Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1918-01-22
Remarkable
Letters From
Girl

girl who has gone over 10 Europe as
nurse. She is at R which is in
France, at an American base hospital
and her impressions are fresh and in
spring, her descriptions graphic and
one can almost read between the lines
and glimpse there the wonderful
scheme of the whole thing. We will
publish from day to day the letters. as
long as they last.
Below is copy Of the first one;
Letter No. !.
Monday, June 18th, 1917.
RI, France.
Dear Mother:
At last we have arrived. The cross
ing was very easily made in a big
hospital ship where we We're as usual
wonderfully taken care OF. and every
comfort provided All the hardshlps
we expected are yet to come, so far
there has been nothing but comforts
and luXuries. We rode for three hours
from our Tort of landing to the pres
ent location, which is our permanent
base. 1t is in the suburbs of large
town. or small city should think and
is beyond our widest dreams in every
respect.
This is a great base for the British
Army. mobilization of all sorts takes
place here, there are flying corps. in
fantry, cavalry. East Indian troops
and hospitals, and it's a thrilling place
to be.
Our location is unique and very
lovely. We are in big race track
and the hospital tents are in the Dig
oval between the tracks Outside the
grand stand. between the grand stand
and the road are the Sisters Quar-
ters"-a big hedge surrounds them
and the sleeping quarters are small
tents for two. and long dormitories OF
boards called huts. divided off into
little cubicles-one for each nurse.
We hear that the tents are all to be
replaced by huts both for nurses and
patients before cold weather. There is
a big dining and living room hut, and
a cook house behind for the Sisters
and between the tents and nuts are
pretty green lawns. gravel walks
flower beds. and the great trees are
very thick and make a beautiful shade
It's so pretty and looks more like big
summer camp than anything else. In
der the grand stand is the Ofhcers
Mess and the paddock which is used
ror tennis courts and play grounds for
Sisters and officers.
This is hospital for acute cases,
but there are some convaleScents who
work in the gardens and wait on the
sicker patients. The English hospital
suit is Il bright blue uniform with
red tie and white shirt. and the men
look so cheerful and neat walking
about All cur patients are English so
the difficulty of a foreign language is
eliminated. Perhaps we shall have
cur own men to look after later. The
English Sisters are still here and are
lovely They will be q big help to us
in getting US started. There are so
many surgical procedures used here
that we knew nothing about and such
wholesale surgery is, of course, un-
known in civil life. The V. A. d. stay
with us. They are the VOLUNTEER
AID DEPARTMENT. and correspond
to our Nurses Aids and are splendid
workers. They have, many of them,
been nursing since the war began and
know quite as much surgery as
nurse, and besides do all the mental
work, beds. baths, and help with the
dressing. They are invaluable. OF
course, and as this hospital has beds
for 1000 patients we don't scorn any
help.
There is another American Base
Hospital here-I can't tell you which
one, but tell Nj l have seen some
of her friends They are about half
a mile from here and we have been to
see them this A. NJ. They are most
enthusiastic over everything. My. the
work is thrilling and not terribly hard
and the food is good and plentiful. al
though very monotonous. There seems
to be much more food here than IN
England, no shortage of sugar or bread
as vet. but l fancy We won't be sorry
for anything we brought.
The English Sisters begin to leave
today. bug. will ge slowly, and we shall
relieve them gradually, so we won't be
sWamped all at once. | am sitting in
our tent that we are occupying until
the Sisters leave. and | wish you could
see how lovely it is and how comfort
able we are. The troops are marching
by constantly on the outside road and
we hear bands constantly. The wealth
Ell is heavenly It's all so much easier
and pleasanter than we ever dreamed
of. I'm so glad We were prepared for
the worst | know there is hard work
ahead, but we are all tired Of doing
nothing and are quite ready for IT, We
had to buy rubber rain hats and wool
en- stockings in London The stock
irgs cost 90C a pair.
| have no more paper Until our
trunks come. so I'll wait and write
more later. We hope so much for
mail tomorrow. You can ask any
questions you like and number them.
Keep a copy aid I will answer them
according TO number. You must learn
to read between the lines, there are so
many things I can't write, and can
send no pictures.
Y P. S. We can buy anything we like
in town, and are not in the least cut
off from civilization. as you see.
forgot to say that We heard nothing
unusual crossing the Channel. We
had two destroyers escorting us and
aeroplanes all the way They don't
intend to have anything happen to
the Americans. if they can help it,
end they are so glad to see us.
In the supreme court at Portland in
IL