Evening star., 1941-08-15
Torpedoed
BY MARIAN McGILL

January. 1941, found me a private
duty nurse living in Baltimore, Md,
| The beginning of This year saw
many changes taking place end
many new demands being made in
nursing in the United States. Caught
| in the speed of these new trends.
I felt that as a nurse I should do
year of volunteer work. l investi-
gated several types of service.
was just ready to sign an agree
ment for work in the United States
when I heard of the organizing for
new hospital unit for duty in
England
This unit was to establish a 100
bed hospital somewhere in Eng
! land. It was to be made up of 20
hut-type buildings which were to be
| constructed of prefabricated mate
rialS shipped from the United States.
All equipment and supplies except
the foundation for the buildings
were to be supplied from America.
The unit would have its own Ameri-
can doctors. nurses, technicianS and
other personnel for operating the
hospital.
This project interested me tre-
mendously because it was research
and the detail and all-absorbing fea-
lures of research appeal to me. Then
too. I had lived in England and had
a great deal of interest there, espe-
cially now because of the war The
setup fit into my scheme to do some
thing fsai4f & e q eftITt tITt and worth while.
Two pairs of white duty oxfords
and two pairs of black oxfords. one
of them a pair Of heavy walking
shoes" headed the long list of re-
quired articles with which I must
equip myself. From the looks of the
list they must be preparing for
long, cold winter in region with
clothes shortage. There was going
to be lot of things to buy.
Took Many Inoculations.
Shorty after my appointment
had received a letter advancing the
sailing date to May or June. I was
eald of that for it would give me
more time to assemble that long list
of needed articles. Then I had
second letter regarding sailing. 1t
made the date more indefinite yet.
I wondered if the project would
really materialized I knew that
everything except the foundation
was to be shipped from the United
States. I heard there was some
difficulty to get ships bottom space
for shipping the materials for the
buildings. No use to have a supply
of heavy woolen clothes If was to
remain in America.
I did, however, spend weeks being
immunized. MY friends said my
blood was certainly going to be val
liable. Every Frioay morning for
long time I went for an incubation. |
No need to take a chance having ty-
phoid, diphtheria or scarlet fever.
1t would be bad enough to have it
in the United States but much worse
in a country at war.
I had learned early in an inter-
view that transportation to England
was to be by way of a British con-
voy. I naturally questioned the ad-
visibility of this. I was accused of
religiously reading all newspaper
items about convoys and shipping
in the Atlantic. Favorable items al
ways interested me great deal and
gave me consolation. I had made
several ocean trips before and the
vastness and isolation of the At
lantic always, appalled, me.
Late in the spring boxes of all sizes
began to arrive at my apartment.
Out of them came raven blue
military field uniform, overcoat and
hat as well as nurses white uni
forms, cape and caps. l was shar-
ing rather small apartment with
a social worker. She teased me by
saying I must either go to England
or buy a double bed under which
to stack these new possessions.
I received all sorts of comments
from people regarding this future
venture of mine. Some said I was
committing suicide. Others said it
would be a wonderful experience
and Endorsed definitely my going.
Still others thought I was being
brave and doing a good thing, but
wouldn't do it themselves by any
means. Discouraging comments af-
fected me not at all.
Four Days Notice Of Sailing.
The first part of June I was told I
would sail in August. BY then I
thought the Atlantic might be safer |
At that time I was nursing a patient |
on a country estate in Connecticut |
The atmosphere here in the coun-
try was one of complete remote
ness. The noise from automobiles |
did not even reach the house ex-