SERBIA,
Friday, _July 23, 1915._

Six of our unit arrived over from the camp to say good-bye to us;
they were returning to England; they wanted to see Belgrade before
returning. A few guns were fired at Semlin by the Serbs. It is
splendid to see the way the Serbian women work. Some of the work-rooms
at the arsenal were full of them, and even little boys and girls of
fourteen and fifteen years of age. When the bullets and cartridges are
finished they are tested in another machine, and if they have any
defects they are shot out again. The Austrian kitchens are considered
wonderful, they are so well fitted up.

Saturday, _July 24, 1915._

I was awakened this morning at 5 o'clock by more guns being fired, but
it only lasted a short time. Sir Ralph and Lady Paget called to see
one of their nurses who is at this hospital with typhus (so they came
in to see us). One of the doctors is here with an orderly to look
after her. Lady Paget still looks very ill after her illness of
typhus. I had a long talk with her; she is a charming woman, and Sir
Ralph is very nice. There has been an interesting fete given to-day by
the gipsies; they sent invitations to all the hospitals here. It was
held in a large building. Several trays of refreshments were handed
round; after that they played violins and some other funny
instruments; they play and sing very well, but it is so weird. The
French have sent round to the gipsy villages as their huts were
condemned as not being fit to live in; but the funny part is that the
gipsy quarter has had no cases of disease like other parts of Serbia.
It is pouring with rain and the streets are simply flooded several
inches deep; the children take off their shoes and stockings and
paddle, but most of the children do not wear shoes and stockings. This
is the only place in Serbia where there are wood and asphalt roads,
all the other roads are in a terribly cobbly state, and in a most
deplorable condition. The shops are nearly all closed. Some of the
people just open in the evening. The air raid we had the other day: a
French aviator went up and there was a battle in the air; Monsieur
Paulhan fired on the Austrian aeroplane and brought it down in
Austrian territory; the aviator was killed; a photograph was taken
after shooting. This is the third Austrian aeroplane that has been
brought down