.50
The Yfres Times.
Work on a hospital ship varies very much according to what is going on "up the
line." During the heavy fighting, the ship often did two journeys a day to and from
England. As soon as we were warned to expect a convoy of patients, each sister went
into her own ward, where cots were made ready, feeds prepared, hot bottles filled, and
everything put in readiness for the reception and comfort of the wounded and helpless
patients. The patients were usually kept on board for the day only, but occasionally
they remained overnight, then it was found easier for each sister to take three hours on
night duty, and thus were all in readiness for the unloading which usually took place
the first thing in the morning. As a general rule, the patients made very bad sailors.
On arrival at Dover, where the ambulance train was waiting, the patients were very
quickly transferred, and after a fresh supply of stores had been taken on board, the ship
at once returned to Boulogne, Calais or Dieppe. On the return journey, the cleaning
of the wards took place, beds were remade and everything put in readiness for the next
convoy.
The last and very memorable journey was on November 17th. About five hundred
Imperial War Museum.'] [Crown Copyright.
THE SINKING OF BRITISH HOSPITAE SHIP ANGLIA,
patients had been taken on board at Boulogne, and a very happy crowd they were, fractured
femurs and head-cases, who had been in different hospitals in France for some months.
In their anticipation of returning home, they were anxiously watching through the port
holes for the first time the white cliffs of England, which, alas, many of them were destined
never to see.
About noon, when some six miles from Dover, there was a tremendous crash, and
iron girders, etc., came falling down, like matchwood. All too quickly it was realised
that the ship had either been torpedoed, or struck a mine. My first act was to fix a life
belt on myself, feeling that I was then in a better position to help others. All sisters and
orderlies did likewise, and the patients who were able to do so were ordered to put on the
lifebelts which every patient had under his pillow the walking cases were ordered on
deck. We immediately set about removing splints, for the obvious reason that if a patient
with his legs in splints got into the sea, his body would go under while the splints would
rise to the surface. As many patients as possible were carried on deck, and those that
•could threw themselves into the sea. Others were let down in the lifeboat, but unfor-
