CURSES ON FURLOUGH

Dominion, Volume 36, Issue 304, 18 September 1943, Page 9

CURSES ON FURLOUGH

Keen To Return To Active Service Lively impressions of the living conditions ot overseas members of the N.Z. Army Nursing Service were recounted yesterday when a group of nurses, back on furlough after being stationed with New Zealand units in New Caledonia, and including four sisters who have been serving in the Middle East, were entertained as special guests at afi KngTishSpeaking Union luncheon for women iu Wellington. “It is nice to get back to your own people, though we are also keen to get back to our work and we will be happy when the war is over,” stated one of their number when replying to Mrs. IL. D. Good, chairman, who welcomed them. A band from the New Zealand General Hospital had been there to greet them when they arrived at Noumea, New Caledonia, on New Year’s day, said Sister Wade, relating how the nurses had immediately changed into khaki battledress, climbed into military trucks, stopping on the way to their camp at a number ot artillery sections. Laughter greeted the nurses’ inquire for a hot bath, said Sister Wade, adding, “wc felt like wuhines as she described how the river served for several months as the only means for washing clothes. Canvas buckets held their washing water. However, conditions had become more civilized with the advent, of a hot water system and an additional luxury—a tin bath. Bare boards mid improvised fittings were all in the game, and they enjoyed it, said the speaker, the only irritation being the mosquitoes, which ignored defences in the form of battledress uniforms, switches and head-nets, lhe nurses had mostly to rely on their own ingenuity for entertainment, though the men had several of their own camp concerts in addition to visiting parties. The sisters entertained men from surrounding companies, a piano and wireless purchased from patriotic funds helping considerably. They now had open air pictures, ping-pong and . boxing tournaments, and a very successful “quiz” had been staged. The French people were hospitable, and made tennis and riding available. Transport presented difficulties and they were able to buy very little at the French shops. The usual tropical complaints troops developed- kept the sisters busy, she said, and they were also active arranging their own tents, cultivating their own gardens complete with flowers and vegetables, some of them even planning out little lawus and cryptic place names. They found tlie men excellent both as patients and fellow workers mid were anxious to get back to them, she concluded. Sister Taplin, who went to England and thence to Greece and the Middle East, after taking part; in the Crete evacuation, and numbers Lt.-General Sir Bernard Freyberg among her patients, also outlined active service conditions. General Freyberg had been an excellent patient, she said, and deserved the very short rest he had while in the hospital. She paid tribute to the valiant assistance being given by the Bed Cross in supplying “extras” and special comforts. These had been particularly helpful to the nurses and their patients. Following a travel talk by Mrs. F. H. Fitt, the nurses supplied personal exper- 1 iences. Those from New Caledonia included Sisters Dunlop. Denham. Hall, Jarman, Vipond, Ward, Glass, Givillinn, and King, the Middle East group being Sisters Rooney, .Reader and Golden.