There's a Long Long Trail A-Winding - vol 3

This is the third volume of the diaries by Ethel Moir, a nursing orderly serving with the Scottish Women's Hospital during World War 1.

By February 1918, Ethel Moir was once again preparing to leave Scotland and serve a second tour for the Scottish Women's Hospital.

In the second of her diaries titled "Jottings", it is now 1918 and following the death of Dr Inglis the previous year, the now named "Elsie Inglis Unit" are staying in London and are "Back once more to the "rush & hurry" of existence, as a member of the S.W.H! And back to the dear old grey uniform & tartan facings & kit bags & ground sheets & all!"

The diary tells the journey to Serbia through France and Italy taking nearly 3 weeks. This was a different destination than previously; she was now based in a hospital unit that was on the direct route from the trenches where the immediate effect of the fighting had to be dealt with.

She writes in her diary on July 8th that she is "feeling a little off colour". The next entry is in September where we learn that she had contracted paratyphoid and she herself had been treated in the hospital.

This marked the end of Ethel's tour with the SWH. Ethel was to spend the rest of the war in Malta convalescing and it was here that on 11th November she writes in her diary, November - "Armistice Day" - "God Save the King"! "The news was received with ringing cheers, & wild scenes of enthusiasm followed, the Tommies going mad with excitement. I could see it all from my verandah - where my bed is".

She finally arrived back in London on 15th January 1919, for her, the war was finally over.

View the images and text from Ethel Moir's Diary (volume 1) and pictures from her photo scrapbook (volume 2).

There's also a mini-exhibition about research undertaken to find out more about Ethel and her family.