Letter from Marie Martin to her mother Mary Martin, 13 April 1916 Letters 1916-1923 Marie Martin

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Letter from Marie Martin to her mother Mary Lewis Martin (née Moore). At the outbreak of war in 1914 Marie (1892-1975) 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 until being 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 Mary thanks her mother for her last letter and mentions her brother Charlie (1895-1915), who is missing at the front. Marie mentions that she will be travelling to London soon and that she does not feel very guilty for leaving as they are quite slack at the moment and have more trained sisters than they know what to do with. Marie mentions that she had her fortune told and that the fortune teller could not find the marriage mark on her hand. She remarks that Charlie may have been sent to Austria as they are trying to keep as few prisoners in Germany as possible.

Medical Missionaries of Mary BF140 https://letters1916.ie/item/1655 English Marie Martin 1916-04-13 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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 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 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 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 Dantifirea 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 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 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 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 foodfrom 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 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