2014 Christmas - Nurse Alice Ross King

The following is a transcript of a Christmas themed diary entry from Nurse Alice Ross King. This and many other stories form part of the Australian War Memorial’s Anzac connections project. This major web development project will not only progressively deliver newly digitised collections to the website but also aims to improve search and discovery on the site and to provide ways for people to interact with the collection.

“Two days before Xmas Harry’s name came through on a death list from Germany under the date 3rd Nov. 1916. This seems to be the one outstanding incident in my mind. Indeed the thought is with me all the time and nothing else matters much.

Xmas 1916 was a success for the patients. The Aus Red Cross gave the dinner and it was well cooked and sufficient. Turkey, ham, plum pudding, fruit, raisins, nuts, bon-bons and best of all each pat had a whole bottle or beer or stout. In my ward we had a big bag of chestnuts roasting and popping on the fire. For tea I made a big pot of curry gravy and put in their boiled eggs from the cook house. We also made fruit jelly and had cakes and sweets. I had ordered sausage rolls for them and we were look for these as a great treat, but Alas! they went to the wrong address and were eaten by the people before I got a chance to see them. We decorated the ward with red paper Japanese blossom and a big Xmas tree. Every patient got a present from the Red Cross. Such nice parcels some of these were. The men were all so delighted with everything and I shall never forget the way they all lay back and went to sleep immediately they had their after dinner smoke.”

Read more:

Biography of Alice Ross King

Related collection items:

Original diary of Alice Ross-King, 1917-1919

Transcript of diaries of Alice Ross-King, 1915-1919