WAR AND RELIEF WORK

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2427, 5 April 1915, Page 2

WAR AND RELIEF WORK

LETTERS FROM LONDON. Some idea of the work which is being done in London by the St. John Ambulance Association was given by Mrs. Smith, of Auckland, who read to a meeting of the Wellington South Nursing Unit some letters which she had recently received from correspondents who have been doing important work- in connection with St. John. The writer in one of the letters says:—"Yes, I am in the thick of all the work, and it is wonderful to flunk of what we are all doing. Personally I am managing a base, and am lion, secretary of a committee of ladies of the Order. We have a six-storied warehouse. We went into it on August 10, quite empty, and then the parcels and consignments came pouring in from everywhere in response to the appeals which were sent to everyone. No doubt you had one Our warehouse is on the other corner to the old St. John's Church. We fitted it up, and we are very proud of it. How I should love to show you over. Lady Hoggett, wife of the Director-General of Military Hospitals, is our chairwoman, and I was specially asked by the Duchess of Bedford and Lady Porrott if I would be the lion, secretary. I knew what that meant. I have been every day since. I get there at 10, and get home again at 7 or 8, dead tired, and only fit to go to bed. We have about eight ladies every day. They take it in turns. They unpack the parcels, sort, and tie up into o or 10; then a scout carries them up to our store rooms, and one of my nurses packs it away into shelves. Everything is counted, and a ticket put on, and we knpw to a pair of cuffs what we possess. Our bookkeeping is a large affair. Then we get the orders iri for •the various hospitals, and send off consignments of, say, 10,000 garments, and medical stores, at one time. I am glad to be doing this, as my husband is not at home. He is Lieutenant-Quarter-master ill the R.A.M.C. at the Royal Herbert Hospital, at Woolwich. I only see him occasionally. All our staff efficers from the Gate are fulfilling these posts at all the home hospitals, and many of our men are ill the base hospitals at .the front. Ah! this terrible war is too dreadful to talk about. We live in a state of ferment. Not that we seem any different. London is full of people and men in khaki, and it is going just the same as ever, but some of us seem to be in the foreground. Personally, I never go anywhere, but backwards and forwards to Clerkenwell. The Gate is a very busy place. Lady Perrott has done wonders for St. John's. She is there every day with 20 or 30 ladies and gentlemen, all at work, matrons judging nurses, and all sorts of things. It would take too long to tell you. Every available room or offico is occupied, and we are making the world know what the Order of St. John of Jerusalem is, and what it is doing. I must tell yon that I am to be made a Lady of Grace of the Order. Of course I am very proud and pleased that my long service and what I am doing now has merited it, but I am only doing my duty, for the work I love.

"I am glad to hear you are> all'thinking of us in our dire time of need, and with tlie "help of all our comrades qverseas we shall crush this terrible German for ever. AVas there ever such a man? But ho will be punished I feel sure. I expect you feel anxious about your sons. I have several nephews and friends serving in all kinds of regiments abroad and home. So far only one is missing, but wo hope lib is only a prisoner of war, as one of his company was- in the Herbert Hospital, and my husband. found out that a young man was with him and missed him. We are now making inquiries. He was one of the London Scottish."

Another writer tells of the visit of Queen Mary to the St. John Ambulance warehouse.

"On August 27 Queen Mary paid a visit to the Old Gate at Clerkenwell, and Lady Perrott presented several ladies and gentlemen to her. Mrs. Sims and I were the two fortunate St. John nursing sisters presented. 1 never thought I should live to have that honour. Queen Mary shook hand's with me and spoke a few wordj. She .was most interested in all we were doing, and watching one of our members winding bandages on our little machines. The Queen asked if she might wind one, and needless to say our member has kept that bandage as a souvenir for lier children.

"1 am sending you a photo of a hospital where three of our division have been working. Lady Maud Wilbraham is at the head of it, and several of St. John's-men are acting as orderlies. The soldiers were very patient. We had Belgians and British, and some of the wounds were very dreadful, and what the poor Belgians have gone through no human tongue can One of. them has the Legion of Honour, and he leads another about who has lpst his eyes. I could never get u-sed to seeing those who have lost their sight.

"At nearly all the military hospitals St. John's men aro orderlies, and a tremendous number have gone to tho front. Those in hospital are doing the work for the Ii.A;M.C. men, who are fighting. We saw t'lie explosion of the Bulwark. In fact, I stood and watched it, little dreaming it was a ship with all those lives on board. The force was so great that it threw open all the hospital doors and damaged some of the glass roof in front.

"My special clium, her sister, and brother-in-law were some of the victims of the raid on Scarborough. We were in liospital at Southend, but could not wire to Scarborough,, and tho sister could not wire to us, as the Admiralty had taken over the telegraph, so you can imagine Mrs. Holm's (by chum's) anxiety."

Miss Fleming (Kelburn) is visiting Christchurch.

Mr. and Mrs. John Blundell have been spending five days in Auckland.

Miss G. Sandtmann (Napier) is visiting Christchurcli. Miss Nellie Stewart, the popular actress, is, staying at the Albert Hotel. Miss Nutall (Nelson) and Miss Myrtle Kitching (Falmerston North) are guests of Mrs. Wood. For Face Massage, Shampooing, all Ilnu Treatmerts, and Electrolysis, lira Rollestou's ii recommended. Spacious Private Rooms, Qualified Assistants, and Personal Attention. Switches and Transformations of every shade a speciality. Hair guaranteed to keep its colour. 25G Lambton Quay*