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[page 37]
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(10).
and completed her complement. The hospital service between Havre and Southampton is maintained by the "Gloucester Castle", "Austurias" and "Mahens", the latter two vessels being well known in Australia. The "Gloucester Castle" had been used as a hospital ship during the Gallipoli campaign and was excellently fitted up and also by the way had an Australian Matron. The crossing to Southampton occupied about seven or eight hours and was made under ideal conditions, a smooth sea and a well balanced set of engines. Running in past the Isle of Wight we anchored for the night in Southampton water just opposite Netley Hospital. In the morning we moored to the Quay just near where the Cunard Company's "Aquatania" is fitting out to act as a xxxxx Stationary Hospital at Salonika. I fancy she is the biggest vessel in the world - I certainly couldn't imagine anything much bigger. It is estimated that she will be able to accomodate 4,000 cases! At Southampton an Officer came aboard and allotted us to various towns in England. Australians (I was the only one) went to London and English, Scotch and Irish went as near their native towns as hospital facilities would admit. Hospital trains were waiting and we were soon off again. It was quite nice to see hay stacks which were real and not dummy ones concealing a gun position, and farms which were not ruins.
The line ran past Brooklands Speed Track which is mostly used by would-be suicides and those wishing to avoid military service and then on wards to Waterloo through the suburbs of London names, such as Surbiton, Wimbledon, Barnes and Clapham, which at least had a familiar sound. Arriving at Waterloo we were greeted by the afternoon newspapers announcing the execution that morning (4th August) of Sir Roger Casement and the rise in price of bread to 10d. the 4 lb. loaf. This rise, the papers were careful to tell us