Experiences as a V.A. Overseas

Manawatu Times, Volume 70, Issue 157, 5 July 1945, Page 3

Experiences as a V.A. Overseas

An interesting visitor to Palmerston North to become' acquainted with her husband's relatives is Mrs. Austin Carlisle of Auckland who for the past three and a half years has been serving overseas as a V.A. in the Middle East and Italy. Mrs. Carlisle went away from the Dominion a day or so before Christmas 1941 as Nurse Ethel Horn, one of the first batch of V.A.’s to go overseas, and was posted to No. 1 Hospital, Helwan, about 20 miles from Cairo. It was here in duo course she met her future husband, Sergt. A. Carlisle, formerly of the City Council staff, Palmerston .North. In the two years she was stationed at No. 1 Hospital, Mrs. Carlisle made every opportunity of seeing Palestine, Syria, the Lebanons and Upper Egypt when on leave. She conveyed impressions of her work, the interest she felt and the satisfaction of a worthwhile job in a very busy life. There was no time to think of self and this had been good because she kept in excellent health. On visits to Cairo there was never any need to give the gharry driver directions for as a matter of course ho would say “New Zealand Forces’ Club?” And what a boon that club was this New Zealander said! The next move was to Italy where they arrived in the spring in almond blossom time and other flowering trees making a colourful countryside. The sight of green grass was too much for this lass for she admitted that she rolled in it, Mrs. Carlisle’s first post was at a hospital fitted up in a Monastery at Alolfetta, near Bari, a little-fishing village. A thrilling experience had been to fly from Bari to Rome over Gassino also to stay in the Eternal City at the wonderful'New Zealand Forces’ Club, see welldressed people and attend operas and ballet. Prices for clothing etc., -were exhorbitant and quite beyond the purse of an Army girl, twin sets, for instance, being £l2 12s just to mention one article. For some months Mrs. Carlisle was stationed at Senigallia in northern Italy, not far from the port of Ancona, and the front line. Conditions were anything but pleasant for it was winter time and the nursing staff wore slacks and gum boats to get around in the mud and slush. The Germans had smashed up the water supplies, every drop having to be carried and there was no drainage either. It was at Senigallia her marriage took place in the hospital chapel, along with Nurse Jean Clark, who became the wife of Sergeant Newcombe at the same time. Rev. C. Morris, of Wellington, was the officiating clergyman and this double ceremony was the first to bo celebrated in the new chapel. There had been difficulty in securing a wedding ring in Italy, Mrs. Carlisle said, but the problem had been solved by a dental mechanic who fashioned a charming sample out of a 2s piece. The honeymoon was spenl: at the historic town of Perugia where they had the excitement of being snowed in ana eventually returning to duty through a blizzard. The first patient in the Senigallia hospital was General Freyberg (V.C.), who had m.et with an accident in a “flying jeep.” An amusing incident which might be told against him was that he was found early one morning barefooted running down to one of the wards to see “his boys” who were his first concern. Excuses of generals appear to be the same as those of the diggers for when chided about the danger of catching cold ! General Freyberg’s reply was that he 'hadn’t any slippers, j Mrs. Carlisle paid tribute to the kind* I lv offices of Miss E. McKay, of Hamil ton, who took over from Miss Nutsey as [Mat.-on iu Chief, in her care for the nursing staff, making sure they had rest and leave when possible. It was disap pointing to leave beforo the job was finished in Italy, Mrs.-Carlisle said, but good to be back iu New Zealand,