Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Nurse Butterley, at present recuperating at her home, Penneshaw, from typhoid fever contracted in Egypt, writing under date August 20, 1917, from  the Sister's Convalescent Home, Alexandria, says: -

"During my visit to Penneshaw, K.I., in November 1916,I was surprised at the amount of work done for the Red Cross by tbe small communities there and at Kingscote.

Only a few days ago I was reading your paper here and saw that the Red Cross workers are still carrying on the good work, and I  wondered if they realised how much their services are appreciated by our brave lads. Before coming to Egypt with the Australian Army Nursing Service I had no idea how much work the Red Cross branches were doing. If there are any among the workers on Kangaroo Island who think for one moment  that their efforts are not appreciated, would you please make known a few facts about just one hospital — No. 14, Australian General Hospital, Egypt.

I  began duty there in January, 1917, and went on night duty in charge of a ward containing 60 beds. It was a new ward opened that afternoon for  patients arriving from the Rafa battle. The day sisters and orderlies had worked very hard, but all they could do was to get the poor lads fed and  washed and their dressings done. They all had wounds more or less severe. Their clothes were left by the bedsides to be sorted out in the morning and fresh ones issued if necessary, and I'm afraid there were a great many cases where new uniforms were necessary, as numbers of them were bloodstained and torn by shrapnel. The nights were bitterly cold then, but thanks to Red Cross workers, all the boys were tucked up in bed between  nice clean sheets and warm blankets, and with a suit of warm pyjamas each. That night I was kept busy as several had hemorrhage from their wounds, and I did not get much time to see what they needed, but the following night when  I came on duty everything was in perfect order, and all lockers had been replenished by the Red Cross.

Every boy had been given soap, tooth-paste, tooth-brush, writing-paper, envelopes, pencil, pen, handkerchiefs, socks, slippers, brush and comb, cigarettes, etc. Of course some of the boys are well supplied with these comforts from their people at home, but coming in from the battlefield they usually had lost all their belongings except the torn and blood-stained uniform they were wearing.

Now, think what it means to them to be supplied with all these comforts. Every Wednesday morning in each ward a, list of articles is sent round by the Sister  to each patient and he marks down what he wants in the way of writing paper, cigarettes, pipes, tobacco, razor, etc. Then also, the Red Cross send a  supply of tinned fruit, jellies, bovril etc., once a week to each ward and these are used for the very sick patients. What the Sisters would do in the  wards without the aid of the Red Cross I do not know. It is half the battle of nursing to be able to go to your cupboards and find such a good supply of  nice clean sheets, towels, pillowcases, etc. The lounges and easy chairs which are such a comfort to the boys when first they get about after a long  illness, are also supplied by the Red Cross. I often used to read the names of different towns in New South Wales and South Australia stamped on the sheets to denote which town they oame from, but I was not fortunate enough to find any witH our Kangaroo Island branches stamped on them.

Another important branch of their work is the Red Cross Invalid Diet Kitchens. These have been established in fifteen hospitals in Egypt and provide  nearly 200,000 rations a month. They make all kinds of delicacies for the poor boys who are unable to take the ordinary hospital fare. I had the misfortune to have 18 weeks in the sick-room with paratyphoid and the Red Cross kitchen provided me with most delicious junket and jellies as soon as I was allowed them, also kept me well supplied with cool drinks. All the kitchens are staffed by Red Cross lady cooks."