1 27 th Dec: 1915 My very dearest Mother, I cannot tell you how sorry I
was to get cable about Charlie & am anxiously
awaiting more news. I sincerely hope it
is nothing serious. The day I got your cable
I immediately rang up the N.B.O. to see if
by any chance he had arrived with the
last batch of men who all came from
Solonika but as I have all ready told you
he was all right when they left him but
that was two days before the retreat. Another
Ship arrived on Saturday & I have telephoned
each day to try& get news but he has not
arrived on the Island yet, of course he may
turn up yet as all the men who arrived
about a week ago were 3 weeks at Solonika
to in Hospital before coming here. I do wish
he would come here & there ought to be a very
good chance now as the Colonel says they
are not able to send any more wounded
or sick men to Egypt owing to the natives
who are giving a good deal of trouble, in fact
most of the Hospitals are being cleared &
all women folk are beenorder away, things
do look black at present. The day I got
your cable I went to see a Lieut Grove White 2 who I heard was attached to the 6 th D.F. & was
invalided at the Blue Sister but unfortunately
he was out, so could get no news but one
of the sisters said she would telephone me if
he had any news but I have been anxiously
awaiting but no news as yet. I know
what all of you must be going through &
only wish I could be of some use, I shall
of course cable as soon as he arrives, it
would be bad luck if he never came here
& I so near. Poor old Charlie he has had a
hard time but I was delighted to hear
they have done so well. I have one of
his men here who know him quite well &
says he is the youngest Officer of there lot
& that he is always smiling, so evidently
it runs in the family as I am alway
told here that I am always smiling.
Let me know as soon as you get news of him
again. Did they say whether it was serious or
not? I am thinking of cabling to a Canadian
sister who is at Solonica asking her to find
out if he is in Hospital there & to try & get
him sent to Malta. Really these last few day I have had time
for nothing. Xmas went off very well & the
men were delighted with their day. certainly
the wards were beautifully decorated I have taken 3 a photo of one which I shall send you if it
turns out well. Christmas Eve we were terrible busy getting
everything ready & did not go off duty till 11 o' ck
a great number went round carol ing singing
starting at 9 but we could not spare the
time I went to mid-night Mass at Sliema a town in Malta
St.Patrick Church which was beautiful it was
simply a glorious night & had to walk back a good
way home as we could not get a Poriose
but eventually picked one up & got home at
2.30. Only for the money you all so kindly
sent out the Xmas would have been very
dull for the men but as well as what you
sent I was able to get £6—0—0 from another
Irish Girl who got money sent from home so
we were able to give them a very good
Tea. a packet of cigarettes & sweets in their
stocking each. Coffee & cakes for their 11 O'ck
feeds. & in the evening we had a concert &
dance in one of our wards so that they
really all enjoyed themselves immensely & at
7.30 a.m. I sang in the concert for the Orderlys
the Colonel & all officers being present &at 8.15
we had our Xmas dinner of Turkey & Ham,
Plum Pudding & Port wine — we were all dead tired
& just going off to bed when we got a
message to say that the Colonel was coming to see us 4 so we all had coffee to—gether & he kept us talking
till after 11 O'ck. I could not help all day long
thinking of you all especially poor Charlie &
what a miserable Xmas it would be for you
all with the news of him being wounded, I am
only hoping it is not serious. To—morrow I shall write you a real nice long
letter but have very little time to—day & also
feel rather anxious — Did Tommy manage to
get up I do hope he did, it will have
cheered you up a bit, I did enjoy my
Xmas when I saw the great pleasure you
all at home with you kindness & generosity
gave to the men, they were enchanted with
themselves. Yesterday I took ten out for a
drive, with some money U. Charlie sent me
& it did me more good than anything else
I could have done with the money, immagine
some of the men have been here for
over two months & have not been out of
the Hospital till yesterday so you can imagine
their joy. Now I must close this as it
is time for duty, hoping you will have
had good news since. With very best love in great haste t
Tell me how long this takes to reach you.
posted on Monday. With love. Marie