Letter from Marie Martin to her mother Mary Martin, 17 January 1916 Letters 1916-1923 Marie Martin

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 Austrian Centre for Digital Humanities Vienna, AT 2026

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This is a letter from Marie Helena Martin (1892-1975) to her mother Mary Martin (1866-1955) in Dublin. Marie 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). In this letter from the theatre of war, Marie writes home to her mother to talk about family matters. These included the issue of her brother Charlie (1895-1915) being feared as missing in action during the war at this time, Martin explains the length she goes to in order to attempt to get any news on the well being of her brother.

 Medical Missionaries of Mary BF125 https://letters1916.ie/item/1621 English Marie Martin 1916-01-17 St. George's Hospital, Malta Mary Martin Greenbank, Monkstown, Dublin, Co. Dublin, Ireland Female 1975 World War I (1914-1918) World War I (1914-1918) Personal Relations

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 The Club, Malta 17th January My very dearest Mother, Your most welcome and consoling letter dated Jan; 6th arrived yesterday, it is terrible not getting any news of Charlie for so long but I hope by the time this reaches you, you will have had some satisfactory news as I think the suspense is appalling. I personally think he must be a prisoner for any news I could gather from the men although most of them seem. very surprised at hearing he is missing- I sent you a card after seeing Massy who was also very surprised at hearing he was missing, he heard from an Officer of the 6th Divs who was in the next bed to him at Solonika that Charlie had been slightly wounded in the arm & walked down to dressing station with him Of course Massey said if he had known there was any question about him missing he would have got more particulars but the way they all spoke of him they thought he was alright in Hospital, When Dicko told him that Charlie was wounded but spoke very lightly of it. Sgt. Currie mentioned lt Turner & said he should know something as he took over command after Charlie had been hit . A great number think he is safely somewhere in Hospital but owing to the retreat things were rather muddled & infor- mation is hard to get Others think if he has not been very badly wounded, he may have just gone down got dressed( his wound), & re join them Otherwise he would be reported missing but as you say there is really very little use in wondering what has happened to him we must only trust Our divine Lord & be ready for his holy Will. What a What a brave &good Mother you are & I hope you will very soon be rewarded by good news of him, all the Nuns are praying for him out here & I try & do my little bit by offering up my whole day for news. How I wish I were at home if I could be of any use but the worst of it is there is so very little to do but wait. I am going off this afternoon to see a couple more men to see if they have any news of him What a brave boy he has been &never a murmur from him all the 10th Div. have gone through words cannot express. I sent him a large parcel of food for Xmas but of course it was no use as it was sent after he was wounded - Captain Massy was in great form, he has not been wounded again it is the old wound which is gradually paralysing his hand it was great luck me seeing him although I believe he telephoned me up wanting me to go & see him. at Blue Sisters & Rev: Mother wrote which of course did not arrive till after he had left Blue Sister but I rang up B.S. on my own & heard he was sailing on the Marne at 1 o'ck. on Thursday last so I got leave to go down to the Wharf & had to wait till four before he arrived Sister Travers came with me & we had tea on board but had to leave immediately afterwards as I had to be on duty It was such a pity he did not know as he could have got all news about Charlie before leaving. He said Dick was alright as luckily he only arrived the day before the big engagement & they kept him back , so that is good news, he reports him looking very well also Col. Cooper is back again.- Well a great number of things have happened since I last wrote which is quite a long time but I have been very busy owing to all the changes. For the last 3 weeks we have been getting slacker every day &the Colonel took it into his head to close 2 blocks for a bit F. as they have had the hardest work since the Hospital has been opened. so we got orders on Friday to have all patients moved & get the equipment & wards straight, you can imagine or you can't what it meant for me of course it meant mostly scrubbing & sweeping & on Saturday we were all told to be ready at 9 O'ck. to go to Antonio Palace for 48 hours rest after making up our minds to this order which none of us relished very much. We went to bed very tired & stayed in bed for breakfast but when they went down the others as usual they found a notice saying orders cancelled &would those 8 ladies go on duty as usual so up I had to get &down to the empty wards & the next order was all differences must be made up by one O'clock then there was a fuss trying to get mattresses etc. back from fumigator. However we got through every thing & were really not so very much out . I only know I was never so tired in all my life, all the staff were off from 1 O'clock Sunday to Wednesday morning the Matron said as I had not been out so long I was not to take my 48 hours off but the truth of the matter was she had asked me to go & call on Lady Matheun with her & I think she was afraid if she gave me my time off I would not go with her. Any how I went & I hope if I ever go again it will not be with a Matron Lady M. is such a nice simple woman but I did feel a fool with the Matron there as I had to be very careful what I said or I got a glare, it was so trying when L. M. asked if we had everything we wanted & that she had a great number of Hot Water bottles & would we like any for St. G. the Matron said we had enough. L. M. said how lucky we were to have everything we wanted how many had we for each ward? & the Matron said 12 when we have only 12 for 70 patients so you see how things are done. However we must not complain this new Colonel is making things look up &the hot weather will very soon be here. Did I ever tell you that we the Staff of 7 upper were the proudest sisters in the whole Hospital, as the patients all clubbed together & presented us each with a very pretty gold Maltese Cross broach in gratitude for all our kindness & as a token of how much they appreciate it & what a jolly Xmas they spent at St Georges. So this is another sign of how much they enjoy themselves & we have to thank all the kind &generous people at home So will you please thank them all as I am afraid as yet have had time to write nothing but a P. C. to them - I had such a surprise & beautiful present from Gerald a few days ago. he sent me a beautiful Attache case from the Silver & Goldsmiths London, it is a beauty, brown pigskin with fitted Green Morocco lining, The funny thing is I have not had a letter for a very long time. I am longing to know how he is getting on I wonder if he was in London about the 30th Dec. as that is the date on the parcel. I need not tell you it was the greatest surprise possible he will be very cut up over Charlie I know as he is very fond of him. We really do not know what is happening out here just now every day new Sisters & V.A.D.s are being sent out & just at present there is not enough for our present staff to do as they are clearing out all the Hospitals on the Island. How ever I suppose we must only wait & see. A Miss Smyth Sir W Smyth's daughter arrived yesterday so she gave me a little Dublin News she seems very disgusted with Dublin as she says they are not recruiting as they should & very annoyed they are left out of the complusion She is a very pretty little thing & I think very clever. She is sharing our flat but not in the same room as I am. What about A. Liyl has she started on her travels yet, tell her as she is coming so late to have a cotton dress made so that she can wear it out of doors without a coat & also to bring a very light coat & skirt as they say after this month it begins to get very very hot. Did I tell you a Captain Leslie of Dundalk came to see me the other day Mrs Mac Ardle wrote to him about me, He is quite nice elderly & is finding out all he can from his men about Charlie for me, all my spare time I try & get information as I know how terrible the waiting is for news although I am glad to say have not much time for thinking but it distresses me to think of you all at home but I feel assured with all those prayers everything will end well I hope you got my letter from Birzebbuga safely Well I shall end this now as I have to meet a V. A. D. who says the Matron was looking for me so want to hurry back. One never knows where you are at St. Georges these times With every loving thought & the very best of wishes I live all day with you although we are so far parted &only wish I could do something, Your most loving & grateful daughter Marie. Greenbank, Monkstown, Dublin, Co. Dublin, Ireland Letter from Marie Martin to her mother Mary Martin, 29 December 1915Letter from Marie Martin to her mother Mary Martin, 1915A Postcard from Marie Martin to Miss Martin, 1915Letter from Marie Martin to her mother Mary Martin, 18 December 1915Letter from Marie Martin to her mother Mary Martin, 17 January 1916Letter from Marie Martin to her mother Mary Martin, 31 January 1916Letter from Marie Martin to her mother Mary Martin, 22 February 1916Letter from Marie Martin to her mother Mary Martin, 27 February 1916Letter from Marie Martin to her mother Mary Martin, 19 March 1916Letter from Marie Martin to her mother Mary Martin, 22 March 1916Letter from Marie Martin to her mother Mary Martin, 4 April 1916Letter from Marie Martin to her mother Mary Martin, 13 April 1916 St. George's Hospital, Malta Letter from Marie Martin to her mother Mary Martin, 29 December 1915Letter from Marie Martin to her brother Tommy Martin, 26 November 1915Letter from Marie Martin to her mother Mary Martin, 1915A Postcard from Marie Martin to Miss Martin, 1915Letter from Marie Martin to her mother Mary Martin, 18 December 1915Letter from Marie Martin to her mother Mary Martin, 17 January 1916Letter from Marie Martin to her mother Mary Martin, 31 January 1916Letter from Marie Martin to her mother Mary Martin, 22 February 1916Letter from Marie Martin to her mother Mary Martin, 27 February 1916Letter from Marie Martin to her mother Mary Martin, 19 March 1916Letter from Marie Martin to her mother Mary Martin, 22 March 1916Letter from Marie Martin to her mother Mary Martin, 4 April 1916Letter from Marie Martin to her mother Mary Martin, 13 April 1916 Marie Martin Letter from Marie Martin to her brother Tommy Martin, 26 November 1915Letter from Marie Martin to her mother Mary Martin, 1915A Postcard from Marie Martin to Miss Martin, 1915Letter from Marie Martin to her mother Mary Martin, 18 December 1915Letter from Marie Martin to her mother Mary Martin, 17 January 1916Letter from Marie Martin to her mother Mary Martin, 31 January 1916Letter from Marie Martin to her mother Mary Martin, 22 February 1916Letter from Marie Martin to her mother Mary Martin, 27 February 1916Letter from Marie Martin to her mother Mary Martin, 19 March 1916Letter from Marie Martin to her mother Mary Martin, 22 March 1916Letter from Marie Martin to her mother Mary Martin, 4 April 1916Letter from Marie Martin to her mother Mary Martin, 13 April 1916