No.4 Ambulance Train was stationed at a little village near Dieppe with its staff, Major Jackson (O.C.) Captain Foley, Lieutenant Lane, Sisters Breen (I/C) Cullen and Kirtley, and 40 personnel.
     On May 10th we had orders to proceed to an unknown destination. On the evening of that day we left and after various stops eventually halted at Albert about 1 a.m. on the 11th. It was a very dark night, at least it seemed so in the station, and we soon discovered that an air raid was on. The O.C. gave orders to take shelter and detailed the junior M.O. to accompany the sisters. The shelters being at the other side of the station and Albert a junction, there were many stationary trains between us and them, over which we had to climb or crawl under where space allowed (we were experts at this work, having done it many times before) and at last reached the shelter where there were many women and children and a few of our train personnel. The O.C. and some personnel stayed on the train. We were in the shelter about half an hour, then the “All Clear” went and we returned to our train and tried in vain to get some sleep, but the train traffic seemed endless and thunderous, also our first experience of an air raid did not improve matters. The aeroplane factory at Albert was bombed that night.

     The afternoon of May 11th we proceeded to Bourg le Herbert, a village near Lille, where we stayed for four days. During this time we were bewildered. Why were we not going for a convoy? We afterwards heard that the other Ambulance Trains had gone before us, hence the waiting period, with the enemy frequently over us, but nothing eventful happened.
     On the night of May 15th we proceeded to Ninove, a village in Belgium, arriving there about 9 a.m. on the 16th. Here we waited about an hour, expecting ambulances with patients, but they did not come. Then the O.C. decided to call at the C.C.S. which was about a mile away. When he got there he discovered that they had not been informed of our arrival and were frantically busy. He returned to the train, then with six of his best orderlies went back to the C.C.S. to help while the sisters got ready the train theatre for emergencies which could not be done at the C.C.S. Very soon our convoy was coming on board and we eventually filled up, two cases had to be operated on at once in our little train theatre. By this time enemy activity was intense, the C.C.S. had to be disbanded, we took the sisters and some medical officers on board our train about midnight while enemy planes over us were dropping bombs near, but anti-aircraft guns kept them at bay.
 
     When we were ready for departure the Belgian engine driver refused to take the train out of Belgium, the O.C. had to put a British armed guard on the engine with him before he would move. Our next difficulty was that all the signals were against us, again the O.C. had to get off the train and right the signals at every station until we got out of Belgium about 8 a.m. on the morning of the 17th. We had a very slow journey through France, being held up for hours at many stations because of the congestion of traffic. We were very busy all the time, as we had many patients dangerously ill but eventually we arrived at Dieppe harbour siding at 1 a.m. on May 18th, where we were greeted with enthusiasm by many officials, who for a time had thought that we were in the hands of the enemy as we had been long overdue.  Ambulances were waiting to convey our patients to various hospitals and this work was executed in the minimum of time with scant light, then stores were taken on board and we proceeded to a village outside Dieppe for a day and a night.

     On this night the enemy bombed Dieppe harbour and other places, some of which were near where we were stationed. We all sheltered under the train until the raiders had passed. Next day, the 19th, we went on to St. Vaast, a village about fifteen miles further on, where we stayed till May 21st. On that morning we had orders to return to Dieppe Harbour siding and evacuate Nos. 1 and 10 General Hospitals, also the Indian Hospital, ten sisters and many officers from various places. There were between six and eight hundred people on board. Many of the patients were dangerously ill and the hurried journey in the ambulances from the hospital to the train did not improve their conditions, however we made them as comfortable as we possibly could in the circumstances, devoting our time to the more serious cases while patiently waiting for an engine for the train.

     During this waiting period four enemy planes came over, bombed the train, which was fortunately missed by a few yards, also two hospital ships, the Maid of Kent and Brighton, and an oil tanker, all anchored along the dock siding within a few yards of the train. At the time I was attending to a very ill patient and the concussion threw me on the floor as I was stooping over him, all the other patients shouted “Stay on the floor, sister! Bombs dropping!” This I did until the raiders passed, one could do nothing else with bombs dropping all round us. All of our walking cases ran off the train to shelters and were machine gunned on the way, many of them were killed and many wounded. When the enemy had gone I got on my feet and had a look around, I saw the hospital ships and the oil tanker on fire, so instantly called to a man in khaki to come and help me remove the stretcher cases from my ward as I saw that it was in danger of catching fire from the Maid of Kent. He said “I have no orders, Sister,” so I answered “Orders or not, these stretcher patients must be moved to safety.” So reluctantly he came along and helped me to move the first patient, then another stretcher bearer came along and took the stretcher from me. Miss Kirtley was in the ward by this time so I left her in charge of evacuating it. The train was now a blazing inferno. I went along to see how the patients in the other wards were.  It was a very pathetic sight to meet men in Thomas splints hobbling along by the bed-sides, also patients with heads swathed in bandages who advised me not to enter as the ward was gassed. This gas was really the fumes from the oil tanker that had been bombed near to this ward. All the windows being broken, fumes quickly entered and the ward was a mass of thick black smoke, but it cleared off fairly quickly and the patients were put back to bed and all reassured that they would be all right. Many huge pieces of iron from the oil tanker shot through the woodwork of the train from one side to the other, fortunately nobody was hit. The other wards were fairly calm by this time.

     Then I got off the train to go to the sick officers’ quarters (on my way there I found a walking case who had been machine-gunned and fallen under the train, I called two stretcher bearers and helped to put him on and told them to take him to the shed where the M.O.s were attending to the wounded). I found Sick Officers was empty, all were walking cases and they had gone to shelter conveniently near, also the ten sisters and Miss Cullen. My next visit was to our quarters which was next door to Sick Officers. It was too late to save any of our belongings as the flames were coming through the windows, however I crept under flames at great risk and managed to get Miss Kirtley’s gas-mask and my own. Then I returned to the O.C. who was at this time disconnecting the safe coaches from the burning with many willing helpers. I met Miss Kirtley and the O.C. ordered an ambulance to take the three sisters to the hospital at Havre, failing that to Brest. Miss Cullen was missing, we searched in vain for her and very reluctantly left in the ambulance without her. We had not seen her since before we were bombed. We afterwards discovered that she went with the ten sisters and the sick officers to a shelter. She left them after the bombing was over and walked along by the railway lines to Arque in hopes of getting on the overcrowded half train when it proceeded on its journey to La Baule two hours later. Fortunately the half train slowed down at Arque and she was actually dragged on board. We were very anxious lest anything had happened to her as she had not come to help us to attend the patients who were in danger of being burned.

     The whole dock siding was in a state of chaos. As we were passing through Dieppe en route for Le Havre we picked up a boy about eleven years old with a compound fractured femur, a victim of the raid, we rendered first aid with our gas mask field dressing and deposited him at the first French hospital. The journey to Le Havre was uneventful apart from many halts by sentries on barricaded roads. We arrived at about 9 p.m. and called at the R.T.O.’s office where we discovered that the hospital had evacuated. He advised us to go to Rennes or Brest. We were very disappointed and needless to mention, exhausted, after our trying experiences of the day. He gave us tea in his office as he said that he was having his last meal at Le Havre. This tea refreshed us immensely and we left with courage to invigorate us on our way. We proceeded to Rouen, being the only way open so late at night, we got there about 1.30 a.m. on May 22nd, being stopped many times by sentries.

     At Rouen an air raid was on so we were advised to proceed, which we did till we got to a big military camp about one hour’s journey at the other side of Rouen. We were stopped by British sentries who would not allow us to go on, they said they had orders regarding us. They sent us to the canteen for refreshment and rest afterwards. This military camp had been evacuated the previous day, only the canteen workers were left, who were exceptionally kind to us, they took us to a hut and got two stretchers and blankets from our ambulance and said that we should rest for a few hours. We were there only half an hour when the enemy came over and bombs were dropping all over the place, anti-aircraft guns were also in action. The explosions and noise were terrific, we did not move until all was quiet, then there was heavy, incessant rain. Miss Kirtley and I decided that we had better get away from this military objective, so we wrapped ourselves up in blankets, as our clothing was scant, only what we wore on duty, and went to the canteen to ask the men to find our driver as we had decided to proceed on our journey. In the meantime they gave us refreshments and when the driver arrived he also had some then we moved off, this time en route for Le Mans.

     The roads were very congested with traffic, refugee and military, moving very slowly, then our petrol supply was running low and we had difficulty in finding a petrol station. When one was discovered there seemed to be thousands of cars queued up for supplies. We were very fortunate here as the Red Cross allowed us precedence, we were quickly supplied and away into the congested traffic again until we reached Le Mans in the early afternoon. We reported to the R.T.O. and enquired if No.4 Ambulance Train had passed through, he said that it had passed through bound for La Baule and he could see nothing but heads there were so many people on board. We were delighted to hear that they had got safely away, we took a new lease of life, had a meal at Le Mans and joyfully proceeded to Rennes, where we arrived at 10.30 p.m.  We reported to the R.T.O. and he said that we had better stay there as the greater part of the Brest Hospital was there, also that it was more central and that No.4 Train would most likely be returning there for repairs. This we decided to do and he rang up the matron of No.8 General Hospital. She was extremely kind, she sent the assistant matron to the station to meet us, then we went to the sisters’ quarters, said adieu to the driver and thanked him profusely for getting us safely to our destination. The assistant matron made arrangements for him to stay with the hospital until he got in touch with his own unit. Miss Kirtley and I were greeted more like heroes than refugees by the Matron and staff of No.8 General Hospital, they provided us with clothing and necessities until we visited the Command Paymaster and bought the stuff we required. Miss Cullen joined us two days later, not until then did we know that she was safe and we were delighted to see her. We stayed at No.8 General Hospital for about a week whilst the train was undergoing repairs.

     On May 29th we got orders to rejoin the Ambulance Train for duty, this we joyfully did, previous experiences did not deter us, we proceeded to Rouen that night, arrived in the early morning and very soon got our patients on board. We waited about two hours for an engine, then heard that it was coming from Paris, had been bombed and the driver killed. We were waiting practically half a day before an engine came, with the enemy continually hovering above us. Eventually we steamed off for La Baule, the journey being uneventful and slow owing to congested traffic. We arrived at La Baule on the morning of the 31st of May, deposited our patients at No.4 General Hospital and returned to St. Nazaire, where we got some stores on board for the next journey, which was to a little village called Bourg le Rio, where we waited impatiently for orders for about a week and were only allowed to leave the train within whistle call.  On the seventh day we had orders to proceed to Le Mans, a very slow journey as the lines had been bombed and we had to wait until they were repaired. We eventually got to Le Mans in the early morning, the patients had been waiting on stretchers on the platform all night, they were very quickly got on board our ambulance train and made comfortable. This was the evacuation of No.9 General Hospital, the staff had gone on another train. We did not have to wait for an engine at this station as we were so quickly loaded we as quickly left Le Mans for La Baule, but the journey was slow, we stopped for hours at many stations and reached La Baule the next morning, where we deposited our patients at No.4 General Hospital. That evening we returned to St. Nazaire where we stayed for two days in a panic, as the place had been bombed. However, we got away safely, on the third day we left for the last time for Bourg le Rio, where we stayed for two or three days and eventually left for Le Mans.

     It was a very trying journey, the enemy being over many places through which we were passing; on one occasion we had a long wait at a place called Le Heurte, we had just got out of the station and pulled up at a siding when they came over and were dropping bombs all over the place. We ran out of the train, scattered, took shelter under hedges in a field near. When the raiders had passed we returned and left soon afterwards. As we were nearing Le Mans we had to stop on the main line beside a huge gasometer, the enemy came over again and we took to the hedges. The enemy was intercepted by Allied planes and anti-aircraft guns were in action and shrapnel fell on the hedges under which we were sheltering, fortunately we all escaped unhurt. The reason we left the train was that the gasometers were military objectives and if they were bombed we did not stand a chance. Much to our satisfaction, the enemy was brought down, once more we boarded our train and proceeded to our destination, which was about an hour’s journey at the other side of Le Mans, and evacuated the hospital patients, also six sisters. Three of the sisters were from No.2 Ambulance Train and three from No.3 Train. No.3 Train had been bombed two days previously, half the train was destroyed and they had some casualties amongst the personnel. Later the sisters were sent to the nearest British hospital. No.2 Train sisters were also taken off duty and waited at the hospital until our train arrived and we took them to La Baule with many medical officers.

     We had a quick, uneventful journey and deposited our patients at No.4 General Hospital. In the meantime we sisters of No.4 Train had orders to come off train duties and stay at La Baule until further orders. Needless to say we were very upset at leaving our train and the people we had worked with for over eight months. We went to our quarters at La Baule where there were numbers of sisters. I interviewed Miss Bell (Principal Matron) who was perfectly sweet to me, she said we were all awaiting evacuation. That night we slept two in a bed, some less fortunate on the floor, but that we accepted as part of the war. That night the enemy was frequently over, bombing our ships which were to be seen on the horizon out at sea.

     Next morning, June 16th, we had orders to hold ourselves in readiness at 5 p.m. to proceed to St. Nazaire. We waited until 7 p.m. when we all got off in ambulances and eventually got there. There were thousands of troops all waiting for evacuation. We boarded a tender, which was packed, only standing room, and it was getting dark before we left St. Nazaire, it took us about two hours to get to the troopship. Then we had to climb very steep ladders leading from the tender to the first deck. It took some time before all were on board, there were 5,000 troops and sisters on the ship, which was “The Duchess of York.” There were three others with the same number on board, this convoy of four sailed for England about 1 a.m. on June 17th with an aeroplane and a destroyer as escort.  We had an uneventful journey, two of the ships left us for Plymouth when we were about half way, also the escort, but early next morning it was with us again, on our way to Liverpool where we were disembarked during the afternoon of June 18th. We had a long delay at Liverpool before entraining for London where we arrived between three and four a.m. on the 19th. I stayed at the Y.W.C.A. with many others. On the afternoon of the 19th we reported at Millbank Hospital, received orders for leave and so ended our B.E.F. experiences in France.




[Hilda Beatrice Bean, trained as a nurse at St. George’s Hospital, London, between 1913 and 1916.  Her sister, also attached to No.6 General Hospital, was working on the French Ambulance Train at this time - account below]

     I had been with my unit (No.6 General Hospital) in France for some weeks, during which time we had all been busy making ready for use a 1200 bed canvas hospital for medical and surgical cases with a tent as a first class theatre and a sterilizing tent. It was very well equipped and had beautiful army blankets, with pretty blue ones on the top and everything new and clean. Our patients were few in numbers as fighting had not begun, and only sick and a few casualties were there who came in so that we had never had all the beds filled. We felt we wanted more work as no doubt did also the troops who were waiting too.

     On May 2nd I was told that an order was through for me to go to No.3 Ambulance Train to relieve the three sisters in turns for their leave. I went to Dieppe by ambulance from our Headquarters at Le Treport. The journey by road took 45 minutes and the train was at Dieppe main station. It was a beautiful L.M.S. train and could take over 300 patients in its sixteen wagons. Miss Woolton, the charge sister took me to my sleeping compartment where I arranged my luggage and then we went to the Day Room where we could sit when we were free and where we had our meals. Sister Pike was busy packing and left that evening for No.1 General Hospital to be ready to sail early the following day. Our train left Dieppe in the evening and at 7.30 a.m. on May 4th we reached Albert. It was Saturday and many of our soldiers were queuing up for baths at the town’s bathing .... . Albert is a small town, newly re-built since the last war, chiefly, I believe, by the city of Birmingham. There are cemeteries for French, all graves being marked by a standing small cross, and the British ones with larger slab stones on which are inscribed the name, rank and regiment and number of each man.

     We were in the shops buying honey when a nice little Devon woman, Mrs Beckwith, spoke to us, and we, being anxious to see the surrounding memorials asked her if we could find a taxi to take us. She said a taxi would be very expensive, but that the following morning (Sunday) her husband would be free and would be glad to take us. He was in charge of the South Africa memorial and had been gassed during the last war and could no longer live in the dry climate of Africa, so had lived in France for many years. He took us to the Newfoundland Memorial with its great caribou standing on a huge rock brought from Newfoundland, and the log cabin in a nearby field. We also visited the Ulster Tower and the International memorials and on to Delville Wood where over 200 men had lately been found and buried and their relatives in many cases informed. The huge crater at La Brielle was interesting, used as a means of informing the troops of the exact moment of attack for many miles round. Compared with our own more modern methods with radio and telephone it seemed primitive. The country was beautiful with spring green and the cuckoo and nightingales singing by day and night. We returned to the train after a very interesting day and the following few days we saw the nearer country places. On 8th we went to Drocourt and brought back 350 wounded or ill from the surrounding hospitals to Dieppe, where they were taken to various hospitals round the area. We heard on arrival that Holland and Belgium had been invaded by the Germans on the 9th.

     On May 10th we left 2.45 and passing through Albert and Arras, Abricourt, Douai and other places, we reached a small town called Seclin where we waited in a siding. Air raids were frequent and their warnings were a missed round of church bells and sirens which made a fearful noise. Air battles were taking place at frequent intervals and we picked up empty shell cases of a small size during the days. A French ambulance train came up beside us during the night and we found two English sisters known to some of us were in it, and we were able to meet and go for short walks.  On May 14th we left in the evening and went into Belgium, passing Armentieres beautiful stations where a Belgian scout asked if we were the “Croix Rouge”, and then on to Haaltert. The air battles were going on all day as the Germans tried to get the railways and bombs caused fires in Haaltert town. People did not seem very frightened and in one Grocer’s shop I was taken to see the supplies of food – enormous cheeses, tins of food of all kinds and packets of sugar etc., all of which I think must have fallen into German hands after a very short time. The trains coming from the interior of Belgium were crowded with people all hastening away. They stopped to get water and any food that was obtainable.

     We went to see No.6 C.C.S. and found it very busy with the wounded pouring in, so much so that the C.O. said he thought the church would have to be taken to put the men in, and on Thursday 16th we had to take everybody we could from C.C.S. and Field Dressing Stations as the Germans were fast approaching, and it was unsafe for any kind of hospital or dressing station. We quickly filled up and had very bad cases and left 11 p.m. The journey was very slow, owing chiefly to the trains filled with refugees, and the level crossings having so many vehicles full of Belgians, all pouring out towards France. We reached Dieppe 4.30 a.m. on 18th and patients again went to surrounding hospitals only to be moved again after a few hours or days, when the town was unsafe on account of raids.  On Sunday 19th the sister returned from leave and no others could go, so I was no longer needed and had to return to my unit at Le Treport by ambulance on Monday. The 45 minute journey took from 12 noon to 6 p.m. on account of the evacuees on the road. It was almost impassable at times and only the patience of the driver, who got out and held up some to allow the double line of traffic to become single, let us go as quickly as we did. On reaching my unit I found that raids had been taking place at Le Treport and that it was no longer safe.

     Orders came to Matron that all except five sisters were to leave at 7.30 a.m. on 21st, so we all packed what we could carry and hoped our trunks would someday follow us, also our camp kit, but we never saw it again. We carried all we could to a hospital train and at 8.30 left Le Treport and went to Dieppe where we arrived as a bad air raid was in progress. Bombs hit an oil tank beside us, and flames and smoke poured out. A distant train was hit and many Britishers were injured. We had sisters and injured already on our train but took still a few more and left as soon as possible for a safer area. We travelled slowly and on 23rd reached La Baule where the Sisters and Matron of No.4 General were waiting to welcome us at 1 a.m. We all enjoyed a wash and comfortable meal and sleep, though the food and care in the train had been perfectly wonderful for such a sudden and unexpected crowd.  We waited in La Baule for about a month, hoping to be able to start in another hospital near. The sea was beautiful and weather very warm so we enjoyed bathing. On June 8th I went on a French ambulance train on which my sister had been since May. We went to a small and pretty little place called Sille le Guillaume for a few days, during which time Italy joined the Axis, and then we had to pick up patients at Le Mans and take them to La Baule from where they went to St. Nazaire for Britain.  On June 13th we went again to Coulie, a small town where we waited for a couple of days in a siding. There was a lot of discussion and talking of capitulation, but no definite news. Sister Wyatt and I went for short walks and waited for new orders. On one occasion a Scot on a motorcycle (evidently not knowing the uniform) said in a very Scottish accent “Parley-vous Anglais?” We said in English that we were English sisters, and then he asked if we could tell him where his brigade was. He soon found it and perhaps he will in future know the Military Sisters uniform!

     On Saturday June 15th at 7.30 a.m. Major Cuthbert came to the train and asked if we had got the order to leave for England, which was sent the previous day. Major Shakespeare was our Medical Officer and we all had to collect our things and hurry away, driving all day and reached St. Malo by 4 p.m. There were found several waiting boats and the quays filled with Canadian troops who had arrived in France only five days before. We embarked in the Royal Sovereign which had done splendid work at the Dunkirk evacuation. The night was beautiful and we were thankful that no air raids came. We waited for a hospital train to bring up more sisters and patients and at 3.30 on June 16th we left St. Malo and arrived Southampton 6 p.m. after a very good crossing and so home.



      It was May 9th 1940 at 5 p.m., when Sister Heathcote and I joined the French Ambulance train 336 at Le Treport, where we had been working at No.6 General Hospital. The C.O. welcomed us, and after we had unpacked in our joint ‘waggon lit’, he brought along a Red X wireless, which we thoroughly enjoyed when we were not busy. Rumour said that evening, that Abbeville was bombed heavily, and the Train Staff was much excited, but as we went through the following day very little change could be seen, though there had been some damage done. We reached Wavrans, further up the line in time for lunch, and on the 1 p.m. news heard that Holland and Belgium were at war with Germany. That same day Mr. Neville Chamberlain resigned. At 12 o/c May 11th we left for St. Pol, Bethune and Beuvry where we took on 163 patients, left again 10 p.m. for Dieppe where patients were moved by ambulance to various hospitals in the district. We then stationed at Rouxmesnil, just outside, and enjoyed a good night’s sleep. Back to our station at Wavrans the next morning to await another call. Sirens sounded frequently, so much so, that one didn’t remember whether the ‘Siren’ or ‘All clear’ went last.

      On May 14th we left again for Bethune, and took on 83 patients, leaving as usual at ... 15 p.m. for Dieppe. Arras was blazing and our train could not stop in the station as it usually did. Wednesday, the next day, brought news of Holland’s invasion, and as we left Dieppe that afternoon, we met numbers of refugees and soldiers in trucks all along the line. Back to Le Treport that evening, and the Sergeant Interpreter with others were recalled from leave. Once again to Wavrans May 16th, a beautiful day, and a delight to look round the little village and talk to some of the people, all of whom had parted with their husbands or sons, or both, and looked sad and anxious. Hundreds of cars, full of Belgian refugees were passing through continuously, mostly laden with luggage, mattresses on the tops and even bicycles tied on the front.  Friday May 17th was another beautiful day when we left 10.30 a.m. for Beuvry, took on 140 patients, including the Duke of Norfolk and three German Officers, airmen. Left again at 10 p.m., a very slow journey, delayed by troops and refugees, we did not arrive in Dieppe till 11 a.m. on Saturday. Patients were taken off and we returned to Rouxmesnil, where we found other Ambulance Trains. That afternoon several of us enjoyed a walk together through fields and lanes, coming back without first bunches of Marguerites. That night was bad with bombing all round.

      May 19th we ‘parked’ at Martin Eglise, a very lovely little country village near, and passed a restful night, in spite of more bombing of Dieppe. The following day was spent within reach of the train, waiting and expecting to be called, and there was not long to wait either. The bad news reached us hurriedly in the early morning of Tuesday 21st. All the hospitals were evacuating and we started at once for Dieppe arriving 11 a.m. Needing one or two things, Sister Heathcote and I went into the town, and found everywhere crowded with people, and cars with owners waiting in queues with ration cards for more petrol. Hurrying back we arrived in time to take as many patients as we could get in, 550, the usual number being 300, leaving again as soon as possible amidst heavy bombing. Travelling very slowly all night via Rouen, Lisieux, Deauville and Caen, we eventually reached Cherbourg 5.45 p.m. on Wednesday May 22nd. All patients, very ill, were away by 8.15, most of them onto a Hospital Ship and we were able to retire for the night.  The following afternoon we left Cherbourg, passing Bayeux Cathedral, looking beautiful in brilliant sunshine, later Caen Argentan, and stationed at ___ 4.30 a.m. Friday 24th. Naval sentries were on duty everywhere and no one was allowed to leave the station. 6.15 p.m. we moved again, passing Chartres Cathedral this time, arriving Le Mans, and Coulie, just outside, late at night. Platforms at Le Mans crowded with refugees and bicycles, children with their dogs, all looking weary and sad.

      May 26th Sunday. Train loads of soldiers and sailors went through the station returning from Norway and on their way to Marseilles. Many were glad of a drink of water and anything we could get to them as they passed slowly. Orders through for us again on Tuesday and we left after tea for Le Mans where we took on 157 patients from No.9 General Hospital. Then on to Rennes for more, then to St. Nazaire and patients were taken to a ship (Somersetshire) for U.K. We went on to La Baule. That evening we moved off again; a long wait at St. Nazaire for more coal I believe, and woke in the morning of Thursday May 30th to find ourselves near Tours. On again passing Chatel Erault, arriving Poitiers, a lovely town built on rocky cliffs with very old walls, through Angouleme La Couronne, very old architecture. Oxen were ploughing everywhere and the country and vines looked beautiful. We arrived Périgueux that evening where we took on about 200 patients from a French hospital and left again by another lovely route for Tours and St. Nazaire, getting there early May 31st, bringing our patients on this time to La Baule by evening, when they were all removed to Hospitals. 8.20 we left again and parked at Coulie 8 a.m. next morning Saturday June 1st. During the next few days news sounded bad, but as no call came, and with the sanction of our C.O., Sister Heathcote and I went to Le Mans. Almost as soon as we had left, a call came through, and we missed the trip, taking over the Ambulance Train 368 in the evening, from which the Sisters had gone to take our place at a moment’s notice. A great disappointment but couldn’t be helped. Not long to wait. On Friday June 7th our call came again, and in the evening we left for Thuit near Rouen, passing through Sille Le Guillaume, Fresnay sur Sarthe and Alencon. Patients began to arrive slowly next morning, and went on coming till 8 p.m., altogether 197. We moved off 8.30, and were busy, all patients so ill, bombing and guns going all the time. Through Argentan and Le Mans not arriving till 3.30 a.m. Sunday June 9th at La Baule and patients were taken to Hospital. Evacuating from La Baule began next day and we took the first relay of patients to St. Nazaire 6.30 a.m. On returning to La Baule we handed over our work to two other Sisters and joined No.6 General Hospital again which was then stationed there. Italy declared war at midnight.

      Five delightful days spent by beautiful sea in marvellous weather. The country round was pretty too, and an afternoon spent at Gironde, a quaint old town with walls and moat round it was full of interest. More especially as No.6 G. H. was hoping to open up again close to it. Refugees travelled through La Baule in huge numbers, and our hotel had many sad faces. People with small children hearing nothing of husbands, others wondering how their relations could get out of Paris in time to be safe, and day after day hearing nothing. At night bombing began, and much noise.

      June 15th unfortunately brought little hopes of reopening No.6 G. H. Sisters were brought off the Ambulance Trains, and word came round we may be leaving to England any time and to be ready with some food. Next day all sat waiting at the Atalante Hotel for orders. All orderlies had gone and we made tea and looked after ourselves. Raids were going on, and bombs were dropped on the St. Nazaire lines, fortunately it was behind an Ambulance Train and not in front. At last 4.30 p.m. ambulances took us to St. Nazaire, with small bits of luggage and on to a tender for “Duchess of York” by 11.30. It was a lovely night with a moon and thousands of troops were still waiting to leave, with no hope of that till next morning.  Monday June 17th we were told France has laid down her arms, and next day all arrived safely in Liverpool docks. A wonderful reception, everyone so kind, bringing much longed for tea onto the platforms as well as food, before we left by train for London. So ended a thrilling but disappointing episode and a bed and rest in the Union Jack Hotel was very much appreciated.