Fanny Goes to War

ad our third bad Zeppelin raid, which was described in the papers as "the bigge

uld be heard. We hastily wrapped up what patients were well enough to move, and the orderlies carried them to the "cave." Returning across the yard one of them c

m was heard. Our feelings on hearing this could only be described as "terse," a favourite F.A.N.Y. e

ldn't help wishing I was up in one. It seemed impossible to connect death-dealing bombs with those floating silver shapes. Shrapnel burst all round them, and then the Zepps. seemed suddenly to become alive, and they answered with machine guns, and the patter of bullets and shrapnel could be heard all around. The Commander of one of the Zepps. apparently fearing his airsh

e tocsin again rang out a third alarm! This was getting beyond a joke. The air duel recommenced, bombs were dropped, but fortunately no serious casualties occurred. Luckily at that time none of the patients were in a serious

ng other accomplishments he was also a ventriloquist. Sister and I, when the necessary feeds had been given, used to sit in two deck chairs with a screen shading the light, near the stove in the middle ward, until the next were due. One night I heard a cat mewing. It seemed to be almost under my chair, I got up and looked everywhere. Yes, there it was again, but this time coming from under one o

e I slept like a top in the daytime (when I didn't get up, breathe it quietly, to steal out for rides on the sands!). I liked the w

ister's benefit down the middle of the Ward! It was a great temptation, and needless to say not appreciated by Sister as much as I had hoped. I heard s

ire something to do I will arrange that you appear with me before the curtain goes up, at the Antwerp Theatre!" He made the offer in all seriousness, and realiz

rning in "Flossie," by the day staff on their way up

'Roll-call'"-

rds of bread, do

wling round the shops to get something fresh for the night staff's supper, I went into a butcher's. The good lady came forward to ask me what I wished. I t

parable "Jefké," who was worse than most, was fast asleep in a dark spot near the big stove, when I went to get some hot water. He was practically invisible, so I narrowl

trod on J

t asleep, s

ieces bac

ou think he look

for the truth o

candles stuck in bottles the only illuminations; we were however obliged to leave early to go on to the trenche

the first camouflaged field hospital run by Millicent, Duchess of Sutherland, for the Belgian

sport photo and signature. Of course we had left them in another pocket, and in spite of protestations on our part we were requested to proceed to the citadel or return to hospital to be identified. To our mortification we were followed at a few yards by the detective and a soldier! Never have I felt such an inclination

. That the Boche took an interest in our Corps we knew, for, in pre-war days, we had continually receiv

me, and important "red hats" with brassards bearing the device "L. o

tion being "Lords of Creation," and another, "Lords of Calais"! It was compa

he circumstances they would waive ceremony and greet one another in passing, but no, such is not the case. If they happen to pass in t

t, and felt we could no longer flit freely across

often in between. When this occurred, heads appeared at every window to find out the reason. "Qu' est ce qu'il y'a?" everyone cried at once. It was invariably either that a troop train was passing up the line and we must wait for it to go by, or else part of the engine had

he line. I came to the conclusion that that rotten engine must be tied together with string. No one seemed to mind or worry. "He will arrive" they said optimistically, and talked of other things. At every station fascinating-looking infirmières from the French Red Cross, clad in white

e other occupants of the carriage consisted of a well-to-do old gentleman in mufti, who, I decided, was a commer?ant de vin, and two French officers, very spick and span, obviously

or do they not?" Everyone became instantly alert. I could see la petite dame bien mise was dying to say something. The two French officers addressed shrugged their shoulders expressive of ignorance

ok notice," and the old commer?an

that is, if it is not indiscreet, how i

my window at Amiens she overlooks the ground where these Scotch ones play the football, and then a good l

pray of you," she entreated, "there is an English young girl in the corner and she will of a certainty be shocked." "Bah, non,"

ver the Oise. We could still see the other that had been blown up by the French in order to stem the German advan

ere looking skywards at two Taubes which had just dro

Others were being run by the old fathers and mothers long since retired, who had come up from the country to "carry on." My friend told me that when she had returned to Paris in haste fro

e Métro quite loudly, evidently under the same impression as the old commer?ant! My field boots took their fan

led to hear I was an infirmière she insisted on me keeping an old Roman lamp I was look

ent in the Bois nearly every morning and sometimes along the race course at Longchamps, the latter very overgrown. "Ah, Mademoiselle," he wou

had come straight from G.H.Q.!) She then went on to tell me that she was Scotch, but had never been home for thirty-five years! I could hardly believe it, as she talk

their relation so-and-so, who was fighting at the front. Th

wo nuns, came to a window and gave me her blessing. My Scotch friend before I left pressed a little oxidized silver medal of the Virg

spoilt by everybody. He promised towards the end of the week, when he had worked off some of his engagements, to take me up-strictly against all rules of course-for a short flight. I met him on the Monday, I th

wn very long, the air was sultry, and not a ripple stirred the calm surface of the lake. It seemed somehow very like the Palace of a Sleeping Beauty. I wondered i

if they were croaking "We are the only creatures who now live in this beautiful place, and it is we, with our ugly voices and bodies, who have triumphed over the beautiful vain lad

ly and go down to "Les Halles," the French Covent Garden, and come back with literally armfuls of roses of all shades of delicate pink, white, and cream. Tante Rose (the only name I ever knew her by) was a widow, and the aunt of my friend. She was one of the vieille noblesse and had a charming house in Passy, and

we toiled up the dazzling white steps. The service was, I think, the most impressive I have ever attended. Crowds flocked to it, all or nearly all in that uniform of deep-mourning incomparably chic, incomparably French, and gaining daily in popularity. Long before the service began the place was packed to suffocation. Tante Rose looked proudly ro

brought it to him he took the glass, and without a word threw the scalding contents in her face! The Zouave who had witnessed this brutal act, with a snarl of rage, leapt from his bed on to the German's and throttled him to death there and then. The other blessés sat up in bed and cheered.

as especially interested in the dental department where they fitted men with false jaws, etc. Every comfort was provided, and some of the patients wer

y also had a field operating theatre. These drivers were all voluntary workers, and were Yale and Harvard men who had come over to see what the "show

ng the most fearless fighters in the world, and always put in a tight place on the French front. There is one man at the enlisting dép?t who is a wonderful being, and can size up a new recruit at a glance. He is known as "Le Sphinx." You must give him your real name and reason for joining the Legion, and in exchange he gives

been chosen for their display. Part of the courtyard was taken up by captured guns, and in two separate corners a "Taube," and a German scout machine, with black crosses on their wings, wer

there," indicating a huge 7.4, but the woman only smiled the saddest smile I have ever seen, and d

ts, and in another, the captured flags of some of the most famous Prussian Regimen

ed the building, the ante-room seemed purposely darkened to form the most complete contrast with the inner; where the sun, streaming through the