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[Page 27]
see any Majors – after a minute or two he came out & said "the Col. is at mess & I don't like to disturb him. I said "I don't want to disturb him at mess but don't want to wait outside your hospital." He then gave me a stool & a paper. After ½ an hour they were discussing the "bloke waiting for the Col" & I got sick of it & said I didn't want to see the Col. at all but simply to get into their hospital.
The Sergt. argued I did want to see the Col. & I showed him the paper the Cpl gave him that I was a patient – he said he didn't look at that & why didn't I say. After telling him it was his business to admit patients & give them a bed if there was one, I was sent to D Ward – a tent with 2 or 3 officers & some 30 soldiers in various stages. That was 6.30 p.m. It was 10 to 10 before they'd been able to cut up some grub & I got some bread again – starved!
The patient next to me was an awfully nice fellow – at Lt. in the Innis Killing Fusiliers. He had been bombed through the back at Hellas & usually coughed up blood when he spoke to me for there was a bullet rolling about in his lungs. They were actually feeding him on the same rations as the men in the field. Breakfast – porridge, boiled egg – bread – tea. Dinner stewed meat or tinned meat – tea. Tea bread, jam & tea.
One of his arms was bound up useless, & in the morning they gave him a soft boiled egg in 1 hand & two chunks of bread in the other; how was he to eat them? Being well then, I set to work & fixed him up – cut his bread afresh & thin & made sandwiches – got a plate – got staler bread (the dough wld. have killed him in a day or two) – got the orderly to promise to feed him with tea in a tea pot instead of mug & generally taught some highly advanced ideas such as "plate for an Officer & the meat cut up. Also wrote his wife for him & did all I could. – – – – –
I escaped from the hospital & caught a launch to the Hdqtrs ship the "[Arrayo?]" – a huge Pacific liner where the H.Q staff live like Kings, but all soldiers returning go on board. The launch returned & put us off as she was only allowed to carry telegrams (300 yds). Got another & was put on board a large trawler with others for Anzac & the Hellas Officers on Aragon.
I had large kit bag – very heavy as full of food etc – Knox box & a haversack & not up to carrying huge weights, but we moved here & there & finally we were put on the Aragon & Hellas where we were.
Then we reported to ships adjt. He said "all right stay here till tomorrow afternoon". I said "must go back". He said "boat gone". I said "Had already waited 24 hrs at Mudros as no one knew when the boats returned & who made these mistakes & why were they made when everyone was required [at the?]