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The Kia ora coo-ee : the magazine for the ANZACS in the Middle East, 1918

Under The Red Cross

Under The Red Cross.

The nursing staffs of many British hospitals in Egypt are composed largely of Australian sisters. There are twelve, for instance, at Nasrieh, six from New South Wales, five from South Australia, and a Queensland girl. They had a busy time when they arrived, for sick and wounded men were pouring in from Gaza way. At Christmas, the M. O's and sisters of each ward in the Hospital entertained patients at "high" tea, and some excellent concerts were given during holiday week.

Australian Camel Field Ambulance gave a concert to finish off the Camel Corps sports, held recently in Palestine. Pte. Dan Riordan gave a clever sleight of hand turn, and Pte. Ernie Lewis an exhibition of weight lifting. Pte. Cedric Chaston recited, and others also contributed good items. The Ambulance has some excellent singers, including Lance-Corporal Redwood, who won great popularity with ragtime and other songs at Royal Park and Seymour Camps, Victoria.

The Australian sisters at Salonica are divided among four hospitals (staffed by British officers), and the English patients seem to think much of them. Arriving in August, they were stationed in canvas hospitals, where the conditions were not all that might be expected; but they worked hard, and dealt effectively with numbers of patients, who arrived daily from the front. The hospitals were situated in the finest part of the command, under the shadow oi two lofty hills, and within coo-ee of a fairly large lake. The principal disease there was malaria. The hospitals are now close to the town. When the disastrous fire occurred, resulting in shortages of food and necessaries, the Australian Red Cross was communicated with, and immediately responded with fine parcels of foodstuffs, etc. High prices prevail in Salonica for everything. Even then, difficulty is experienced in purchasing. The Greek is unlike the Egyptian, and does not lower his price, which is always high. The Sisters have experienced excellent health, and very few have been invalided home. They have had to work very hard in one hospital, which deals solely with dysentery. Australian sisters established this hospital, and were ably assisted by the R.A.M.C. When in the summer hospitals in the hills, hockey is the favourite sport, and at the base tennis is played.

The foreword in this issue was contributed by E.B.J., A.I.F, H'qrs, Cairo.