大象传媒

An Army Nurse Travels from Cairo to Gebeit

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.

Jan 27th 1941
We left Helmieh on Jan 23rd- the dawn was beautiful & was typically Eastern 鈥� we reached Suez at 10.15am 鈥� came on board the 鈥淒unera鈥� 鈥� It was a lovely surprise to find such a ship awaiting us. Ridge, Hammond, and I have a most luxurious cabin 鈥� the Indians are looking after us beautifully 鈥� morning tea with fruit at 7.15am 鈥� the food is excellent & what we most appreciate 鈥� plenty of hot water.
We hope to reach our port (Port Sudan) Tuesday Jan 28th where we will disembark & once again our future is unknown.

Jan 29th
We left the ship yesterday immediately after lunch 鈥� the members of the Indian Medical Service were with us also, the train journey was quite interesting as it was new scenery for us, also the Indians gave us a dance for our entertainment.
Dinner was served at 7pm, & we arrived at Gebeit at 9.15pm.
We five 鈥� Hubbard, Ridge, Hammond, Jack & I were taken by ambulance to the 14th Combined Hospital where we stayed the night. The ride over the desert road was terrible we were continually being bounced off our seats.
After a meal, we were escorted to a tent with 10 iron bedsteads - & given two blankets & a pillow, altho鈥� they did not look very comfortable, we slept very well until 6am.
Our luggage has now arrived but we are awaiting orders 鈥� no one knows anything about us.
This camp is situated in the basin between mountains, a really lovely spot 鈥� but quite at the back of beyond.
Jack & I slept in the same tent same tent as the Indian Sisters 鈥� they are the same as sophisticated modern British girls.
Next day at lunch, I was amazed to meet Forbes, who was of my set & a great friend whilst training & whom I had not seen since leaving Barts 鈥� we had a great reunion 鈥� it is great fun to meet her again.

Jan 31st
We arrived at our desert home 鈥� a hospital in the making.
As we had no Sisters鈥� mess ready we 鈥淧ickniced鈥� in one of the rooms on Bully Beef & Biscuits.
Our rooms are in blocks of 6 rooms 鈥� Hammond & I are sharing a room, wwhich is most fortunate also we have two doors, one facing south & the other north.
The film 鈥淔our Feathers鈥� was filmed at Gebeit 鈥� I would like to see it again to see if I recognised any places.

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