Letter from Marie Martin to her mother Mary Martin, 22 February 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 was a born in Dublin and trained as a nurse at the out break of World War I. Two of Marie's brothers joined the British Army at this time, one of whom was killed in action. Marie served as a nurse in Malta, Leeds and France, and later set up the Medical Missionaries of Mary. Marie discusses her brother Tommy (1891-?) who is fighting in the war, she also expresses sadness at not hearing anything about her brother Charlie (1895-1915), who had died in December. She goes on to discuss the other nurses, some of whom where sent home. She contemplates going home, stating that seeing the doctors go home has effected the nurses. She goes on to account that there are a group of new patients that have arrive for treatment, continuing to discuss what is happening in the hospital. She then expresses how good it will be to see Tommy when he passes through.

 Medical Missionaries of Mary BF131 https://letters1916.ie/item/1646 English Marie Martin 1916-02-22 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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 22nd Feb 1916 My very dearest Mother, A thousand thanks for your letter dated the 7th Feb: I am very sorry indeed to hear Tommy has been warn- ed & sincerely hope it will be sometime quit before he is sent out I know how much you will feel him going away again but I am glad to say they do not seems to be doing much fighting out this way & he will be so much happier with his own regiment. I was very glad to see so many Connaugh Rangers mention in dispatches I think Captain Massy deserved all he got. I am disappointed not seeing Charlies name, by the way I never received Major Whytes letters you all mention how well he did & that he has been recommended for L.S.O but for what for I have no idea. I suppose that letter has gone astray, worse luck. I do wish you would hear something different soon & that we could get into communication with him. It cannot be long now before we hear. I have not written to Mr. Farrel yet. I never seem to get time to set down & write a serious letter by the time I keep my clothes together etc the time seems to pass away & I have done nothing I meant to do. We have been very unsettled lately nobody seems to know what is going to happen to M Georges. All the Private Sisters who are being paid £2-2-0 a week have been sent home to-day they were terrible sick over it & all the Sisters sign- ing on for another are getting 6 weeks furlow so we are quite a small staff but still too many for the number of patients we have. I have for the past couple of days been in charge of this ward H.5 with only 8 Patients so there was no sister with all the changes now ofcourse we have one again as we are a little more settled. All the M.O. are getting 6 weeks leave too so eventually they do not expect to be busyfor some time.There was a notice put up theother day for all V.A.D.'s whodo not wish to resign for another6 months to sign & as we havestill 3 months to go we thoughtit rather, if our time expirednow I would not hesitatein saying I wanted to go homeas we are so slack & doingnothing. We could do muchmore at home but ofcourseif it were like when I firstarrived I would consider ittwice. So I & another girlwent to Miss Holby ( Matronin Chief ) & explained we hadnot made up our mindsyet & also we had not consented ed our people she was charming & said ofcourse I'd wait till it came to nearer the time & find out what our people would like, ofcourse most likely if things continue as they are we shall be sent back home without being asked What do you think about it ? perhaps it would be better for me to go home for a bit & then try & get out to France or some other work in the Sum- mer. Ofcourse naturally we all felt very homesick to-day seeing all the Leinsters going home but at the same time I would much sooner finish my time out here & then go back. a good few of the a lot of V.A.D.'s are going home next month their seven months being up. So just let me know what you would like me to do . I ofcourse am very anxious to see you all again but would not like it if they were terribly busy to do the shabby thing you know my feelings I personally think it would be better to go home & stay with you all for a bit & I can always do something later on Tell Beatrice I read a most interesting & amusing letter from her to A. Lily yesterday I do wish she would write some to me if you could only see how it cheered me up & made me laugh she would been put on the home that'sthe worst of this place onehas to be ready for everything& anything. They do not considerpeople in the slightest, howeverI hope it will not be for longthere are a great number ofnew notices up about theV.A.D.'s, they are all to betreated as Probationers inHospital as an army Sisterremarked when she read thenotice, I pity the poor devils& others refused to lecture theV.A.D's they say we haveall come out to do our bit& let us do it cheerfullytogether, another is that V.A.D'sare to doing nothing butcleaning & any extra nursing write very often. Please thankEthel for her letter dated 12thFeb. How constant she is toher work. She observes a V.P.at the end of the war.Tell Bee she need not bothersending me the thinning cureas I am getting much thinner& feel much better for itI do not think that extrafat was healthy for me asI always felt so like as ifI were blown out & it seemedto make me breathless butI am really normal now.& feel A1. I saw A Lily on Saturdayfor a few minutes, sheis very fed up as she has is to be done by orderlies. The notice has not reached here yet but I am afraid there will be some work about it if it does as they all say we do not care what we do when we are busy scrubbing etc. as we have done but we will not have an orderly handing a patient a drink whilst he ( the orderly ) is watching us scrubbing. However I do not think it will come to any thing myself & if it does well it is evidently the way we are wanted to help & so be it. It will be very nice seeing Tommy on his way back He will have all the latest news of you dearest Mother. I hope it is not true what you say about getting old. I hope you are taking good care of yourself & not worrying too much. Give my fondest love to everyone at home. I have heard nothing from Gerald since the 10th Feb. I hope he will get leave soon again. What has happen to Loclin & Irene I have not heard of them for a long time ? I shall write to morrow again as there is a mail going out to-night & another to-morrowwith every loving thought& good wish, 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