Inserted paper, about 140mmx180mm, folded in half to a 140x90mm bookletof four pages. Scan shows the back page, blank, and the first page
"Joint V.A.D. Committee, Territorial Force Association
The British Red Cross Society
The Order of St. John of Jerusalem
Certificate of Enrolment in a Voluntary Aid Detachment
and Permit to Wear the Uniform"
and five paragraphs of rules about the enrolment.
Scan of two inside pages of 90x140mm booklet, same title as last scanThree numbered paragraphs of declarations of loyalty and commitment
Signature: Ethel Conybeare (signed)
Date: November 30th, 1916
Other page has Ethel Conybeare enrolled as a member of Detachment 30
Four signatures, two of them pre-printed on the form, signed in pen
by Valentine Matthews, County Director and (illegible) Roberts, Commandant.
("military hospital" added later in two different pencil colours)
Christmas is busy time in hospital
Thanks for parcel of presents, sent parcels on to (brother) Bruce and Gladys
Conybeare.
Not clear if Bruce got extension or is soon back to France.
No news except beastly cold in my head.
300 dpi scan of the top photograph in scan 005A long line of soldiers and horse-drawn wagons on a wide dirt road with
telegraph poles, stretches out of sight.
300 dpi scan of Bottom photograph on scan 005a road runs across the picture, with a telegraph pole at the right,
beside the road. In the foreground, the wooden wagon-wheel of an artillery
piece. In centre, an artillery pice with wooden wheels has smoke rising
from it, the cannon just fired. About a dozen soldiers are nearby.
A flag above it has an upper-left colour block, is likely British
Ethel Conybeare and a large, short-furred white dog with an eyepatch.
Upper photograph from scan 006. Ethel, in shirt and tie witha wool coat and long dress, has her hand on the collar of the large
white dog.
Lower-left photograph from scan 006Second picture of Ethel Conybeare in nursing uniform an coat, with white dog.
Lower-right photograph from scan 006Ethel has buttoned up her uniform and put on her official military cap,
holding the dog with her right hand. Has family's famous crooked smile,
which skipped a generation (my Dad) and showed up in my brother and his son.
(the page has a "3" added in pencil, the letter was probably put
in the same envelope as the previous 2-page letter. Subsequent pages
have a number pencilled onto them that is two-higher than the actual
page number. I'm just going to ignore that system.)
Now have "perilous attack of influenza" or said so, to get a day
off after two weeks of working somewhat sick. Then for two days,
was declared still sick because of a slight temperature.
Actually, mostly just congested, and enjoying the days off.
Cannot avoid 'flu just now - wards are hideously overcrowded and simply
chock full of influenza.
Letter from Mrs. Craig of Women's Civic Club with two handkerchiefs
plus $5 to buy an Xmas present for any "Lethbridgeite" or Canadian.
Christmas is over, has no Canadians, will hold on to money for now.
Christmas was busy and successful, patients treated with Red Cross
parcels ( the Australian parcels were good) and food and decorations,
concert in the evening.
Opened home parcels only on Christmas Eve, had a tiny tree in their bedroom
in front of the fire. (Presents mostly underclothing, appreciated.)
Send Bruce a dozen silky khaki hankies, Gladys embroidered ones from
"Robinsons and Cleavers" (they have the most adorable hanks there).
Marion has a son and Aunt Amy is so pleased. (That's the Aunt that lost
two sons.)
Aunt Amy has been ill, hasn't advised family of birth.
Name is Edward James, Humphrey has gone home to see wife and son
You can't send photos to the U.S. Sent my photo to Aunt Eve and Aunt Lon,
and it came back "scribbled all over".
My prospective sister-in-law (she must have accepted a marriage proposal
from Alastair Brander without it appearing in her saved letters?) has
departed. Gone to do welfare work under Ministry of Munitions, because
they couldn't find her work after two trips in a hospital ship. Sent
an amiable letter. (This must be the Elizabeth Brander that was working
with her in Volume VI...)
300 dpi scan of professional portrait of Gladys Conybeare.Very faint writing may be 'Stearn and Sons, Cambridge"
Back on duty, German-side ward is full of Australians, two wards of
Germans left, others had been shut.
Then, sudden rush meant opening six wards and for overflow from
Fargo Australian Hospital.
Last left of the German Measles were disinfected by Sunday 4 February 1917.
1917 February 4 - Sutton Veny - p.2Page has photograph of Doris Matthews in nursing uniform and coat
tucked in so it obscures the page and has to be flipped out of the way.
Scan of page 2 again with picture of Doris Matthews lifted away to show text.
Nora Matthews (sister of Doris/Dolly, presumably) had to stay to nurse
the one resurfaced German Measles case while others got leave.
There was a scramble for ambulances as transportation for the train to London.
"proceded to Victoria where Miss Matthews took the train for Tunbridge Wells
and Sallie and I took the electric for Battersea Park and the flat."
[Googling indicates that electric trains were indeed a Thing in 1917 London.]
Flat presumably is the Sutherlands, five girls: friend Sallie (actually
"Mariota") and Faussie, also V.A.D. Dorothea, VAD in France, and Betty
Sailor's and Soldier's League secretary, and Madge who works all day in the
Prisoners of War packing room.
Went to Canadian Army dentist, Capt. Currie.
Called Jannell or Jannette (?) Brander in Trench Warfare Research Department
She got them (Ethel and Sallie Sutherland) lunch the next day in the Elysie,
then vaudeville at the Coliseum
heard Mark Hambourg play,
And Felice Lynne, grand opera star, sing,
Sketch with Arthur Bourdier in it.
Tea at the Forum, shopping, fine chocolates from "Fortnum and Mason" store
Home by bus "on top" - chilly
Next day lunch at "Chesire Cheese" saw "Three Cheers" with Harry Lauder
at the Shaftsbury, tea at the "Dug Out" a basement tea room off Regent Street
"which attracted us by the name" [A "dug out" was the deeper room dug down
from the trench level to protect from artillery attacks for sleeping.]
Except that didn't happen - the box office told them that "Nurse Sutherland
and Nurse Conybeare" had to report for duty.
Their matron had called and telegraphed Mrs. Sutherland, who then
called the theatre. Resolved to never again tell anybody how to find
them on leave.
Rations in restaurants are often short, and sugar is very scarce.
Army and Navy Stores are the only ones to put our a sugar bowl.
Exacting discussion of courses and amounts of food available.
But disappointments when you see the menu are common.
Lord Devonport says it isn't necessary to arise from a meal feeling full.
[Hudson Kearley, 1st Viscount Devonport, English grocer and politicians
was Minister of Food Control]
Urges voluntary ration of 4 lb. bread, 2 lb. meat per week.
"I think very few are entering whole heartedly into his scheme".
Grocers won't sell much sugar, I'm going in for saccharine tablets, as
unsweetened tea is nauseous to my taste." [Extremely rare grammatical error.]
Both grandparent's letters are entirely about Bernadette (their first grandchild, of Ethel's sister Elaine and Fred Fisher).
Tell Mrs. Craig I found a good use for her $5 - a nice boy from Toronto.
Toronto boy in "the Canadian Scottish" (?) who had been badly wounded,
got him and another Canadian gloves, they had none in the cold weather.
They are surely back to France by now, it was a month ago.
Discussion of getting boots.
Very cold, in drafty tin huts with inadequate heating and waterworks
are all frozen. "Some of the girls have chilblains - did you ever
see a burst chilblain?" [Rough, inflamed skin from cold damp air.]
Lost the lighting overnight, with the water already out, "What a life!"
Thanks for parcel with candy and boots
Boots very good in wards for utility, beauty is not so much the object.
Hate all footgear at present, two small chilblains on heels burst and are
very painful. Continued for a week.
Had a ward of my own for a week, Sister Maclean is ill.
Hitherto had all Australians, soon to have overflow from British side.
"I have a perfect fool of an M.O. [medical officer], only in army a month,
just walks around and grins and I can hardly persuade him to look at a patient."
M.O. ["Mr. Hartland"]
does not discipline the men, tolerates disrespect to himself and Matron.
[pencilled in later: "we call him little willie".]
Nothing happening but Dad insists on cabling whenever there is a break
in my correspondence. Nothing from Bruce or Gladys since Christmas.
Still in charge of Ward 17, all going smoothly.
Was much praised by Matron for noticing that a pleurisy patient needed
extra care. In danger of swelled head after praise from her, patients,
orderlies and the M.O. ("who is a fool and doesn't count").
Very happy to have a room set up with Dorothy Matthews at last.
Miss Dennis on night duty, not happy that Ethel and Dorothy were happy
to move in together. "Enclosed portrait" [not found in this volume] is
of patient giving a concert tomorrow.
Performing patient makes it plain she is privleged to be his accompanist.
Her own judgement: "He's a vaudeville actor..not a first-class circuit, perhaps, but still quite good. Whistling excellent, voice pretty good, monologues and recitations on the commonplace side...the men will like"
Has Elaine heard of Anita Ridout's marriage? Saw it in "Canada".
Lethbridge must be pretty dead..as dead as Sutton Veny, saying a good deal.
Orders for France came yesterday. In bed after innoculation last night.
Five: Miss Dennis, Miss Draper, Dolly Matthews, elder sister, and me.
Don't know exact date or destination, one Major guesses Boulogne.
Matron interrupted a conversation to demand "Miss Conybeare, would you
like to go to France?" "Yes, Matron" "Very well, you may go".
[unclear to me if Matron had any options...]
0
Happy to have day off. Dolly busy in pneumonia ward, always busy.
I have "ward on my shoulders, and Colonel's updates and equipment inspection,
and bedding inspection, and three pneumonias and lots of admissions" in 3 days.
"Haven't been able to call my soul my own".
Last letter I shall send from Sutton Veny
Expect to go Friday [23rd]. All ready, kit all bought.
Had letter from Bruce, he has some sort of nervous fever, Gladys has
chorea on her right side. Have no time to go see him.
Complex description of getting away to shop for "kit" while also
handling duties. Matron simply couldn't give them time, much staff juggling.
Got away at 12:45, not sleepy. She and Dolly stayed in Regent's Palace,
got same room as last time. Praise: just off Picadilly Circus, very cheap
and very clean, and best of all, no tipping. Reputation of filling every
one of a thousand beds a night. Saturday wildest rush of shopping ever,
shoes, etc.
Shoes needed as "one would rather die that get at the Stores!"
[Next page indicates this means "Army and Navy Stores"]
Drew fifty dollars half in French notes. Kit allowance is generous, quite
enough to cover all we must buy. Needed many other clothes, etc, made
a trip to Mr. Jones essential. Five pounds in French money is precautionary.
He [presume "Mr. Jones"] will draw on my account and draw on Dad to cover
overdraft - hardly expect that to be necessary, as we get a field allowance.
After financial situation in hand, I bussed along and met Dolly at the Stores.
Good old Army and Navy! Talk about American hustle [Stores can outdo them.]
Ordinarily, shopping in the Stores is like molasses in January, but they all got
everything in short order. Matron had wired an order ahead for us, by name.
Other departments did things for us, painted names on hold-alls.
We bought spirit stoves and aluminum plates and candle lanterns and flat irons.
Got everything together from depts to a taxi by 12:40 (having arrived at 11:30)
Several things to get at Hobson's, the official Red Cross place, barely
made it in slow taxi driven, as usual, by a very old driver.
Were very excited by shopping, back at Regent's Palace, liked everything they
got. Consists of kitbag, camp bed, washing stand with canvas basin, bath chair,
khaki pillow, rubber ground sheet, and canvas pail. "Dinkiest things", fold
up small. Chair "too sweet for words - sort of a Chinese puzzle which
folds together"
Hope I can show it to you. Draw three G.S. blankets from Q.M. to complete.
Also required to have:
| 1 Trunk 30" X 24" X 12" | 1 Flat Iron |
| 1 Hold-all | 1 set knife, fork, spoon |
| 1 Rug | 1 cup and saucer |
| 1 Cushion | 1 tea infuser |
| 1 Looking Glass | 2 pair scissors |
| 1 Small Oil Stove and Kettle | 2 pair forceps |
| 1 Small candle lantern | 2 clinical thermometer |
| 1 Mackintosh | 1 securing(sp?) tentpole strap |
| 1 Pair Gum boots |
Some I already had.
Joke is that I may never have the remotest necessity for a camp kit.
Second innoculation last night, off duty today.
Been working like a beaver, sorting tidying washing mending.
Dolly got a week's leave in Brighton, due since December.
Got her innoculation at Millbank Military Hospital in London on Sunday.
1917 March 19 - Sutton Veny - p.10Got your letters, will take "Dams-a-wans" (?? sp?) term has "little guitar"
above it in pencil. Certainly isn't just "petite guitare" the actual
translation. May be nickname? Going to try her new 'canvas toy' with a bath
in front of the fire. (Regent's Palace had only communal baths.)
[Letter ends with a diagram/cartoon of five girls, kit bags, hold alls, and
trunks awaiting one ambulance to pack them all in.]
Found at the back of Vol VI, this fragment takes place in France, so will
be inserted in Vol VII, here, the closest place in the timeline to when it
seems to have been written.
This is a torn page from a letter, no date at top,
Starts with partial word:
"lly blown off but was making excellent progress and expecting to be sent to Blighty
with the next evacuation when I saw him. One of the others was from Stettler."
[Perhaps relating stories of Canadian patients she'd met.]
"I only hope we shan't have to spend a winter here. Things were bad enough in winter
at Sutton Veny but it would be twice as awful here. ... I guess I can, though
if the beastly war doesn't decide to end before then."
Believe written in 1917, she refers to "signed up until December 9th".
Write at this address. Near Etaples - (may be the one that was bombed in May 1918)
Discussion of censorship - never mention Etaples again, numbers of staff
or patients, locality.
Definitely won't be writing about escapades or rule-breakings, all is read by the C.O.
Had ambulances to drive them from Sutton Veny, met family and friends at
Paddington to say goodbye.
Missed train, "2nd Lieutenant Conybeare" (brother Bruce) led them all to getting
chits for the next day.
Off to see two revues, "ZigZag" in the afternoon, "Three Cheers" at night.
Zig Zag had George Robey and "Dad's Friend" Daphne Pollard, the latter is making a big hit in London - awfully versatile, amusing, and clever - but unspeakably vulgar. "Three Cheers" had Harry Lauder, and we simply loved him.
Bruce stayed the evening, caught a 12:15 "last train" to his hospital at Oxford, from which he had leave to say goodbye.
Bruce looks well, Gladys is not at all well, looks fearfully twitchy.
Train delayed until after lunch, got a compartment.
Luck all around; got the best rooms in the hotel by being in the right place,
and got a "Good hospital" - group behind to isolation wards, ground ahead got to nurse "Boches, and we've had our share of Boches". (see seems to remove the "S" from "Bosches".)
Dolly's brother wounded severely, in hospital nearby, may visit.
Given rooms with NO furniture, plus a few blankets and a "bit of mattress" each to make bed on the floor.
Dolly Matthews shared around the only bit of soap, their luggage still coming.
Except for no bed, filthy blouses, we were fairly comfortable. All five of
us were kept together. Everyone has been very kind, expect to be happy.
Have green envelope for letters, which are censored at the base, not in the hospital, so she can be open about work gripes.
Censorship is silly, who would work hard as a nurse, and also betray? This colonel is famous for reading every word, passing on who's engaged, etc - "darned sneaky". But it's clear that complaints in letters home are being read by officers. They get investigated!
Matron is hard to know; "devoid of a sense of humour, appears to be a decent sort".
Most orders come from the Assistant Matron, a "very smarmy person".
Mostly rotten, cold, stormy weather until now, many with colds.
Dolly's brother is dying over at Camiers, not a chance in a thousand of recovery.
(Camiers near Etaples, mentioned on scan 047. Site of famous mutiny.)
Dolly's brother has wounds in side, neck, and leg, smashed pelvis, internal
injuries, can take no nourishment: pneumonia and plurisy.
Later: He is dead now. Dolly came in to say he was worse: vomiting blood
and hiccoughing, which we both knew from even short experience was a sure
sign of death.
We both went on shift at five, but Dolly was gone when I came back. Her
mother had come in an ambulance, they went off for the night together.
Mrs. Markus (Dolly's mother) will probably have another nervous breakdown now.
[I was unable to find a service record for the surname "Markus" that fits
with a death in April, 1917.]
I hope she can put it off until she is back in England, rather than be ill in
a YMCA hostel in France!
I wonder if Dolly could get special leave, but she would probably have to resign
as the Push is expected any minute with spring.
"It does seem such a rotten shame to throw away gallant, young, nineteen-year-old lives like Sonny's - because it's just sheer luck if one ever gets back from a raiding party - he would never have got in at all if a sergeant hadn't picked him off the barbed wire, then the sergeant got it, and they lay, three or four of them, dead and alive together, in a shell hole for twenty four hours before they were found. 'Killed in action' is rather more glorious than otherwise, but 'Died of wounds' is awful - how awful, we who have seen it know only too well."
Praises the Princess Victoria's Rest Club for Nurses, across from their mess.
2 Francs a month for a tea room, papers, books.
Not in wards with British wounded now. First 3 days was in theatre wards
with bad cases.
Page collecting several amateur photographs that were separately scanned
and will be identified on their scans. All appear to be of a leave at
Torquay, a British resort town about halfway between Plymouth and Exeter.
1917 April 5 - 26th General Hospital, B.E.F. (British Expeditionary Force) FranceAmateur BW photo labelled "Torquay Harbour"
1917 April 5 - 26th General Hospital, B.E.F. (British Expeditionary Force) FranceAmateur BW photograph, very faded, labelled "On the Rock Walk, Torquay"
of a woman in a dress and hat before curving flight of stone stairs.
1917 April 5 - 26th General Hospital, B.E.F. (British Expeditionary Force) FranceAmateur BW photograph of a uniformed military officer leaning against an outdoor
stone staircase. Label "Ain't he cute?" "Imperial Hotel Gardens - Torquay".
Officer is not Alastair does not appear to be any other officer met in Vol VI.
1917 April 5 - 26th General Hospital, B.E.F. (British Expeditionary Force) FranceAmateur BW photo of lady, eyes hidden under wide hat, in a coat, in profile.
I don't believe it is Ethel. Background is cliffs and beach of Torquay.
Label: "Who is the laughing mask?", and "Imperial Hotel Gardens - Torquay".
1917 April 5 - 26th General Hospital, B.E.F. (British Expeditionary Force) FrancePhoto of same lady from last photo, heavy brim of hat still hiding her eyes,
does not appear to be Ethel. Label 'The Girl With the Crooked Mouth' (and she
has a one-sided smile), in front of gardens, label "Imperial Hotel Gardens'
and 'Torquay'.
1917 April 5 - 26th General Hospital, B.E.F. (British Expeditionary Force) FrancePhoto of same lady from last photo, heavy brim of hat still hiding her eyes,
does not appear to be Ethel. Sitting on prominent rocks at beach.
Label:"On the rocks" Torquay beach at low tide.
1917 April 5 - 26th General Hospital, B.E.F. (British Expeditionary Force) FrancePhoto of same lady from last photo, heavy brim of hat still hiding her eyes,
does not appear to be Ethel.
Very faded. Standing on walkway by a lath fence, hoding something dark
and limp - a jacket? Very swaddled in hat and scarf.
Label: "On the Rock walk - Torquay".
Page 3 of a letter presumed between April 5, 1917 and April 20, 1917
Pages 1-2 must have been missing when volume prepared from letters in 1918.
Filled up with news about the "8th East Surreys", all their medals and
honours.
Page 4 of a letter presumed between April 5, 1917 and April 20, 1917
Enjoyed learning all about "8th East Surreys". Have had things explained to
me by a 2nd lieutenant with 3 or 4 huge maps, and didn't understand a word.
Gladys looks well, is a thoughtful person; seeing a lot of the "Edward Conybeares".
Page 7 of a letter presumed between April 5, 1917 and April 20, 1917
Presumed the same letter as scans 059 and 060, with pages 5-6 were missing when volumn VII compiled.
Discussion of her new boots, worries when Mother wrote that cousing Crawford
was ill.
Page 9 of a letter presumed between April 5, 1917 and April 20, 1917
Presumed the same letter as scans 059 and 060, with pages 5-6 were missing when volumn VII compiled.
Best wishes for little Crawford. On English side of wards again, and pleased;
I was fed up with the Bosches. Glad to be helping them and jollying them
and hearing English - in an "appalling" Australian accent.
Page 8 of a letter presumed between April 5, 1917 and April 20, 1917
Presumed the same letter as scans 059 and 060, with pages 5-6 were missing when volumn VII compiled.
Australian sounds like "Cockney and a regular down-east Yankee Twang!"
and their rough sense of humour.
Won't see Alastair for a while - new commander isn't allowing as many to "conduct drafts
to England", which Alastair apparently handled. Mention of his "Leave in January or February" suggests this one is from December 1916.
"Bruce thinks he's found Oly. He saw the arm of what was evidently a British
officer sticking out of a shell hole, so he went and dug it out. It was the body
of a major in the 24th Canadians".
Page 10 of a letter presumed between April 5, 1917 and April 20, 1917
Presumed the same letter as scans 059 and 060, with pages 5-6 were missing when volumn VII compiled.
The story of "Finding Oly.
Continues:
"There were no means of identification". that Bruce met somebody who said the
24th (Oly's Battalion) was there at the time.
[Your faithful scanner's opinion of this ludicrous story is expressed on
the the Jack Ross links page of the diary website.]
Had a letter from Grace Turnbull that she was now in England, had been married 4
weeks earlier to a Capt. Patterson.