Part 8
Miss Evelyn Lyne went to France in October, 1914, as cook in the first Voluntary Aid Detachment to be sent abroad. The detachment was to start a rest station at one of the base railway stations for feeding and re-dressing the wounded as they came through in the hospital trains from the front. A series of railway luggage-vans drawn up on a siding had to serve as the headquarters of the detachment, which Miss Lyne described as follows: “We had very hard work and great fun scrubbing and disinfecting the vans; they looked beautiful when finished, and were equipped as a kitchen, dispensary, dressing station, store-room and common room respectively. No one would believe what a charming kitchen a railway truck made. Besides the kitchen we had a very long fire burning between old railway lines arranged at the right distance to support the huge pots for making cocoa, six pots at a time, so that we could have enough for 300 boiling at once. We worked day and night at the rest station in twelve-hour shifts, and, being a humble cook, it was my lot to stand for hours over the fire stirring cocoa, sometimes in the pouring rain, and with smoke belching into my eyes.” As a rule the rest-station workers were given only an hour’s warning of the arrival of a hospital train, and then had to prepare food for from 300 to 800 wounded men. When the trains came in, the workers would take their cauldrons of cocoa or soup and baskets of food on handcarts to the carriages. “No words can ever express how splendid the wounded men were,” wrote Miss Lyne: “one never heard a complaint, and we were so thankful to be able to do just that little for them.”
Later Miss Lyne was sent to cook for between eighty and ninety nurses at their billet in an old château at one of the hospital bases. This was hard work indeed, for she was the only cook, and had eight meals a day to serve. The nurses were on Army rations, so a whole sheep or the quarter of a bullock would be left at the door daily, and Miss Lyne soon became an expert butcher! When later she had to return to England she wrote: “I shall always look back on those days in France as the happiest time of my life.” She is now working as an inspector of hostels under the Ministry of Munitions.
Miss Madge Greg has been doing rest-station work since January, 1915, and has been quartered at various stations on the lines of communication. Starting a new station entails hard work, and the workers need to show resource and quickness, and the ability to adapt their arrangements on the instant to existing conditions, however inconvenient and uncomfortable they may be. Railway trucks or a goods shed have had to be transformed in a few hours into a spotlessly clean dressing station, where men could be brought from the improvised ambulance trains to have their wounds re-dressed.
On one occasion the unit with which Miss Greg was working received a message that unexpected special trains were on their way, and could not be drawn up at the existing rest station. Within an hour the workers managed to get their stores and apparatus moved round to another part of the line. “And,” writes Miss Greg, “by 7 a.m. we had everything in readiness within the new dressing station, and ten boilers of hot cocoa out near the trains. There followed days and nights of continuous hard work, and more trains than ever before--this was our experience of the battle of Loos.”
With time the rest stations were housed in proper huts, and also, as the number of fully-equipped hospital trains increased, the need for dressings was no longer so urgent. A later development has been an arrangement for small wards at some of the rest stations, where bad cases could be brought from the trains and 48-hour cases from among the local troops could be treated.
In many ways rest-station duty is very trying, for the work is necessarily so unevenly divided. Times of rush come after the heavy fighting, when there is no respite by day or night. But workers like Miss Greg and her companions never spare themselves fatigue or effort. The only thing that matters is that no ambulance train should find them unprepared, no wound should suffer for want of fresh dressing, no cold, tired soldier should be disappointed of his hot drink. The rushes are followed by long periods when there is hardly enough work to fill the day, and the girls become conscious of the grim, draughty surroundings of the railway station, which form the entire horizon of their life. They have, however, found many other little ways of service, such as undertaking all the laundry arrangements for the sisters nursing permanently on the ambulance trains, starting a lending library, and doing “little things” for the soldiers on the leave trains. It is just in the doing of these “little things” that Red Cross workers, amongst whom Miss Greg and Miss Lyne are typical, are performing such valuable service. There is little excitement and no limelight in a life such as they lead, and it entails hard work at any hour of the day or night, whenever they may happen to be called upon. But their reward lies in the moments of cheer and brightness which they have been able to bring to so many thousands of suffering men, in that never-ending procession of pain ebbing away from the battlefields. Their kind ministrations have changed a dreary wait in a cold, dull station into an episode that soldiers who have passed through will remember with thankfulness--a moment of respite, bringing new courage, warmth, and comfort when all were sorely needed.
XXIII
MRS. LEACH
In the summer of 1915 the Women’s Legion, a war organisation started by Lady Londonderry, represented to the War Office that the services of women might be used in cooking for the troops. Various obvious advantages were connected with the suggestion. There was only a limited and insufficient number of men trained as Army cooks, and the introduction of women to do work which naturally falls within their sphere would thus release men for tasks which they alone are suited to undertake. It must also be a considerable gain to any troops to have their cooking managed by highly trained women able to devote their whole time to the work, rather than by men to whom this was only one of other military duties. As a result of these representations, permission was obtained in August, 1915, for one hundred cooks to start work as an experiment in certain of the military convalescent camps.
Almost from the first the work at the camp where the largest number of women was employed was carried on under the personal management of Mrs. Leach, who has been identified throughout with the movement. She is now in control of the great organisation of women cooks for the Army which has grown out of this tentative beginning.
After a six months’ trial the success of the experiment was assured, and not only had vast savings of food been made, but these were combined with marked improvement in the standard of camp cookery. As a result of this initial success, by February, 1916, the Women’s Legion was asked to extend its work, and in the course of the year that followed the number of women employed in military cooking rose from the original hundred to over 7000. When it is realised that the cooking for 1000 men has to be done by a staff of only thirteen or fourteen women, including, besides actual cooks, kitchen helpers and waitresses, it will be readily admitted that their work is of an arduous nature. A difficulty might have been expected in finding a sufficient number of suitable women to respond to the ever-increasing demand. On the only occasion, however, when an advertisement was published asking for the services of 1000 women to undertake this hard and not particularly well-paid work, no less than 28,000 applications were received. This fact alone is a remarkable testimony to the patriotic way in which women have come forward during the war to offer to their country the services for which their particular training has fitted them.
The rapid development of this great organisation owes much to the powers of judgment, tact, and management displayed by Mrs. Leach, for even in war conditions it is always hard to introduce innovations without friction. Mrs. Leach has been helped in her work by her sister, Mrs. Long, who has been responsible for much of the detailed administrative organisation. A large part of the office work, taking up of references and arrangements of posting, has been carried out by Mrs. Long, who has also supervised the issue of uniforms. Mrs. Leach has been personally responsible throughout for the engagement of most of the cooks, and for their distribution. She inspects the cooking staffs from time to time, and all decisions for promotion go through her hands. A cook joining a camp staff in a subordinate position may rapidly rise to a post of head cook, one of considerable responsibility in these days. For, not only is the economical use of the country’s food supplies a matter of national urgency, but the good or bad feeding of the individual soldier is admitted by all authorities to have a strongly marked effect on his fighting power and efficiency.
The satisfactory reports on the women cooks from officers’ and men’s messes throughout the country prove how well the work has been done. But the clearest tribute of success came when in February, 1917, this branch of the Women’s Legion, which had worked hitherto as a private organisation in co-operation with the War Office, became incorporated actually in the Army as part of the Women’s Army Auxiliary Corps. The value of Mrs. Leach’s work was fully recognised, and she was asked to continue the management of the department under the new system. She is the first, however, to ascribe the real success of the work to the _esprit de corps_, the loyalty, and the patriotism of the women themselves, who have shown their capacity to carry on women’s most time-honoured household duty under unexpected and increasingly important conditions.
XXIV
MRS. GRAHAM JONES
The work of Mrs. Graham Jones, in charge of a Women’s V.A.D. Motor Ambulance unit in France, is remarkable in that this unit was the first of its kind, and as a result of this successful experiment the employment of women as motor ambulance drivers for the British Army has been widely extended. Undoubtedly this success was mainly due to Mrs. Graham Jones herself, and her good organisation and control of the contingent. Her record is typical of thousands of English girls of education and refinement who have come forward and given their services for work hitherto considered men’s work, living hard lives under the strict Army discipline enforced for all workers in France.
In April, 1916, the British Red Cross Society organised this motor unit to take over the entire work of a big base hospital in Northern France. Mrs. Graham Jones, who was given the command, had had over six years’ experience of motor driving, and had already driven an ambulance during the early part of the war. Working under her were thirteen girl drivers. The unit was attached to a hospital of 1300 beds, twenty miles away from the port to and from which the patients had to be conveyed. The ambulance cars were big and powerful, and the girls had entire charge of them, not only for driving but for cleaning and all except heavy repairs. Mrs. Graham Jones, writing of the work, says: “It included the unloading of hospital trains at our station, the transport of patients to the hospital ships, to convalescent camps, or to the base headquarters for return to duty; the conveyance of mails and stores, personnel, etc. It was always full of interest, but required at the same time careful driving and a steady, reliable head. The roads through the various camps were so new and so narrow, and the obstacles one met on them so varied in the way of teams of mules, Army lorries, marching platoons, or steam rollers, that there could be no relaxation of concentration.”
When the heavy fighting on the Somme began, the hospital increased its accommodation, and the demand on motor transport was so continuous that the drivers were obliged to work in shifts of eight hours on and four hours off, to enable the work to be carried on night and day. During the rush the girls were driving as much as one hundred and thirty miles a day, but the care of the cars was never neglected, and it was the duty of the off-going driver always to leave her car ready for the road.
A V.A.D. officer inspecting the unit reported as follows: “At 5.30 a.m. we were awakened by an orderly reporting that a train would be in the local station in five minutes. In ten minutes the members were pouring out of the house to fetch their cars from the garage, and were at the station before unloading had begun. They drove very carefully, and we heard nothing but praise of them on all sides.”
It needs little imagination to realise the demands such work makes both on mind and body; for a girl must have her full share of self-control and nerve to be able to drive a load of wounded men across twenty miles of difficult road at night as well as by day, when she knows what an error in driving might mean to them, and that the slightest want of care on her part might cause them unnecessary suffering. After the patients are safely deposited comes the hard work of cleaning and keeping the cars in order--a vital necessity for motor ambulances, for wounded men must not run the risk of delays on the road.
In January, 1917, Mrs. Graham Jones was mentioned in despatches for her devoted service and the success with which she had run her unit during many months. Not the least important of the principles which she instilled into her fellow-workers was strict and unquestioning obedience to Army discipline. She quickly realised that, in order to be of real help, one must fit into one’s place in the great machine. It is because women have learnt during the war how important this question of discipline is, that they are being employed for the first time, and in ever-growing numbers, on active service. Nurses who, throughout their training, have always worked under strict rules adapt themselves naturally to war conditions, but for women who have never been accustomed to a disciplined life unquestioning obedience is far harder. Writing of women’s service in France, Mrs. Graham Jones says: “It is not that women would be afraid of danger: it is that after one has worked on active service for some time one feels so much that one wants to do work only where the work is wanted, one just wants to help in ever so small a way just where the help is needed, and in no case where extra trouble or responsibility is thrown on those in authority.” This is surely the essence of helpfulness, and this is the spirit in which Mrs. Graham Jones and many others like her are working for their country to-day.
XXV
MISS GERTRUDE SHAW
When in the spring of 1915 the cry for “shells and more shells” was answered by an almost miraculous development of munition factories, it was hardly contemplated what an immense share women would be able to take in the production of the output. It soon became apparent, however, that the national reserve of labour lay with them. In their tens of thousands women answered the appeal; in many cases leaving their homes to settle in munition areas where population was already congested, or where housing accommodation was on the smallest scale. To maintain the efficiency of these new industrial workers, it was clear that steps must be taken to secure suitable provision for food and shelter. The problem, indeed, soon became acute in some centres, and wide experiments for the protection of the women workers were made. That the results have been so good is due to the exertion of certain individual women of forceful character and of organising genius, and of these Miss Gertrude Shaw is an outstanding figure.
Trained from the outset of her life for the teaching profession, Miss Shaw rose to a headmistress-ship of a higher-grade girl’s school at Leeds, and proceeded in 1913 to fill the post of responsible mistress at the Women’s Institute, Woolwich. Besides her literary and scientific qualifications, Miss Shaw had specialised in several domestic subjects, including laundry and cookery; she had also obtained the Royal Sanitary Institute’s certificates as school nurse and health visitor. She was thus fully equipped for the task when the sudden war demand arose at Woolwich for the safeguarding of the health of women munition workers.
The first necessity was the provision of adequate meals in the vicinity of the works. This demand was at once met by voluntary effort, and it was under the leadership of Lady Henry Grosvenor that Miss Shaw entered the service of the Y.M.C.A. as superior of canteens. She was thus “in at the birth” of the first canteen for girl munition workers at the Arsenal, and subsequently became responsible for the staff, catering, and equipment of four mess-rooms.
The success of these canteens soon led to Miss Shaw’s appointment to a wider sphere as lady superintendent of the newly erected Government colony at Coventry. This scheme embraces the housing and feeding of some 6000 girls and women, drawn from every part of the United Kingdom. A group of hostels has been built, each housing 100 girls, and each is under the direction of a competent matron. As lady superintendent Miss Shaw undertook the task of selection of all the matrons and their assistants, of the canteen managers and their subordinates; in all, a staff of some 300 persons. It must be recalled that in the organisation of the colony there was no precedent from which to take example, so each problem had to be met and solved as it arose. Miss Shaw’s experience and tact has stood her in good stead, and it may be stated without qualification that the colony has been an unexampled success. There have inevitably been difficulties as to the housing of girls from such different localities and varied stations in life that their habits, manners, speech at first presented awkward barriers; but the girls have been met in a spirit of confidence to which they could not fail to respond. Any religious problems have been entirely overcome by the careful selection of resident workers who represent the various denominations.
The canteen attached to the colony, where the girls from all the hostels take their meals, is a further triumph of far-sighted organisation. Lady cooks have been put in charge and labour-saving appliances introduced. It is no uncommon occurrence in the canteen to serve 2500 hungry workers with a hot meal within seven minutes of the sounding of the factory “buzzer” for the cessation of work.
In addition to this huge task, Miss Shaw has initiated many schemes for the recreation and education of her boarders. Classes in hospital work, fire drill, singing, dancing, and gymnastic exercises have been started, and are now most popular; occasional fancy-dress balls are encouraged, and games are taught. The result of these efforts is seen in the spirit of happiness pervading the colony and in the efficiency of the women workers in this group of factories, which surpasses the dreams of an optimist.
Miss Shaw, however, could not be spared to watch the results of her labour in Coventry, for, when she had established the colony in working order, her organising capacity was requisitioned for a still larger task. She is now inspecting and advising on canteens and hostels for the Ministry of Munitions all over the United Kingdom.
XXVI
MRS. HARLEY
Mrs. Harley, sister of Field-Marshal Viscount French, commenced her nursing service at the beginning of the war, and was still carrying on fine work for the sick and suffering when she met her death in their cause on March 7, 1917. The shell which burst near Monastir has robbed the world of a noble and heroic lady.
In 1914 Mrs. Harley went to France as administrator of the first unit sent out by the Scottish Women’s Hospitals. She proceeded to establish a wonderful hospital in the historical Abbaye de Royaumont--“one of the most beautiful haunts of ancient peace in the world.” Under the direction of Dr. Frances Ivens, this hospital to-day is one of the finest and most complete in France, an important feature being the possession of a perfect X-ray installation, specially chosen by Madame Curie.
The work of the first Scottish unit was so successful that the French Government soon asked for a second, and Mrs. Harley took over the administration, and went to Troyes to start a hospital there in May, 1915. This hospital was known as the “Girton and Newnham Unit,” the past and present students of those colleges having raised a large sum towards the equipment. The first hospital under canvas to be used by the French, it received General Joffre’s sanction as a French military hospital.
When later in the year the French Expeditionary Force was sent to Salonika, the military authorities requested that this unit of Scottish women should go with the expedition, and Mrs. Harley again accompanied them as administrator. On arrival they were despatched to Gevgheli in Serbia, but had to retire in the Serbian retreat. They then established a hospital at Salonika, which is still open.
In July, 1916, Mrs. Harley came to England to take over a flying column of motor ambulances for service in the Salonika district. She returned to Serbia accompanied by Dr. Agnes Bennett, who was in charge of the American unit of the Scottish Women’s Hospitals, equipped with funds subscribed by supporters in America as a result of Miss Kathleen Burke’s appeal. Mrs. Harley’s column consisted of a number of light ambulance lorries and two field kitchens. Its object was to facilitate the more speedy transport of wounded Serbians, whose sufferings were greatly increased by the shortage of motor ambulances. The column was sent to work near the Macedonian front, quite close to the firing-line. Writing home, Mrs. Harley said: “Now to tell you of our first venture. A few days ago a British officer, just down from the front, came to tell me that the wounded Serbs were in great need of nourishment when they were carried down from the field, and asking if I would take up my motor kitchen and start a canteen for them. In a few hours all was arranged, and the next morning I started off.... We are fairly near the front and in hearing of the guns. It is sad seeing the poor men struggle in, and it is good to be able to give them some help.” A little later, Dr. Bennett of the American unit wrote: “We are now engaged on very difficult work here, getting all the most serious cases direct from the dressing station; these we bring into hospital ourselves with the aid of Mrs. Harley’s flying column. This is very difficult and often very dangerous work, owing to the bad roads and heavy hill-climbing. Our women chauffeurs have done splendid service, and Mrs. Harley’s have been equally helpful. We have had a hard day, and many of the wounded are still lying out on the hillside awaiting transport, which is very scarce.” It must have been a strange enough sight in the midst of the lonely, barren mountain country, and along the rough, precipitous roads, to come upon a van of the Scottish Women’s Hospitals driven by a sunburnt girl of the unit bringing her load of Serbian wounded, collected with danger and difficulty, down to the safety of the hospital.