大象传媒

This story is submitted be a volunteer on behalf of Radio Bristol Action Desk at City of Bristol College.

I worked in four hospitals as a nurse, 3 in training and 1 as a staff nurse. In between did district nursing. My first was at Hammersmith hospital London, next to Scrubs common and prison. At all hospitals I was impressed at how good the patients were, nobody has mentioned their bravery. One occasion at Hammersmith hospital a Blackout was very poor and while on duty one of the many air raids were carried out. My colleague and I could see the red of the flames of the fire on the Scrubs as we were next door to the exit of the hospital. We went around the ward to see if anybody was awake and it did not appear so therefore we went outside to see how near it was to the ward and if we would have to move some of the patients. Some could walk and others were bed ridden. We were surprised in the morning when one patient who suffered from cancer of the throat and had a feeble voice asked how near the fire was, how brave he was not to give the alarm to the others. He even didn't let us know until morning that he was awake at the time. In the maternity hospital the mothers would take the children with them and lie underneath the beds. Only in one hospital and one ward did I hear of them becoming hysterical. The government came and set up residence at the Scrubs after the prisoners had been removed. But not for long because there was a bombing there. While in this hospital some of us were sent to Leaveston to nurse the incoming soldiers coming from Beloing. They were of course in a very bad state and in a state of shock. I was there for 9 months. We had a bomb there too because the army had set up an office in our grounds. In all the hospitals we went on a rota twice a week far watching. (Watching the bombs coming down) One time on the roof and another time on the ground. With only a tin helmet and no other protection. As we were on day duty this night effort made us very tired the next day at work.

While doing district work often we had to help people clear out their homes which had been bombed and put the goods (furniture etc) into the street. But we ceased doing that when we found that people came and stole the goods that was rather unfortunate.

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