Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

​NOK residing in Melbourne, Vic.
Embarked for Cape Town 10 March 1900 per 'Euryalus'
Transferred from Bulawayo to Kimberley after 1901.
​Returned from Cape Town to Melbourne aboard the steamship Narrung in 1901

SISTER BERNHARD SMITH, VICTORIAN NURSE.
Wrote to her mother on June 15th 1900 from Umtali, Rhodesia.
Sister Dorothy Smith had a nasty accident to her hands. She poured pure carbolic over them, but has not gone off duty at all. The left hand is so deeply burnt that she has a neuralgic pain in it nearly all day and night.
Sister Langlands had a touch of fever but worked through it. So far I have been all right but working very hard.
There have been between 50 and 60 Yeomanry in the hospital for the last ten days or two weeks. Seven deaths in one week - two coma after malaria, and five dysentery.
We have been at our wits end to keep clean towels, or whatever we could get hold of, to change the beds of the patients ill with dysentery. The cases that have been sent out by the Warrnambool, Bendigo and Brighton people have been our salvation. We do want foment flannel and bandaging material badly.
The men are lying on stretchers, their own mackintosh, sheet and blankets, and overcoats if further warmth is needed. Fortunately the doctors bought a supply of pillows, and where we are short we use the men's coats folded into pillow cases, the kindly gift of the Umtali ladies.

The Argus Thursday 02 August 1900