Experiences at a Base Hospital in 5 48 THE YPRES TIMES i' MY first experience at a base hospital was at Versailles, in August, 1914. The hotel Trianon Palace had been converted into a hospital. The rooms (which in 1919 were used for the compiling of the peace terms) were full of terribly wounded men, dying of gangrene and tetanus. I was one of a party of nurses returning from St. Nazaire, where we had been sent during the retreat from Mons. We were awaiting orders at the Reservoir Hotel, and preparing to go to bed, when a message came from the matron of a hospital, asking us to go and help. A large convoy of wounded were coming in, and every bed was full. The ambulances were streaming along as we made our way to the Trianon Palace Hotel. It was a curious sightalmost unbelievablethe brightly lighted hall, scarlet carpeted stairs (there had been no time to remove the carpets), stretcher after stretcher being carried in with wounded men caked in blood and mud, some of whom had lain out for days before they could be got at. Beautiful bedrooms were filled with hospital beds, all occupied, and in the spaces between the beds' were men lying on stretchers, even in the corridors, and everywhere where there was room. What a night it was! Had we only stopped to think, the work would have seemed hopeless. It was no easy matter to get their dried, caked clothes cut off, and the men washed and feda drink being all that the majority were able to take. Poor things! How splendid and amazing they were! Not a grumble from one of them; but when a nurse would be going for a drink for some of them, all the hands would be stretched out, bring me one, too, nurse." Not a word as long as they saw that you were busy. Their wonderful patience and unselfishness never ceased to amaze one. At 4 a.m. matron sent us to bed; orders for us to proceed to Boulogne the next day had been received. We arrived at Boulogne on October 30th, 1914. The place gave us the im pression of being a seething mass of ambulances, wounded men. doctors and nurses; there seemed to be an unending stream of each of them. All the hotels were hospitals, which gave one a horrid feeling of disaster. No one of whom we inquired could direct us to where No. 14 Stationary Hospital (to which we had to report) was situated. Eventually we met a matron who was able to direct us. It was a pouring wet night, and we drove up to the hill from Boulogne to Wimereux in funny little Victorias," with a kind of leather apron over our heads. An endless stream of ambulances was slowly making its way in the same direction. No. 14 Stationary Hospital was found to be in a large hotel on the sea-front at Wimereux. The Officer Commanding was in the hall receiving patients. He directed us to the top floor, where the nurses had their quarters. Every place was packed with sick and wounded lying on the flooryou stepped between them, and over them, to get along. As soon as we could get into our indoor uniform we went straight into the wards. I relieved the matron in the theatre, where she was busily working. Operations went on unceasingly. As fast as one patient

HISTORISCHE KRANTEN

The Ypres Times (1921-1936) | 1930 | | pagina 18