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[Page 24]
All this time we had to organize & arrange the hospital with it equipment, and the feeding and nursing of the patients. Up till now this had to be turned over to the first aid party, and they received the cases straight from the theatre. In the case of the Germans, we had a party told off from the prisoners to help our staff. We had two large wards, the ward room & the waist deck, and various special wards – a few cabins given up by the officers. Our wounded were in the ward room & were sometimes carried on deck, as it was very hot below. The Germans filled the waist deck & though cooler here, they were regularly washed down with heavy rain, despite the extra awnings & side curtains, and sweepers told off by the Commander. A special party, under the Chaplain, was told off to look after the feeding of the patients. The moving of the patients to & from the sick bay was considerable, and in consequence of narrow hatchways and doorways, combined with limited space, it was rather awkward work. The stretcher parties were kept very busy. By Thursday night one could look round with a feeling that some impression had been made on the work before one, and late that night the German Surgeon & myself sorted out the cases we proposed to send off next day to the "Empress of Russia", an armed liner which had been despatched to help us with the wounded, & to relieve us of some of our extra 230 men. By 10 a.m., this ship joined us and we had all the wounded ready for transhipment. Fortunately, the weather was calm, and about 60 patients besides 100 prisoners had been moved within two hours. We sent over all the cases who could