Letter from Marie Martin to her mother Mary Martin, 27 December 1915 Letters 1916-1923 Marie Martin

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Letter from Marie Martin (1892-1975) to her mother, Mary Martin (1866-1955). Mary's telegram was sent after she had received a telegram from the War Office advising the family that Marie's brother, Charlie, had been wounded. Marie attempted to discover further information about Charlie, which she relates in detail to her mother. She closes by writing about spending Christmas in Malta.Marie Helena Martin, later known as 'Mother Mary', was a volunteer nurse during the First World War. She served in field hospitals in Malta, Leeds, and France, working for the British army, and later went on to become the founder of the Medical Missionaries of Mary (MMM).

 Medical Missionaries of Mary , BF121 https://letters1916.ie/item/1095 English Marie Martin 1915-12-27 Malta Mary Martin Greenbank, Monkstown Female World War I (1914-1918)

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 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 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 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 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 Marie Martin Letter from Marie Martin to her mother Mary Martin, 29 December 1915Letter from Marie Martin to her mother Mary Lewis Martin, 18 June 1916Letter from Marie Martin to Mary Martin, 27 August 1916Letter from Marie Martin to her mother Mary Lewis Martin, 21 June 1916Letter from Marie Martin to Mary Martin, 17 June 1916Letter from Marie Martin to her mother Mary Lewis Martin, 23 June 1916Letter from Marie Martin to her mother Mary Lewis Martin, 2 July 1916Letter from Marie Martin to Mary Martin, 7 September 1916Letter from Marie Martin to her mother Mary Lewis Martin, 26 June 1916Letter from Marie Martin to her mother Mary Lewis Martin, 20 August 1916Letter from Marie Martin to her mother Mary Martin, 27 August 1916Letter from Marie Martin to Mary Martin, 17 September 1916Letter from Marie Martin to Mary Martin, 18 Sept 1916Letter from Marie Martin to Mary Martin, 19 September 1916Letter from Marie Martin to Mary Martin, 21 September 1916Letter from Marie Martin to Mary Martin, 27 September 1916Letter from Marie Martin to Mary Martin, 4 October 1916Letter from Marie Martin to Mary Martin, 13 July 1916Letter from Marie Martin to her mother, Mary Martin, July 1916Letter from Marie Martin to her mother, Mary Martin, 15 July 1916Letter from Marie Martin to her mother, Mary Martin, 15 July 1916Letter from Geo. 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Boase to Marie Martin, 10 July 1916Letter from Marie Martin to her mother, Mary Martin, 20 July 1916Letter from Marie Martin to her mother, Mary Martin, 3 August 1916Letter from Marie Martin to her mother, Mary Martin, 8 August 1916Letter from Marie Martin to her mother, Mary Martin, 12 October 1916Letter from Marie Martin to her mother Mary Martin, 27 December 1915Letter from Marie Martin to her mother Mary Martin, 27 November 1915Letter from Marie Martin to her mother, Mary Martin, 23 [January] 1916Letter from Marie Martin to her mother Mary Martin, 15 December 1915Letter from Marie Martin to her mother, Mary Martin, 4 April 1916Letter from Marie Martin to her mother, Mary Martin, 12 November 1915Letter from Marie Martin to her mother Mary Martin, 8 July 1916Letter from Marie Martin to her mother Mary Martin, 6 February 1916Letter from Marie Martin to her mother, Mary Martin, 9 April 1916Letter from Marie Martin to her mother, Mary Martin, 18 November 1915Letter from Marie Martin to her mother, Mary Martin, [November'] 1915Letter from Marie Martin to her mother, Mary Martin, 13 August 1916 Greenbank, Monkstown Letter from Marie Martin to her mother Mary Martin, 27 December 1915 Malta Letter from Marie Martin to her mother Mary Martin, 27 December 1915Letter from Marie Martin to her mother Mary Martin, 27 November 1915Letter from Marie Martin to her mother, Mary Martin, 23 [January] 1916Letter from Marie Martin to her mother Mary Martin, 15 December 1915Letter from Marie Martin to her mother, Mary Martin, 4 April 1916Letter from Marie Martin to her mother, Mary Martin, 12 November 1915Letter from Marie Martin to her mother Mary Martin, 6 February 1916Letter from Marie Martin to her mother, Mary Martin, 9 April 1916Letter from Marie Martin to her mother, Mary Martin, 18 November 1915Letter from Marie Martin to her mother, Mary Martin, [November'] 1915