Page 211 from Ethel Moir Diary, Vol 1

Category

Library Item

Item no

25239

Title

Page 211 from Ethel Moir Diary, Vol 1

Description

We reached Tornes right up in the very north - between Finland & Lapland - about 12 o'cl: on the 9th. From there we sledged across the Gulf of Bothnia to Haparanda. There was such a fuss there about luggage, passports etc: & some poor things had a terrible time, we 4 "Scottish Widows" (our Petrograd title!) escaped Scot-free, we found everyone most kind & they seemed to know about as much about us as we did ourselves! We appear to be rather a notorious Band I fear!
We had lunch at Haparanda (& a jolly good one it was too!) & then spent the afternoon exploring. It was an intensely cold afternoon, but gloriously sunny. Haparanda is such a quaint peaceful little spot, the village ½ buried in snow. The natives were all so friendly & kind - we saw lots of Lapps in their quaint furry garments with only their noses showing & bright, beady eyes. All the people went about on "skis" - even the very tiny tots. We went quite a long walk & came home in the moonlight. It was beautiful, the big, glorious moon & the white, silvery snow glistening in the moonlight & silence everywhere except for the crunching of the snow beneath our feet & the tinkle of the sleigh bells. We entrained at 8 o'cl: & started our journey through Sweden.

Artist / maker

Moir, Ethel

Date

1916

Size

20.4 x 16.0 cm

Type

Document

Location

Edinburgh and Scottish Collection

When war broke out in August 1914, the people of Britain responded. Men volunteered for the army and others set about establishing relief units to help the army or provide assistance to civilians and refugees. The Scottish Women's Hospitals were one of those - yet they were also very different, because they were set up with two specific aims: to help the war effort by providing medical assistance, and to promote the cause of women's rights and by their involvement in the war, help win those rights.

The SWH's original idea was set up a hospital in Edinburgh to help treat the war wounded. However this was soon abandoned in favour of setting up hospitals in the field, close to the fighting. Fundraising commenced and by the end of August 1914, more than five thousand pounds had been raised.

The SWH founder Dr Elsie Inglis approached the War Office with the idea of medical units being allowed to serve on the Western Front. The offer was turned down and she was told by an official "My good lady, go home and sit still". Undeterred, Scottish Women's Hospitals opened its first 200 bed Auxiliary hospital at the 13th Century Abbaye de Royaumont in France.

The Scottish Women's Hospitals were very closely associated with Serbia and although they operated hospitals in France, Macedonia, Greece, Corsica, Romania and Russia the majority of their work was to help Serbia. Conditions in Serbia were dire; the army had less than 300 doctors to serve more than half a million men. By the winter of 1915 Serbia could hold out no more, and were forced to retreat into Albania. The SWH had a choice to make, stay and go into captivity or go with the retreating army into Albania. Some stayed and several including Elsie Inglis were taken prisoner and later repatriated to Britain. The army retreated over the mountains with no food, shelter or help suffering many casualties.

Following her repatriation to Britain in February 1916, Elsie Inglis set about equipping and staffing a hospital to serve in Russia. It served in southern Russia and in Romania, providing medical help to the Serbian Division of the Russian Army. This division was made up from Serbs and Yugoslavs who had been taken prisoner by the Russians but had volunteered to fight for the allies. The SWH once again had to retreat. The hospital was withdrawn and they sailed back from Archangel to the UK. The day after they returned back, Elsie Inglis who had been ill for some time, died.

Towards the end of the war the SWH in Serbia provided medical care to soldiers, civilians and prisoners of war. A new fixed hospital was established in Vranje and by early 1919 this was handed over to the Serbian authorities bringing to an end the SWH. Most SWH members returned home and resumed their pre war lives, others stayed behind to continue to provide medical care in Serbia.

Over 1,000 women from many different backgrounds and many different countries served with the SWH. Only medical professionals such as doctors, nurses, laboratory technicians and X ray operators received a salary, all others received no pay at all and were expected to pay their own way. Some women joined because it was one of the few opportunities open to women to actively help the war effort, for others it was the rare chance for adventure.

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Events > Wars > Wars

Events > Wars > World wars

Healthcare and welfare > Healthcare and welfare facilities > Scottish Women's Hospitals

People > Health and safety > Nurses

Places > Europe > Norway