ial train. Why?
Because of the Swelled Head of the All-Highest.
We had a boy with no wound, suffering from shock from shell bursts. When
he came round, if you asked him his name he would look fixedly at you
and say "Yes." If you asked him something else, with a great effort he
said "Mother."
8 P.M.--Got to Havre.
_Wednesday, 18th November_, 6 P.M.--Sotteville, near Rouen. This
afternoon's up-journey between Havre and Rouen has been a stripe of pure
bliss with no war about it at all. A brilliant dazzling day (which our
Island couldn't do if it tried in November), rugs, coat, and cushion on
your bed, and the most heavenly view unrolling itself before you without
lifting your head to see it, ending up with the lights of Rouen
twinkling in the smoke of the factory chimneys under a flaring red
sunset.
We are to stop here for repairs to the train--chauffage, electric light,
water supply, and gas all to be done. Then we shall be a very smart
train. The electric light and the heating will be the greatest help--a
chapel and a bathroom I should like added!
At Havre last night the train ran into the Gare Maritime (where we left
in the _Asturias_ for St Nazaire early in September), which is
immediately under the great place that No.-- G.H. bagged for their
Hospital in August. I ran up and saw it all. It is absolutely first
class. There were our people off the train in lovely beds, in huge
wards, with six rows of beds--clean sheets, electric light, hot food,
and all the M.O.'s, Sisters, and Nursing Orderlies, in white overalls,
hard at work on them--orderlies removing their boots and clothing (where
we hadn't done it, we leave as much on as we can now because of the
cold). Sisters washing them and settling them in, and with the M.O.
doing their dressings, all as busy as bees, only stopping to say to us,
"Aren't they brave?" They said we'd brought them an awfully bad lot, and
we said we shed all the worst on the way. They don't realise that by the
time they get to the base these men are beyond complaining; each stage
is a little less infernal to them than the one they've left; and instead
of complaining, they tell you how lovely it is! It made one realise the
grimness of our stage in it--the emergencies, the makeshifts, and the
little four can do for nearly 400 in a train--with their greatest
output. We each had 80 lying-down cases this journey.
We got to bed about 11 and didn't wake till nearly 9, to the sound of
the
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