Nurses From the War.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XXIX, Issue IX, 30 August 1902, Page 566

Nurses From the War.

A CHAT WITH SISTER GOULD. SOMETHING ABOUT THE DRAYTON GRANGE AND MONTROSE. Everyone has heard of Sister Gould, the superintendent of the N.S.W. Army Nursing Service Reserve. She left Sydney for the Cape on JanMtlry 17, 1900, with the Second Contingent, and has just returned by the Montrose A representative of the “Australian Star” interviewed her at St. Phillip’s Rectory, Wynyardsquare, where-she is staying as the guest of Archdeacon Langley. Sister Gould is a lady of interesting personality. She has a clean-cut face of classic mould, and eyes whose natural softness has been intensified by many weary vigils by the bedside of the sick. She was at Durban just about the time when the Drayton Grange left. “Tell me all you know,” said the “Star” representative. “Well,” she said, “I was there at the time, but they only put healthy men on board the Drayton Grange, you see, and all the sick were put on the Montrose. We came along by the Montrose, and I left that vessel at Melbourne last Friday evening, and she went on to New Zealand. I arrived in Sydney last Sunday morning, and perhaps I should not have got here then but for Sir William Lyne’s kindness.”

“Why, what did he do?” “W T ell, you see, our tickets only carried us to Albury. The authorities in Melbourne had said that they would wire through and make it all right there. But when we got to the border town there was a hitch, and but for the fact that Sir William was in the train we should have been left. As it was, he assured the officials that it was sure to be all right, and we were allowed to come along.” “And what about the Montrose, Sister?”

“Oh, so far as the Montrose was concerned, I can only say this, that we were most kindly treated, and received every attention from everybody concerned. We had tome measles on board, but there was plenty of room for the patients, and I heard the men say more than once that the food was very good. The hospital accommodation was ample, too. and it was a very clean ship.”

“Now, tell me,” said the “Star” representative, “what you know about the Drayton Grange.” “Well,’ ’replied Sister Gould, with a smile, “I know this, that the men who sailed in h'er were healthy when they started, because the P.M.O. told me so.” “Buf that is hearsay evidence, Sister.” “True, but you see I received orders to proceed by the Drayton Grange, and I should have sailed in her but for the fact that there was some difficulty about our luggage. Other nurses and I came down to join the Drayton Grange, and when we got to the port of embarkation we found, that steps had not been taken for bringing dewn our luggage. We asked the reason and were told that it did not much matter, as we would have to go by the next boat. It was then said that there were no invalids aboard the Drayton Grange. We found that there was no accommodation for Sisters on the Drayton Grange, so the boat really had no Sisters. There was nobody on board qualified to nurse. Certainly they had stretcher-bearers, but they are not nurses.”

“Of course you saw Colonel McCormack? What did he say?”

“A week before the Drayton Grange sailed he told me that in future Sisters would be going by every transport, and he sent for us to go by the Drayton Grange, but

then, it appears, he got»word from the transport officer that there was no accommodation for Sisters on that ship, as there were some extra officers and men for whom they had to provide. But he also said that it would not matter much, because there were no invalids going by the Drayton Grange. Colonel McCormack.” added Sister Gould, “is a very business-like and enthusiastic officer.”

“They sent all the Australian and New Zealand nurses,” she continued, “five in number, by the Montrose, which carried all the invalids.”

“Then I take it. Sister, that you mean to say that in the Montrose was a collection of all the sick, and that the authorities placed ail the nurses aboard that vessel, believing that their servise would not be required elsewhere?” “Quite so. Of course, there were eleven nurses altogether, but some went awav in twos and twos by other boats.”

“Well, Sister . Gould,” interrogated the “SWr” representative, “you have heard about the' allegations made concerning the Drayton Grange?” “Yes.”

“As you occupy a quasi-public position perhaps you would not care to make any public statement, even if vou could ?”

“No,” replied Sister Gould. “But, as a matter of fact, I know nothing, not having been on board. All I can say is that from what I saw and heard at Durban the Drayton Grange left there with a company every man of whom at the time of starting was healthy.” “And that is why they took no nurses?” “Exactly.”

Sister Gould, with a little persuasion, nexf related something about her experiences at the seat of war. “How did you like it?” asked her, interviewer.

“Oh,” she replied, pulling her scarlet cape more closely round her shoulders, “we had hard work, but I would" not have missed it for the world. We felt we were useful, and the Army Medical Corps were very good to the Australian nurses, as, indeed, they were good, very good, to all Australians.”

“Would you like to go again?”

“Oh, dear no! No more war,” with a little shrug of the shoulders. “War is a dreadful thing. Of course, if there were another war we nurses would j?o at once. All the same, war is dreadful.”