大象传媒

An Army Nurse at work and off duty in Cairo

Annette Le Page was a nurse who had trained in London. She came from Guernsey, which had been occupied by the Germans, so she was out of contact with her home and family. The following is an extract from the diary which is in the form of the letters which she could not send to her family.

- - - - -

Aug. 30th 1942
Auntie Lavinia & Basil鈥檚 birthday
I wonder how you all are 鈥� I was very thrilled to receive a message from Aggie this week, and to hear that you are all well. I was also terribly thrilled when I received your three messages in one envelope. Two answers to mine 鈥� and one sent Dec 31 which was an original message 鈥� Dec 13 - & Feb 6 being answers to mine 鈥� I did not know whether to laugh or cry.
Oct. 12th.
I鈥檓 now on night duty, therefore I hope to have more time for writing, The summer has been rather exhausting 鈥� For the last three months I have been working on Officers鈥� ward (medical) I liked it 鈥� but I have worked hard 鈥� I鈥檓 afraid that all my off-duty has been spent sleeping 鈥� Our half days have usually been spent at Gezira Sporting Club. Margaret Hingston and I have usually had our half days to-gether 鈥� this is our routine 鈥� we dash off duty at 1pm 鈥� miss lunch 鈥� cycle down to the gate 鈥� which is about 12 or 15 mins walk (oh yes, I bought a cycle from another Sister who was transferred) take a taxi to the English School 鈥� take a bus or tram into Cairo - & from there a 鈥淕harri鈥� 鈥� an open horse-drawn vehicle 鈥� like an old fashioned 鈥渃hair鈥� as far as the club 鈥� we then sat in our bathing costumes 鈥� our one relaxation from uniform 鈥� three seconds in the pool 鈥� coffee or sandwiches in lieu of lunch 鈥� read our books to keep unwanted acquaintances at bay 鈥� occasionally friends joined us.
I met Stephen Falla there a week or so ago 鈥� we had a long talk about Guernsey 鈥� so much so that Major Heuford & Margaret disappeared until tea time 鈥� we had quite a merry little tea party.
My days off (one per month) have been spent at Ismailia which is an oasis in the desert by the sweet water canal 鈥� a lovely desert garden on the edge of Lake Timsah in the Suez canal 鈥� Margaret & I hitched-hiked there 鈥� we went by taxi to Treaty Bridge, where the M.P鈥檚 stopped all military traffic to check 鈥� and we said where we wanted to go & when a suitable conveyance came along 鈥� we went 鈥� It is a three hours run along the sweet water canal 鈥� fringed with fertile land, palm trees etc. My favorite view of Egypt.
There is a beautiful Y.W.C.A. there (Ismailia) every bedroom has its own super bathroom 鈥� we have to share bedrooms sometimes 2- or 3 or even 4. Twice we have been sailing 鈥� as far as Ferry Point where we had lunch and a bathe then back to the club for tea - & then a hitch-hike home, failing that we returned by train.
Twice we have been a little farther along the Suez Canal, to a Lido 鈥� for Sisters also under the Y.W.C.A. they do not usually 鈥減ut up鈥� sisters 鈥� but occasionally do so. The joy of the 鈥淏engal Club鈥� as it is called is that you are on the edge of the canal 鈥� the rooms open out onto the verandah 鈥� so of course you merely step out of your room into the sea 鈥� I had a bathe before breakfast 鈥� and oh the joy of bathing in sea water 鈥� the breakfast on the terrace, lovely, followed by a lazy, lazy day.
I heard from Wilson last week, we correspond fairly regularly 鈥� he of course is now married 鈥� I have written to Irene 鈥� I hope this war will soon be over 鈥� then we鈥檒l all be to-gether again. I simply dare not think what this whisper of conscripts from Guernsey means.
Mummie, I was disappointed that you had received no message between Feb 6 & June 19, I do hope that you have had more but I was told that they should not be sent too frequently, 1 鈥� every 3 months 鈥� but I know better now.
I hope that you are all snug 鈥� comfortable in your beds and fast asleep. God bless you all 鈥� everyone

漏 Copyright of content contributed to this Archive rests with the author. Find out how you can use this.