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Served at BFH, Rondebosch, Green Point, near Cape Town, where she nursed Boer prisoners; No 11 BFH, Kimberley, and at Somerset. ​

Miss Huston expressed a with to go to the seat of war as a nurse, and the residents of Clermont decided to send her to Cape Colony at their own expense.

Served at BFH, Rondebosch, Green Point, near Cape Town, where she nursed Boer prisoners; No 11 BFH, Kimberley, and at Somerset. ​
Sister Huston, of Clermont, -whose portrait appeared In the " Queenslander," together with her interesting letters from the Boers' Camp Hospital, during the South African campaign, is now on her way to, (Brisbane in the troopship Athenic) The Brisbane Courier Thursday 21 August 1902 page 5
Nurse Huston arrived at Durban 6 April 1900. She wrote of her hospital work in a letter which was published in the Queenslander, 1 September 1900, p. 498.

October 1902 - Nurse Beatrice Huston and Mr. W. J. Huston, are off to South Africa, where they will join Mr. Robert Huston

A CLERMONT NURSE AT RONDEBOSCH
Mrs. J. M. Cross, says the "Brisbane Courier," has just received a letter from Nurse Huston, who left the Clermont Hospital to go to South Africa to nurse the sick and wounded British soldiers. She arrived at Capetown about the 10th of April, and suffered much from sea-sickness, especially between Sydney and Hobart. The ship Salamis touched at Melbourne, where seven New Zealand nurses took passage for the seat of war. They were sent by the public of Maoriland, and were paid 25s. per week from the day they left home, all other expenses paid, and return passage, and surrounded with hampers of good things. One nurse from Melbourne also embarked, paying her own way as Nurse Huston was doing. After a rough passage across the Bight, they put in to Albany, and eleven Western Australian nurses joined their sisters for the Cape. The Albany nurses took their colleagues ashore and entertained them in generous style. The Western Australian nurses had been accepted as such by the Imperial Government. Owing to the full passenger list all the nurses were compelled to travel third class. They slept in the hold, and there were three basins for eighty women and children to wash in. The food was often sour, the bread mouldy, and the meat very often bad. The ship was three weeks at sea without sighting land. Nurse Huston never expected to arrive at Durban. Her cheeks (well rounded when in Queensland) became hollow, the eyes sunken, and she lost 22 lb in a fortnight, but is picking up now. Nurse Huston met Mr. Hielberg a member of the second contingent, in Cape-town. He had been at the front, and was recovering from a wound at the Rondebosch Field Hospital, about eight miles from the port. All the nurses were engaged immediately on arrival, and sent to the Rondebosch Hospital. They are to be paid at the rate of £40 per year and extras. There are hundreds of tents but the patients are comfortable, and so all the sisters seem to be. The scenery is simply lovely, and the roads and avenues simply perfect. The Table Mountain sometimes seems to have a white cloth on it - the clouds rest on it - and the effect of the glorious sunshine creates a scene lovely to behold. This forms the background of he city, which lies snugly at the foot of the mountains. Table Bay is pretty, the waters being dotted with boats, troopships, hospital ships, and other kinds of vessels. Durban is a picturesque place, and full of stir and excitement. The vessels do not go to the wharf here. Passengers were swung, five at a time, in large baskets over the ships side into a tender. lt was a novel and not quite pleasant mode of transit. On shore they thoroughly enjoyed the ride in the rickshaws, drawn quickly, and apparently easy, by Kaffirs, who wear a head-dress of great horns and feathers, besides streamers of coloured ribbons and belts. Nurse Huston abruptly closes her description with the usual expressions of kindness to her friends, and promises to write fully details of her experiences at the Rondebosch Field Hospital.

Morning Bulletin Tuesday 15 May 1900 page 5

HOSPITAL WORK IN SOUTH AFRICA
A LETTER FROM NURSE HUSTON.
The following interesting letter has been received from Nurse Beatrice Huston, of Clermont, who left for South Africa some six months ago, and whose portrait, together with the Clermont volunteers, appeared in the "Queenslander." Miss Huston writes from Green Point Military Hospital, where nurses rank as lieutenants in the army.
Dear Delphia,
On 6th April arrived at Durban, 8 p.m.; did not land until morning.
Port full of boats and steamers. The tug came over, and rocked about so we had to swing across in large baskets, seven at a time, by a crane. As soon as we landed we could see nothing but wounded and sick soldiers lying about; hundreds of rick-shaws, drawn by Kaffirs, Zulus. Two of us got into each one, and went through the town. Fruit is very dear ; apples 6s. dozen. In the restaurants little Kaffirs and Zulus dressed in white linen waited on us. Seventeen of our passengers enlisted here. Mountainous land in sight until we reached Capetown. Arrived on the 10th, 8 p.m. No one to meet us. Some of us went in a cab to look for lodgings, and were stopped every hundred yards by a sentry. He would just look in, and pass us. Others went to the Customs with our luggage. Six of us had to sleep in a room, three on the floor. Went to the War Office in the morning, and was taken on at once, and to start duty on the 14th at Rondebosch, No. 3 General Hospital. Went out to Maitland camp, and met Mr. Hiburg, from Clermont, who had been wounded at the front. He has gone up again; also a Mr. Maxwell, who has gone home. It is a pretty camp. Next day we went over Cecil Rhodes house and grounds. They were beautiful; and he has quite a managerie - lions, and beautiful birds. On the 14th we went to Rondebosch Field Hospital, where there were 500 patients, 300 tents, nine doctors, and twenty-three sisters. We sisters slept four in a marquee, and all messed in a large marquee. We had three maids. Nearly all English sisters, except four Canadians, who were very nice indeed. Colonel Trotter's daughter was also helping us. At first it poured rain, and all my clothes got wet. I had a terrible time trying to get them dry. I was put in the surgical division. We each had six tents with six patients in each under our charge. The climate is lovely here. In six months 6000 patients had passed through their hands - some very bad enterics and some very serious operations ; and they had & eighteen deaths.
One morning about 10 o'clock the superintendent came and told two of us to be ready at 11.30 to go to Green Point to nurse the Boer prisoners, who were dying two and three a day, and had no one to nurse them. So we arrived about 3. They were in tents, in a filthy state, and very ill. We had to stay at the New Somerset Hospital to sleep and meals, as we decided to go on night duty and two on day. We had to go from tent to tent with a lantern, and many a fall we got over the ropes and in the little gullies. There are sentries all around us, and the track where the Boer prisoners are enclosed is quite near - 1800 of them, with an iron fence around them, and barb wire at the top ; and every ten yards around there are sentries on high stands. At night they have to call out every half-hour their number, and if all well, and the sentries around the tents called out, "Halt!" in a loud voice to every one that passes. Many a time on a foggy night, he called out to us, and we had to answer "Friend." It rains very often here, and many a night we have walked about in water, and been very wet until morning. The Boers were very dirty ; they did not like being washed, or to take their clothes off, or boots, but get into bed with them all on. We nursed them for three weeks, but the rain was too often, and they built tin huts, and I was nursing (I had forty-five patients at night - Boers) in them for three weeks; and one night I went to church and fainted; was brought home and put to bed for a week.
In the same enclosure where the Boer patients are in huts there are 300 Tommies camped, nearly all sick; and there is a hospital that was built for infectious cases, that is not quite finished, and was given to the military to use. I was then sent to the New Somerset Hospital to be nursed. When I was better I was put on day duty with the Tommies in the building. I had twelve wards, with forty-five patients, to look after, and four orderlies to help me. Some had enteric fever, dysentery, pneumonia, diphtheria, jaundice, rheumatics, fractures of different limbs, bullet wounds, consumption, and numerous other diseases. I am very happy at my work, as it is so interesting, and we are kept very busy - very often on till 9.30 p.m. from 7 am.
Not a great many of the Boers speak English, so we had a hard time to understand them. They were very grateful as patients, but very untidy. They are very well looked after indeed, and their wards are very nice. The Tommies are such good fellows - they are so grateful, and help one another so much, and always anxious to help the sisters as soon as they are convalescent. The Cape Garrison Artillery are camped quite near, and have a lovely
band, which plays every evening. There were four Boer's shot dead at different times trying to escape. We had an old man, a patient, 84 years old ; also a little boy, 9 years old, who was Cronje's servant, and used to look after his horses for him. The suburbs of Capetown are lovely ; the hedges and trees are beautiful. Table Mountain is a lovely sight when the white clouds rest on it like a tablecloth, and the reflection of the sunsets, which are very beautiful over here. I have had a piece of ribbon given to me that was tied on the keys from Bloemfontein that were handed to Lord Roberts. The wild flowers are very pretty, and such a variety. It is very sad to hear some of the sufferings these poor men have gone through. I went to Woodstock the other day, and met a Mr. Evans, from Brisbane First Contingent, and knew a lot of his relations in Clermont - the Chalks ; also, a Mr. Conroy. I heard they were ill, and went to see them. I am sending you some views, if you will kindly send them to Nurse Durdin. We often do thirty-six hours without changing our clothes. We live in a tin hut, and had an orderly to cook for us; no maid, so a lady kindly offered to housekeep for us and look after us. Her husband is in Sydney - a Mrs. Rutherford ; she is like a mother to us, so good and kind. We also have a Mrs. Sim, a general's wife who came out from England to help ; she is a sweet woman, and a great help. The doctors are very nice, and the Major is very kind. One of the sisters was taken away in an ambulance to a hospital, with enteric fever ; she was very delirious. The ladies here are very kind, and sometimes come and take us for an hour's drive. We have Dr. Miller, Lord Roberts's nephew, here doing duty. There is a Mr. Pilcher, a New Zealand gentleman, and his wife, who have been very kind, and looking me up. I have met very few Australians as yet. This is a great experience for me. I have not heard of my brother except that he has arrived at Beira. The Australian Bushmen are greatly admired over here, and the warm clothes are very much appreciated here. We have great trouble about our letters. I have not had one since I arrived, nor a paper. Excuse this writing, as I sit up in bed and write. We are so tired of a night. I am very happy to think I am helping these brave boys, and I have had a letter to be prepared to go up country any day. Good bye.—Yours sincerely, BEA. HUSTON; P.S. - The Queensland Imperial Bushmen arrived, my brother amongst them. I went to meet them, and was delighted to see them. They were sent to Maitland camp for three days, and then up to Kroonstad, near Pretoria. I think they will have some fighting to do. I tried to get up with them, but they are not sending sisters up very far now, as they are dying off - twenty-one in two months in one place (Bloemfontein) ; they call it the white
man's graveyard. Thirty die in a day of enteric. I am to be sent as soon as the line is opened. The wet season is setting in, and we are having a time. We have to wade ankle-deep in water over to our wards.

The Queenslander Saturday 01 September 1900 page 498

A LETTER FROM KIMBERLEY.
NURSE HUSTON'S EXPERIENCES.
BEA. HUSTON.
No. 11 Field Hospital, Kimberley, 10th October, 1901.
Dear Delphia,—l ought to have written before, but kept putting it off from time to time, so at last I have made another attempt. We are under canvas here, and not much heavy work just now. The camp is situated three miles out of town, and when we want to go in we have to walk, which, needless to say, is not very often. I am very glad to be back amongst the dear old Tommies ; it is indeed a great pleasure to nurse them. There is a Mr. Lake, from Toowoomba, here ; he has been very ill, poor boy, but hopes to be going out soon. It is terrible to see the different places that have been shelled here during the siege, but interesting to see the re- doubts or shelters where the people took refuge when the shelling was worst. So far I like Kimberley very much, and am very happy. The trip up from Capetown was very interesting. We came by a hospital train, which was very comfortable. All the way have been built new block-houses, very high, and made of stone, with a small garrison at each to guard the line ; they are within sight of one another, and between these, on the fence, are spring guns, with a dry bush tied over them, and hung on the wire, so that if any one touches the wire the guns go off and make a large light, as the bush catches, and enables our men to locate the Boers. It is very funny to see all the dummy sentries at each block-house. We pass Belmont, Sunnyside (where the Queenslanders were first in action), Grasspan, Modder River, Orange River, and cross the only bridge that was not destroyed by the Boers, as it had been paid half by Transvaalers and half by Free Staters, so that it was left, and Magersfontein battle-fields. It is terrible to see the number of graves. I had a nice voyage out from England on the hospital ship Orcana. We called at Las Palmas, which was most interesting, all Spanish, and we could see Peak Teneriffe in the distance. I enjoyed my visit to England very much. Lady Dudley was extremely kind, and took quite an interest in me. She sent me to Bridlington (a sea-side resort near Scarborough) for a month, and from there I went to Edinburgh (a most beautiful city), and then on to the Glasgow Exhibition, and was delighted to see that Queensland had such a splendid show, amongst which was a model battery working all day, around which were crowds of people. The scenery in Scotland is lovely, and then England was looking its best, fields of poppies, daisies, buttercups, and primroses, to say nothing of the lilac, hawthorn, and chestnuts, which were all in bloom. The secretary of the British actors' and actresses' ward at Green Point, Miss Gertrude Kingston, kindly sent me box tickets for a number of different theatres. I also went across to Boulogne, and up to Stratford on Avon (Shakspeare's country). I went to Buckingham mews to see the carriages, horses, and harness that is to be used for the coronation. I was very pleased to receive my medal from the King. There were 120 nursing sisters. We assembled at St. James's Palace (Duke of York's Home), and then marched to Marlborough House, where the Royal Family and Lord Roberts stood under a lovely canopy in the garden, and the band was playing. Our names were called, and we marched up to the King, received our medal, curtsied, and marched past. Needless to say we all felt rather excited. I went in a great lot for sight-seeing, and I think London is a most fascinating and wonderful city. I went before four medical boards at the War Office, Pall Mall, before I was allowed return to duty, but at last I am very glad to be well enough to continue my work, which I love. We are much better off here in every way than when in Pretoria, the food was so bad there, trek ox in particular ; and, fancy, we were paying 12s. dozen for eggs, to say nothing of the exorbitant prices for other extras, so that one very soon got run down and much more susceptible to fever. The sisters that nursed me were very kind indeed ; one had nursed Prince Christian at the Yeomanry Hospital, where he died. Fancy, he was buried in Kruger's coffin, as it seems a custom of the Boers to always have one in readiness. Miss Gould was very kind to me when I was in Johannesburg, as we were detained there a week owing to the bridge at Irene being washed away ; also when I was ill she came down to Pretoria to see me. Two sisters and myself started down to Capetown by the mail, and we were seven days before arriving. At Naupoort our C.O. heard the line had been ripped up, so he sent a duplicate goods train on ahead ; it had only got about four miles when the Boers started firing, and the driver put on full speed (just what they wanted him to do), and, of course, in a few minutes the whole train was turned over down the side, one Yeoman killed and three Kaffirs. It seems the Boers had ripped up the line and tied the bars of iron across. It had been meant for the mail train, and the next night there was an engagement six miles from the line, so we were allowed no lights on the train, we could not travel, and we had a very heavy guard on all around us. Next day we had an armoured train in front and one behind, but we arrived safely in Cape-town, where I waited six weeks, and then went to England by the Kildonan Castle, a lovely, large boat. I do not know when I shall return, as I would very much like to stay as long as there are any nurses wanted for our brave fellows. I hope you will excuse the scribble and spelling. I will try and send you some snapshots of Kimberley later on, as I am going to try and go down the diamond mines. Trusting you are quite well,—l am, yours sincerely. BEA. HUSTON

The Queenslander Saturday 30 November 1901 page

A CENTRAL QUEENSLAND NURSE RETURNS FR0M SOUTH AFRICA.
A group of persons stood on the A.U.S.K. Company's Mary-street Wharf, about 1 pM. yesterday, eagerly watching the steamer Arawatta from Sydney, as she negotiated Kangaroo Point and ploughed her way up stream, says the Brisbane ' Observer' of Friday last. They were interested in her arrival, in as much as they were friends of Nurse Huston, who was returning to Queensland after a long and varied experience in nursing both Boer and British sick and wounded in the late war in South Africa. As the vessel got abreast of the wharf Nurse Huston was recognised among the passengers on the deck by her gray costume. She was at the time engaged in conversation with several soldiers, who were probably returning to their homes after having served their King and country. Brave men, but is their bravery greater than that of women who left home to face the horrors involved in a prolonged campaign for the purpose of endeavouring to relieve the suffering of the wounded and the sick. The late war in South Africa was the means of bringing out all the nobler qualities of our women folk, and it may be said with credit that Queensland was not unrepresented in the vast nursing staff which did such humane and heroic work during the protracted strife. The Lady for whom the group of friends on the wharf were waiting to welcome was the first Queensland nurse who gave her assistance, and as she chatted on the deck of the coastal steamer no one would have imagined that she had herself fallen a victim to fever, contracted by attending enteric-stricken patients. No sooner had the vessel made fast to the wharf than Nurse Huston walked ashore and was heartily greeted by her friends, and a few minutes later was driven to the residence of Mrs. J. M. Cross, South Brisbane.
Later in the day a representative of this journal had an interview with her. Nurse Huston explained that prior to going to South Africa she was on the nursing staff of the Clermont Hospital and in a some what serious tone she added, ' You know I thought it was too bad not to have a representative at all from Queensland in South Africa, so I determined to pay my own expenses over there and offer my services to the authorities.' The Premier (the Hon. R. Philp), she said, was very kind to her. and gave her letters of introduction. She left Clermont early in February 1900, for Sydney where she joined the Steamer Salamis. 'On arrival at Melbourne eight New Zealand sisters joined the vessel, and at Albany eleven Western Australian nurses were taken on board. The Salamis was so crowded that the nurses had to travel as steerage passengers, and even then some temporary quarters had to be fitted up for their convenience in the hold of the steamer. They arrived at Capetown on the 3rd or 4th of April and reported themselves to the principal medical officer. The staffs in the various hospitals were full when they arrived, and quarters were found for them in various hotels. 'After waiting three days. Nurse Huston was sent to Rondeboach where she remained for ten days, when it was found that nurses were wasted to attend the wounded Boer prisoners. 'As she did not belong to the regular staff, she and another sister were sent to Green Point Hospital. Here she was engaged for three months. At first the hospital consisted of a collection of tents, but after a time two big stone buildings were taken possession of by the authorities and converted into hospitals. Soon after her arrival there it was decided to admit British 'Tommies' into the institutions. Miss Huston remained there for ten months, when the authorities removed her to Pretoria. Here Nurse Huston was engaged mostly in nursing enteric fever patients and she herself contracted the disease. For nine weeks she was laid up, and on recovery was given the option of returning to Australia or being invalided to England. She chose the later, and went on transport duty, arriving at Southampton on the 18th of May 19041, with several other sisters.
On arrival they were met by a military official and given to understand that they were the guests of the Countess of Dudley, at 14 Oxford-terrace, near Hyde-Park, London. While there she saw a great deal of tie Countess, who was very kind to all the nurses. In London Miss Huston was brought before a medical board for examination and was told that she would have to remain in England for three months and report herslef at certain intervals to the board. ' In the meantime,' added Miss Huston, 'I enjoyed myself very much. The Countess of Dudley sent tickets to admit us to many pleasant and interesting places, and finally sent us to Bridlington, a seaside resort in Yorkshire, and then on to Edinburgh and Glasgow.'
Miss Huston visited the Glasgow Exhibition and returned to London in June, staying with some Australian friends at Richmond, and then at Highgate. All the time the sisters were in England the Countess of Dudley made them feel that her house was their home, and, as Miss Huston put it, ' she was simply a charming woman.' While in England, Miss Huston was presented with a Queen Victoria medal, and her account of the incident was as follows : — 'I got a telegram saving that the King was going to present medals. At St. James Palace a great many soldier's were presented with medals, and the sisters were marched to Marlborough House, and there, in the ground we received our medals. The King, Queen, and Royal suite were present, also Lord Roberts. We were marched up one by one to the King, who gave each sister her medal I wore my badge in my breast, which consisted of the words, 'Queensland. Australia,' in silver letters, and noticing this. Lord Roberta said ' Oh, from Queensland '.' I curtsied, and Prince Edward looked at me and said, ' Oh, she comes from Australia ; that was where my dads has gone to.' After the presentation of medals was concluded the King asked that a sister he sent to him. Sister Redstone, who had been ill for a long time, was selected to represent the Australians, and. another sister represented the South African colonial*. The King said be appreciated the work of all the colonial sisters very much.'
At the end of August, Miss Huston started on her return to South Africa. The medical board wished her to stay another month, but she urged to be sent back, and arrived at Capetown in September. She was sent up to Kimberley, and remained there six months on duty, nursing the sick when she was sent to Vryburg, where the last British drive was made, and where there were 75,000 troops within five miles of the hospital. This was the nearest point Miss Huston got to the front. Here she had a very exciting time, and on one occasion witnessed a slight skirmish between British and Boer force. On another occasion, at night, an alarm was received that a fight had taken place. The ambulance had to be got ready, and instructions were received at the hospital to prepare for a hundred wounded. Miss Huston and two other asters worked all night, preparing bandages, etc, but only about twenty wounded were brought to the hospital. This was after the action in which Lord Methuen was captured by General De La Rev when marching from Vryburg towards Lichtenburg. Nurse Huston said that at times they had little hardships to bear, especially when their tents wire blown down on wet nights; but taking everything into consideration it was not so hard as she had anticipated, and the was very glad she had undertaken the work. She feels she has gained experience which will be very useful to her. South Africa was left on the 24th of August in the steamer Athenic, and Hobart was touched on the 12th instant. In conclusion, Miss Huston said she intended staying a few days with her brother-in-law (Mr. English) at Yeronga and would then proceed to Clermont. 'Perhaps I will return to South Africa, as I have two brothers over there,' said Nurse Huston, 'Since I left Queensland my father and a sister have died. 'At present I have not quite made up my mind, but I think I will return.'

The Capricornian Saturday 27 September 1902 page 10