1 13.4.16
2.30 A.M. My very dearest Mother A 1000 thanks for your very
nice long letter dated March 30th but very very
sorry to hear the news of Charlie from the
Red Cross Office but I would not give up
yet because of this Pte Fergarson story is
true he will be in quite a different place
to Lt Moloney & his story in a way seems
the best so far as it really carries out
with the original story of him being seen
walking back to a dressing station & I suppose
got captured, he may of course as you say be
taken as a Tommy if this is the case, we can
well understand the delay, I cannot in a way help
but thinking he is alright somewhere although at
times like you I think it all sound so hopeless
We must still trust & hope in the Lord &
be resigned to His most Holy Will whatever
it may be - I cannot tell you how glad
I shall be to see you all again, I do not
know exactly when we shall start, we are
due in London on the 16th of May which
would mean we would start early in May
but if it suits them better they may
send us Home any time now but we love 2 as yet got no orders to be ready at a moment
notice. It is great we are so slack other
wise I am afraid I should feel very
badly going home but as we are now
I think it only right under the circums-
tances, all the 6 who came here with me
are coming home as they think they will
be of more use at home as in France
Matron says we are sure to get plenty
of work & that our reports ought to
get us anything we want - Really to stay
on one would feel we were only stay-
ing on for a slack time they have
more trained Sisters then they know
what to do with, of course they must
always be prepared for epidemic of
fever among the troops at Salonika
but as for wounded I sincerely hope
there will be no more fighting out there
which so many men think is the case.
I have been keeping busy on night duty
making Camisoles so that I shall have
some nice ones when I get home, some
of them are very pretty & dainty! In fact
some think I am making my trousseau
but I am sorry to have to inform you 3 There is nothing doing out here, infact
I had my fortune told by one of the V.A.
Ds yesterday & she could not find the
marriage mark on my hand, so you
will have to be prepared to have me
an Old Maid all your of life - It is very
trying on you but I think on the whole
the knocking about here has done me
good the only thing I have really forgotten
is to be able to speak to men, I am
sure to be quite frightened when I meet
a man alone now - I must tell you I
took the Bull by the horn the other day
& went on my first mixed picnic since
I came out here the Night Sister got
it up & we drove out to Dantifire
a very pretty seaside place where there
is a very large convalescence camp &
met a few Officers there who had asked
us to tea on the rock, I need not tell
you we were frighten out of our lives
Miss Holdly would take it into her head
to have a picnic also the first thing we
saw was a V.A.D who looked very like
our representative so we had to walk
on alone & let the men follow us 4 I did not really enjoy it as one never
felt at ease - however all went off
well & we really had quite a nice time
You will be glad to hear I had two
nights off this week so had a good night
I do not know that I shall not stay on
till the end of my time now as I
am sure Matron will give me a few
days off when we definitely hear when
we are sailing I had a most delightful mail on Wednes
day but I am very angry as the letter he
wrote after he had been home & saw you
it must have gone astray as I never got
it & he wrote to several things he
evidently wrote about, he said in his last
letter he was writing to Violet or someone
at home - Then I also got a very nice
long letter from Olive and I am so 5 pleased to hear she is going home early
in May it will be very nice seeing her
again - I have £5-0-0 which I am keeping
for journey etc & can borrow some
money from Aunt Lily just to buy
a few useful presents home, I have
been on oath to save very much as
I nearly always spend it on the patients
except what I just wanted to get along
with & my washing. Anyhow I did not come
out here to make money so long as I
was able to keep myself I may not
have to borrow this money but I know
you will not mind as you can take it
out of my dress allowance, I have been wondering
if any of the Girls would like me to
bring them home dress lengths of Shanting
as you can get it very good & cheap
here in any colour for about 1/9 a yard.
I am thinking if I can get them I'll
bring them each a Japanese Dressing
gown they are very pretty & very cheap
but there has been a great rush lately
so may not be able to get them -
There are the most glorious rock plants 6 growing wild here if I can get a collect
tion I shall bring you some home -
Do you think it would be a good plan
for me to send Tommy any food
from here I shall wait til I hear where
he is first - I suppose they are fed
quite well in Alexandria I sincerely hope by the time this
reaches you, you will have had some
good news of poor Charlie - you know he
may have been sent up to Austria or
Germany as a prisoner, if there is any
talk of peace the Germans are sure to
have so many prisoners in Germany
as possible. With all my very best wish love &
blessing - longing for the day I shall
see you all & hope it will not be very
long - I shall most probably stay a
night in London, it is so hard to make
any arrangement as we never know
when we shall be off & letters take so
long sometimes in coming Love & kisses to all & wishing you every
happiness & blessing at Easter. Your most loving & dutiful daughter Marie