Page 84 from Ethel Moir Diary, Vol 3

Category

Library Item

Item no

28212

Title

Page 84 from Ethel Moir Diary, Vol 3

Description

here, but news finds its way up from Salonique! The Serbs are well up into Serbia & the British have crossed the border into Bulgaria & are pushing in. Then in Palestine, we hear, we have secured Nazareth & the Turks "have taken to their heels"! At last the end seems to be in sight. No further news of the Unit. I wonder if they are still at Denni-Pojar, or if they have moved on into Serbia yet? Oh to be fit & well & with them. How I hate this inactivity, & more especially knowing there is work to be done.

Sept: 30th Convalescent Camp - Horliack.
The war news is splendid. Rumour says there has been a most successful attack on the Cambrai Front & that 10,000 prisoners & 200 guns have been taken. In Serbia & Bulgaria things are moving rapidly & we seem to have the Bulgars well "on the run" & the defeat of the Bulgar army seems well nigh accomplished. The Allied Contingents seem to be rivalling one another in boldness & endurance & thanks to their admirable ardour & bravery, the success of the manoeuvre which is putting John Bulgar out of action is now an accomplished fact. We are told they are suing for peace! The Serbs and French have entered Uskub - quite an important town & a big railway junction & centre of the lines of communication running N. E S. and West. The British forces are pushing on in Bulgaria & in the [?] region they

Artist / maker

Moir, Ethel

Date

1918

Size

20.4 x 19.0 cm

Type

Document

Location

Edinburgh and Scottish Collection

Image from the diaries of Ethel Moir (volume 3). Ethel was a nursing orderly who served with the Scottish Women's Hospital during World War One.

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

Military > Arms and armament > Guns

People > Health and safety > Nurses

Places > Europe > Macedonia