Letter from Marie Martin to her mother Mary Martin, 4 April 1916 Letters 1916-1923 Marie Martin

This work was originally published by Maynooth University in Ireland in 2017. In 2026 this data, stored in a relational database was extracted and converted into this TEI/XML document.

 Austrian Centre for Digital Humanities Vienna, AT 2026

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This letter was written by Marie Martin (1892-1975), to her mother Mary Lewis Martin (née Moore). At the outbreak of war in 1914 Marie joined the Voluntary Aid Detachment, a division of the Red Cross. She returned home briefly in 1916 following the death of her brother in battle. She was called to serve again two months later in a field hospital in Heraldo France. Marie later founded the Medical Missionaries of Mary. In this letter Marie tells her mother about how busy she has been lately due to the numerous cases of nephritis among the men. Marie then goes on to describe the trouble she has been having with her feet and her need to obtain supports for the long night shifts. Before signing off her letter, Marie informs her mother about the move of the hospital at which her Aunt Lily works.

 Medical Missionaries of Mary B/F/1/38/1916/04/04 https://letters1916.ie/item/1653 English Marie Martin 1916-04-04 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

The data in these XML files was generated based on a data dump from the Magellan database (https://github.com/Maynooth-Center-for-Digital-Humanities/Magellan). Each database record has been converted to a JSON file (https://github.com/letters1916static/letters-data/tree/main/json). The element section of the JSON file contains the TEI-encoded contents of the letters. The TEI XML has been cleaned and made well-formed using a Python script (https://github.com/letters1916static/letters-data/tree/main/src).

 4th March (April) (see envelope) My very dearest Mother, A thousand thanks for your very long letter, I was delighted to get it as I am getting very few letters now except you & I must really thank you ever so much for writing so often & such long letters as I know how busy & how many letters you have to write. I have been changed from A block to H so have been kept fairly busy as there are a good few men fairly bad with nephritis & need polticing etc during night so with this & getting the Sisters meals & washing up after them there is not much time & I generally go to bed about 10 o'clock & get up & go for walk which is most necessary on night duty unfortunately these last few days I have not been off & as my feet have been very bad & I am great afraid & sorry to have to say I am going very flat footed. Matron who is a dear saw me about them yesterday & says I had better get supports which I hope to do when I come of night duty & have time to go into Valletta. I am at present doing Swedish exercising with my toes. My Sister, Trowess, very kindly messaged them yesterday which made them much better, she says it is partly Rheumatic & that the foot had gone fairly flat. Sister Trower I am sorry to say is off all night duty & we have a horrible common one instead. I am glad to say Matron is taking me off after the month as she does not approve of VADs being on longer. Matron is charming & her one delight is to see every one happy. She is going to put me in Sister Trowess' ward when I go on day duty so I expect to have a nice month before we go home. I do not know what is going to happen to us the 1st lot of V.A.Ds went of Friday, it did make us all feel home sick. Ah but two of these who have signed on again were sent home expect so it looks like as if they they are keeping very few us in Malta. Do you think there is anyone who would like me to do any commissions for the in the way of lace because if so do not leave it too late in letting me know. Also if you want to give me any instruction about journey going home let me know early & also the answer in my last letter about signing on whilst in London for France when wanted! I have not heard a word from Gerald since he has been home perhaps his letter was in the torpetoed one. I hope he is safe & well. Aunt Lily was up here yesterday so I suppose you have heard her whole Hospital has been close, it is hard luck on her There are 1 of the Florence Sisters arriving here today. I wonder if she will be among the crowd. It is just hopeless here at present as all the sisters from the hospital that are closing were dumped here because everything but I am very tired the spelling is weird I know so do not show it round & all the 1st part is just as such only know by you I hope by this you have had good news of Charlie also Tommy & I wonder if he will come across Irene G. With every loving thought, good wish & blessing. Hoping you are all very well. You ever loving daughter Marie It is getting very hot but I am feeling much better Love M On Active Service Mrs Martin, Greenbank Monkstown, Co Dublin Ireland 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