Probationers went on the floor as soon as they entered training. A senior nurse was with them for three months. After the three months were over, we had a physical examination to see what effect the hard work had on us. I remember being told to help a senior nurse change the bottom sheet of a totally paralyzed patient. I replied, "Oh, can that be done?" I was told in a very kindly voice, “You have a lot to learn", and I have since found that out.

Our training was very strict. I tried hard not to break the rules, but occasionally I would forget, just being human I guess. The food was excellent, not fussy but tasty and wholesome. If a nurse became ill the Matron in charge of the hospital would take care of her.

We had wonderful parties during the winter months, and once a week we attended a gymnasium class. It was optional, but most of us attended as it helped to keep us in a good condition.

One of the nicest things I can remember was breakfast in bed on our days off, occurring once a month. It was prepared by the night nurse on the floor on which we worked.

The three years went rapidly. I passed all examinations, not with very high grades at first, but with perseverance, I became better and graduated with high honors. Then the day came for the final examination. I completed my full three years on July 10, 1916.

On August 4, 1914 World I had been declared between England and Germany. Very vivid in my mind was the total blackout. No lights were allowed to show anywhere, any time outside the building, so we got used to walking to our wards in darkness, not even flash lights were allowed.

On July 16, 1916 I joined the Queen Alexandra's Imperial Nursing Service Reserve, and was sent to No. I Military Hospital, Canterbury, about 80 miles from London. The famous Cathedral was about one quarter of a mile from our hospital.

Our uniform was very attractive; gray cotton dress, white apron, white cuffs and collar, a small fitted cape of gray bordered with two inches of scarlet that came just above the elbow. This small cape was worn to cover the woman's form. We were issued two coats, one light weight for spring and fall and a heavier one for winter; as for hats, when we were off duty, gray straw for summer, and gray felt for winter.

We all worked very hard when the Big Push was on. Sometimes we did not take our clothes off for three days, but we did not notice the lack of rest as it was made up to us as soon as possible.

I remember one adventure very clearly, in September 1916. I was the nurse on night duty in charge of a medical unit containing 107 beds which was situated about a half mile from the main hospital. I had no resident medical officer as their headquarters were at the main building but of course I could get them by phone if necessary. The Medical Unit was divided into three wards; the first was for penumonia and chest patients; the second for cardiac and kidney patients and the third for shell shock and nerve patients.

To take care of them I had the assistance of an undergraduate nurse and an orderly who was very efficient and reliable. That was not enough help, but that was all that could be obtained at that time.

During the week it had been bright moonlight, and we had been having air-raids every night. Needless to say, we were getting very tired of them. After I had been on duty about an hour and a half the phone rang, and the words came to my ears, "Air raid warning, all take cover, lights out".

Every light was put out with the exception of a small candle about two inches in height which would stand in a protected corner so that no light would show from the outside. Imagine if you can, the wards in darkness with the moonlight streaming through the windows on those boys' faces, making them look very ghostly. There was no panic at all.

Everything [was] very quiet inside, but the noise outside was deafening. Bombs dropping—search lights flashing — British planes trying to locate the enemy planes—the rapid firing of the anti-aircraft guns. I had two boys very seriously ill with pneumonia passing through the crisis. I sat by one bed with fingers on his pulse, and my nurses aide sat by the other bed doing like-wise. My orderly was in the cardiac ward; adjoining were the shell shock cases. In those days we had no antibiotics so we used mustard plasters for congestion, small doses of whiskey for a stimulant, and complete bed rest until the temperature was normal for 48 hours. This was a very successful treatment. Was I nervous? Yes indeed, but yet I had to make believe to my boys that I was the bravest woman in the land.

As I was sitting there wondering how long it was going to keep up, I heard a terrific crash. For a moment I thought a bomb had dropped through the roof (they did not always explode). I looked at my sick boy, and then at my aide wondering if I could dare leave for one moment, as he was in a semi-conscious condition. My conscience told me to go, so I instructed my aide to watch the patients closely. I ran to where I heard the noise, and there on the floor in the shell shock ward was one of the boys who had knocked over a locker during a severe spasm.

For a moment I had to smile at the scene that met my eyes, because six boys had jumped out of bed and were sitting on the patient apparently with the idea of keeping him from struggling. I advised them to go back to bed and gave the boy his usual sedative.

While all this had been going on, the hospital was in darkness. Returning to my [pneumonia] patient, I found his pulse had dropped from 148 to 100 and he was perspiring profusely. Stimulants were given and the boy fell into a natural sleep. The air raid lasted three hours, and 27 bombs had been dropped near the hospital with some small damage. Lights were on again. This was the night that we had a double dose as the enemy came back again at 4 a.m. for two hours.

One morning I was told to report to the Chief Matron's office for instructions, as I was going overseas, where I did not know as we had troops all over the world. I passed my physical, then was given inoculations for typhoid and smallpox. The next procedure was to buy our overseas equipment such as a canvas bucket, canvas folding cot, bedding, lantern, a large water proof container which could be used for bathing, et cetera. We also bought a good supply of soap because we never knew how far we would be from supplies to keep us comfortable.

Forty-eight of us crossed the English Channel from Southhampton to Cherbourg. We were several hours overdue because an enemy submarine chased us. The passengers knew nothing about it. Everyone wore life belts while crossing the channel. What a relief when we saw the French Coast the next morning.

We were met by Embarkation Sisters who were trained nurses. These sisters assigned us to various posts in France and Genoa, but another nurse and myself were dispatched to Laranto which is a large sea-port town at the very bottom of Italy. The British Army had a hospital there with 1,000 beds. Most of the patients had been evacuated from Salonika, Egypt, and Mesopotamia. The boys were suffering from malaria, black-water fever, Spanish flu and pneumonia.

I later developed pneumonia, had excellent care, and quickly recovered. As soon as I was able to travel I was invalided home, crossing the channel in the beautiful hospital ship, The Grantully Castle. I was assigned to the Women's Military Hospital, St. Vincents Square, London.

After my medical board I was given sick leave for four weeks, then home duty at the W.A.A.C. Hospital. It was just outside London and run entirely by women including doctors, engineers, gardeners, ambulance drivers, and telephone operators, and of course the patients were women, so we called it "No Man's Land".

My three years and nine months came to an end April 1920, as I had signed up for duration, or as long as required. Before leaving the service I had seen my brother who had been in America since 1913. He was overseas with the American Army, and suggested I come to America which I did June 1920.

America was so very exciting and different. I soon became used to the nursing routine and started private duty nursing right away. I worked everywhere including small towns doing 20 hour duty for $5.00 per day.

Later on I went back to England and worked in a private nursing home in Cambridge. Many friends had written to me begging me to return to America which I did October 4, 1926.

I must say I was very happy to be back. Through friends I became a member of the American Legion, and sent to Texas to do some temporary child welfare work amongst the [veterans’] families. I met my husband in Texas and about 18 months later we were married. I still kept on with my beloved nursing, doing private duty until I retired two years ago, having been in Texas for 34 years. TN