Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1919-11-06
ARMY NURSES WORK
DURING THE WA.
Miss Marie, Reeve Talks of H.
Experiences Overseas and d.
clares That the America
Women Who Stayed at Hon
Helped Materially
AZ n monthly meeting of the Lad

At monthly meeting or the LAD
Auxiliary of the Y. NJ. c. A. Monda.
afternoon Miss Marie Reeve gave very
interesting account of her work overseas
as an army nurse. Miss Reeve enlisted in
the Red Cross in 1916 and was transfer
red soon after to the army. Early in 1917
she was sent to Texas where she was sta
toned until August 1918. Then she sailed
for France and from September to No
vember 1918 she was stationed ut Mesves,
the largest hospital center in France.
There were 90 base hospitals there. Then
in November, she was transferred TO
Nantes where she remained until she re-
turned to America in June, 1919.
Miss Reeve opened her talk by telling
the difference between the Red Cross
nurse and the Army nurse. saying that
the first was in the pay of the Red Cross
and the second of the government and
also that the first was sent TO do almost
any kind of relief work such as refugee
work. etc, while the army nurses cared
for just American soldiers. OF course in
many cases the work of the two was just
alike She gave a very accurate descrip-
ton of the base hospitals overseas. de-
scribing the buildings. the wards, the re-
/ cciving ward, etc, and tod how the men
were brought from the first aid stations
tails by ambulance and hospital train.
These hospitals were far enough away so
that they did not need to move with the
battle line and yet they were near enough
| to the lines to be convenient.
| Mesves is near the Argonne sector and
during the war, up until the armistice
was signed. there were many men brought
/ IN to be treated for wounds or who We're
sick and needed attention. In fact, near
the end of the war, they were coming in
so much faster than it was possible to
evacuate them, that the aspect began to
he very serious and it was necessary to
build convalescent hospitals to which the
men could be moved who were still una BILE
to return to their organizations.
After tile armstice the rush did not stop
all at once, but kept on for some time as
there were many wounded, but gradually
there were less and less brought in and
finally the work began to be more rou-
tine. To, relieve the monotony of the
men, the nurses, hospital corps men and
officers set about to celebrate the differ
ent holidays. Thanksgiving was celebrat-
cd in a fitting manner and at Christmas
time the different wards WED with each
other in decorating. Miss Reeves ward
took the prize for being the most taste
fully decorated. Some of the men had
gone out and gathered evergreen and
holly. there was much of the latter in
France, and others had made different
things. such as balloons, dirigibles and
aeroplanes out of paper and cardboard
and the ward presented very festive APP
pearance.
Easter was also celebrated and all of
7 the fast days of the Roman Catholic and
Episcopal Churches. Memorial day was
another of the days celebrated. There
were nearly 500 graves near the hospital
at Nantes, where Miss Reeve was located
at that time and these were decorated and
n service carried out The flag was low
cred, the star Spangled Banner and
America" sung, and an American army
officer and French army officer made
speeches. The latter assured the Amer
leans that the French would always OBJ
serve Memorial day on the Both of May
just as the Americans did.
There were other things. also, which
broke the monotony of life at the base
hospitals. There was a Red Cross hut
on the reservation and nearly every eve
ming there was some sort of entertain
ment there. There were moving pictures
some nights, others there was dance and
then occasionally there was local talent
play and these were always good. Then
of course there We're professional enter
tainers sent from America who We're al
ways the best in their particular lines.
Miss Reeve said that enough could not
be said about the work done by the
American women overseas. She said
that she thought every American soldier
realized their value and that all appre-
cated what was done for them. Wher-
ever the American soldier went he found
| oil do
thing for his comfort. If he Travelled
through France on leave he found places
where he could read or write while wait
ing for a train he found canteens where
he could get food at cost. he found places
where he could stay. and he found women
with whom he could speak his own Ian
guage. Almost up to the front lines he
found women ready to help him. There
were women in all Of the different organ.
izations, the Red Cross. the Y. NJ. c. A.
the Y. w. c. A., the knights of Column
bus, the Salvation Army, the Jewish
Welfare League, all thinking of nothing
except his comfort. The men appreci.
ated the danger these women went into
for them and realized the hardships they
had to endure.
But. Miss Reeve said. these womer
could not have done so much had 1t moi
DteH TOT tnt WOllen WHO AT
and they in turn appreciated the backing
they had all through their work overseas
The American solder was we'll takeT
care of while away from home because
the American people had the money tc
take care of him and were spending it FOL
that purpose and because of the womer
who were willing to volunteer to see per
sonaly to his care.
Miss Reeve had many interesting pic
lures which she showed of the different
battle fronts-taken most of them. aftel
the armislce was signed. There We're a.
SO pictures OF the cemetery at Nantes ia
ken when it was decorated for Memoria
day. Each grave had two punches o.
daises and buttercups gathered by thu
men at the hospital and also an American
, beauty rose given by the American Rec
Cross for each grave overseas. Their,
, We're also many pictures of Verdun, Cha
teau Therry, Belleau Wood, Dead Man
hill at Verdun and many others of ruined
, chateauX, dugouts, trenches. no man
, land with barbed wire acknowledgements
, groups of German prisoners, in fact near
, ly everything one could imagine