generally on the Danube and Save. My doctor here returned from our +camp this evening, so I have had another doctor looking after me. + + + Wednesday, _August 18, 1915._ + +Several of our unit came over from the camp to-day; they have two +days' leave, so they have come over to see Belgrade. Two are staying +on for a few days, as one is still feeling ill. I hear Dr. Atkinson is +over at Vrynatchka Banja with one of the orderlies who has had an +operation; they thought she was going to have cancer in the chest, but +it is a cist. I am much better this evening. + + + Thursday, _August 19, 1915._ + +We have had no more of the Austrian fireworks over here the last two +days; I expect the Serbs, English and French quieted them down the +other evening; we have plenty of large guns here. King Peter has a +lovely palace, but it has been very much damaged. This afternoon I was +allowed to go for a short walk, then I went to tea with one of the +nurses who has had typhus. Nineteen of us went to her tea-party. + + + Friday, _August 20, 1915._ + +Sister Barnes goes to Uskub to-morrow, so it has been arranged that +she takes me with her to stay a few days before returning to +Kragujevatz. We have had a nice wire from Lady Paget this afternoon, +saying that she was sending to meet us. Every one is so kind to me; +the doctors will not allow me to return to the camp until I have had +another change. This morning I went to the fort, as I had not been +anywhere; the commandant took us all over and showed us everything. We +looked through glasses from the trenches and saw the Austrians on the +other side; we could see the damage done by our shells on Semlin. We +could see two monitors on the Danube; they are only allowed to move a +few miles, otherwise we fire on them. We went into the trenches, but +had to be careful not to be seen. We saw a large unexploded bomb; it +was fortunate it had not burst; we also saw a small one which had gone +right into a tree. The buildings round the forts are quite in ruins. +At 4.30 the matron had a carriage for me and let me go to see the +hospital they have got for babies; so many babies had died through +neglect, so they have got this "Baby Farm," as they call it. It looks +on the Danube, and you can see the railway bridge that went over to +Austria, which was blown up by the Serbs. We had tea with a friend of +mine, Miss Bankhart, and the doctor who has been attending me; we +could not stay long as the carriage was waiting for us. I forgot to +say at the forts we went under a dark tunnel, which goes under the +Danube and lands one in Austria; it is blocked up part-way now. I hear +the other three nurses from Kragujevatz returned this evening; they +came to say good-bye to me but I was up at the Baby Farm. I leave for +Lady Paget's this evening. + + + Saturday, _August 21, 1915._ + +Sister Barnes and I left Belgrade at 6 o'clock; our coachman was a boy +of thirteen. He took us along a forbidden road to Topschaite; we had +to drive furiously on account of the snipers in the hedges on the +river Save which we were skirting, and only fifty miles away. The +horses went at such a speed that Miss Barnes' box took a flying leap +off the carriage; the Jehu turned round and gazed as if we were to get +out and pick it up. We left Topschaite station at 8. We had some +interesting Americans who have a camp at Nish; their camp is called +"Columbia" owing to the unit being chiefly made up from the university +of that name. One specially interested us as he told us that an +American Jew had inoculated him for typhus, a thing that we heard in +London was quite impossible. He was a Dr. Plot from New York; he is +only twenty-five years of age. We are told typhus is due to dirt, +lice, and sanitary conditions, and it was introduced into Serbia by +the Austrian prisoners. Among the other travellers who interested us +was a man with a blue-grey hat, a khaki coat, red knickers and black +top boots. He was very sorry for himself; his bull-dog had taken a +slice out of his trousers. He carried a beautiful embossed sword. We +arrived at Nish, which is a place that seems to be suffering from the +seven plagues of Egypt, from flies, dust, dirt, smells, etc. We were +told that the Serbs have brains like scrambled eggs, as they scatter +their diseases all over their country. We arrived at Nish at 11 +o'clock. We were taken to the rest house by the Americans. We visited +the American camp, then went to the Serbian Red Cross office to get +Miss Barnes' typhus medal. We left by the 8 o'clock train for Uskub, +or Scoplie. + + + Monday, _August 23, 1915._ + +We had a comfortable night in the train, arriving at Scoplie at 6 a.m. +We saw a lot of buffalo and storks in the fields on the way. Lady +Paget sent to meet us. We had breakfast and then went to bed. Lady +Paget has Lord and Lady Templemore; they are the father and mother of +Mr. Chichester who died a few days ago from typhoid. I shall be here +about a week. + +The change is doing me a lot of good here, and I am feeling quite +better again and ready for work. I hope to return to the camp on +Sunday evening, arriving at Kragujevatz early Tuesday morning. I have +thoroughly enjoyed being here, and am quite in love with this place, +it is so Eastern. + +After breakfast Sister Barnes and I went to rest, had lunch and then +went to the village in a carriage which was driven by Turks. We bought +a lot of lovely things. This is the most ideal place in Serbia; it is +like an Eastern village, and it is full of Turks, and the costumes are +most picturesque. This has been a wet day; there is a large market +held here every Tuesday. The train for Salonika left at 6 o'clock. I +went down to the station with some of the doctors and Lady Paget; the +latter was seeing Lord and Lady Templemore off. We met some of the +Farmers' unit from Belgrade, who were passing through. We got home +about 8 o'clock and I was sent to rest until luncheon. After lunch I +went into the village to do some shopping with two of the nurses. +Scoplie belonged to the Turks only two years ago; it is more Turkish +than Serbian. + + + Wednesday, _August 25, 1915._ + +This morning the four night nurses and I drove down to the market to +do some shopping; I also went to see the park. The market here is very +picturesque. To ring the church bells a man has to sit on the roof. +Some of the roofs of the houses are made of biscuit tins; as long as +the rain does not come in it does not matter what they use. + + + Thursday, _August 26, 1915._ + +Have been to the Turkish villages again to-day. We went to see a +chapel which is full of coffins. There was a white cloth over them and +a Turkish hat, and also a stone at the top, and a lighted candle. +These coffins have to be kept for 100 years; they contain the bodies +of priests and Turkish kings. To advertise tailors here, one sees a +large placard of an Englishman in a frock coat and a top hat. To +advertise dentists they have large cases of false teeth, and they +write the name of the dentist with the teeth. Turkish cemeteries are +to be seen everywhere, and one sees skeletons and bones lying about +the fields. The cemeteries are not railed in at all. There are harems +all over the place; one can always tell them as the windows are +barred. Most of the pathways round here are paved with old Turkish +tombstones. + + + Friday, _August 27, 1915._ + +We hear that Belgrade is being bombarded again, and that no private +people are allowed to go there. This morning we went into the Turkish +quarter, and we went over some old Turkish baths. I saw over the wards +at the hospital; there are over 400 patients. Malaria is very bad +here, and there have been several deaths from it. It is the malignant +malaria that is so dangerous. Mr. Chichester died of typhoid and +para-typhoid combined. Para-typhoid affects the nervous system. There +is also another kind of typhoid, A and B, and one can be inoculated +for the three. + + + Saturday, _August 28, 1915._ + +This morning the night nurses and I drove over to see the melon and +tobacco fields. The tobacco leaves are threaded on string and are +dried on the outside of houses under the eaves; it looks so nice +hanging down. After tea one of the sisters and I went for a drive by +the river, and we passed thousands and thousands of troops coming from +Albania. They were Albanians and Serbians; they had hundreds of +horses, who were laden with ammunition and all kinds of transport on +their backs. Lots of them had goats and fowls on their backs, which +looked perfectly happy and quite tame. I expect all these troops were +going to line the Bulgarian border, but we have not heard yet. 150,000 +have passed through Scoplie the last few days. If the roofs of the +small cottages get damaged they are repaired with petrol or biscuit +tins. + + + Sunday, _August 29, 1915._ + +We went down into the little village for a drive. On our way back we +saw a quaint band and a lot of Turks and Serbs in the most lovely +costumes, wrestling; it was amusing to watch them. I left Lady Paget's +to catch the 7 o'clock train. Lady Paget came to see me off. Mr. Askew +was on the train, so it was nice knowing some one. + + + Monday, _August 30, 1915._ + +We arrived at Nish at 8 a.m. Our carriage was very full: a Serbian +doctor, three Serbian officers, and a French lady who was travelling +with me. The Serbians brought us a beautiful melon; they are quite +different to our English ones. I am writing this at the station at +Nish. My train leaves to-night for Kragujevatz at 8 o'clock. We got off +comfortably. Mr. Askew went down and got me a nice sleeping-carriage, +but unfortunately I had to change at 3 o'clock at Lapovo. I arrived at +Kragujevatz at 6 o'clock. + + + Tuesday, _August 31, 1915._ + +On arriving at the camp, Mrs. Stobart was just off to another +dispensary. We have five dispensaries working now. Another is to be +started on Saturday; this is the last. The chief, I hear, is to return +to England in about three weeks, as her son has returned from America. +Dr. May will be left in charge of this camp. Colonel Harrison came to +dinner; he is the English Military Attache. He is returning to England +as his health has broken down. Very few English people can stand the +climate for very long. + + + Wednesday, _September 1, 1915._ + +Mrs. Stobart returned from the dispensary. Colonel Harrison came to +dinner with the new English Attache; Colonel Harrison left directly +after for England. He has left us the most beautiful gramaphone. + +We heard the sad news to-day that Nurse Berry died on arriving in +England. She was a beautiful girl and a splendid nurse. She was my +nurse when I first became ill, and she was taken bad a few days after +we were together at Vrynatchka Banja; she was craving to get home. + + + Thursday, _September 2, 1915._ + +Nothing of interest has happened to-day. I am not on duty, but hope to +be in a day or two. + +The weather is still very hot, but we have a good deal of wind; the +guy ropes constantly want tightening. + + + Sunday, _September 5, 1915._ + +We had service at 5.30 a.m. I helped one of the sisters get ready for +Mr. Little. Several of the Scotch unit came up. Friday and Saturday I +was busy doing the accounts, as my part has not been done since I +left, and we have about fifty of the staff and 125 patients. + + + Monday, _September 6, 1915._ + +I have been for two walks to-day, first with one of the doctors, and +then with one of the sisters, the first walk since I was ill. This +morning we went through maize fields, and on our way met several women +spinning; they are always at their knitting or spinning working on the +fields. Their knitting is wonderful as they make such lovely patterns +with different coloured wools. We saw a man making baskets. He first +gathered the willow sticks, which he put into boiling water, removed +the skin, then he started his basket work. This morning I went up to +the cemetery. Fancy, over 11,000 graves since November, 1914, all +soldiers, and there are just plain little wooden crosses to each, and +four in a grave. Dr. and Lady Finlay came over to see our camp; she +came out with us on the _Saidieh_. + +I got the accounts finished up to date, and in the afternoon about +fifteen of us went off on two bullock wagons to get blackberries, as +we have scarcely any jam left. Mrs. Stobart had asked us at lunch who +would volunteer. We took tea with us. We went about two miles but did +not get any, only one of our unit who lost us, and she found a hedge +covered and so managed to get a bowl full. The fields are full of +maize, and amongst the maize they grow pumpkins and marrows, and large +sunflowers, and up the maize stalks they grow beans. The soil is +wonderfully rich. Some of our party brought a large pumpkin back with +them. The peasant women are much to be admired; they do all the field +work, and one will meet them driving the oxen and nursing a baby. The +oxen are lovely beasts and so well cared for, but they are very slow +in their movements. The hills round are lovely; the most wonderful +colourings. + + + Tuesday, _September 7, 1915._ + +I am not on duty yet, so this morning I have been doing a little +washing and ironing. This afternoon I went for a short walk and got +some lovely cape gooseberries and flowers; they are very plentiful. +The Serbians make quite a nice jam out of the cape gooseberries. + + + Wednesday, _September 8, 1915._ + +I went into Kragujevatz this morning to do some shopping; met Miss +Vera Holmes. We bought a hat for one of the sisters going to a +dispensary. You never saw such things; the hats are just like those at +the sales in London for which we give 6-1/2_d._ I went for a walk with +Dr. Coxon, and as we were passing a vineyard such a nice woman called +us in and gave us grapes and flowers. It is wonderful the richness of +the soil, for when we arrived here in April there was very little on +the land, and it all seems to spring up at once. We are getting short +of provisions here; we managed to get some Serbian bacon, but when you +want anything of this kind you find there is a long line of people +outside the shop waiting for it to open, and my commissionaire goes in +at the back door and buys it all up; it seems too bad. Tea is 15_s._ +per lb.; bread, 8-1/2_d._ per loaf; sugar, 1_s._ 6_d._; butter, 7_s._ + + + Thursday, _September 9, 1915._ + +I went to see a camp of Serbian soldiers; they had many large guns and +carts full of shells which they showed us. Sixteen shells in each +cart; they were 15 cc. They also had boxes full of rings of gun +cotton, with powder in the centre; these they put on the top part of +the shell before firing it off. There are about 200 bullocks and carts +at this camp. The hood part of the ox-cart is used as a shelter for +two soldiers to sleep under, and very comfortable it looks, and they +only have a very few tents to pitch and quite small ones, low to the +ground; one cannot stand up in them. Six men sleep in one tent. We +went to see the air-craft guns and were shown how they were worked; it +was most interesting. We then went on to where the Serbs were +practising firing the shells. They have high stone walls which they +use as a target, and there are two or three trenches near the walls. +We saw lots of bursted shells. In the afternoon we went for another +walk and saw the women making wine out of plums. They pack large +barrels full of plums, then fill them up with water and put some sugar +in; these are left for a month or longer; then the liquor is drawn off +and bottled. I wish the plums had been washed! We met some women +knitting some elaborate coloured stockings; the colour is worked in +after the stockings are knitted. Some of the walnuts here are almost +as large as a hen's egg. + + + Saturday, _September 11, 1915._ + +To-day I have been in the wards taking the numbers down of all the +patients. I also did some washing, then I got some lovely wild flowers +and arranged them in our sitting-room. We have a gorgeous Indian tent; +it is cool in the hot weather and warm in cold; it is lined inside +with yellow. I have a very large tent all to myself; it would hold +quite six or eight beds, so I am in luck's way. On my table I +constantly find dishes of grapes, and to-night I found a dish of +boiled corn--so good, I invited four of the nurses up to help eat it. +The farm girls bring me all these good things, but of course I have to +be careful what I eat. Five of the Second Farmers' unit have been to +spend the day with us; one of them comes from St. Leonards. She has +asked me to go and see her when I return to England. I also met a +nurse from Holland; she knows me quite well by sight; she used to work +for Dr. Stanley Turner at Battersea. + + + Sunday, _September 12, 1915._ + +I have been for two short walks to-day. The fields are still a mass of +lovely wild flowers, and the hedges full of red berries. I keep the +sitting-room supplied with flowers as I am not allowed to do work, so +I do all kinds of odd jobs. + + + Monday, _September 13, 1915._ + +A wet day, so I wrote cards this morning and mended stockings. Letters +and papers are coming very badly from home. We have seven dispensaries +at work; Mrs. Stobart has just started the last one. + + + Tuesday, _September 14, 1915._ + +I went for a walk with one of the sisters. We saw a large Serbian +camp, then on to a gipsy village. We had crowds of little children +after us; they are not used to seeing strangers about. We then saw a +cemetery where some Austrian prisoners were digging up some old +graves; the skulls and bones they were collecting and putting into +handkerchiefs to re-bury them; it was a ghastly sight. In this +cemetery they had little arched fireplaces made of brick at the head +of each grave. I suppose in the cold weather when they come to wail +over the grave they light a fire. I have picked up seven horseshoes, +so I ought to have some good luck. + + [Illustration: A waggon drawn by oxen at Kragujevatz.] + + [Illustration: Gun captured from the Turks in the last war. Used + by the Serbs to bring down German aeroplanes. + _Face page 96._] + + + Wednesday, _September 15, 1915._ + +I was not well again to-day, so I stayed in bed all day. The doctors +say I am not to do any work for six months in the kitchen departments; +it is very annoying. + + + Thursday, _September 16, 1915._ + +It seems that the peasants only have three sets of clothes to last +them their life; the cloth is homespun, very strong and heavy, and a +dark brown colour, most serviceable. It is trimmed with black braid. + + + Saturday, _September 18, 1915._ + +Two of the sisters arrived last night from the dispensary. They have +had several cases of small-pox; out of six cases in the village, two +died. The peasants are the most funny people. Three days before the +death of one of the smallpox patients everything was got ready for the +burial. The coffin was made by friends on the premises. The girl was +told, when our nurse went to feed her, not to take any more food. +Before the girl was actually dead she was put in her very best clothes +to be buried in; she was also laid out before the breath was out of +her body. The coffin was left open until just before putting into the +grave. There were no priests in the village, and the girl was buried +by her friends. + + + Sunday, _September 19, 1915._ + +We had service at 5.30 a.m. The priests in Serbia are not allowed to +go into the church until they are married. In war time no priests are +allowed to marry, so they are not able to go into the church. The +priest at Natalintse went to have dinner at our dispensary. He took +with him all the things that he thought they would not have, cheese +and wine. They were having goose for dinner. He took this course, and +then he kept stretching across the table, took a fork without asking, +and kept helping himself; he had five helpings of goose. Pudding he +refused, but our interpreter was sitting next to him, so he took a +fork and took a taste of his pudding without asking. Five little boys +keep the church in order and they ring the bell. The priests and +people think nothing of spitting on the floor of the church. I thought +this habit was bad enough in the streets in England, but I find that +it is worse abroad. This morning a Red Cross ambulance corps, pulled +by bullock-wagons, passed this camp; they were the first to go to +Malanovatz to join the first field ambulance, the Bevis unit. This +afternoon I went up to see another Serbian camp, and took photographs. + + + Monday, _September 20, 1915._ + +We are having lovely weather, but the nights are terribly cold, and +there is a thick frost in the morning. The days are very hot. It seems +that when the Austrians last year got into Belgrade they were there +for thirteen days. When the Serbs drove them out, they found a +freshly-made cemetery full of wooden crosses. The Serbs thought that +it was strange within such a short time, and the graves were a curious +shape. The Serbs turned up the soil and found about 80,000 pieces of +ammunition. + + + Tuesday, _September 21, 1915._ + +Mrs. Stobart, Mr. Greenhalgh, Colonel Gentnich, Mr. Little and myself +motored over to Vilanovatz to see the dispensary. There is one doctor, +a nurse, a cook and two orderlies; the dispensary site is very +beautiful. They are doing good work and they have about 70 to 100 +patients every day; they come for miles; some of them are in a +terrible condition. This dispensary is fifteen miles away; the ride is +lovely, the scenery being so very beautiful. The fields are looking so +pretty with wild crocuses. There is only one shop in the village. +Paprica grows very plentifully out here; the stews are quite red with +it. The paprica is also eaten in the green state filled with meat +minced. + + + Wednesday, _September 22, 1915._ + +This morning one of the sisters and I went on the top of some hills to +see the Serbians practising and testing some Turkish shells. It was +most interesting, for they were telephoning up to the arsenal after +every one that was fired, stating the distances. In the afternoon we +both went up to get a shell; there were fourteen unexploded ones. + + + Thursday, _September 23, 1915._ + +We have heard nothing but firing most of the day. I forgot to say that +on Tuesday a message came up from the Government to say that an aerial +raid was expected, but they were again driven back. + + + Friday, _September 24, 1915._ + +To-day we hear that the Bulgarians have joined with the Austrians, and +that fighting has started on the Bulgarian frontier. All along the +Danube and at Belgrade the Austrians were bombarding. One hundred +shells were fired. + + + Saturday, _September 25, 1915._ + +To-day we had a message from the Serbian Government to say that part +of our unit had to go to form a hospital near the Bulgarian frontier. +The Serbians have a splendid equipment ready. Twenty of this unit are +going: Mrs. Stobart, Mr. Greenhalgh, two doctors, six chauffeurs, two +cooks, two orderlies, and six nurses. They are taking six motors. We +shall be very busy here with so many of the staff away. The doctors +want me to stay a little longer to help in the wards, do the diet +sheets and the accounts, and help the nurses. + + + Sunday, _September 26, 1915._ + +We had two services to-day, one at 5 a.m., the other at 5 p.m. We are +still having very hot days but the nights are cold. The wild flowers +are beautiful, and there are lots of butterflies, little blues, and a +dark yellow with black edge round the wings, and swallow-tail. There +are scarcely any cabbage butterflies here, but there are some quite +small white, like the cabbage. + + + Monday, _September 27, 1915._ + +The part of our unit that was to go to the Bulgarian frontier had to +be inspected to-day, with all their baggage. There is some difficulty +in getting through to Salonika, owing to the troops going to the +frontier. + + + Tuesday, _September 28, 1915._ + +I hope to be back on duty in a few days. To-night the sky was most +gorgeous, quite indescribable; there were two of the most beautiful +rainbows, absolutely perfect, with a sunset which illuminated the +mountains all round. Moles are very plentiful here; they make a +dreadful mess of all the fields. One lived under the ground-sheet in +our sleeping-tent, but, poor thing, it got trodden on and we found it +dead. There are a few bats; they are a tremendous size, much larger +than they are in England. Grasshoppers and locusts are also plentiful. +Small birds are scarce, only a few sparrows and swallows and +sand-martins and larks. The swallows have their nests right inside +some of the houses on the tops of the electric light and in some of +the corners. They fly about at night, catching flies, not caring for +any one. We heard last night that the Scottish unit had lost one of +their nurses, with typhoid; it was at Valievo. Dr. Inglis, from +Kragujevatz, and the head of the Scottish women's hospital, a woman +doctor, had to read the burial service. I had a lovely large bunch of +hyssop given to me this morning; it is used in the churches at +christenings to sprinkle the infant with holy water. + + + Wednesday, _September 29, 1915._ + +To-day we had a medal presented to us from King Peter. It is a coat of +arms on a cross of Serbia, and is called the Cross of Charity. Two of +the Government officials came up to present us with them, and they +gave us a testimonial of their appreciation of our services. We hear +to-day that the Bulgarians have started fighting. I saw some of the +Serbian cavalry starting for the Bulgarian frontier; they were going +to Nish, then towards Pirot. The Serbs are very brave and some of them +stand pain so well. One man had an operation on his spine, some broken +bone removed, and he was walking about two hours after. Another man +had some varicose veins removed and he was walking ten minutes after. + + + Thursday, _September 30, 1915._ + +This morning at 7 o'clock we had an air raid; six German aeroplanes +came over dropping thirty bombs on Kragujevatz. Most of the bombs +dropped near the arsenal and at the station; they tried to get the +magazine, but did not succeed. The bombs did little damage, but six +people were killed and several wounded. We brought one aeroplane +down; we saw quite plainly and the bombs seemed to drop right on the +aeroplane--a great blaze of fire we could see--and the aeroplane fell +to the ground only a few minutes' walk from this camp in the main +street, just near the cathedral. It came down quite gently, and as it +got to the ground there was a great crash; the men were both Germans; +they were smashed to pieces. I have taken two photographs; all the +woodwork was burnt away. I have several interesting pieces of the +aeroplane. The Germans had their diaries on them; these of course were +taken to the Government office. An officer was killed at the arsenal, +so they had a military funeral for him this afternoon. The other +portion of our unit may go to the front any time now; they are only +waiting for orders. + + + Friday, _October 1, 1915._ + +This morning at 6.45 we had another air raid. We soon cleared the camp +of the patients. Three aeroplanes came over in all, and dropped about +fifteen bombs on Kragujevatz. Five fell in the arsenal, but little +damage was done; several fell round about the station. Several of the +station men got into a truck for shelter. One shell fell just outside +smashing up the pavement along the line. A piece of the shell went +through the truck; no one was injured, and it was given to me +afterwards. The air raid lasted about one hour. When all was over Dr. +May and Dr. Berry asked me to take them to see the aircraft guns. +These were about seven minutes' walk from the camp on the top of a +hill; two of the Serbian camps were also near by. I knew several of +the officers at the camp. On arriving we were met by some of them; +they took us round and showed us the guns and the shells, explaining +and describing all about them. There are three very large guns, and +these took the 12 inch shells; they were of French make, and two +smaller ones which were captured from the Turks in the last war. + +We had only been up on the firing ground about five minutes when the +signal was given that enemy aeroplanes were sighted. All men were at +their posts in a second, and it was splendid to see the order and +discipline. + +It was no use our retiring, as it would not have been safe, so we +stood by while the firing was going on. The vibration and noise were +terrific; one could not see even these large shells coming out of the +guns, only fire and smoke. I took a photograph while the firing was +going on. Five bombs were dropped in Kragujevatz, one on our camp, +which fortunately did not explode. It was only a few yards away from +the night nurse's tent and mine, otherwise we should have had our poor +tents in pieces. Two bombs fell on the magazine, destroying lots of +our stores; three tents were burnt, but the fire was soon +extinguished. Nine 7 lb. tins of marmalade were smashed to pieces; +marmalade was all over the floor, windows, ceilings and walls, making +the place in the most terrible mess; other stores were also spoilt; +pieces of shrapnel were found in the sugar. About eighty shells were +fired on the aeroplanes, and it got so hot for them that they soon +fled. The air raid was over at 10, so our patients were allowed to +return. + +In the evening we had a farewell party, given by one of the sisters, +as she was leaving for Lady Paget's hospital, and twenty of our unit +were leaving for the Bulgarian frontier with Mrs. Stobart, and they +were to go to Perot. They left at 10 p.m., and slept in the train all +night; the train left at 7.20 in the morning. They have taken five +motor ambulances, three bullock wagons, one kitchen that was captured +from the Austrians by the Serbs, a few bandages and medical stores. A +Serbian army was supplying all the other necessary medical stores and +equipments for "The Flying Field Hospital." I was to have gone, but +owing to having had typhoid was not allowed. It was arranged that the +doctors, nurses, cooks and orderlies should change over every month, +so that all could get a variety of work. + + + Saturday, _October 2, 1915._ + +Another telephone message arrived at 7 a.m., to say that three +aeroplanes had crossed the frontier. We got breakfast over at 5.30 and +the camp was cleared of all the patients, and then we left ourselves. +It is interesting to see all the townspeople going out miles into the +country for safety. Fortunately the wind got up and the flyers had to +return, but they managed to drop their fifteen bombs on another town +close by. On our return home to the camp we went by the guns, and I +was introduced to the man who brought down the aeroplane on Thursday, +September 30. It was the Turkish aircraft gun he was using, quite a +small one. We expect air raids every day now; this means breakfast at +5.30. We are clearing this hospital of the old patients, and are +getting ready for the fresh wounded, and it will not take us long to +be straight. + +We can do nothing much in the mornings now, so we work hard all +afternoon. The arsenal is also closed in the mornings. + + + Sunday, _October 3, 1915._ + +It has been too cloudy and too windy for an air raid to-day, so we +have had a day of rest. Pontoon bridges have been passing most of the +afternoon on the road by our camp. I expect these are going to the +Bulgarian frontier. + +A very young student at a village near here was full of mischief, and +for a lark he poured a pot of red paint into the holy water. The +priest at the early service looked up, and found that all his +congregation had red crosses on their foreheads. The priest told us +this story, and the boy got into great trouble over it. + +The name of the aeroplane that was brought down at Kragujevatz was the +"Albatross." The younger German killed was an engineer twenty-six +years of age. + +Pieces of aeroplane were found at Ratcher, but nothing else. Another +aeroplane was seen to turn over outside a small village, but has not +been found. + + + Monday, _October 4, 1915._ + +The camp was cleared about 7 o'clock, as we received a message that +six aeroplanes had been sighted over the frontier; they were prevented +from getting to Kragujevatz. The Germans say they will smash up +Kragujevatz, also the railway line. A very little damage has been done +considering. + +We had a card from the other part of our unit which left for Perot, +saying that they had arrived safely, and that they liked their +position; they were on the top of a hill, and looked down on the +enemy. + + + Tuesday, _October 5, 1915._ + +Two aeroplanes flew over Lapovo, dropped three bombs on the line, but +no damage was done. We cleared our camp as on previous days but +nothing happened. + + + Wednesday, _October 6, 1915._ + +We are about ready for the fresh wounded; we have put up one or two +fresh marquees, which hold each about twenty-six beds. We have +seventy-two tents in all, and a number in reserve if required. We have +long buildings when the weather gets cold, which have been built +during the summer by the Austrian prisoners; these were intended for +cholera, but fortunately we did not get this disease in Serbia, so the +buildings have been promised us by the Government for wards for our +patients during the winter months. They are very long low buildings +and would hold about thirty or forty beds; there were about six +buildings in all. + +On one occasion, in our ward, a patient who was on light diet, was +found to have a parcel under his pillow. This parcel was found to +contain a little roasted pig, from which he had been helping himself +to small pieces. His relations had been to visit him that afternoon +and had given it to him, regardless of whether it was a suitable +present or not. Pigs in this country are cooked when they are quite +tiny, and a leg is only sufficient for one person's meal. Lambs are +also killed and cooked about the same age, and it is really difficult +to find any meat on the bones after they are roasted. The Serbs do not +consider meat good when it is fully grown, excepting oxen, and beef in +Serbia is one of the worst classes of meat, probably on account of +their being used for labour. Milk is scarce owing to the cows being +used for transport. + +They have an extraordinary one-stringed instrument which they will +play for the whole of the day; crowds of people will sit round +listening; this was most trying when the patients got hold of it in +the wards, very monotonous and trying, and some of the singing is also +very weird, being only on one or two notes, but on the whole they are +the most musical people. In the cathedrals the singing is perfectly +lovely, such well trained voices. + +We hear that the Germans started shelling Belgrade at 3 a.m.; it +lasted for many hours. We had a thick fog at night, which reminded one +of London, being equally dense but not so yellow. + + + Thursday, _October 7, 1915._ + +Still a thick fog, and we hear that Belgrade is still being bombarded. +The English and French troops have been expected for some time to help +the poor Serbs, and we are told that Nish and many other towns are +decorated in their honour. + +I understand that the bombardment of Belgrade has not been quite so +severe to-day, but all English missions have been told to leave. The +Germans have landed in three places. They crossed the Save in boats +and by pontoon bridges; there were about 3,000 of them. It was a misty +night, and they thought they would not be noticed. The Serbs allowed +them to cross, and then took 2,000 prisoners. The pontoon bridges and +boats were sunk; then they had a hand-to-hand fight in the streets, +knives being principally used, and we heard that even the women joined +in. Many bodies were floating in the Danube and the Save; we heard +that two of our Marines were killed and several wounded. + +This afternoon we went over the wounded Allies' hospital at +Kragujevatz with one of the sisters. In one ward there was a brigand +who was wounded; he had told the nurses that that was his profession. +We also saw an Austrian who was an artist, and he had obtained in the +hospital several orders for his pictures, for which he made the sum of +10_s._ We also saw a German who had had both his legs amputated; he +was allowed to make baskets, and was selling them. + +This evening one of the doctors consented to my leaving, as having an +appointment in England I had only another two or three weeks leave of +absence and as we heard it might be rather difficult later on to get +away. I was asked to look after an orderly from the second Farmers' +unit, who had just recovered from typhoid; she would not have been +able to do any work for some weeks so it was decided she should return +to England in my care. + + + Friday, _October 8, 1915._ + +I was busy packing most of the morning, then I did up the accounts and +the diet sheets for the wards, finishing up this part of my work. In +the afternoon one of the sisters and I went to the arsenal and I was +presented with a medal of King Peter. We also saw many of the +treasures which were taken off the German aeroplane which was brought +down. They showed us an orange printed paper with full instructions +on. It was of course in German and it said that they had to come to +Kragujevatz and drop four bombs. + +It was very painful saying good-bye to my kitchen staff, principally +Austrian prisoners who had done such good work. When they first came +they said, "No pay, therefore no work." I replied, "No work, therefore +no food," and they quickly fell in with my views, which they never +resented but really worked well. The commissionaire came up to say +good-bye with his daughter, and brought from his wife two cooked +chickens for our journey, a dozen eggs, walnuts, apples and jam. I +packed these up, then went in to dinner. When I returned I found my +parcels had been unpacked by the dogs from the farm near by; the +chickens had gone, the eggs eaten, and bits of shell all over the +floor of my tent. Eggs when boiled hard out here the white will often +be found soft no matter how long one boils it. Also the apples and the +nuts scattered about; my tent was a sight to behold, but fortunately +we had other things provided for the journey. + +At 9 o'clock fifteen wounded men were brought in from Belgrade. They +were in the most terrible condition, and they described to us the most +awful slaughter that had taken place there. + +At 10 o'clock one of the Government officials came up to say good-bye, +and to bring my pass on the railway as far as the Greek frontier, and +also gave me some sweets. + +At 11.30 the carriage came to take us to the station. The train was +leaving at 12 o'clock. A terrible night, pouring with rain, and we all +got wet through before starting. We had a comfortable journey as far +as Lapovo, where we arrived at 2 a.m. Here we had to change, and were +supposed to get a train on in an hour's time, but waited about till 5 +o'clock, and were then told that there would not be a train on till +noon. We piled our luggage up and went to our dispensary, which is on +the line. We found the windows open and the door unlocked and every +one in bed. They had left it like this as they were expecting the +doctor from Nish, who had gone to fetch fresh supplies of stores. We +took off our boots and lay down on the beds in the ward until 7 +o'clock, then we had breakfast and took it in turns to go back to the +station to take charge of the luggage. It was a pitiful sight while in +the station, watching the train loads of refugees coming in from +Belgrade. Many of the women were crying as they related their sad +experiences to the people on the platform. Also train loads of wounded +were coming in; many had been to our dispensary on the Thursday to +have their wounds dressed before going on to a permanent hospital. + +We were told that 6,000 or 7,000 shells had been fired in Belgrade, +and that many places were on fire. + +At 11 o'clock a train came in from Belgrade, and I heard several +voices calling to me, and I found there were some of Admiral +Troubridge's unit on the train, and three or four of the first +Farmers' unit. They all looked very ill and were covered with mud. +They had left Belgrade at 6 o'clock the night before, and had had to +walk many miles before they could get the train, and had left +everything behind them, only having the clothes they stood up in. They +had only had bread to eat and were almost famished, so I told them to +come and get into our carriage, as we could give them some of the food +we had for our journey. I then went to the guard and asked where this +train was going to, and he replied "to Nish"; but there was only a +cattle truck for us, so we all got into it, and as it was very +doubtful about our getting a train at 12 o'clock we thought it better +to go on. We gave them all a good meal of tongue and beef sandwiches, +bread and cheese and apples and lemonade, and they were indeed +thankful, poor things! for they had gone through a terrible time. They +told us many sad stories of our brave Serbians, who ran into the +hospitals, had their wounds dressed, and then went back to fight. All +the patients in the hospitals who were suffering from bronchitis, +pneumonia, and consumption, and many other diseases, put on their +clothes and went to the trenches. They also told us that the American +hospital was staying on, so all their luggage was sent to this +hospital for safety; later on the American hospital was seen in +flames. The members of these units got out of the train at Chupria, to +join Admiral Troubridge. We heard that the English batteries, with the +exception of one, had been quieted at Belgrade. At Chupria many +wounded soldiers got into our truck. They were going to the hospital +at Nish, we to the rest station which belonged to Sir Ralph and Lady +Paget, and it was for the use of the different English units that were +coming to Serbia. We arrived at 9.30, and as we were very tired we +went to bed at once. + + + Sunday, _October 10, 1915._ + +We had breakfast at 7.30, then went to see Sir Ralph Paget, then to +the bank, which fortunately we found open, then to the Serbian Red +Cross. + +Several other members of different units arrived from Belgrade during +the day. + +At 2.30 an enemy aeroplane came over Nish. No bombs were dropped, so +they had come to spy. Three French aeroplanes went after it and drove +it away; they also fired on it with the aircraft guns. We heard that +one of the trains from Belgrade had been fired at by the Germans and +that twenty-five civilians had been killed. We had a service at the +rest house at 5 o'clock. Two aeroplanes had arrived during the +afternoon and were going on to Kragujevatz. + +We left by the 8.30 p.m. train for Salonika. + + + Monday, _October 11, 1915._ + +It was a lovely day and most interesting journey. All along there are +camps, wire entanglements and trenches. Some of the camps are amongst +the trees and can scarcely be seen, as they are made of sticks and +mud. The sentry guards also along the line have curious dug-outs, to +which they go down by steps. The haystacks, instead of being on the +ground as in England, are fixed up in trees, like huge beehives, as +the ground gets so swampy. The Serbs and the Albanians look most +picturesque. These must have been the regiments I saw coming along +when I was staying at Uskub. We have just seen a wolf chasing a young +deer; they passed close by the train. It seems dreadful to leave this +glorious country with its brilliant sunshine and bright colours, until +we see all the horrors that are going on so near to us. + +We arrived at Uskub at 7 o'clock; had breakfast at the station, and a +few minutes before our train arrived 170 Bulgarian prisoners had been +brought in. They were tied together in batches by ropes. I saw one or +two of the nurses from Lady Paget's on the platform; they had been to +see some friends off. Our train left again at 7.25; then we passed +through wonderful gorges; this of course would make the fighting very +difficult. + +Our next stop was the frontier Ghevghili(?). Most of the passengers' +luggage was examined; it was also weighed, and we had to pay on ours. + +We arrived at Salonika at 8.30 p.m. We found the station full of Greek +soldiers; many of them were on the ground asleep. We had to leave our +large luggage for the night, then we took a carriage and went to the +hotel _Olympus_, where we had wired for rooms. We saw many of our +English and French troops as we drove down; this of course cheered us +up. We heard there were 25,000 French and 11,000 English, and that +they had been detained by the Greeks, as they were expected in Serbia +some days before. + +On arriving at the hotel we made ourselves tidy, went down to dinner, +found the room full of English and French; several of them gave us a +hearty welcome as there were no English women in Salonika. One officer +told us that an American, sitting at their table had insisted on it +that we were Americans, and what a great deal the Americans had been +doing in Serbia, and the point had been argued, so there was great +excitement to know what nationality we were, and the English officers +were delighted to find they were right. + +We are all hoping that the Greeks will join us, and that they will all +be going up to Serbia in a day or so. + + + Tuesday, _October 12, 1915._ + +Two English officers invited us out to tea to the cafe near, and were +much interested in hearing all our experiences in Serbia. In the +evening we went to a cinema. + + + Wednesday, _October 13, 1915._ + +We had to go and have our passports inspected by the English, French, +and Italian consuls; we got some money changed and did some shopping. + +The Turkish markets are very interesting and the salesmen very +amusing, and bargaining is very necessary as they begin by asking +often more than double the amount they are prepared to take. + +The Greek shops are very fine, full of beautiful things, and the +fashions quite up to date. We have a nice little Greek lady staying +here from Athens; she told us it was a known fact that the Germans had +lost over three million men. She also told us that seven French +officers had escaped from Stuttgart; they were let out of prison as +they bribed the man who was looking after them. They walked all the +way from Stuttgart through Switzerland to France, having been given +sufficient food for their journey, a compass and a map, and advised +not to speak to any one on the way. They said they never met a man all +the way through Germany; women were armed outside forts, railways and +along roads; every man had gone to fight. + + + Thursday, _October 14, 1915._ + +There are eight battleships in the harbour, French and English. The +Greeks are mobilized, and are ready to join whichever side they think +the best. They have copied the English in their uniform. + +A Turkish aeroplane passed over to-day. Our boat, the _Sydney_, has +arrived in the harbour, so we went to choose our berths. + +About forty boats arrived to-day with English, French, and Greek +troops. We went to watch the horses and mules being unloaded at the +docks; there are more mules than horses; they find them much hardier. + + + Friday, _October 15, 1915._ + +We had an interesting day; one of the doctors from Lady Paget's came +to see me, then the captain from the _Abbassieh_, who had brought out +some of the units and knew the three sisters who were with me. He +invited us to lunch on his ship; he had brought in troops from the +Dardanelles, and was doing transport work. He told us that he had +brought 1,300 and that he had only sufficient life boats for 300. In +Salonika we had the Dorsets, the Norfolks, the Herefords, Royal West +Kent, Royal Engineers, the Army Service Corps, and the Royal Army +Medical Corps, and several other regiments that were going up to +Serbia. + +The captain asked what boat I had come out on to Serbia. When I said +"the _Saidieh_," he said, "Why, the chief officer is now on my boat, +as the _Saidieh_ was torpedoed some time ago"; and he sent for him to +see us. It was very pleasant meeting again and hearing his story; he +was made captain of another boat, but it had been so much damaged with +shell fire that it could not be used. + + + Saturday, _October 16, 1915._ + +In the afternoon the commander from the battleship H.M.S. _Albion_ +came to have tea with us, and invited us to tea on his ship the +following day. + +We heard to-day that some of the French troops had gone up to the +Bulgarian frontier; we also heard that Perot had been taken by the +Bulgarians, and that the line between Nish and Uskub had been blown +up. + +Martial law is in force here, and pickets are all along the front. The +English, French, and Greek officers all had to salute each other. + + + Sunday, _October 17, 1915._ + +This morning we went over two old Greek temples, Demetrius and St. +George; they were taken by the Turks and turned into mosques. The +Turks had whitewashed all over the mosaic and marble pillars; +fortunately the whitewash is crumbling away, and one can see the +mosaic through. + +A story is told that one of the large panels of marble is supposed to +bleed when anything serious is going to happen; it is a kind of +grey-red, very lovely, and the blood trickles through the cracks. The +priest in Demetrius was standing with a cross and a piece of bosaliac, +known to us as hyssop. The Greek soldiers were going up to him, +kissing the cross, and then he sprinkled their heads with holy water +with the bosaliac. + +We went to see the wonderful old bridge that Hadrian, the Roman +Emperor, built. + +In the afternoon we went to H.M.S. _Albion_ to tea; it is a very fine +ship, and of course of great interest to us. It has been damaged many +times with shell fire; we went all over and it was most interesting. + +Lady Paget arrived here last evening, and five of the sisters from +Admiral Troubridge's unit, as they had been staying the night with her +at Uskub. Two of them were returning to England with us. + + + Monday, _October 18, 1915._ + +We hear that the _Sydney_ sails to-morrow at 4 o'clock, so we made our +preparations for leaving. + +We have seen crowds of refugees coming into the town to-day, many of +them sleeping on the doorsteps, huddled up in the corners. One poor +man died on the road, and I expect many others will not survive as +they had walked so many miles. + + + Tuesday, _October 19, 1915._ + +We got our luggage on our boat the _Sydney_ early, then we took a +small boat out to the hospital ship, the _Grantully Castle_, London, +as the military doctor said the matron would so much like to see us. +On arriving we were received by the matron and the English chaplain; +we were taken all over the ship; it was beautifully fitted up, and +they had every convenience. There were three of our naval men from +Belgrade, two of whom had been wounded, and the other one was +threatened with appendicitis. Forty English soldiers had been taken on +board the night before, suffering from illnesses of different kinds. +The nine nurses were Australians, the matron English. We were invited +to lunch, but could not spare the time, as we had to get back early to +the hotel on account of leaving in the afternoon. We left the hotel at +3.30 and at once went on board. One of the doctors from Lady Paget's +hospital is with us, two of the nurses from Admiral Troubridge's unit, +six of the Scottish nurses from the women's hospital, Valievo, two +French doctors, and an English lady from Bulgaria who had been +teaching there for the last six years, also the military attache from +Bulgaria, a naval member of Parliament who was carrying dispatches, +also Brigadier General Koe, who was engaged in transport work. + +We left Solonika at 5 o'clock. This boat is quite nice and beautifully +clean, very different from the one we came out in. It is a French boat +belonging to the Maritime Line. We had a good passage as far as +Lemnos, where we arrived at 7 p.m. General Koe got off here. + + + Wednesday, _October 20, 1915._ + +Lemnos is a barren-looking place, mountainous all round, no trees, and +it is covered with the English and French camps. There is a new +hospital being built at the water's edge. There is no fresh water, and +experts have been sent from England to sink artesian wells. The water +had to be taken out in tanks. One lady at Marseilles sent out +ship-loads of soda water for the soldiers. The harbour is full of +battleships, chiefly French, and there are several hospital ships, +also many transports. The largest ship is the _Aquitania_ from +Liverpool, with four large funnels. Mines and nets are all round us; +at several points of the island guns are fixed; we could hear firing +this afternoon, and we were told that at Imbros one could see the +shells bursting at the Dardanelles. We stayed at Lemnos eight hours; +it is a lovely day and very calm. + + + Thursday, _October 21, 1915._ + +We arrived at Piraeus at 6 a.m., landed at 8, then took the train to +Athens, and went straight to Cook's office and wrote letters to +friends staying here, arranging to return for any answers. We then +took a carriage and went to the museum; the statuary is very fine and +beautiful. We returned to Cook's and found a letter from our Greek +friends, inviting us to luncheon at 1 o'clock. We had an hour and a +half more to spare, so took a carriage and went to the Acropolis. It +is indeed wonderful the view of Athens from the top, most beautiful. +We thoroughly enjoyed this sight; the trees all along are most +interesting--avenues of pepper trees, date palms, aloes and cactus; we +also saw a few orange trees. We then went to our friend's house at 1 +o'clock. There were three married sisters and their children, and an +English girl, governess to the children. After luncheon they took us +sight-seeing, first to the Polytechnic Institute, founded in 1837 by +some wealthy Greek, and containing memoirs of the Greek War of +Independence, portraits and native costumes, and the clothes of the +Greek King who was shot at Salonika. A tomb has been erected on the +pavement there where he was shot, and a chapel is to be built near. +The pistol that shot him was in the case with the clothes. We also saw +many flags that the Greeks had captured in many different wars, a +sword of Lord Byron's, and his portrait and visiting card. + +After leaving here we took the carriage and drove round the principal +streets, then went to the Keremakos market, where there are wonderful +tombs containing the remains of three people in each; the bones are +visible, and the statue of the bull. We then went down the oldest +streets, and to the ancient Church Eglise de Capnicarea. We saw the +temple, the bank, the general post office and the theatre; had tea at +a cafe and took the train back to the port, and arrived on the boat in +time for dinner. Another lovely night; I slept on deck. I forgot to +mention we passed, on Wednesday, some burning rocks; the chief officer +told us they are set on fire by oil by the shepherds, to watch their +flocks by night. + + + Friday, _October 22, 1915._ + +We did not leave Athens until 8.30 this morning. We were held up much +longer than we expected. An aeroplane followed our boat for a little +way, but it was a Greek one, so we had nothing to fear. At 3 p.m. we +had quite an excitement; a message was sent to the ship to say we had +to go into the Island of Milos for orders; submarines had been seen +round the neighbourhood. We got into Milos and found five French +battleships, submarine destroyers. One of the maritime ships was in +the harbour that had been torpedoed two weeks ago. The island is very +picturesque; the houses are built in the Turkish style. We remained in +the harbour for about two hours. We have a submarine destroyer +escorting us, also another ship was with us, so we feel quite safe. +Written notices were sent round to each passenger with instructions +what to do in case we were struck. The captain had an anxious voyage +from here on, keeping watch all the time. We kept going out of our +course and the destroyer and our boat were constantly signalling to +each other. We had to come round by Crete instead of Cape Matapan. The +wind has risen and it is very rough; most of the people are ill. We +had a bad night, continuous thunderstorms and heavy rain. The boat is +rolling as well as pitching. + + + Saturday, _October 23, 1915._ + +It still continues very rough and very few passengers are visible. +Nothing exciting has happened; our two escorts are still in front of +us. + + + Sunday, _October 24, 1915._ + +This morning a large steamer signalled to our destroyer, so it left us +for two or three hours and then returned. In the night it was +exchanged for another one. We were told that they had to be very +careful along this route, as nine boats were torpedoed in one week; +naturally we were all more or less anxious, looking down into the cold +water. I much dreaded the risk we ran as I should much prefer to be +shot or shelled to being drowned. We heard that we reach Malta in the +evening, but owing to our having to go so much out of our course we +did not arrive until the following morning at 6 a.m. It was an anxious +night; neither the captain nor the chief officer appeared for dinner; +no end of men were on the watch for enemy submarines; it seems that +there are many in the Mediterranean just now, and we were told that +this is the worst danger zone at present. The Germans have a specially +large new one here which is doing a lot of damage. It has been very +rough all night, and the boat had to slacken speed as we were not +allowed to enter Malta before 6 a.m. I met a very interesting English +lady from Constantinople on board this morning. She has lived there +for forty years. Her husband is a doctor. She had three sons--two +solicitors, the third an invalid. He suffers from fits. The youngest +son's name was down on the list to be sent to Gallipoli with the +English and French prisoners, whom the Turks were sending from +Constantinople, in the hope that this would prevent our troops from +bombarding Gallipoli. This poor mother was so distressed, and pleaded +so hard to the Turkish officials that they consented that her son +should be released. She then made another plea for her husband to be +allowed to leave the country, and he left for Malta. Then she procured +the release of her delicate son, and he also joined his father, and +now she herself is on her way to join them. The other two sons were +not allowed to leave; they are being kindly treated, but have come +down to breaking stones. I felt very sorry for her, but admired her +courage and cheerfulness in such distressing circumstances. All her +valuables from her lovely home she sent to the Turkish bank, but of +course has no hope of seeing them again; they are sure to be +confiscated. Fifty or more of our men were sent to Gallipoli from +Constantinople, so that should the place be bombarded they would be +the first to fall; but the English and French threatened the Turks +with other reprisals, and they were withdrawn. They left the ship and +spent five days in a mosque, where they had to rough it terribly, +though the officials were very kind to them, and on their return to +Constantinople gave them a good dinner. Everybody out here speaks so +well of the Turks, and all those we have met seem so very sorry that +they are fighting against the English, and they said it would be their +ruin joining the Germans, their great dread being the loss of +Constantinople. Three little birds are following our boat, often +coming on board; one is a robin, but the other two we do not know. We +had several cats on board and were much afraid for the safety of the +birds. Two sparrowhawks also pursued them. + + + Monday, _October 25, 1915._ + +We were allowed to land at Malta at 8 a.m. As we only had three hours +on land we took a carriage, only 1 fr.80 the hour, and drove all +round. The carriages are different from ours, so picturesque, and the +Maltese women, with their curious headgear, are very fascinating. We +went first to the gardens to see flowers and palms, which were looking +lovely, then to the Church of St. John's, where a service was taking +place, so we remained a little time. We saw the Governor's Palace, +then the Chapel of Bones, formerly attached to the hospital. Over +2,000 skulls are shown, and the remaining framework of the body is +most artistically arranged, but very gruesome. We had not time to +enter the museum as we had to do a little shopping before returning to +the boat. We sailed at 11.30, still very rough, and we could not keep +a straight course; our escort was with us. + +There were three suspicious characters on board, and we hear they had +been locked up. + + + Tuesday, _October 26, 1915._ + +Still very rough, and most of the passengers have had to retire; +those who were able to remain played bridge. + +We have no butter for tea, only biscuits and dry bread; this was not +such a hardship to me as to some of the other passengers. We had had +no butter in Serbia for more than three months as butter cost there +7_s._ per pound, and as we could only obtain such small quantities, +even at that price, it was not worth buying for our large unit. + + + Wednesday, _October 27, 1915._ + +We had a bad thunderstorm to-day, and the sea is still very rough. +Nothing of any importance happened. + + + Thursday, _October 28, 1915._ + +We arrived at Marseilles at 8 a.m., for which we were all truly +thankful, as it is not much pleasure to be facing such dangers as we +had done. + +At the Customs our luggage was most carefully searched, even the +leaves of our Bibles and other books being turned over. We were all +much amused and wondered if we should be searched next. This I believe +happened to some of the women, but not any of our party. + +We had our passports seen, and also paid a visit to the police station +to obtain a pass to Boulogne. This took up most of the day, and we +remained two nights in Marseilles. There is an Indian camp, as they +come here to be climatized before going to the front. It was +interesting seeing them about the town. + + + Saturday, _October 30, 1915._ + +We left at 7 p.m., and on our arrival at Boulogne found the times had +been altered, and our boat did not leave until the next day at 3 p.m. + + + Monday, _November 1, 1915._ + +When we got on to the quay a hospital train came along, and we were +told our King was in it, and his boat left just before ours, so we +felt quite safe--and not at all sorry when we arrived once more in +England. + + + + +Butler & Tanner Frome and London + + + + * * * * * + + +-----------------------------------------------------------+ + | Typographical errors corrected in text: | + | | + | Page 51: "Temperatures are 1048" changed to | + | "Temperatures are 104.8" | + | Page 69: areoplane replaced with aeroplane | + | | + +-----------------------------------------------------------+ + + * * * * * + + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of My Diary in Serbia: April 1, 1915-Nov. +1, 1915, by Monica M. 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