Hello Everyone,

Just recently, I struck gold in the form of a few letters written by Chaplain Charles J H Dobson 9/633 (NZEF).

Two of the letters are written from Lemnos 'No 1 Aust S(tat?) Hosp, Mudros', and are dated 27th and 29th September 1915. I have tried a search here for Australian Hospital on Lemnos, but without much success. Does anyone have any information about this hospital - type of building, where in the port, or any other references to it?

A third letter is written from 'HMHS Aquitania' and has no date. I surmise that the 'Aquitania' was on her way to England, as Dobson's war file has him turning up in the 3rd London General Hospital on 9th November. Can anyone confirm this please, and possibly give dates or other details of a likely voyage in October?

In both the hospital at Mudros and the Hospital Ship, Dobson was a patient.

With thanks in anticipation,

Joanna

In case you have not already consulted them, I recommend browsing the excellent on-line Australian Histories, especially Chapter XVII entitled "The Rush of Sick through Mudros Harbour : Development of Lemnos". This gives some information on both No 1 Australian Stationary Hospital and the Acquitania.

Hi James,

That's great, and I will get on to that.

Also, I will add details about Lemnos and the 'Aquitania' from the letters to this thread.

Many thanks,

Joanna

Some observations on Lemnos from Dobson's letter dated 29.9.15, Mudros.

... Here the days are shortening and there is a hint of winter in the air... There is no bush on the low hills surrounding this harbour. I believe there is a good deal in other parts of the Island but none of it is any good for milling. The houses in the villages are built of stone and mud and have no architectural merit. The walls are from two to three feet thick. A feature of the villages is the handsome church in each. Religious observances seem to play a large part in the lives of the people. Villages are scattered all over the Island. The capital is Castio on the coast. It has about four thousand people and is backed by a precipice on top of which is an old fort. Agriculture is the chief industry. A quaint characteristic of the place is the number of old fashioned wind mills on the higher ground. The mountains are not high but in places are very nearly grand in their brokenness and a relief after the deadly flatness of Egypt. As far as I know there are no rivers and the people rely on wells for water. I found that cotton grows here and I have a ripe cocoon which I am keeping to send to Dossie. It is the first I have seen. I am sorry I will not be able to go back to the front for a time. I am being sent away from here but do not yet know when or where to...

Goes on to say that he has been ill with dysentery more or less since his first attack 'down on the canal', his general health has been worn out. He has had a good many injections and he has not been properly treated before.

...Quite 80% of the sickness here is dysentry. One of the commissioners was in here the other day, a well know pathologist, and he said it was endemic to the place. A good many men have died of it. We had a visit from some Canadian sisters. They have a hospital on the other side of the harbour...

... Last week the Greeks here were mobilised. ...Greece will get about 5,000 reservists from Egypt. The Greeks in other countries are very loyal to their home...

...The children here seem to suffer from sore eyes quite as much as the Egyptians.

...This harbour is a wonderful place. It is always full of battle ships, transports, supply ships and hospital ships.

Looking through one of the letters from Lemnos (dated 29.9.15) again today, I found this brief reference:

"I haven't told you much news in this. I don't see anybody. Donald my cousin and Col. Hughes came to see me, but visitors are rare."

This is a long shot, but does anyone have any ideas as to who Colonel Hughes was? Rev Dobson was officially attached to the Otago Mounted Rifles at this time, though I am getting a picture of him working in a hospital in Alexandria, and on hospital ships between Egypt and Gallipoli, with one known spell at Gallipoli in August (Hill 60). All this punctuated with periods of sickness (dysentery).

I would very much appreciate any thoughts on this.

Joanna

From searches, I am getting Lt. Col. J G Hughes, commander of Canterbury Battalion during the August offensive, as a possibility. I know Dobson was at Gallipoli on 28th August at time of Hill 60.

Any other thoughts?

Here are some extracts from the letter Dobson wrote on board HMHS Aquitania. The letter is undated, but as the previous letter I have a copy of was dated 29/9/15 when he was ill at Mudros, and he subsequently turns up in 3rd London General Hospital 9/11/15, I am guessing 'some time in October 1915'.

We are taking on some thousands on this boat. A South African hospital ship was discharging into us on one side yesterday and a French boat on the other. At dinner last night there were English, Scotch, Irish, Canadian, South African, Australian and New Zealand officers present. The Canadian nurses have a close fitting navy blue tunic with scarlet collar and cuffs and they have two stars on their shoulders to denote their rank as lieutenants. They look a bit like the girl who jumps through the burning hoops in the circus, but its rather striking.


I am sending Dossie a post card of this boat. She is very huge but somehow it doesn't strike one at once. I'm reviving memories of the Pateena, Arcihusa [?] and Nikan [?] for purposes of comparison.


I don't know where we are going in England.

I found a photo of an SS Pateena - she was about the size of a small bath as compared to the Aquitania's being something like the Adelphi Hotel in Liverpool.

Joanna