Mitchell Library, State Library of New South Wales

Letters by Muriel Knox Doherty, April - September 1946
MLMSS 442/Box 11/Folder 4

[Page 1]
Warsaw.
1.4.46.
My dear Budd,
Am sending this Diary home before setting out for Kielce – Two cars of people (one UNRRA – other American were fired at & held up by bandits recently at 1 p.m. on the same road – so just in case –

I’m telling you this because I shall be well & truly back in Warsaw before you receive this – so there’s no need to worry.

Why the Govt. doesn’t put an armed patrol on the road is probably because they are using this bandit or "partisan" business to impress the public with the danger of Anders Army – which they say is paying these bandits!!

[Page 2]
The last box of paper knife, bronze brooch, darner & trinket boxes (2) will add to the stuff you’ve already received & which we can sort out as gifts for my various friends when I return.

In the meantime just look after them will you – also the d’oyley – I have several bronze brooches so you must wait to choose the one you like best –

Much love
Muriel

[Page 3]
Warsaw.
7.4.46.
My dear Mother,
Your letter of March 25th was waiting for me on my return from the three day tour of Kielce province – Besides doing our investigations etc we were entertained in true Polish fashion at the various towns we visited.

The grand finale came when the Sturosta (head of the district) the Mayor & Corporation & local doctors of Sandomiercz put on a dinner on our arrival. I gave Budd some of the details & will give pen the menu as far as I can remember –

Long table, & three pots of lovely flowering daffodils & jonquils; Frist what they call sandwiches – Large family meat plates loaded with thick slices of an oval loaf of dark flour bread, covered with butter, ham, sausage, hard boiled egg, pickled cucumber, raw fish, mushrooms & other oddments – Vodka plentiful & ad infinitum, and a cup of what I thought was bouillon until I raised it to my lips and was nearly suffocated with the fumes and choked with the fiery pungency – It was "Krupink", 90% alcohol in hot honey and exceedingly pungent & intoxicating! You can imagine how much I drank!

Then came barscz, the beetroot soup, served with a round of dry toast with a fried egg on it – Next Kottet cielency (veal) potato, pickled cucumber, frankfurts, ham or sausage – Lettuce with mayonaise – coffee and tort rounded off the meal, and you can imagine being thrown high into the air on a chair after all or part of that! It’s a Polish custom. Probably they gave us their month’s rations at that dinner they are so generous.

At 10.30 pm we left and at 8.30 am the Mayor & Corporation entertained us at breakfast, complete with bouquet of the most fragrant wild violets I’ve ever smelt & a set of photographs of the town. The breakfast was on an equally lavish scale – three fried eggs, ham, sausage, rolls, butter, black currant jam, & coffee, speeches punctuated this meal as they did the dinner –

After the entourage of never less than 12 accompanied us round hospital wards & health centres, they mostly 12th century buildings on the banks of the Vistula. The RC Bishop was produced to show us the Cathedral & wonderful museum, which strangely enough the Germans left intact, but for one picture they stole – The photographer was all the time snapping our every movement & the local papers should be interesting if I can get a copy.

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I nearly died at your description of the cardinal’s arrival but could not share it with my room mate as she’s of the faith, as are most people on this UNRRA mission – Sorry to hear the Entwisle news & hope Alison is alright.

Do you think you can strike some daphne shoots for Avalon and a perennial blue pea would look nice also. Budd says she is ordering 12 fruit trees from the P.A. gardiner a grape vine & 3 passion fruit – We will want a banana for the fruit salad – Have you any small wistaria plants at No 7 that could go down on a fence perhaps –

Am only waiting for word from the Aust. Nursing Federation before making my final date to leave. If that falls through will come home by the first available transport. Two letters from Lan recently – Did she send me the locket or only the photo – if the former I have or you have a small photo of granny which might go in & you could wear it.

Take care of yourself – it won’t be long now, but I can’t announce my return yet.

Much love
Muriel

[Air Letter cover]
Mrs R. K. Doherty
7 Rocklands Road
Wollstonecraft
New South Wales
Australia

38 came April 23rd

[Page 5]
Warsaw.
7.4.46.
My dear Budd,
Quite a nice mail waiting for me on my return from Kielce Province – even if some letters were depressing re Nursing position in Aust: Miss K said that they had approached Red + re finance – answer No – They then approached state Committees to see if they will contribute their share – She will cable if satisfactory. Said she had written to Mrs Carter A.N.I.F. saying I had been nominated to represent them there – But they’ll have to find someone else when I return – so when I write I’ll suggest Looker.

Your letter was full of news – so glad you had more leave but nothing less than permanent leave at Avalon will really do any good. If ANF falls through I’ll return anyway, so will write officially to Miss Udell when I hear one way or the other. By the way she’s still in London or was when she wrote last week.

If I return I’ll be on the spot and can have the rest I want so badly at Avalon. Your description of the fruit trees made my mouth water. I can picture them in bloom & fruit & even saw the salad & bottles on the shelf – How lovely to have a cream hand woven runner for the hall & the peacock medallions sound beautiful. Miss Fraser wrote & said she was unable to get an electric stove on a/c of strike, but had a hot water service & frig: She is at Newport Beach & travels up each day – says through bus Service from Wynard is to be extended to all day.

The trip to Kielce was very interesting if strenuous and we were entertained everywhere – Polish hospitality was overwhelming – Actually eight of us set out from Warsaw to get a cross section picture of this province which was not only the battlefield for 5 months between Germans & Russians, but the centre of partisan activities – Heavy forests in many parts where the G’s were afraid to go – Tremendous areas are still heavily mined and we drove right through the mine fields on either side –

There were three "Health" & the rest "Welfare" so we divided into two parties. On arrival, met by UNRRA representatives (U.S.) who had planned a breathless itinerary which was, of course, quite useless – We met the Governor of the Province, H.Q. in 12th century building and then the Chief M.O. Health Div: discussed plans – 7 am next morn we were to start. The details are too lengthy for this letter, will try & write a community one –

The highlight was at Sandomiercz a very ancient town – much damaged. We arrived tired & dirty 7 pm – decided to have a quick brush up, light meal & bed. Dr. Daniels, Miss Hoffman (interpreter) and I. Not so – we found the Mayor & Corporation, Starosta (head of district) & medical men had prepared a banquet – It was ration day for meat & cakes!!! Will put menu in Mother’s letter –

We arrived at our hotel, it had just been washed all over & everything was very wet but scrupulously clean – My room had three beds – don’t know where they got the white linen – & only a chair, table, & enamel washbasin in corner – whole bunch of hosts was at top of stairs, much hand shaking & hand kissing & we finally took our places – I, next the Starosta (who wore the Peasant party emblem 4 leaf clover) and was very shy & did not speak anything but Polish – 84 of us sat down to a long table with lovely pots of flowering daffodils & jonquils.

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2.
Course after course, vodka after vodka, and a very potent hot 90% alcohol & honey – you can imagine how much I drank. Speeches & replies, ad lib: then the Mayor his cronies came to Dr. Daniels & hoisted him 4 times swiftly into the air as high as their unsteady arms would reach. I knew my turn would come – up I went smiling as if I loved every minute – my brain divided in layers as I went up and my intestines dropped into an abyss as I came down – I don’t know how I went up the 4th time, but they thought it was lovely –

Well 10.30 pm they took us home – but there was an official breakfast 8.30 am – with an official photographer taking every angle & every chew of every mouthful. He later followed us round the town or rather advanced before us & suddenly turned round & snapped us – Hope we can get the local papers. It was funny –

Had letter from U.N.R.R.A, E.R.O. – no a cable I mean – saying there were 30 parcels in London for me & what would they do?? I was mad – sent a letter & my kit bag and hoped I would receive them before Easter, but doubt it – Suppose P.N.P. is in it.

Glorious weather here now – walked along the Vistula this Sunday afternoon & were accosted by armed militia for taking a picture of the bridge – but they let us go – Life is varied certainly, but it will be nice to browse in a "free" country for a while.

Tell Miss K. I’ll write when I hear from her again – but it would boost the ANF if I actually retd. to take up that job. Hope they won’t do too much before I return – They’ve got all the same old cronies on the F.N.M. Committee –!

Take care of yourself,
Much love – Muriel.

[Air letter cover]
Miss H. B. Hetherington
Royal Prince Alfred Hospital
Missenden Road
Camperdown
New South Wales
Australia

M. K. Doherty
UNRRA Mission to Poland
99 Gt. Portland St.
London W-1

[Page 7]
Warsaw.
12.4.46
My dear Budd,
You will probably receive two letters in one week from me – but as I have ½ hr. to spare of my lunch time, this will be in time for the bag which closes this evening –

Can’t remember whether I told you of my trip to the Kielce province or not, (but have just remembered I did!!!) Anyway, since returning, have continued my survey of Hosp: & Health Centres and have done various other jobs including fighting to have the Polish staff considered on an equal footing with "imported" staff. At the Gen: Meeting last night everything worked out very well in the end, but it took some courage & battling to convince certain senior members.

Told Miss Lankajtes (Director, Nursing, Min: of Health) that I was considering returning – she was very upset, but I think I convinced her of the necessity. She, poor soul, has ?Tb: larynx and we took her to a Rest home – cold & bare & bleak 18 kilometres from Warsaw – yesterday for 2 weeks silence – she took all her work with her!

We have been invited to a meeting of the leaders of the N. profession, to be held in Krakow 7, 8, 9th May – I have been asked to speak on modern methods of N. Education in Gt. B. & Aust: I can tell them a lot about the latter!!! but will have to make a good story. Will read the paper I think, because of interpretation – so will be able later to show you what I wrote.

No word from Miss Udell yet – will give A.N.F. till middle of May I think, & if I hear nothing, will return & live on my royalties!!! Am dying to buy the stove & washing machine – don’t you think the latter will be less effort for us than a copper – & they don’t hurt the house linen?

No sign of my 30 parcels yet but recd. two from Germany, and inside card from L. O. Round, Grocer, Launceston Tasmania!! Don’t know if he sent them or someone asked him to. They are identical with a third received recently with no name. In good condition, except the lux had showered through covering from Sydney to Warsaw & was over everything. The milk will be most useful for Easter presents – Easter is a time of great festivity in Poland.

Expect you have been to Avalon since you returned – you’ve no idea how much I am longing to be there & see all you’ve done – How you’ve done it I cannot imagine with all your other work.

If you have time when you answer this tell me details of how you are including the obstets. training in the Gen: 4 years – It may reach me before May 6th when I go to Krakow – & they are hoping to do the same and would be interested – Spent this am sitting in a 10’ x 8’ room at a H. Centre – a Tb. dispensary children & adults – Every child seen was Von Pirquet positive, & all looked so ill & poor No room in preventoria & sanatoria for

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a fraction of the number who should be there. The U.S.A. & U.K. Quakers are organising relief in one of the worst areas near Kielce – at Kozniece & have invited me to go down later & see how it is functioning & what I think. The Danish Quakers are going to do the same in the district we saw last week. They’d just arrived at the right time. If you see Miss K. tell her that I think we will be able to do much we recommended in the Report & other things too, if I have scope & of course money – I have given a lot of thought to the matter & feel almost enthusiastic about tackling it, but we will have to make a big united effort to achieve anything – no sign of P.N.P. or Report yet, but am always hoping!

I have a carved snapshot album which was given to me – will try & send it by R.A.F. lads to you to hold, also some more oddments for presents.

My various investigations from Polish relatives in Aust. keep me busy and if I have to call on them when I return I’ll be constantly on the move!!

Well, that’s all, not a very interesting or newsy letter but brings all the best wishes etc

Much love,
Muriel
Will arrange for E.R.O. to notify N.S.W. not to send my field allowance £6.5 to London after the [indecipherable] lot.

[Page 9]
Warsaw.
13.4.46.
My dear Mother,
Your welcome letter of April 1st came just now – am very sorry you have missed some but they will probably have arrived by now – also several parcels & a couple of birthday presents but not by air mail –

Have just been in "town" looking for a brown hat – all seem to be Paris styles & not English sports models which is what I want. It is Sat. aft: glorious weather & the flower shops perfect – Enormous blue clematis, hydrangeas, daffodils, lily of valley, carnations orchids – in fact everything you can imagine, to butter cups & wild violets sold by the women flower sellers in the streets.

Warsaw improves every day & more & more shops open in all kinds of queer corners – saw a small glass case, containing one Paris model hat, fixed to a lamp post today. You will have had my map of Poland by this fancy you finding Laski – its only a small village really – I shall be interested to read all the old papers abouts Poland’s early days of war, when I return.

My costume will be very nice – bought a piece of summer material for a frock

2.
today as I shall have nothing for the ship and probably no coupons in England. Fancy you only receiving those few things of Flos garments – you have to be on the spot to get the goods – & when I told Lan that Flo had given me the teaset she seemed quite upset & disappointed – Anyway we’ll enjoy tea out of it soon.

I think I told you I was going to Krakow for Easter – looking forward to it very much – London wrote & informed me that there were 30 parcels for me & what would they do – each approx: 7 lbs & would cost 7/6 for every 22 lbs by Polish post – I sent my kit bag & told them to send by ships which come in two or three times weekly!! So far nothing, but they would be lovely to take to Krakow.

One Polish woman in our office makes the most lovely posies & I am ordering some & will give her some of Budds silks when they arrive – will bring you one.

Did I tell you I received another cheque from B.B.C for something I can’t remember doing "Belsen for Health" suppose it was the talk I gave with R. Dimbledy. It will help – Miss Szloch ran into a patient from Belsen the other day, I must call & see her – She & her husband have opened a shop in Warsaw – I think she had Tb: or was a query as far as I can remember. The peasants in certain villages

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wear lovely hand dyed & woven striped skirts & capes. Each village seems to have its own design like a tartan – Am trying to get some for a cushion, but it is very difficult as they say they have not made any during the war & probably have no fleeces – I have only seen about ½ dozen sheep in Poland.

Do you remember a grocer called Rout in Launceston – Recd. two parcels from Frankfurt ex Belsen, with card inside no name of any sender so suppose I shall have to write & thank him. They are identical with one received earlier with no card – He may have just seen my name as being at Belsen & sent them for the patients. Milk, Horlicks, soap, toothbrushes, shoe polish etc. very good.

Had interval for cup of tea. Don’t think I’ll ever take milk in tea again the way the Poles make it is lovely. It is interesting that we have not imported a State Governor this time – Don’t know anything about L. Gen: Northcott. Had letter from Lan last week will you thank him – I can’t keep up with letters these days & when the 30 parcels come, I don’t know what I’ll do.

Take care of yourself – I’m only waiting for the word "go" & I’ll be off home & to Avalon.

Much love – Muriel

[Air letter cover]
Mrs R. K. Doherty
7 Rocklands Road
Wollstonecraft
New South Wales
Australia.

39
came April 26

[Page 11]
Warsaw.
21/4/46.
My dear Mother,
Another welcome newsy letter from you, dated April 8th & arrived on 17th – very good as it had to come on from London. How do you manage to find so much news to send. Am so glad you received birthday greetings in time. Hope the map has arrived by now, but you will need the whole of Europe for my trip from Warsaw, via Czech Slovakia, the US zone of Southern Germany to the Swiss border town of Buchs.

They only give a 3 days visa, anything more has to go to Berne, but I have to come back on the Red Cross train, so will see what can be done in 3 days without Swiss francs, or US dollars, neither of which are procurable. I am going as observer at the invitation of the Swiss Red Cross on a train taking 400 Tb & threatened tb children for 6 months – I don’t know all details yet, but it should be interesting especially as we collect another 400 Polish D.P. children in US Zone for the return trip and may call at Munich, Annaburg & Heideberg.

I may not be able to get a letter away while on the journey, but will have one ready to post immediately on my return – which will also go with my resignation from UNRRA

2.
on return to Sydney. I think I have to give 2 weeks’ notice here & expect to be on the trip 3 weeks –

Well, 24 of the 30 parcels arrived. I have addressed a community letter to Budd with all details, but you can just imagine what my room was & is like, of course, the food is wonderful & I am giving it away to people who really need it – nurses mostly – The sweets, raisins, peel, peanut toffee & loaf sugar I’ve broken up into two cake tins & will take with me to give to the children on the journey. A RAAF Unit in Melb. sent a huge tin of shortbread, but unfortunately it was all broken up, but tastes just the same – Many thanks for contents of your three which are most acceptable

Glad you showed Miss Edgar the house – she was always interested & is a nice girl to have as a neighbour. Haven’t received S. Steel’s parcel yet but expect there will be another 30 collecting in London – Hope some remain there as the people there need some luxury foods after all these years of rigid rationing. Sorry about Mr. Creagh’s son dying in N.S. He will feel the loss. A dictionary (German-English) came from Lan, rather late but will find someone who will

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need it – She meant it for Belsen. A lovely parcel from Kit also – Cheese Tinned fruit, Milk, honey & jelly c: The honey is lovely & the fruit I had over these holidays as no meals are available anywhere today & on other days have been only at certain hours.

The cuttings sound lovely – hope they all grow – The improvements at Avalon are rapid & Budd says the septic tank is to be connected soon. Would you like the [indecipherable] back at No 7 when the RAAF breaks up at Bradfield Park or shall we sell it & buy something for the cottage. If you want it tell Budd and she will make the arrangements –

Must stop now, how I’m ever going to acknowledge all the parcels I do not know.

Much love & take care of yourself – I’d like to be back for my 50th birthday party, but very much doubt if it can be managed.

Muriel.

[Air letter cover]
Mrs R. K. Doherty
7 Rocklands Road
Wollstonecraft
New South Wales
Australia.

40
came May 2

[Page 13]
Warsaw. 27.4.46
My dear Mother,
Saturday afternoon & I should have been on the train to Switzerland – First we were to leave on 25th then 27th and now the trip is postponed till a week or 10 days.

Reason being that the authorities (and there are six ministeries involved in the matter) failed to ask for authority to take the children through the U.S. Zone!!! So a clerk in the office & I went to the Praya markets – a fascinating place across the river – We walked there, I bought a piece of cotton material for a dress, pair of silk stockings, pair of peasant slippers for you and a peasant scarf – none of them expensive. We then had dinner 3 pm at a very nice café in Praya & took one of the "unofficial taxis" back to the Poloma – 45 zh each –

Found your letter of Ap: 15th waiting – Was sorry to hear that a Sunderland went down, without survivors – You say mails of March 9th & 20th from London – I hope you mean 19 & 20 for my No 3 community letter was sent by air from here on 5th & would probably be in London on or about the 5th or 9th – otherwise there would be the usual air letters because all parcels go by ship – and your gloves one in each envelope too

Well, I put in my request for release from this mission today – Asked to be returned to London on or about June 1st for return to Aust: for termination of appointment – Had a cable from Miss K. yesterday asking me if I would accept Miss Evans job as the Federal one was uncertain at present. I replied regretting that it didn’t appeal to me –

I am going to have a long holiday & hope you are too, when I return and will then see what turns up – I would, of course, prefer to retire from active work, but don’t think finances will run to that, what I want to do of course, is to live at Avalon!
I think I told you in a previous letter that I hope to have two weeks’ leave in Cornwall – there’s sure to be a wait for a ship and it should be very nice there in June – Don’t expect I’ll be back for my 50th birthday so will have to postpone celebrations.

You say the weather was pouring when you wrote. While writing this one of my favourite thunderstorms, and the first, I think, in Poland was booming – Just as it subsided & the rain came down, a knock came at the door – An officer in uniform a man I had met when that movie was taken – he was the cinema photographer & had lived in Melbourne for several years & has now asked me to send a letter to the Lord Mayor – he & his brother want to return there – both experts in the film business & he is marvellous at "handling" the people being photographed. So we had a cup of tea together & a bit of shortbread –

I told you of the 24 parcels – another 12 arrived later – Have written to London asking them to hold any more & I’ll give them to the people there – who need food badly –

Did I mention the places we visited on the tour of Kielce Province – Here they are & you can look them up on your map. Kielce (South of Warsaw) Opatow Sandomierz (where we had the banquet) Stopnica, Busko, Pinczors & back to Kielce via Radom – Actually we went the other way round. I have also been from Wejherowo, near Gdyni] (in north) via Bydgoszcz, Torun, Wloctawek, Warszawa, Protrkow, Czestochowa Latowice, Krakow to Zakopane – the length of Poland & nearly all the

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way via the Vistula (Wista) and certainly from its source to mouth. So you’ll be busy with your map.

Wonder if you went to Avalon for Easter. The trees are lovely here now – so green – almost overnight & the flower women selling, daffodils, buttercups, & violets in the streets – On the way to Praya & in that suburb the streets were full of vendors – Brassiers of all colours hung over their arms, liver, entrails, bits of heart, blood vessels, on mounds of earth or a pile of bricks, bread rolls, chastka (buns) sausages, shoes, cigarettes and various other items being peddalled in trays, baskets or by hand – Combined with the dust of many thousand feet you can imagine the result. But they must live –

Well, I’ll be busy now until I leave, and all agog until I reach Sydney. Had a letter from Fauna on the way home, expected to be there soon after Easter and was looking forward to seeing you soon after –

The packets of papers I send home may have something of interest for you to see, so please go through them – The account of life in this Hotel was probably in one – typed copy –

Must write home more now – with love and take care of yourself – and get the hot buttered toast & scrambled eggs ready –

Muriel

[Air letter cover]
Mrs R. K. Doherty
7 Rocklands Rd
Wollstonecraft
New South Wales
Australia.

41
came May 9

[Page 15]
Warsaw.
5.5.46
My dear Mother,
I’m still here waiting for the word go – U.S. Zone hasn’t sent the telegraph saying they’ll lend us an engine to pass through their Zone – Lovely weather. May 1 & 3 holidays – latter Polish National holiday since 17. The first you know.

Letter from Kit on holiday at Langs – Dead secret there some farmer at Rye wants to marry Lorraine & Mama won’t hear of it. I remember the man McDonald, I think. Can’t imagine her on the farm. Don’t mention to Lan as Grant told Kit. So glad you enjoyed your Easter trip to Avalon – The chops sound delicious – We’ll have a longer holiday when I return.

Have just come up from Sunday midday dinner at Poloma restaurant. 3.40 pm. Service is perfect in all Polish restaurants & cafés no matter how small or how little to eat. Almost all have their piano or orchestra which I’ll miss when I return to the food dumped in front of you, a queue behind your chair, and a

2.
general atmosphere of "get it over as soon as you can" – Had a pork cutlet. Very large – they all are – half the size would suit me – Tort & tea – the latter because our little electric cooker in bedroom won’t work.

For breakfast we have roll, coffee & fried egg, turned, at the "Kawiarina" a small café in the Hotel open from 8 am – 12 noon – 8 pm – 12 mn. Lunch at various places, old & new, & dinner in evening either ‘Kaprys’, a few blocks down, ‘Angola’ just open, or Poloma. Daylight saving makes the evenings lovely – the trip should be marvellous if the carriages have windows – I hear now it is Prague, Leipzig, Frankfurt, Buchs (Swiss frontier) If you look at the map you will see that we probably go down the Rhine & round Lake Constance. I hope so.

Am having three cotton dresses made and finished a slip – Bought a night dress, but it’s too small – so will turn it into a slip rather than journey to the Praya markets to change it for something else – no larger size.

Am still distributing foodstuffs to various people who need them – The contents of the 37 parcels were wonderful. Miss Riley, R.A.H.C. sent a lovely parcel of bleached burlap or hessian & wools.

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Finlow sent me an address of a guest house in Fowey just opened by three London Hosp. ex-sisters – Sounds very nice, and will fill in time, if I have to wait for a ship –

You will probably have seen Fauna before you receive this. Am sorry Kathleen hasn’t got a job, but not surprised. Am going to try & find Dr. Goldschlag’s sister who is in Warsaw at present & who was to come & see me, but through a mistaken message didn’t arrive – He was the Bellevue Hill one – I have so many on my list now, its hard to keep track, but it means a lot to relatives to hear news.

Belsen is supposed to close May 1st but Dr. Tewsley wrote & said the remaining people don’t want to leave (& have nowhere to go to anyway) so I don’t know what they’ll do.

Wish you could come for a walk. Lilac out everywhere, plum & cherry blossom, tulips buttercups, violets & every imaginable flower in profusion. Probably cabbages, lettuce & potatoes would do them more good, but I don’t know. It does raise morale to see the flower shops & street sellers.

Much love, & take care of yourself.

Muriel.

[Air letter cover]
Mrs. R. K. Doherty
7 Rocklands Road
Wollstonecraft
New South Wales
Australia.

42.

[Page 17]
Warsaw.
May 9th 1946.
My dear Budd,
Another of the series of holidays we’ve had lately has passed – Easter, May 1 & 3 & now V.E. Day – Rather cloudy, windy & dusty –

Miss S. & I set out on foot 10 am to see the celebrations on Stalin Platz now renamed Victory Platz – which was bedecked with Polish & allied flags – We missed each other in the crowd en route & I made my way on alone, for I wanted to compare our mode of celebration with theirs – Saw everyone being halted en route, so smilingly muttered "UNRRA" not all in Polish uniforms are Poles – but I was fortunate in meeting the right ones – Soldiers everywhere machine guns, submachine & pistols – Nearly ¾ (I should say) were military – spectators –

Finally arv. at Platz, but could not see grandstand – P.P.S. & P.P.R. banners & white or blue shirts & scarlet ties – youths – marched in – Peasant Party led by Peasants in glorious brilliant home spun striped skirts capes & coloured head scarves – & the green banners were the best – The Polish Nat. Anthem & every one at salute – President & marshalls arriving & driving round, standing up & saluting the party members – who cheered.

The Platz also contained hundreds of infantry men in the new caps which they hate (Russian pattern) & fixed bayonets – Ditto on all rooftops or ruins surrounding – Everywhere just bustling with guns – a victory parade – The Soviets were decked out in all very smart uniforms & jangling with medals – Goering eclipsed – one gent had left side of chest (& a large one) completely covered – They [indecipherable] below belts

2.
and right side contained the highest stars –

When the Anthem was being repeated and the planes had ceased to drop leaflets – a terrific explosion occurred – Land Mine Size – but was only lovely display of blue & gold smoke curls and sprays of golden, green, orange & silver balls – There were eight of these nerve wracking reverberating explosions –

More Nat. Anthem & everyone at the salute – and then the crowd opposite & alongside began to get restless – and later ugly – I heard machine gun fire nearby & having stood 1 ½ hrs I thought I’d better move on as squads of men with submachine guns at the ready, finger on trigger, were rushing to the scene, almost touching me – All the way along the long road they were breaking out & I was quite glad to get away – and finally back to Polomia –

You’ll wonder why I’m not in Switzerland – well, negotiations are still going on with U.S. Zone – latest is they say that if Poles find it necessary to send children to Switzerland they (U.S.) do not consider that 400 from their Zone should be brought back to bad conditions in Poland – There’s also trouble over the engine too, & I suspect there’s more behind it also – If they do not make up their minds soon I’ll withdraw –

After lunch today we went to Praga, to tea with Miss Lankajtes – Usual over filling hospitality – There was a disturbance on the way, but couldn’t see – came back in daylight by "taxi" – the Govt. cars which take passengers (on the side line)

Many thanks for letter of 26.4. Posted 27 & received here on May 8th. Very good

[Page 18]
3.
The enclosure cutting from SMH – re Mr. Holloway & plans for nursing improvements interesting – I’m writing to him – will send a copy later. Many thanks for sending slips – I’ve now got 3, with 3 cool dresses, costume & blouses gloves & stockings. May even manage to get another dress before leaving Poland –

Saw in London papers you had the Royal guest & that all was well – We found Godson a poor nurse, but loquacious talker –

If you address any further parcels care of Miss Szloch, U.N. RRA Mission to Poland c/- E.R.O. 11 Portland Place & put contents on outside & note inside to Krakow Nurses she will send them on for me – it will be less expensive for you – All our last letters are stamped all over "please notify your correspondents your correct address" and on enquiry we find 99 has moved but we’ve not yet been informed of new address!!

Have sent a number of parcels lately & will send a few more oddments I’ve picked up for presents – If I put "gift" on outside you’ll know its to avoid customs – have you had to pay on any? How is Aunt Charley? We’ve just had our third move of offices yesterday – and what a muddle. Give my love to Fauna – Hope your family are all well, my love there too – I have received several copies of Womens Weekly lately – Is that Alt’s handwriting on them?

Must to sleep now – with much love & don’t work so hard Hope the strikes are over now –

Muriel

[Air letter cover]
Miss H. B. Hetherington
Royal Prince Alfred Hospital
Missenden Road
Camperdown
New South Wales
Australia.

[Page 19]
Warsaw.
10.5.46.
My dear Mother,
Am still in Warsaw and doubt whether we’ll ever get to Switzerland as the technicalities seem to be causing delay. Your letter of April 27 arrived on 7th May & as it was only stamped 29th at Crows Nest, that was nine days – pretty good. It’s quite bleak & cold here today and as we only moved to this new office two days ago (our 3rd move) there is no heating or electricity –

Glad some of the surface mail is reaching you now – the gloves should appear soon. You ask where the flowers in Warsaw grow – I believe there are big hot houses nearby but haven’t seen them – and have passed numbers of glass frames which seem to protect some – Will you try & get a bit of bleeding heart for Avalon – saw some in a vase today – lovely. Told Budd about the Victory Parade I attended yesterday so will not repeat. Such contrast to our own –

Don’t know the exact date of my return to London, but will withdraw from the Swiss trip if something doesn’t happen soon. And the 1st week in June is the date I gave – I believe the Empire

2.
Victory Parade is in London on June 9th. Would very much like to see that – Won’t know until I get to London which way I am returning – Of course Canada would be my choice, but that I think is out of the question.

Sat in a café for one hour at Lunch today and 16 beggars came in. Friday is the day when some of the shops give a percentage of their earnings to these people. It is amazing to see how quickly the city is temporarily being repaired – Roads cleared where they day before mounds of rubble stood. The work is largely done by women and mostly brick by brick.

Is there anything you would particularly like me to bring you back from London (or here) you have time to say so – One thing I want to read on my return is Mein Kampf – but don’t know whether it is procurable now – Having seen this end of Adolf’s plan it would be interesting to see how much was according to plan –

Miss Lankajtes, Director of Nursing, Ministry of Health, entertained Miss Szloch & me at her "home" yesterday – all Polish food. The home

[Page 20]
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made chastka (cakes). Although not made with butter & very little fat, were lovely. The pancakes with savoury minced meat inside were likewise good – Lettuce & tea completed the repast – much more enjoyable than restaurant meals. The Poles say "your plate must never be empty, nor must the serving plate", which accounts for their hospitality & great generosity – When I say Poles, I always exclude the Govt. & party members.

My new dresses are going to be so nice – it is lovely to feel the civilian clothes again – never no more uniform – I am rushing to catch the mail. The holidays have upset the daily routine – but I think that’s the end for the present – All my juicy news will have to wait until I return – Take care of yourself, I’ll tell you definitely in a few weeks when I’ll be back.

Much love
Muriel

[Air letter cover]
Mrs. R. K. Doherty
7 Rocklands Road
Wollstonecraft
New South Wales
Australia.

Came May 22
43

[Page 21]
May 25th 1946.
My dear Mother,
I have had great plans to write to you from every port of call in this "European Journey", but I am in Munich now and this is the first letter I’ve written!! Well, this will only be a brief outline of what I’ve been doing, to post the moment I arrive in Warsaw again.

After nearly 3 weeks’ delay, we set out from Warsaw on Polish Red Cross Hospital train with 400 children from the Capital. The train was moderately clean & fairly comfortable – The food truly Polish and very plain, but sufficient. Mostly black bread without butter, thick porridge flavoured either with cocoa, gravy, or plain – We did have white rolls once or twice en route & some meat in the goulash & butter etc from Red Cross en route –

From Warsaw to Katowice near Krakow, Ostrava in Czechs Slovakia, Kolin Prague, Pilsen, to Regensburg, Augsburg, Ulm* Heidelberg to Frankfurt in Germany Down to Munich via Wurzburg, Steinach Trenchtlingen – where I am at the moment. *I forgot to mention that from Ulm we went to Buchs on the Swiss border via the extreme west of the Austrian tyrol, returning the same way

2.
to Ulm & then up to Frankfurt. Eleven days’ delay here before train sets out, so I decided to leave & return immediately so that I can finally leave Poland for London the first week in June.

It has been an intensely interesting journey, both from within the train & for the lovely country we passed thro! Czechoslovakia is just wonderful – I was sorry that our original delay gave the Spring blossom time to change into green – That must have been lovely. At Prague we had an hour to ran round the city quickly – Quite interesting & some attractive things in the shops, which were closed in the evening.[Angsberg] we dashed round also, but there’s nothing much to see in the German shops – they’re practically empty & very dull & heavy.

I spent one day in Zurich, at least going & coming with 3 hours in the city. Lovely shops, Hotels on the lake. Had lunch in the garden of one where the Azaleas were quite 8 feet high. The journey to & from mainly along the banks of Walder See & Zurich See was lovely. Frankurt like Munich is badly damaged & uninteresting &

[Page 22]
3.
we only passed by Heidelberg. Crossed the Danube twice but it wasn’t blue. Are now setting out for Berchestgaden to spend the night with Adolfs ghost.

Later. After many delays & difficulties we arrived in Berchestgaden at 7.30 pm on 25.5.46. The next day we set out for Hitler’s Eagle’s Nest, the secret hideout, 2,600 metres on the tip of a mountain peak. We drove up with some U.S. G.I’s (enlisted men) (Berchestgaden is a leave centre for U.S. Army) Through 5 tunnels, on narrow hairpin bend road and finally thro’ copper & steel door in rock face, along a long well lighted corridor to ante room and into a copper & steel lift – up 124 metres to his "Nest" – A magnificent round building perched on & built into extreme top & edge of mountain. All doors had the locks shot away & one of the large double glass windows also had a shot through. Magnificent view of Austria through a gap in the Mountains.

On the way down stopped at Hitler’s House or what the Allies left of it and wandered through some of the 6 miles of tunnels in his 66 metre deep "bunker" – Air Raid Sh: All details when I write. Am now in Frankfurt flying to Berlin this afternoon & hoping to go on to Warsaw soon after. When you receive this I may be in London on my return journey to Australia.

I must go to UNRRA travel office now can’t post this here – better to send from Berlin or Warsaw. Much love from your wandering daughter.

Muriel.

[Air letter cover]
O.A.S.
Mrs. R. K. Doherty
7 Rocklands Rd
Wollstonecraft
New South Wales
Australia.

44

[Page 23]
Warsaw. 2.6.46
My dear Budd,
"Home" once more – arrived yesterday at 12.45 pm. after a very stormy flight from Berlin, through a hailstorm & much bumpy weather – We were delayed half an hour taking off because the Russians had not given permission to cross their sector in Berlin. The trip before, the Pilot told me, that two fighters had come up to investigate & shots have been fired on more than one occasion I believe.

By the time you get this I’ll be in London, I hope, so you need not worry about me – I posted an air letter to Mother in Berlin – or rather, I asked a British M.P. I saw to do so for me – No one seemed to know how I sent letters to Aust. from the U.S. Zone – I waited to return before writing to you to make sure one of you received news of me.

There were two letters from you waiting for me – one dated 6.5.46, posted 7.5.46 & recd. in London 13.5.46 – very good & a record for me. The other was 18.12.45 from Miss Vale addressed to Frankfurt on Main! Evidently they are Spring cleaning because 4 Dec: ones from Mother came also – Goodness knows how many more went that way – When in Frankfurt I rang (having previously written) to ask them to send all mail which might be there to London –

Well, I did have an interesting trip round & while in Berlin did a tour (twice) with American Red Cross bus, round the city. We visited among other places Hitler’s Chancelery & his Air Raid Shelter – Saw where he & Eva Braun were supposed to have died & where Goebels & his family committed suicide – Cracked a nice blue tile off the bathroom wall (with the aid of a young German policeman) it will make a nice teapot stand – collected a few mosaics from the floor of his mosaic room & one or two other oddments. Also wrote my name & address on the wall of his air raid s!!

We drove down the Unter den Linden past the Tiergarden, which is now a vegetable patch & saw the Reichstag – All these places are in ruins now – some more than others – Will try & write a community letter – My diary is terribly untidy – It was almost impossible to write in the train, unless stationary & then no time or concentration.

Was going to try & be in London for the Victory March on Sat. but am too late! Had written to Miss Lang hoping she’d be there – Letter from her on my return saying no heads of services were selected by Defence Comm: but Miss Sage made a fuss & her [indecipherable] went to Army Min: & he over-ruled the Comm: But Air Board did nothing. Disgraceful – Miss Whealley represents [indecipherable] nurses – she would – because the

[Page 24]
selected one Miss Ward did not want to go: & she was next acc: to regulations. You can’t imagine how excited I am now & looking forward to our holiday at Avalon.

Sorry your Father has a spot on his hand. It should clear up quickly with Xray – Mothers nose did. Hope Miss K. got my air letter – I could not send a cable from here. Am glad the parcels are arriving – we’ll have a sorting when I return.

It’s very hot in Warsaw & my nice khaki uniform is very snug! Will be glad to get into civilians but want to keep them for England & the trip. Will probably send a cable when I know definitely the date & write of my return – Don’t please have a red carpet out – Keep your colour scheme neutral, I want a change!!

When you know how I’m coming you might let UNRRA know that I’d prefer to return to No 7 direct on arrival & see them the next day at their office – I hope I can escape Press & Photographers & slip away quietly & I hope you’ll have the day off & be ready for holidays – You had better address my letters c/- U.N.R.R.A. 11 Portland Place London, W.1. when you receive this –

Later. Am booked to fly to London on Saturday June 8th So will be writing from there next –

Much love – Muriel.

[Air letter cover]
Miss H. B. Hetherington
Royal Prince Alfred Hospital
Missenden Road
Camperdown
New South Wales
Australia.

[Page 25]
U.N.R.R.A. European Regional Office
11 Portland Place
London W.1.
10.6.46.
My dear Mother,
In London at last, arrived yesterday by air and just missed the Victory Parade by 24 hours – Anyway, I am glad to be here on my way back after an exceptionally strenuous year & all I want now is a long holiday. Arrived on Sunday & today is the Whitsuntide Holiday so haven’t seen any UNRRA officials to set the ball rolling towards Sydney.

I posted you a letter from Frankfurt and Budd one on arrival in Warsaw on June 1st. The interval until I left on June 7th was as you can imagine very hectic – We flew to Berlin, spent Sat: night there & on to London yesterday – a very rough trip from Berlin, thunderclouds & rain and quite the ‘bumpiest’ trip I’ve had –

London is bedecked with flags although there was, I believe, much criticism of holding a parade when there doesn’t appear to be any peace in the world – but I think it should consolidate the empire and show our strength to the world. Russia, Poland & Yugoslavia were not represented – I am not surprised for the latter two are completely dominated by Russia & do exactly as they are told.

I had many sad & tender farewells from my Polish friends & was really sorry to leave them to their fate. The customs officer at Croydon was much more interested in how the Poles liked the Russians than in looking through my baggage. I declared all

[Page 26]
2.
and got through without any trouble –

There will be plenty to tell you when I arrive – Don’t even know if I can manage that holiday in Cornwall yet. Met an Edna Davis – (Melb:) in Warsaw on leaving – Friend of Heritages & only in Poland for a few days. Said Norah was in Middle East I think –

Hope the many parcels I’ve sent arrive safely. There has been a bout of pilfering of the UNRRA mail either in Warsaw or London – I have been sending all the things I’ve bought for presents & will sort & select after you’ve had your pick. Sent them c/- Budd as you would have to trek to Crows Nest (By the way, Crows’ Nest can’t compare with Hitler’s Eagle’s Nest & I’m glad you don’t have to do your shopping at the latter – Want to catch the mail so must hasten.

Much love
Muriel.

[Air letter cover]
Mrs. R. K. Doherty
7 Rocklands Road
Wollstonecraft
New South Wales
Australia

Came June 19 18
45

[Page 27]
UNRRA European Regional Office
11 Portland Place
London W.1.
10.6.46.
My dear Budd,
Am hastening to send you & Mother a note hoping you will receive it in the next eight days or so. Arrived in London, yesterday Sunday 9.6.46 – very cold & showery. Will not duplicate news.

Met Dr. Bauer, Rockefeller Foundation on plane, just returning from Warsaw. He gave me an opening & I asked about my travelling fellowship. Advised me to contact their office in London & Washington or N. York. Then put the Aust. position of nursing conditions to him & our chances of Rockefeller assistance for a College of Nursing. Thought our chances were quite good!! Now this will have to be handled very carefully & secretly at present – but I can see a college under Royal Patronage in the future. He agreed that that would raise the standard immediately –

If you think Miss K. would not mention it to a soul & not use it to the ANF advantage until I return, you can tell her when you see her – that I am going into the question – It might save ANF although it could not discriminate in associations – it would be Federal, with branches and ATNA could be perhaps used to develop those branches. Where the College would be would cause a lot of heartburnings, but I hope not Canberra – Sydney would be best ass: with University & Rockefeller Med: Sch: – Another one of my wild schemes!!!

If I can get a fellowship to see things on the way back I could do much I think. I don’t think they should do too much about a Nursing Comm: or Fed: Act until I see what can be done – He said the request would have to come from the Federal Govt: so I would have to see Mr. Frazer on my return & discuss it – better than writing – I wrote to Fed: Min: for Labour after seeing the cutting where he was going to do things for the profession – But as I’ve had

[Page 28]
no mail for 3 weeks (They seem to have held it up in London) I won’t know until tomorrow whether Mr. Kelly has replied. They say there are 25 parcels for me also – Will try & see Miss Neville soon also & could take her something from your parcel –

I’m longing to get back & my trav: sch: would be getting me nearer home all the time. Will write again soon when I get your mail and am struggling with my last Polish community. Must try & see Looker also, but she will probably be tied up with Miss Sage, I suppose –

Must go & try & find a meal – The food shortage is seen here or rather the monotony & limitations

Take care of yourself, there’s lots of work to be done at the cottage!

Much love
Muriel.

[Air letter cover]
Miss H. B. Hetherington
Royal Prince Alfred Hospital
Missenden Road
Camperdown
New South Wales
Australia

[Page 29]
C/- Commonwealth Bank
Australia House
Strand. WC2.
15/6/46
My dear Budd,
Am in Peter Robinson’s having a cup of tea amid a hectic rush round in search of a hat for my old blue overcoat & costume – Very difficult. Managed to get 3 weeks holiday & report to "Travel" Section on July 8th to hear when a ship goes –

Saw Dr. Bauer of the Rockefeller on the plane from Warsaw & had opportunity to mention travelling scholarship – advised me to see Miss Brackett at London office – had met her previously. Saw her & Dr. Leach & they advised me to get Fed: Govt. to recommend me – only way it can be done – Cabled Fed. Min: Health yesterday and also gave Miss Lang as reference & cabled her – She has all my history & thinks a lot of me, so will have some influence in recommendation.

Time is the trouble – If I can’t get a reply next week, I shall have to proceed with UNRRA arrangements & go straight back to Sydney – The opp: to go via U.S. etc would be invaluable & give me an opp: to discuss their assisting with College of Nursing. It won’t delay my return by much if I get it. Then I followed Min: cable with letter & gave him my history & reasons – I also had to write an outline for Rockefeller as to conditions in nursing in Aust. All takes time –

Having difficulty in getting in anywhere in Cornwall

2.
Going to Finlow’s tomorrow & will try from there. Have masses of letters awaiting me. The fool of a Miss Haines held them up. Many parcels (25) mainly the clothing for Poland. Had to pay on one which had burst open and exposed contents! (10/7) I think there were 8 or 9 and I am arranging for them to be sent on

Loved your news & description of progress at Avalon. You say "I mightn’t like it" – I know every corner now & love it – Longing to get there Know there is lots to answer in your letter but I haven’t them here – Slip arrived safely – Sorry I put Wollstonecraft on your letter. I had a feeling I’d done that in a hurry, after addressing Mothers.

No sign of P.N.P. yet – Olive R. said she had sent a copy to Krakow – I’m so glad as Miss Kulezynska is writing a book for the Polish nurses & will be glad to see it. No chance of the Polish Govt. using ours – They don’t like "these foreign ideas" – which makes it very difficult for their progressive nurses Sir Raphael & Miss Creelman resigned. He goes to Washington & she may go to China or home. Can’t help feeling they’ve had clashes with Gen: Morgan & he Sir Raphael being wiley is getting in first before anything can be said their reason is futile & obvious not sincere.

Food position here seems awful – The meals consist of sausage, mince, fish cakes mash & cabbage – you know the awful monotonous thing – mostly bread.

Your parcel with bottle of special vitamin, stockings, toffee & other good things arrived. However do you manage to get so much in to that space. Many thanks.

Miss K wrote re job & said was certain to be in Melb. as Miss Bell President – I replied

[Page 30]
3.
impossible for me to go permanently or leave Mother again – trips would be a different matter. Will cable any news re Rockefeller for publication & date of my sailing if that falls through because Govt. too slow

Will see Miss Neville when I return – she doesn’t know I’m here so it will wait – Miss Wheatly left message for me to ring – but haven’t had time. She was in V. march Sorry Looker did not get scholarship – that was a silly reason for not awarding it. Miss Mendham said Mr. Hart, Sec: NSW Assn – where is Mrs. McCready & why did she leave? That shows seems to be purely political now & their magazine isn’t much good.

Later Your lovely big bobby pins & the bits of comb came in just the right time –

Could go on writing but must to bed, its very late & I go to Cheshire first thing in the am – Will try & write a letter next time – but it won’t be long before I tell you in person –

Much love, don’t overdo things – My chest is good now quite cleared up –

Muriel

[Air letter cover]
Miss H. B. Hetherington
Royal Prince Alfred Hospital
Missenden Road
Camperdown
New South Wales
Australia.

[Page 31]
C/- Commonwealth Bank
Australia House, Strand
London. W.C.2.
16.6.46.
My dear Mother,
UNRRA mail unit must have had a spring cleaning for the letters from you which have arrived recently are dated – Dec: 10, 17, 23, 1945. May 6, 13, 20, 26 1946 & June 3. 1946!! Well, the Dec: news was interesting reading but I expect there are still some missing –

It’s lovely to be in England but the weather is almost like mid-winter instead of mid summer – Very cold, heavy rain & no sunshine – I am at present up at the Finlows – having commenced my three weeks’ leave pending a reply from the Aust. Minister for Health – Budd will give you details of that development. I came up yesterday & there doesn’t seem much chance of getting in anywhere in Cornwall – so many people have their holidays now & everywhere is booked out months ahead.

Glad you gave the measurements of music stool. Will look out for a bit of tapestry – sorry to hear about Grant’s ill health, but of course, Lan, always puts the worst story on. However, he has had a lot of responsibility over his relatives & was very ill that time recently. Preparations for my demi-century birthday celebrations sound lovely – a grilled chop in the open sounds equally good.

The food rationing in England greatly limits

2.
variety & makes great monotony – 2 oz cheese, 1/2lb sugar, 2 oz. butter & 3 ozs. marg: 2 ozs bacon, 2 ozs tea, meat very few unrationed goods seem to be available either – It seems awful that U.K. has to make further cuts & USA still appears to be living very well. I told you I would just miss the Victory Parade & of course did – Saw it on movies & will try the technicolour later.

You’d love this garden – Giant French poppies – self sewn – lovely colours. Huge lupins, delphiniums, rhododendrons in profusion and masses of ordinary English flowers, columbines, etc. Will try & buy primrose, polyanthus & bleeding heart seeds & anything else that seems attractive. Received 25 parcels on arrival in London, including one from Lan & one from Kit – both lovely food contents and most useful to bring up here – you feel you are taking necessary food from them if you can’t give something –

Will you ask Budd if she can order a parcel at D.J’s or somewhere, address to Miss Finlow, Abbeyfields near Sandbach Cheshire, endorsed "Gift" and debited from my account – The things needed are fats – tinned dripping, butter or margarine, if possible (someone sent me dripping in Poland from Aust:) tinned ham, bacon or tongues, sugar, salmon, sardines seedless raisins – I have just discussed this with them and they (although protesting of course) say those are the things they need most – so don’t let them fill in with other things would be better to wait until they are available –

Monday 17. Your air letter of 10 June arrived at the Bank 15/6 & here today – Isn’t that marvellous actually only 4 days in transit – Sorry you are missing my letters but knew that there would be a gap while I was in Switzerland – Keep to the Bank address. I’m arranging for them to send on anything where ever I am & look how promptly

[Page 32]
3.
I got todays – am so excited about my return now and simply longing to see the cottage – Fancy Budd putting in 6 fruit trees –

The asparagus bed here is good. I’d like one at Avalon – not very much trouble once it’s prepared. How you manage to eat 4 chops amazes me – how I long for one Glad you lent Budd the watch – Sorry Aunt Charley died, but she had been ill a long time – Glad the parcels are arriving – you’ll have a great time choosing yours & then we’ll decide who is to have the others. You say you’ve been gardening & it tends to make your hand shaky – are you sure you’ve not got a secret source of vodka or krupink?

Yes, I enjoyed the hole in my old mattress at No 7 but will select a new one when I am sure good ones are on the markets again. Finlows nephew Arthur, Indian Navy knows the Sam Horderns & Arnotts – was at Jesus College Cambridge with former – are those Gerties friends – If so she might say he sent his regards, is married now & awaiting demobilisation, I think.

Hope to have some definite date of return. Budd told me the Duchess had read my Belsen letters! Well, its still pouring & very cold – all my new summer frocks still unworn – Take care of yourself,

With much love
Muriel.

[Air letter cover]
Mrs R. K. Doherty
7 Rocklands Rd
Wollstonecraft
New South Wales
Australia.

46
Came 4 June

[Page 33]
Commonwealth Bank.
Aust. House – Strand.
London WC.2.
19.6.46.
My dear Budd,
Your letter of 11.6.46 arrived at Abbeyfields this morn, and I have a few spare minutes so will answer, but my hands are so cold I can scarcely write. Mid summer, torrents of rain, hail storms & general winter conditions, with a great shortage of food & fuel –

These people are awfully nice to me, but although I have my own coupons, you feel you are taking something you shouldn’t – I asked Mother to ask you to send a parcel for me – and gave the list of things I’ve heard them say they need most – You may be able to get some of them. Very sorry to hear of Aunt Charley’s death – the sisters will miss her.

Your description of the orchard fills me with joy – how you do it all I do not know – have visualised my first conducted tour there!! Will be glad when your [indecipherable] & other activities are over – but am not keen for you to fly back from Melbourne. Sorry my plans are not finalised yet and am a bit anxious about mother – She made excuses for shaky writing and you say she is forgetful – of course – I noticed that a bit before I left – will cable as soon as I know – The thing may fall through because Fed: Govt: too slow.

23.6.46. In the sands, Pentire, Newquay, Cornwall – Much has happened since commencing this – You know how very difficult it is to write letters when staying with friends. Returned to London last Thursday, rang Ocean View Hotel here, because I liked the sound, managed to get small attic room with view of Atlantic & one of the lovely beaches here – Struggled with enormous crowds all week same ideas & arrived 5 pm yesterday – weather lovely bright sun, blue sea & sky, gentle waves, golden sand lovely walks & views – wish you were here to share it, you’d love it –

The Private Hotel is really a guest house very clean, food adequate, and position overlooking ocean & bay. Reminds me of our beach somewhat but longer – will remain two weeks & should be a different person then – Hope to gain some weight didn’t know I’d lost so much until I put on my old civilian clothes which just hang on me. Blue overcoat looks awful – three times too big –

Went to Annual Meeting R. Coll: Nursing in lovely B.M.A hall – Packed – Mr. Aneurin Bevan spoke on the National Health Service & there were other speakers from Nurse’s point of view and discussion Neil Darroch (Liverpool) McNaughton (Scotland) Earney (St Mary’s Padd:) Ceris Jones (London) & the three former & I had supper together after – we were all at Kings in 1932-33.

Met Miss Brackett (Rockefeller) in bus, she said she was leaving for Paris the next day – The office moving there – Pity before I’m fixed up

[Page 34]
3.
She’s fixing everything up for me in case N York approves of fellowship – I’m only worried about my lack of clothes for a busy trip like that. When I hear definitely will apply for special coupons for an overcoat : Cable from Miss Lang "Minister Health investigating & recommending" – Miss Brackett said she thought they’d give it provided I was going back to a job to carry out what I’d seen etc –

Remember I’d written to Mr. Kelly – think I sent you my copy – air mail – Reply here yesterday ordinary mail "Sister Doherty" (no hiding my profession on leave) & such an evasive & silly letter – I’m disgusted – sure he didn’t compose it – sounds like commission – not committing themselves – will send it to you. Think I’ll make a statement to the Press on my return about my fears & anxieties for N. prof. in Australia. and my criticism of what is not being done.

I have many letters from you – will read again & see if I’ve answered them – 14/5, 21/5, 28/5, 3/6, 31/6 – Sorry you were worried about my health in the diary – wasn’t worth worrying you about at the time, knew it would be better before you got my letters – Our garden sounds lovely & the orchard. I want an asparagus bed – is there room? Saw a lovely rock garden the other day & masses of mauve, white, blue & yellow. Could we manage a corner? Need not be a real rockery but filled with those flowering creeping border plants –

Have returned from beach – lovely quiet morning – wish you were with me – Dinner gong has gone – Take very great care of yourself

Much love
Muriel.

[Air letter cover]
Miss H. B. Hetherington
Royal Prince Alfred Hospital
Missenden Road
Camperdown
New South Wales
Australia.

[Page 35]
Newquay, Cornwall
26.6.46
My dear Mother,
Sitting overlooking one of the many lovely bays round here – 8 pm and the sun well in the sky still – It has been a perfect day after a very wet one yesterday – Am wearing the jumper Mrs. Hetherington made me, my air force cardigin & greatcoat & am not really over warm –

Came down here on Saturday last, after chancing the place after reading an advertisement. Have an attic room overlooking the Atlantic am quite comfy & the food as good as any housewife can make it on pastry without fats, sausages without meat & sweets mostly without sugar – Some lovely drives & walks –

The proprietor’s husband, a retired Colonel drove me round the coast on Monday evening before sunset – another man & his wife staying here took me to Trevone Head this afternoon. Am going by train to Falmouth tomorrow & coach tour to Penzance, Lands End & St Ives on Friday. Bookings weeks ahead for Clovelly & Bude but hope to get a cancellation next week

2.
Will be here two weeks leaving 5th or 6th July. Feel a different person already – Have seen one or two things we might get later – A back rest for beach – Canvas & tubular metal with canvas continued to sit on. Also tiny portable chair (deck style) on same lines – would suit you – Two stone mushrooms make nice garden stools and a stone bird bath on pedestal looked lovely – The valerian & purple catmint & lavender billows over the slate & granite walls in a riot of colour –

Did I tell you that your last letter dated June 10, posted June 11 readdressed from Bank to Sandbach Cheshire, was delivered on June 17th. Passed an airfield today, on the tarmac dozens of gulls were lined up in formation ready to "take off" tomorrow – just like planes. Am posting you a book of Cornish recipes "old & new" – Did you ever receive the Czech one I sent you?

The beaches round here remind me of our own coastal ones with wide golden sandy stretches – the breakers are not nearly so boisterous, of course, and I think the tide is more marked here –

Have you read "Waltzing Matilda" I bought it to give the Finlows & am reading it first – An English mans impression of Australia & very good – Arnold Haskell.

[Page 36]
3.
27.6.06. Did not finish this last night my hands were too cold. Raining all night, so my plan to go to Falmouth is off – Don’t think there’s much hope of tapestry for fire stool – terribly expensive I believe but will see.

Mail in but nothing from you. A letter from Budd dated 19/6 recd. in London 26/6 – She told me you & she had been to Avalon digging in the garden – makes me envious indeed – but it won’t be long yet.

It’s miserably wet so I’m not going out – will endeavour to write some letters & do a bit of reading.

Must get this in the post. Budd said you’d received mine posted in Berlin –

Much love
Muriel.

[Air letter cover]
Mrs. R. K. Doherty
7 Rocklands Road
Wollstonecraft
New South Wales
Australia.

47
Came July 4

[Page 37]
Truro, Cornwall. 29.6.46.
12 noon – Sitting in a bus.

My dear Budd,
Its strange where letters are written these hectic days. I came by bus to Truro thinking I could take a river trip to Falmouth. Having looked round the cathedral & had a cup of coffee, I made a few enquiries – Not running during the day – So I decided to take this double decker on and probably return by train as buses very full at that time.

Had a lovely day yesterday to Lands End, Penzance & St Ives – keep wondering if you saw these places but can’t remember. It was a perfect day & St Ives was lovely. Had a very expensive lobster tea (found price out after eating) and thoroughly enjoyed it all. The gardens all round are a picture – especially against the grey granite & slate houses with their low walls to match – Does valerian grow in Sydney – also catmint, fine lavendar & a silvery grey rock plant – What a lovely week end you & Mother had on King’s Holiday – and tea with Mr. Shelley.

Falmouth, later. Lovely drive through Norway valley to this town – Passed a large grey draught horse with mane & tail neatly plaited. A single row of red poppies, white marguerites & blue cornflowers stood straight up along the mane & a bunch adorned the neatly wound tail – May have been an exhibit in a show or merely a proud farmer – The next interesting thing I saw was a hotel with the three & ich dien etc. The name was "The plume of three feathers" which probably once was the "Prince of Wales Hotel" of pre-abdication days.

Many of the houses have glassed in front porches, full of geraniums & pelargoniums – Am at present sitting on the local wharf among the old Cornish salts –

2.
Apart from the scenery it has been a disappointing day – walked to "the beaches" according to a notice. They seemed miles away from where I left the bus – one contained rows & rows of white bathing boxes & the other masses of smelly seaweed & large rocks.

Then enquired for the harbour – Everyone seemed vague or perhaps they were not [indecipherable] to show it – anyway, after another long walk up & down hill & with the assistance of a couple of schoolgirls I found it – there I sit, until it is time to take the bus to the railway station –

I am sure you haven’t received all my letters – Did you ever get one asking you to enquire from UNRRA if Dr. O’Brien had actually sent that letter to Rockefeller & to whom – Its too late now, but I’m sure you’d have mentioned it if you had received it.

The shops are full of plastic things – belts, bags etc. Don’t think I like it terribly but it may improve. Glad Moxham got RRC. but why Miss Throsby hasn’t yet when she was recommended ages ago & did a great deal for the Service, I cannot imagine –

Quite a gale blowing now & am having much difficulty with my £2-8-3 hat without any elastic – It’s a bit large in the head, will have to try & get it altered. Clothes really are my problem today –

Did you also get my letter suggesting you take the glida – lounge down to Avalon. It would do as an extra bed – I think that was advertised as one of its assets. Am dying to see the peacock curtains & Sylvia’s runner & mats. What lovely things we have. This is now being continued in a Café where I have had tea & scones – wholemeal & very nice – Dr. Daniels TB. Consultant UNRRA Poland – sent me a snap he took as I was

[Page 38]
waiting to embark on the plane at Warsaw airport – one of the best I’ve had because it is not a close-up – will send it to Mother & you to share – as I’ve only one!

Well, I’m in the train now, so in a week or so, you’ll know exactly how I spent today – mostly writing to you, I should say. There’s really no news that you won’t read in the papers. It is very difficult to get into restaurants anywhere, even having coffee or tea, without waiting in a long [indecipherable]. People eat out so much more to make their coupons go further and fill up with between meal snacks for the same reason. If only they’d put salt in the vegetables & meat dishes when cooking it would make them more palatable.

"RPA" arrived – March issue with that terrible photo of me. The article not too bad and suspect you had a hand in doing that – one thing you should mention to Dr. Selle – They only have you as "Matron" on the page at the beginning – But you are Matron & Suptd. of Nursing or Nurses & it is most important you should use this – there is a vast difference between the two & in these days where Hosp: Secs take on so much of the work concerning nurses, I think we should be very careful – Especially as we hope to have Schools of N. not "training schools". Can’t remember if Supt of Nursing or Nurses is correct but its in the Bye laws or somewhere –

Well, after that, I must stop as the train lurches forward towards Truro & Newquay.

Don’t work too hard –

Much love
Muriel

[Air letter cover]
Miss H. B. Hetherington
Royal Prince Alfred Hospital
Missenden Road
Camperdown
New South Wales
Australia.

[Page 39]
Newquay, Cornwall.
30.6.46
My dear Mother,
A week has passed and only one week left on my lovely rest here – Unfortunately the weather has not been very good – Two glorious days but otherwise cold, windy & misty. However, there are plenty of walks & my macintosh good, so that doesn’t deter me –

Went to Truro & Falmouth yesterday – Very disappointed in the latter & wasted a lot of time finding the bay & beach after leaving the bus – However, the journey down was lovely – the country greens always fascinate me, with slate or granite low walls dividing the fields and covered with wild roses, honey-suckle & all manner of wild flowers which mostly are garden ones to us.

One of the Finlows is coming down tomorrow and I return to London next Sunday July 6th. Keep on sending letters to the Bank they are much more reliable at readdressing, than U.N.R.R.A. I posted Budd’s letter yesterday & later had one

2.
from Miss Kirkaldie, saying the Federal job had fallen through because Victoria could not make its contribution to the salary. So that’s that. It may make a difference to my getting Rockefeller Scholarship because I think they want some guarantee that you are going back to your own country to do a job of the sort you have been investigating – Will let things take their course – & see what happens.

Your letter of June 18th arrived here on 28th after being readdressed from the Bank – Good going – Sorry I’ll not be there while Grant is in Sydney – He might be quite interested to see Avalon, but of course, may not feel up to the journey. Every time you mention the grilled chops my mouth waters to overflowing. Haven’t had one since leaving Sydney.

Yes, Budd sent me a cutting saying S. Moxham & McBean got RRC. I am not sure if that was the P.H.H. one or a sister or cousin – You didn’t say whether you wanted to move to Bertchesgaden or not – but I took a flat for the summer!

Don’t know how the people of England will do with bread rationing – No one has complained, but for those who can afford little else it will be difficult

[Page 40]
3.
Am sorry to hear that Kit had to leave her flat when she was so comfortable too. I told you, I think, that I received two lovely parcels from her and one of soap from Lan. All most useful here – & much appreciated.

I suggested to Budd that my Glyda chair should go down to Avalon – very comfy & would do as an extra bed as per advertisement – News is very scarce and the inclination to write not apparent –

Hope your winter is not too severe & that you have plenty of fires –

With love from
Muriel.

[Air letter cover]
Mrs. R. K. Doherty
7 Rocklands Road
Wollstonecraft
New South Wales
Australia.

48

[Page 41]
Keep to Bank Address –
2.7.46.
My dear Budd,
Just posted a note air mail with snapshot when yours of July 25th arrived. Posted 26th & readdressed by UNRRA is a record as it arrived in London July 1st really only 5 days. We are nearer & nearer!

You will laugh at my perigrinations – Am sitting in a shelter overlooking cliffs & coastal scene rather like that seen from Bulli Lookout. Of course, breakers are more conservative & restricted over here!

Well, the milkman & baker calling at Avalon all sounds so domesticated that I got a longing (always present) to be at the back door to receive them – or perhaps they prefer the front door – Anyway, Charles is being marvellous and probably enjoying it as well. Can visualise the Sun Room and you might give me a view of the back verandah & terrace next time you write. Strawberries for Xmas sounds unreal – Do they berry as quickly as that after planting – what a thrill – Better order the cream now. Will the birds be troublesome, I wonder –

Talking of birds, a magnificent grandfather gull, as clean as a Persil laundered garment is very inquisitive, especially when I began crushing some soft shell almonds – I gave him one raisin which he gulped down & he still persisted – When I threw the shells away he dashed forward & swalled mouthfuls – His gizzard bulged & he has now disappeared probably a martyr to indigestion –

Will really look round for a tile for the mantelpiece – Hitler’s is turquoise blue so would hardly be suitable as I presume the bricks are red – I know what we want, but although this is the china clay district, have not seen any pottery worth buying – The clay is mostly

2.
exported I believe.

Yes, I told Miss Frazer to call & see the cottage when on one of her walks to the district. Don’t forget to take my share when paying the builder etc. If Harold or Mervyn are selling any surplus furniture will you have a chance of buying, do you think – That is the kind we want – The linen sounds interesting too, but money all seems to go in taxes doesn’t it? Still £200 will be nice for you.

Will you tell the following that their parcels arrived in London and that I made arrangements to send them on to Poland – It may be months before they hear – if ever – Censorship, slow mails etc but I can say now that they will be very much appreciated.

King – (2) McGarry, Trigg & Reardon, Staff RPAH, Alt & yourself. Foxall, Wiseman, Hutton, Badgery & Pain, Nurses Home, & 2 packets of N. Times. Did I tell you your parcel, plum pudding, sugar, soap, powder vaseline, san. paper, & towels & stockings arrived – contents all most useful – will take some things to Miss Neville, gave some to Finlows & have various others who will appreciate them I know.

Letter from Miss Lang today – She rang Canberra & evidently got in before my cable to them reached the Ministers Dept: Anyway Dr. Metcalfe Acting D.G.P. Health wasn’t very friendly & made her put everything in writing & post it before he would do anything!! The King’s birthday holiday came in between & so Canberra would not do anything till after that, of course. Anyway, our DGM, now G/C Daley rang Dr. M. who said the Min. had recommended me as a "suitable person" to receive a scholarship!

Miss L. gave me the names of Red + scholars – Victoria Headbury ([indecipherable]) Chomley Red + (both Sage’s pets) Miss Judy Abbott (46) P/Matron Aons Qld (too old) Miss Gibbs S.A. (with UNRRA overseas at present) so Looker could have got it. Miss Church WA & Montgomery, Tas.

[Page 42]
3.
Since commencing this I walked home & have had a night in bed – It’s a dull wet day, but may clear later as it so often does. There are petitions being prepared against bread rationing – It will be just awful for the poor if they do introduce it, as they eat practically nothing else.

The men in this sitting room are exchanging experiences they had during the war in various cities – quite simply, but it does give you an idea of what the man in the street endured: Only three more days & then London – it takes about 7-8 hours back to the city, depending on a through train or not and they are sure to be crowded. News seems to be fizzling out – as it is not long since I wrote.

Must try & finish my last Polish community today to complete the series. Have been thinking of all the things waiting to be done at Avalon & what fun it will be doing them. Have not been quite clear about the front porch – in or out – & what it is like & its possibilities – also how are the irises round the base of that tree. Don’t let Mr. Ward chop the tops of our trees like Mr. Shelley’s – I think they’re awful – Have seen some sets of brass fire irons on a low stand, but they’re rather heavy to carry round, so haven’t done anything about it. Will look at Liberty’s next week.

Well, it’s brightening up a bit, so will go wandering again. Your Mothers pullover is very snug & fits beautifully – Have worn it a lot down here.

Much love
Muriel

[Air letter cover]
Miss H. B. Hetherington
Royal Prince Alfred Hospital
Missenden Road
Camperdown
New South Wales
Australia

[Page 43]
In the train – Newquay
6.7.46.
My dear Mother,
Am now waiting for this train to leave for London – Got her 9 am thinking that ample time for train leaving 9.50 am – However, it was practically full then – but I found a seat at last.

The weather yesterday was perfect & today will probably be the same, I think I had 5 fine days during the two weeks & of those only 2 were really fine all day –

Yours of June 24 arrived as quickly as the others – you ask if my costume is a success. Well, I’ve not had it on since the day I took it from the tailors but it fitted beautifully then. Must get a hat first – and you know how I enjoy buying hats! I know you’d be glad when I left Europe – you’ll be more relieved than ever when I tell you some of my experiences there – and those of other members.

Have had a lovely two weeks here in spite of the weather – The Finlows couldn’t get down so I just wandered alone & met various people ready to chat – Newquay is a lovely spot & central for trips to various places – the bookings for these were nearly all two weeks’ ahead, so only "did" Penzance, Lands End & St Ives, all one day: Went by bus & train to Truro & Falmouth another day & several local bus trips round about. Major Ore, proprietor & retired army drove me round the coast one lovely afternoon – but as he told me he had a bad heart & the doctor had forbidden him to drive, I wondered which gaget I’d put my

2.
foot on if he died suddenly!

Sorry about Mrs. Pritchard & hope she has recovered by now.

9-7-46. Your Letter of July 1st arrived yesterday – or rather was at the Bank when I called. It may have been there longer – marvellous wasn’t it.

I have just been to "Travel" Section & find I am on a ship called "Sarsedon" on July 30th sailing to Sydney. I have to report again on July 15th so may find I’m off her again – What she is I do not know & UNRRA could not tell me – may be sailing ship or submarine!! Will, of course, cable when I know definitely –

No word from Rockefeller yet so will have to leave it for the present & proceed home normally & see what turns up. It’s very hot here today, especially in Khaki

Went to see an exhibition "Germany under control" today – quite good. There are always many exhibitions open on a variety of subjects.

Your strawberry garden sounds good – I shall certainly expect strawberries & cream both at No 7 & Avalon for Xmas. The London barrows have small peaches 6d each today, but the food situation is not good & the rationing of bread will make it worse.

Had a look round Libertys yesterday – very little stock & not like Libertys. Only stuff which no one was buying during the war such as Chinese vases & ivories – Even their material section usually so attractive was almost devoid of stocks. As for furnishing material they are practically non-existent & any I’ve seen exorbitant in price –

Am using my time studying various aspects of nursing organisation etc here – with a view to doing something in Aust. later, but no one in the Govt. appears interested so far

[Page 44]
3.
This will not be a full page as I have an appointment & want to post this to let you know I’m on the move – You may find out to what line the Sarden is chartered – Rowan may know – That would give you some idea of the route.

Keep on writing to the Bank till you know my movements definitely.

Much love
Muriel

[Air letter cover]
Mrs. R. K. Doherty
7 Rocklands Road
Wollstonecraft
New South Wales
Australia.

49
Came July 15

[Page 45]
Commonwealth Bank
Australia House
Strand. London W.C.2
15.7.46.
My dear Budd,
Am sheltering from a sudden downpour at present so will get a letter away to you – Just took my uniform blue coat to be altered – much too large when worn over civilian clothes – and looked round at another customer for no reason whatever & found Lady Wakehurst – Has been ill with sinusitis & is very tired & thinks London life exhausting – Can’t remember what they are doing here.

Rang Miss Neville today after writing to know if I can see her – She gave me two dates so Wed. next suits me. Sounded very cheerful & does wish you were here & says you must come over some day soon! Thinks you are marvellous always working so hard.

Posted another packet of papers to you today – Did not register as had to seal & had no wax handy. Also sent No 5 Poland, in two envelopes, registered air mail – 45 pages – That’s the last community – they have been very difficult to write but people seem to have enjoyed them – Do you know if [indecipherable] Fergusson Ascham has seen them – if not could you let her have the series sometime – I do hope no one but family sees the originals they are so untidy, but no time to rewrite.

Have just written to Rockefeller saying that I cannot take up scholarship at present. They wrote saying my study tour would be favourably considered provided the Govt. intended using me in an influential position on my return!!!

2.
Also would have to resign here & may fall between two stools regarding fare home – Have asked if I may take it up on my return, some time early next year. Also wrote to Minister for Health in much the same tone. Very disappointing but cant be helped – I know you & Mother won’t be sorry anyway – will hold this until I’ve called at "Travel" to see just when I sail –

Having lunch with Mrs. Davy of BBC today – will probably mean another broadcast, alas – 18.7.46 – Yes, I have to write my script. Feel I should & it means a few extra guineas – which disappear like water in London – Went to Bank yesterday to fix up a few things – Mr. Blair, manager, was reading a letter from Faith Brownhill now P/M. QA’s in Singapore – small world – Bought a nice hat – £4-17-76 –!!! tried on thousands.

Went to see Miss Neville last night – She was thrilled & told me first that she was a Catholic & kept on mentioning it during conversation. It was unnecessary for the statues, photographs & burning candles told me. She has heart & [indecipherable] goes to mass fasting every morning by bus, looks well – We talked of England at war, your Mother & how pretty she was, the parcel you sent about Xmas which hasn’t arrived yet. I took her a bag of goods, said they were some you sent me – some were – she was thrilled – Told her about Avalon – very interested – Discussed her age & mine etc.

She wrote to me the next day, will send both her letters surface mail & you’ll gather our conversation from her remarks. The reference to guns was the conclusion to a certain night she was telling me about, when we changed the subject – She plays much bridge & is quite comfortable where she is. Put me onto a milliner to do up my old drab hat for the ship.

19.7.46 – Not a letter today & half a century in this world! Spent the day at the College – Mrs. Goodall Sec: took me aside & said there is something I want to ask you now we’re alone – Do you know Miss Sage – When I said I did, she said, what is she up to here? Then the others came into tea – I am

[Page 46]
3.
now convinced that there’s more behind the Fed: job falling through & feel sure she’s in it –

Took myself to see "Life & Death of Col. Blimp" tonight very good – you saw it I think. To shipping office today – Sail on or about July 30th S.S. Sarpedon via South Africa, only calling at Durban & taking about 6 weeks! Have 3 berth cabin, promenade deck shared with two women Helmrich & Armitage – wonder if that is the singer – I met her in London before –

Will send cable from Liverpool when sailing date quite sure & will try & do same from Durban – will you write lots to Durban – Blue Funnel Line & also send 2 or 3 detective paper covered novels – Mother will advise selection – Unprocurable here only seem to be printing books & periodicals – no Penguins or that sort – A newspaper or two might help to pass the last 3 weeks!

Will try and get some hessian & make a set of hemstitched table mats which can be bleached & embroidered later – Tapestry terribly expensive – wool rationed. Don’t forget to see if UNRRA wants me to report on arrival or whether the next day will do – and don’t forget to take the day off yourself!

Bread rationing commences tomorrow – am glad I’ll see some of it – Cold weather again & showery – you won’t hear from me after I sail until Fremantle – Think we call at all ports. Letter Florence Nightingale Comm: W.A. yesterday asking me to represent them in London in Sept – Hope to be home then – so will write – Mrs. Walsh recommends me!!

Am being entertained by various people & am quite popular at College!! Dinner last night – Miss Armstrong, Editor N. Times, Miss Hillyers late Matron St. Thomas’s & now Pres: R. Coll: Nursing – & a Miss Addison who lectured First Aid to the Duchess of Kent at Buckingham Palace during war –

Longing to be back again – Much love

Muriel

[Page 47]
London. 20.7.46
My dear Mother,
I know you will be excited to know that I sail on S.S. Sarpedon, Blue Funnel Line from Liverpool on July 30th. As we go via the Cape and only call at Durban it will be about 6 weeks I think. Seems an awful time but can’t be helped – They are to notify me on July 22nd if we really sail on 30th.

Am in the throes of packing and although I have practically no clothes I seem to have gathered an amazing amount of stuff – The 19th went off quite uneventfully & I took myself to see "The Life & Death of Col: Blimp" very good. Bought a very expensive hat – the only one which suited me – very plain really – brown felt £4.17.6 –!!!

Can’t see anything to buy for presents – Everything is either rationed or far too expensive or not worth buying – Got you some seeds at Carters – Primrose unprocurable – wanted me to take polyanthus, but they’re not the same –

2.
Bread rationing commences tomorrow. Seems awful for England to do this when there is sufficient food, if it were properly distributed I’m sure –

My cabin mates are by the name of Helmrich & Armytage – Don’t know any more but wonder if the former is the Buddee’s friend. Am having difficulty in finding reading matter for the journey – except professional stuff – Asked Budd to send me one or two books on your recommendation to Durban – I think if posted before I sail should reach there in time, but you had better enquire from shipping because there may not be a ship leaving in time – Air mail letters will be most welcome though – as many as you like –

Weather is changeable – sunny one moment raining the next – The gent in the shipping office told me I was one of the very lucky ones to have that cabin so don’t know whether it is fitted with David Dawn or Nispring mattresses or whether it merely has two portholes onto the deck – time will tell – You won’t receive any more letters from me after I sail –

The traffic in London is terrific but the speed restricted on account of the very narrow streets & congestion – The bus drivers manipulate the double deckers with deftness & skill – unknown

[Page 48]
elsewhere. Had tea with Dr. Lesley Bidstrup ex-UNRRA, Belsen & a Sth. Australian whom Kit probably knows – She’s taking her F.R.C.P. here – Sir R. Cil: & his lady love, my late Chief in [indecipherable] Zone have both resigned – Long story there – for telling later.

Have to spend this weekend composing BBC Pacific talk on Poland – They will probably notify you when it is to be – that is, if I can write one – very difficult to know what & how much to say under present conditions – I told him I’d try. Then I hope to go into retirement from that form of public life!!

Must dash to the renovators now to see about my old Air Force overcoat being made smaller –

Will write again before sailing & from Liverpool.

Much love
Muriel.

[Air letter cover]
Mrs. R. K. Doherty
7 Rocklands Road
Wollstonecraft
New South Wales
Australia.

[Page 49]
London – 26.7.46
and a heat wave

My dear Mother,
Never was there such a rush as this – I sail on Aug. 3rd from Liverpool via the Cape – am having a great rush round. New perm, old blue over coat to be made smaller, old drab hat retrimmed for wear on ship, trotting up & down stairs to travel section, shipping offices, finance dept! Bank, and a thousand places.

In & out buses after queuing up, down & around the underground. Trying to see all sorts of nursing things, being taken to tea & taking people to meals – am sitting in Peter Robinson’s awaiting fried plaice & potato and on special request a roll –

At 20-30 pm I go to BB.C – to make a recording of my Pacific Broadcast timed for Tuesday Aug: 6th 0615 to 0630 G.M.T. I can’t reckon when you will hear it but suppose it will be the same as last time when UNRRA notified you.

I am disappointed with my costume coat – miles too loose – I thought it fitted well in Poland & looked nice

2.
that was because all the tailoring is loose & sack suit like there – Seeing it here among closely fitting things it seems all wrong – Do any of your friends know a tailor who will alter it for me at short notice on my return – will need it I expect –

Couldn’t manage to get up to the Polish Hospital, I thought I told you of – After BB.C. chat I dash to Paddington to squeeze on what will be a horribly overcrowded train (Friday & summer holidays on) to Exeter – Miss Goodall of College of Nursing asked me if I would go to the Princess Elizabeth Orthopaedic Hospital and present the prizes tomorrow and tell them of my experiences!!!

Have been told by some Sth Africans who arrived last week that thieving on board ship is terrible & the Steamers wireless is kept busy broadcasting enquiries regarding missing articles!!

Told you I had another perm – Really should have had my face lifted – without a collar

[Page 50]
3.
and tie it sags beneath my chin –!! Got some more seeds in St. Albans or rather Barnet North on the way – Believe the customs are liable to examine our luggage on embarkation as well as on arrival –

Wrote to W.A. Kit & Lan saying I was leaving – Can hardly believe it is so near & yet sorry the trip will take so long – Got your last letter after Grant’s visit – was amused that Dr. Hennessy wanted to see my letters – I don’t know him – the name probably – Met a nice Social Welfare worker who is one of seven being sent to Aust. by Aust Red Cross to work in Rehabilitation of Servicemen – She doesn’t know yet whether she will be in NSW or another state –

Well, when you receive this I shall probably be on the high seas – Letters are coming very rapidly now –

Much love, don’t take more than three glasses of vodka at once.

Muriel.

[Air letter cover]
Mrs. R. K. Doherty
7 Rocklands Rd
Wollstonecraft
New South Wales
Australia.

2nd last.

[Page 51]
London, 29 July

My dear Budd,
This time I am sitting in Finance Dept. waiting for them to get organised & their first cigarette going before attending to me! It is 9.50 am –

Returned from Exeter yesterday evening – very nice time but as you know, I hate that sort of thing. Miss Knapp the Matron of Princess Elizabeth Orthopaedic Hosp: was very nice – Everyone interested – I was the personage of the day – which always makes me want to run away – I never feel I speak well, but they seemed to enjoy hearing about Belsen & Poland – Parents Drs. nurses etc present – Presented me with a wonderful bouquet of red carnations and "a prize" – book on Devon –

Miss K. introduced me to all the local big wigs present – We were photographed & had a nice (if restricted tea) Drove me to Woodbury Hill with glorious view in the evening – Attended dance later – Driven all round Exeter on Sunday morn. Saw damage done in Cathedral & elsewhere – Left by 11.40 am train for London.

Sir R.C. here – going to Aust. by air Wed: & their joins U.N.O. I thought that would be the composition of that organisation. League of Nations was probably the same. Offered to "do something" for me, if I had any messages for Sydney etc. But I am not keen to be associated there – Has soiled his

2.
copy book I believe –

Broadcast the record at BBC last Friday – Pacific Service – will be held in Sydney Tuesday August 6th 4.15 pm & Wednesday 7th 10.45 pm. Mrs. Davy said I began very well but sounded as if I was reading it the last page – Hope it is all right. Only had time to hear first two records – there are four, as I was flying for train to Exeter – Hope it goes over alright – Didn’t sound a bit like my voice!!

Bought a skirt today – this is continued later – and a coat to go with it – short & expensive – Miss Wickens in UNRRA gave me a few more coupons – will be able to wear it while my costume coat is altered – I told Mother miles too loose – looked alright in Poland where that is the general fashion & awful here – You and she may know of a tailor who will alter it for me soon after arrival –

Dashed down to [indecipherable] to see old Mr. Layton before leaving – he likes me – am to have tea with the surgeons etc on Thursday – they want to hear all about Poland – who doesn’t? My BBC. effort £12 guineas I was staggered, Mrs. D. explained that was the very special fee for the people – wish I had been better.

Letter from Looker saying Evans wrote saying she had been approved for Nightingale Scholar privileges – Also had had one from you – Can you hurry up the suggestion that she represent Aust. at FNIF. in Sept. 9 – 10 & 11th. I know Sage’s stooges, Hedbury

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and Chomondley will be suggested both Victoria – and Looker has much more of a grip & more experience – Do do what you can & get them to send it air mail or it will be too late.

By the way the £12-12.0 B.B.C. must buy something for the house – what would you suggest? Had to get a deck chair today, as none supplied on ship yet – will do for Avalon later – Have just thought – I’ll send you a letter on Friday or post in Liverpool Sat. morn, instead of cable – will reach you almost as quickly.

My news is drying up now – Hope I shall be in time for the Reunion – it would be such an opportunity to see everyone. See the elections are to be Aug: 29th so will miss them – anyway I probably have to be resident 3 months before I go on the rolls again.

Well, am trying to answer every letter I owe & acknowledge every parcel – so must scribble a few more –

Much love
Muriel.

[Air letter cover]
Miss H. B. Hetherington
Royal Prince Alfred Hospital
Missenden Road
Camperdown
New South Wales
Australia.

[Page 53]
London
2.8.46
My dear Mother,
This is my last effort and as it is 11.30 pm & I leave at 7.30 am I don’t expect it will be much of an effort!! Have pasted labels on till I’m exhausted. Have 8 pieces of baggage of many varieties so don’t know whether I’ll fit into a taxi at your end – I hope so because I hate to have any of it out of my sight for a moment.

Have bought Part 1 of the Nuremburg Trials & have ordered all others as published – They will be exciting reading, especially the defence – you’ll probably enjoy them as much as a detective story –

I wonder how our elections will go – someone said they thought Mr. Casey would stand for P.M. but Evatt seems to be making himself felt or heard in Paris –

There’s no news – and you will have silence from me for a while until I reach S. Africa. Would you care for a native servant as a gift – I might procure one for you?!!!
Must go to bed now,

Much love
Muriel.

[Page 54]
[Air letter cover]

Mrs. R. K. Doherty
7 Rocklands Road
Wollstonecraft
New South Wales
Australia

Last letter

[Page 55]
London 2.8.46.
My dear Budd,
This will be my last from London – Leave 8.30 am for Liverpool in a.m. arr: 1.5 & boat sails 1.30 pm – Some going – will be glad to get away now and can scarcely believe I’ll be seeing you in 6 weeks – It seems like 6 years –

Today am sitting in D.H. Evans having lunch and writing this between courses – This queuing for meals is exhausting – will be glad to just "lie" on the ship & await the bell!

Was interviewed by Miss Auld of Melb: Herald last evening – Hope its alright – In conversation I gathered Sage is doing something about a "Report" & it’s Govt. so don’t quite know. Whatever it is its not straight. You know the Centaur Memorial Scholarship fund Vic – well Looker told me all units were circularised and the 2/1 (NSW) gave £50 but only Vic: nurses are eligible!! About the NSW. collection for the Club – (which should have been a College of Nursing) I think there should be a professional library there also & hope I can do something about it. One that could be transferred to a College later and quite separate from a fiction library.

Received an account from G & Gotch for N. Mirror – 1.9.46 – 30.8.47 – £1.7.9 – Will you cancel it for me. I don’t want any more N. Mirrors, will take a year to read those already at home. I have just made a new annual sub: to N. Times – much cheaper here –

It is now 11 pm. I’ve finished packing & sticking labels & am exhausted!! This is August Bank Holiday week end – Papers say 1,000,000 people today at stations – Am rather dreading tomorrow – The Shipping Co: has put on reserved extra Coaches, but no seats can be reserved yet.

May be able to send you an air mail from S. Africa – Hope so – Don’t know Aust. ports of call yet –

Much love until I return –
Muriel

Will you check that my name is not on electoral rolls – because some one could vote in my place – I’ll have to get on again on my return –

[Page 56]
Your weekly letter hasn’t come so expect it will follow me back home –

[Air letter cover]
Miss H. B. Hetherington
Royal Prince Alfred Hospital
Missenden Road
Camperdown
New South Wales
Australia

[Page 57]
No 4

UNRRA Mission to Poland
C/- Bag Unit, 99 G. Portland Street
London. W.1.

Warsaw, Easter Sunday, 21.4.46 (Glorious day)
No 4 Poland
(Community 17)

My dear friends,
A community letter is long over due my last from Poland being – 5th March.

I simply don’t know where the time goes, but when travelling round the country and visiting Hospital & Public Health Institutions often long distances, there is very little time for one’s own personal pleasures – especially as each trip means a survey report – one to Chief M.O. and a different angle for the Polish Ministry of Health – and so it goes on.

I think I am having one of the happiest Easters (even though strenuous!) that I have ever had, in spite of the fact that the invitation to visit my Polish friends in Krakow for that season & experience their national customs was postponed at the last moment – much to my disappointment –

Unfortunately everything came at once, including an invitation from the Polish Red Cross to accompany 400 Polish Tb. and threatened Tb. children to Switzerland, and to collect a similar number of displaced Polish children from

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the American Zone on the way back –

We travel by Red Cross train, take about 5 days to Buchs on the Polish Swiss border 3 days there, and then back via Southern Germany – about 3 weeks in all – Miss Szloch, my assistant has gone to Denmark with 100 under-nourished children in need of a holiday – She left by ship yesterday & will be away about a week –

I am not sure of my route, everything was arranged in such a hurry, but believe it is via Prague & Munich, but am not sure – The trip will be the subject of No 5 letter from Poland & probably my last

Don’t imagine me travelling in the luxury of a model Red Cross train – I hear they use box (livestock) carriages without windows low down – so maybe I shall still only know those countries from the map – Anyway, the experience was too good to miss, particularly as I had been doing a great deal of Public Health surveying & have been to the homes from which these unfortunate children come & have seen them also at the Health Centres

All this, of course, has been a rush, particularly at Easter time when so many offices closed early. I had to visit the Swiss

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3.
and Czech Consuls for visas, the U.S. for Military Permit, the Polish Ass: Vice Minister for Education, [indecipherable] Michelowicz (a very nice woman) & the Chief M.O. Polish Red Cross among others. All were most helpful –

My chief anxiety is my own organisation, who cannot help me at all in the way of arranging subsistence for Switzerland – Told me to use my own money & claim later – so helpful, as we were only allowed to bring £5 stg into Poland & I have already had to use some of this. Travellers cheques apparently of no use & UNRRA has no representative in Switzerland

U.S. dollars are what I want & the only place I can get them is on the "black market" at exhorbitant prices : As one only gets 3 Swiss francs for one dollar, I shall need quite a lot if I should want to take a tram ride, have a shampoo or buy a postage stamp – Seems too ridiculous to me that there is no way of arranging things – Of course, the Polish Red Cross will probably have things arranged with the Swiss R. Cross, but there are things one wants at least [indecipherable] for in a foreign country!!

So much for finance – I set out on April 25th as observer and look forward to an interesting time – if some what noisy & nerve wracking. for Those children who have parents will

[Page 60]
4
surely miss them particularly at the beginning of the journey.

And that brings me to my next big thrill – my Xmas parcels which arrived here (or some of them did) on April 16th just before Easter – And their way of coming is another story –

Three months ago I received a note from the Health Section, London, saying there were 7 parcels for me & what would they do, as they could not be sent with the bag unit letters. I replied suggesting that ships come in every few days. I would ask our representative at Gdynia, the port, to have them forwarded to Warsaw by first transport –

Excitedly I waited in anticipation – alas, 3 months elapsed – Then a cable from London, H.Q. Mail Unit – "An accumulation of 30 parcels – what would they do"? It would cost approx. 7/6 for every 22 lbs & each parcel was approx 7 lbs. Reply, prepared to pay cost – suggested some route & to facilitate matters sent a kitbag, lock & key!! But nothing happened until one day 16/4/46 I returned from a mornings trip to find 24 loose parcels of all descriptions on my desk!!!

Imagine – and it was not in response to my correspondence – but one of our administrative officers was in London found an enormous accumulation for many members, got them onto a U.S. plane without any trouble and hey presto, the Mission

[Page 61]
5.
was agog – Three days later I received a cable from E.R.O. regretting etc owing to customs difficulties etc, they, to date, were unable to do anything about the matter of my parcels!! Now, whether there are still 30 in London or not is a matter for conjecture –

Anyway, it was funny – no difficulty in getting assistance from the Polish lads in the office – Dashed to hotel with three enormous cartons bulging, handed out cigarettes & zlotych en route, and jammed them into our tiny double bedroom 13’ x 8’ to await my return in the evening. Everyone was so excited to know what it was all about.

It is an ill wind, and just as well that I could not arrange transport to & from Krakow for the joy the contents of those packages have & will give is worth the delay in their arrival – Fortunately Miss Szloch was away & I have the four days to myself – I locked the door & began to unpack, not knowing where I was going to store them temporarily as there wasn’t is no a lock on our only cupboard –

Before opening, I felt them all over, read the addresses, & guessed at sender & contents – All stamps had gone – many collectors en route – Much ink washed off – Those in calico stood up to the tremendous batterings they must have had during their wanderings – Some had been to Belsen & no doubt others to New York & the Middle East!! One had been in the water, & sounded all crunchy, others were emerging from their

[Page 62]
6.
brown paper chrysalis – but all were really intact. The customs had had a look inside one which had once contained a knob of blue – no doubt suspecting some atomic secret – Apparently satisfied they sealed it up again, but the blue had done its job.

A plan of action was necessary – I made lists as I opened them & decided to whom I would give them – doing them up again into parcels where possible – I chose people who needed them most and no words can describe their joy & surprise at receiving such an Easter gift & so unexpectedly –

There were camppies, corned beef, steak & kidney puddings, sausages, mutton & herrings – Soups, cheese, eggs, milk, coffee, plum puddings (5) Xmas cakes & shortbread – Honey, jelly crystals, raisins, nuts, peel, jam & sweets of all kinds – Never have I had such a collection of food & such lovely things too – The sugar had been in the water, about 5 lbs of it, but except for the lumps metamorphosing into one solid mass, was none the worse for its experiences.

I gave out a lot of stuff on Thursday & spent the entire day on Good Friday, unpacking the remainder and tidying the room – There was sugar, blue, and ground up chocolate everywhere, mixed with soap flakes & jelly crystals. Again yesterday I sorted & repacked and finally last night was living in a more or less tidy room again –

[Page 63]
7.

Of course, I do regret that they had not reached me before leaving Belsen, but on the other hand, I had left a lot of stuff I’d saved for Xmas & they probably received more than the people here – I have given most of the things to nurses here, and still have a lot to distribute

I am having an Easter dinner myself with Tomato soup, whitebait, jelly & fruit, shortbread, nuts, raisins & sweets – The remainder of the sweets, raisins, loaf sugar, peel, peanut toffee & chocolate, I have broken up and filled two large cake tins as a surprise for the children on the train – They’ll be thrilled & it may help to dry those tears –

The lovely childrens woollies from the RAH.C. with the silks & handicrafts materials I have sent to Krakow School of Nursing & Hospital. Gdansk School receives help from the Swedish Nurses’ Associations and the others are not so badly off – although quite bad enough. When the second instalment arrives I shall send it to a School of Nursing in Warsaw in which we have worked –

My only regret is that you were not all here to share my thrills at your great generosity, which really could not have arrived at a better time – Any spare time I have today & tomorrow will be spent in writing to you individually, & please forgive if the letters come by

[Page 64]
8.
surface mail & are delayed, for I have insufficient air letters & air mail stamps, although more are on order – Many, many, thanks on behalf of the Polish people who received your presents & from me also of course.

It will not be long before I see you all again. My year is up on May 23rd & I am then putting in my resignation – as I feel my work here will be complete & there seems to be plenty to do in Aust: if only we were allowed to do it!!!

The thought of a holiday also attracts me very much as this year has had events of a lifetime crowded into it – I think it is the tragedy of everything & the terrible experiences one hears on every side, that takes more out of one than the actual physical work – And to think that what we are doing is really so little compared with what there is to do.

I cannot give you a clear picture of the position in Poland today, as I doubt if anyone has one – everything is confused & contradictory & sometimes appears hopeless from the Poles’ point of view – Sickness & ill health everywhere, lack of food, hospital beds, clothing housing, nurses & doctors drugs and money.

[Page 65]
9.
When at home, we read of long waiting lists of patients, we at least know that the majority are receiving food, some care, if not medical & nursing attention & are living in moderately comfortable conditions. Not so here –

Those susceptible to, threatened with and actually suffering from pulmonary tuberculosis return to dark damp hovels, cellars, & dugouts with often no means of receiving any food, drugs money, clothing, warmth, light or other essentials except what an equally sick relative or friend can pick up (if they have one). They have no hope of entering hospital for perhaps years – they will probably die before that, but not before infecting the entire family –

There is insufficient money to maintain a mere fraction of the beds required in (3)hospitals, (2)Sanatoria, (1)preventoria & so they remain empty or mere spaces in the wards. Other hospitals depend largely on the food & linen brought in by patients’ relatives, but and as the majority of these are unemployed they neither benefit by the Social Insurance or erratic rationing system available to those "fortunate" enough to be receiving the miserable salaries paid by the Govt.

Every time I read of strikes in Australia, I wish some of the participants could live for a while in this country to make them realise how very well off they are – A strike here

[Page 66]
10.
would probably mean a permanent residence at a winter resort of renown – although the Silesian miners did refuse to work one day recently because they were hungry – I did not hear the result – no one probably ever will.

There are many welfare organisations now working in Poland, but to the casual observer they barely make an impression – I went with the representatives of our Welfare Dept and our Tuberculosis Consultant, recently to the Province of Kielce – one of the most terribly devastated in Poland. and It was the battle ground of Germans & Russians for many months, is still heavily mined & therefore very dangerous for those peasants wishing to resume their work on their farms –

The position of the Russian mines is known as plans were available, but those laid by the Germans are unknown. Daily, casualties & fatalities occur, and in all the hospitals I visited were patients with most terrible injuries – many facial & both hands – Why squads of German soldiers could not have been brought in to demine, I can not imagine, instead of the Polish soldiers & civilians losing their lives as they are –

The Govt. pays one egg per mine & one lad in the District had destroyed his 7,000th mine recently. His

[Page 67]
11.
brother was killed on the 100th. The other first lad was given a present of 5,000 zl as a recognition of his work.

On arrival at the city of Kielce, & having called on the Governor, a young man who combed his hair after introductions & while we were being seated, we had a conference with the heads of health & welfare departments.

Dividing into two parties, health & welfare we proceeded on our mission to survey a cross section of the community & endeavour to arrive at some conclusion regarding feeding, clothing, housing & health needs etc – Health certainly had, I think, the more interesting time, if some what embarrassing!!

We were to spend three days in the field, but did not bargain for the inherent Polish generosity & hospitality. Setting out from Kielce we were to visit Pinczow, Busko, Stopnica with intervening hamlets & villages & reach Sandomiercz that evening.

Satisfactorily passing the many "Kontrollers" on the road, we had some difficulty in convincing a plain clothes car inspector that the type of vehicle in which we were travelling did not have a tail light – I cannot explain why – some things are inexplicable – but after he had taken our number and examined brakes, steering gear, engine etc we were allowed to proceed & UNRRA probably received one more communication to add to its already top heavy paper administration!

I did not mention that on arrival in Kielce we were met by the UNRRA representative who linked a U.S. lawyer, who linked his arms in as many of ours as possible and propelled

[Page 68]
12.
us along at great speed towards the Governor’s residence, explaining the itinerary he had prepared in advance as we skidded round corners & dodged pedestrians right & left. It was done in a truly efficient manner, but on considering the details we found that it would mean that we said "Good day" & "good bye" in the same breath at every institution. It certainly covered the ground!

However, we readjusted things at the Conference and at 8 am the following morning our party consisting of Dr. Daniels (Tb. specialist) Miss Hoffman interpreter & myself, accompanied by the Chief City M.O.H. & the inevitable Govt. representative probably a "Betsy Boy" set out on a glorious spring day.

There are 700 destroyed bridges in the area and 2,000 peasants have lost their lives already through mines – either in de-mining or accidently stepping on mines. It is estimated that there were 2,000,000 in the area with ½ million still intact!

The first evening in Kielce we went to see a Soviet film, ‘Love & Music’ quite the worst I have ever seen, both photography & acting. We followed this with supper in a café & during the meal the militia came in to see if we were eating meat or cakes, as it was a meatless & cakeless day –

During the night I think the whole army must have passed by my window with every heavy tank in Poland!

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13.
The Hotel reverberated every time to its foundations. At 5 am the loud speaker on the office of the Ministry of Information commenced loudly roaring out music & speeches – for the public benefit. Weary eyed, I finally set out.

The story was the same everywhere we went – shortage of everything – some had received some UNRRA supplies – One Sanatorium for Children at Busko had orthopaedic Tb: rheumatic & spastic paraplegic children, who did not appear to be receiving any local treatment – No trained nurse & the Director obviously too old – Certainly they had a roof over their heads & food – but what of their future – On the other hand what can be done when 50 % of the doctors & nurses in Poland were lost during the war?

At Stopnica a devastated village, almost completely razed, we went to several underground cellars – Bending low to enter by half a dozen steps in one, we found a completely dark very cold & damp room where two families of 10 persons were living (until that week) & had lived all through the Winter. I felt two beds – where the remaining five were living. The occupants were in rags, & told us they had received no food & only a few thin & worn used garments

The other cellars were the same, adults & children living in deplorable conditions & unable to do anything about it. How they live is a mystery – they only just exist –

On emerging into the brilliant sunshine we found the entire village had assembled looking terribly tired, pale, drawn, hopeless &

[Page 70]
14.
probably hungry. They told of their misery, not actually complaining, but in a resigned sort of way – I felt awful – I expect dozens of other people & organisations had visited, looked and departed without leaving any help & little hope – I wonder they didn’t tear the clothes from our backs – instead they bade us a friendly good bye & made me feel ashamed –

If only UNRRA had been able to make distribution one of her functions on entering Poland, things might have been better – Certainly there would not have been favouritism & bribery with warehouses full of goods being eaten by rats & mice as we hear they are – I have actually seen rat eaten blankets – straight from the store –

The roads were awful & equal to any in Australia and the dust awful – We were quite white hair & all & we frequently had to slow down to allow a vehicle ahead to get further ahead so that we were not blind driving –

The next hamlet was in ruins & the peasants were living in "bunkers" – the old German dugouts in very soggy fields. One, very dark, had 5 including 3 children, as well as the precious cow, rooster & hens all in the one tiny room. The woman was a widow & her 15 yrs old son had put new walls & roof on to try & keep the snow out during the winter.

Here again the whole

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population collected round the car & said "they would sell their misery but no one wanted to buy it" – At another miserable earth & straw "building" the woman apologised for "not having anything better with which to welcome us". And so our journey took us through such misery as I think & hope I’m safe in saying, is unheard of in Australia.

We arrived in Sandomiercz at 6.45 pm, very tired, dirty & depressed. Agreed to have "brush up, light meal & early bed", Alas! We found the Mayor, Councillors & local medico thought differently – A "banquet" had been arranged & there was nothing to do but attend – A banquet after what we’d seen!!!

Well, the Mayor & party called & collected us at our spotless hotel which was still wet from vigorous scrubbing – and took us to the party. A long table, decorated with daffodils & jonquils in pots & soon heavily laden with food – The Starosta or head of the district was there & my place with him at the head of the table. After much hand-shaking & hand kissing & introductions to the assembled people we took our seats.

The Starosta, wearing the 4 leaf clover of the peasant party, did not speak any language but Polish & was very shy. I cannot describe the food, but it came in waves & had it been in normal times would have been most enjoyable, but following as it did the experiences of the day, it almost choked me to even eat a polite amount.

There was Vodka in lashings and

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"Krupink" a hot 90% alcohol in honey drink the most potent thing I’ve ever had. It was served in small cups & saucers & I raised it to my lips expecting boullion – The fumes were choking & I hoped they’d think I was drinking it – I didn’t dare!

The highlight of the evening, after we’d toasted everyone & everything & everyone again, & had sung songs, recited poems and in general thoroughly enjoyed "ourselves", was when I saw the Mayor & Councillors raise Dr. Daniels shoulder high in his chair, four times up & down in traditional style

I knew my time was near & shuddered. However, with more kissing (of hands) bowing & great courtesy, I was raised – up I went speedily, my brain dividing into layers & down I came speedily, my interior sinking into an abyss – The first time was terrible and I wondered how I’d endure the rest. Apparently my smile belied them, for when I finally & safely descended they were all very pleased & shakily returned to their seats – a job well done –

Again we thanked them & they thanked us and finally backed to the stairs, smiling & bowing & thanking – Bed was very welcome after we’d finally persuaded the Starosta, Mayor & Councillors how much we’d

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enjoyed it all – & said good night at our bedroom doors – and that is Poland – a land of strange contradictions –

The next morning the party again called for us & led us to breakfast in the same hotel. That repast had been put on in true English plus Polish style (Dr. D. is English) with official photographer in full attendance snapping the every movement.

We were able to convince them that we were there on official business & not as tourists & finally did our rounds of Hospitals, Health Centres etc, but not alone – Never at any time were there less than 12 in our progress round the wards & quite frequently we added to our number. The photographer advanced ahead & suddenly would turn round & "click" –

Duty over we found they’d arranged with the Bishop to take us over the Cathedral & nearby very ancient & wonderfully interesting 12th century museum overlooking the Vistula. As we proceeded round the city we were the highlights of the day. The Poles are so proud of their country, its history & its treasures –

On our return journey the C.M.O.H. who was quite a nice man, gave the "Betsy Boy" who was in another car ahead, the "slip" & on the pretext of showing us the most lovely forest in Poland, drove us to the home of a colleague, where we were to share a prearranged meal – We were in the centre of the brigands] country & it was dusk & I wasn’t too happy as several

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people we’d met lately had been held up at gun fire. During our stay the militia did arrive to know what our car was doing there but the C.M.O.H. had anticipated this and was in possession of a letter requesting that "they give us every assistance etc" – not every man in Polish uniform is a Pole –!!

This country was (& I suspect, still is) the centre of the partisan resistance movement and they say no German would enter that forest – This Doctor who entertained us had been in Auschwicz & so it was doubly interesting –

We finally returned to Kielce via Radom where we visited a reception centre for repatriates and saw one man who had just returned from Siberia – There is so much I could write, which must wait.

The Poles in the Hotel are evidently having their Easter party & are singing the old "Underground song of liberation" – so significant – I am now going to the Polish opera – Madam Butterfly – so must cease this untidy letter & prepare –

My next letter will tell you of the Swiss trip & after that it will probably be in person that I thank you all for making Easter so happy in my little bit of the world –

Yours very sincerely
Muriel K. Doherty

[Page 75]
Zurich.
18.5.46.
My dear Budd,
11.30 am, sitting under a gay umbrella in the garden of the Kongress Hotel on the banks of Lake Zurich – Glorious sunshine, azaleas 8 feet high, rockeries, autumn tints, spring greens & altogether lovely – Wish you were here.

The story of the trip will have to wait until I return – We arrived in Buchs on the frontier yesterday, and are supposed to return this evening to Frankfurt etc. I rose 5.30 am. saw children off to Ardelborden and caught 7.12 am train to this city, arriving 10.0 am –

It is a lightning trip as the return

[Page 76]
train leaves 1.40 pm, arriving 4.20 pm & we move off from Buchs 6 pm!! The scenery along the Walder Zee and then Zurich Zee was glorious – Snow capped mountains behind and you know the Swiss foreground. I don’t think they could be tidier & cleaner any where than they are in Switzerland – and after Warsaw its marvellous –

Dinner was slow in coming and my time was limited so this had to wait until I was in the train – we leave in 10 min. for Buchs. Quite hot. Did a bit of very hurried shopping – and found many shops close between lunch hour to 2.30 pm – Saw perfectly lovely handkies in one which was shut – Everything very expensive here, but the rush was worth it – Everyone

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very polite & everything so unspoiled –

This is just a note to say I wrote from Zurich & as it will be too shaky to continue in a moment.

Much love from
"Miss Mooriel" as the women on the train call me – they think it’s a lovely name –!!

[Page 78]
Poland No 5.
(Community 18)

Berlin. Germany.
30.5.46.
My dear Friends,
Little did I imagine that my last community letter would be written from the U.S. occupation sector of Berlin. However, here I am, in the Hittorf Hotel for transient officers, where this epistle will at least be commenced. as

I’m sure you will be interested in my latest treck round Europe – I think I must be either getting lazy or slow in my old age, because I never seem to write all the letters I mean to these days.

This particular enterprise commenced when I was invited by the Polish Red Cross to accompany a Hospital train carrying 400 children, between the ages of 5 and 13, from Warsaw to Switzerland. The Don Suisse, a philanthropic organisation and the Swiss Red Cross – had invited them to spend six months at Ardelboden in the Alps not far from Jung Frau. All either had evidence of pulmonary tuberculosis or were potential sufferers from it, and nearly all were "unaccompanied" children, that is, they were not actually all orphans, but their parents where-abouts was unknown & many probably were not living –

In the mass migration of hundreds of thousands backwards & forwards across Poland & into Germany & Russia, children had become separated

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from their parents either forcibly or through circumstances beyond their control. The children may have been cared for by relatives or friends or may have been found wandering alone, or living in the bunkers and the ruins – twenty were from a badly devastated village outside Warsaw, one was from Poznan and one from Lodz.

We were to set out on April 25th but we had one delay after another – one being permission for an engine to take us through the U.S. Zone in Germany – You see, our journey took us through Czecho-Slovakia, Austria & Germany to Switzerland & the return was to be much the same way – Passing through different countries, particularly in this post war period certainly complicated things, as each country is anxious lest the other will violate its regulations and all are extremely cautious –

This meant almost daily trips to the Polish Red Cross & the U.S. Military Attache, not to mention Swiss & Czech consulates. With the delay visas had to be extended and no one likes doing that. After two weeks’ waiting I decided to withdraw if

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nothing happened within the next few days – There was nightly laundering & frequent hair washing in preparation for the 3 -4 weeks’ journey on the train, with absolutely no facilities for such luxuries. When the day actually was certain, the Hotel was without water, or at least the water went off when I had put the soap in my hair, & did not come on again that night!!

The usual transport confusion occurred at the last moment & the vehicle I had specially ordered, failed to arrive – I am so used to that now, that I knew how to get myself & my luggage (which contained all my Xmas sweets, raisins, loaf sugar etc for the children) to the station for a packet of cigarettes. This episode had been preceded by the lift being out of order and the "[numerovi]" not enthusiastic about carrying my baggage down the six flights of Hotel stairs – Cigarettes again did the trick.

A cigarette is of much greater value on the continent than currency – In Poland the value is estimated at about 6d each and in Germany 75 cents or about 3/6d. We have been able to buy 200 per week from our canteen store, but recently

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the number was decreased to 140 –

Well, I drove to the railway station to deposit my baggage before going to the school where the children were to assemble. Found an official who undertook to look after it until my return – another packet of cigarettes (20). I hoped it was safe.

The children, all shapes & sizes, some very thin, pale and poorly clad together with various guardians, parents or institution officials assembled at the aforesaid school and after having their identity cards (worn round the neck) checked and their group numbers confirmed were addressed by the Vice Minister for Education Madame Michelowowa. They then either walked or were transported to the train where they grouped according to a number outside their respective wagons –

I have never met any children more orderly than the Polish, and they queued up quietly for dusting with DDT electric (motor – with five leads) before [indecipherable] – Each child carried his precious bundle of possessions which I later found contained, in addition to clothing, extra foodstuffs bottles of "soft" drinks, and soap & a towel –

The Polski film company officials were there & set up their masses

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of apparatus. I was called to be in the film, when the train began to move & the men scurried off trailing a tangled mass of cord & hurriedly grasping their lamps – We therefore had no record of the departure from Warsaw on Friday May 13th 1946, at 5.15 p.m.

I saw no tears. The crowd on the railway siding waved and followed us along the tracks that hot afternoon. Leaving the stark ruins behind, the train carried these children to a new life & hope for health in the future. They were singing merrily as we headed for the Polish border beyond Katowice.

The train had 17 wagons, including ambulatorium, kitchen, & store rooms and sleeping accommodation for the non-professional staff. The Medical Officer, Dr. Kaspaszyth, was O.C. train and Miss Machiewycz the Chief Nurse. There was also an administration officer, Mr. Wisnowski, formerly of the Polish Air Force – The personnel consisted of nine qualified nurses, 2 assistant nurses and 15 teachers (male & female) as well as 8 Red Cross kitchen & train staff –

My home for the next 10 days was to be in a wagon with 16 little boys, one teacher & one Polish lady – a historian,

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Miss Mosczenska, travelling to Switzerland to study libraries, books etc with a view to the restocking of Poland’s University & Public libraries which were plundered and destroyed by the Germans. Both she & Mrs Winetska were very nice – The former spoke English & the latter French, so we got along nicely –

Some of the cars were Pullman, others were "box" cars (luggage vans) converted, with two tier bunks with palliasses – The train, naturally, was shabby and not exactly shining like a new pin, but we all made ourselves comfortable. The wagon was divided into two & as all ablutions & washing up was carried out there on the spot we were self contained, as it were. There was a central passage in the car with the bunks on either side – no partitions or curtains, of course – and a right of way throughout the train. As you can imagine this arrangements made it necessary for one to rise early before the traffic commenced and the one enamel basin for ablutions was in too much demand.

Mrs. Winetska then told the children what was expected of them and we had no trouble whatever. They were orderly, obedient & happy and very

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friendly – In fact, I was rather a museum specimen, for apart from being "Aunty UNRRA" in whom they place so much confidence, I was from that far off foreign & free country Australia –

It was interesting to see lovely patchwork quilts from Canada, Red Cross quilts ones from Australia, (Donald Branch N.S.W.) and ARP. blankets from U.K. or U.S.A. The adults were given small pillows which had DRK. (German Red Cross) markings.

The children all had their job – the older ones looked after the younger and helped to collect the meals from the Kuchnia (Kitchen) Our meals were Polish, the first that evening being a thin porridge flavoured with sweetened cocoa – Lupa grysik served in brown enamel basins – quite palatable – I had taken some oddments as well as "K" rations so we adults usually augmented the our meals with those items.

The food was collected from the kitchen in buckets and served in the wagons – The children queued up & then retired to their bunks to eat it – Although simple, and unbalanced there was sufficient and UNRRA in Prague sent fresh rolls, skimmed milk & butter which was a wonderful change to the dry dark sour bread & powdered milk.

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Breakfast normally consisted of dry black bread and warm sweetened milk or cocoa. Sometimes we had margarine – Dinner was usually soup, macaroni, or potato, perhaps a few bits of meat or vegetable added & dry bread left from breakfast. Supper varied. Hot tinned meat & potato, or soup or porridge – sometimes we had black sweet tea & the children had compot once & chocolate on several occasions.

It was interesting to see how experience had taught them to eke out their own precious supplies – One would see them foraging in their tiny bags and having procured a delicacy nibbling a sausage, eating a chastka (cake) or chewing a sweet between meals – You can imagine how they enjoyed my good things from Australia

I used to play noughts & crosses with them or sit on the platform & share the excitement of the passing scene or walk through the train & "talk" to the other 384. One boy, Czary (Caesar) Niciak a scout aged 13 was wearing service ribbon with two silver stars denoting twice wounded. He had served with the underground army during the Insurrection of 1944. He would have been 11 yrs old then – His job was to go out under fire to

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find the wounded & return to lead the doctor to them. On one occasion when he was wounded, he regained consciousness to find the doctor dead beside him. He always stood to attention & saluted as I passed – There were thousands of Polish children as brave as this during the German occupation.

The children were delighted to see the results of allied bombing in Germany and had actually brought their little packets of stones to throw at the first Germans they saw!! Some satisfaction for the terrors they had experienced under the German occupation, I suppose

We had one hour in Prague and quite unofficially a group of us took a lightning sprint round the city: The shops were closed for the lunch hour, but the window displays of quaint Czech handicrafts, glassware and novelties looked fascinating, if lacking in quantity.

The Czech country side was, I think, the prettiest I’ve ever seen – The laburnam almost over must have been wonderful a few weeks before

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marguerites, scabious, sweet sultan, buttercups, Crimson poppies, yellow lucerne, daisies campanula, clover & blue salvia grew in profusion, amongst other flowers, along the railway embankment. At every halting place & there were many as we stood aside to allow regular traffic to pass, the Polish Administrative officer or his offsider, brought me lovely bunches and presented them will the old world courtesy which is so rapidly disappearing in these hectic days.

We passed many trains of Polish & Hungarian repatriates – Cattle wagons, always decorated with bunches of greenery, flowers, the national flag and often with religious statues etc (for the Central Europeans are very pious) packed with humanity – Families with their few worldly possessions, jammed into this cramped space in which was to be their home for many weeks – Perambulators tied to the outside of the wagons, rockers & bundles of furniture tethered to the roofs.

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I wondered what sort of a life these peasants thought they were returning to, after having trundled round Europe. Disillusionment awaited them if they expected to find the four freedoms promised when the war was over: The struggle for existence, the battle of wits and survival of the fittest would be the future of many.

While the Big Four & members of U.N.O. propose & disagree, plan and unplan, these countless millions of displaced persons & those in the liberated countries vainly search for food to stave off starvation, for homes to protect them against next winter’s rigours & for work which will once more give them security. And how many will achieve their object?

The snow capped mountains of the Austrian Tyrol were lovely – and our first view of Switzerland was one of peace, orderliness, cleanliness and efficiency – we arrived at the Frontier town of Buchs, three and a half days after leaving Poland.

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I think the greatest subconscious relief was the absence of guns, soldiers and the sound of frequent shots. No sign of that finger on the trigger of a "tommy gun" or submachine gun, seen every hundred yards or so in Warsaw, no secret police interested in us, no lavishly gold-braided heavily bemedalled officers strutting round and no enormous flag-decked photographs of polititians glaring from walls doorways & shop windows constantly reminding one of "what will happen if you don’t behave yourselves as we want you to" – That is what it always looked like to me.

A warm welcome awaited us at the railway station from station officials & Swiss Red Cross voluntary workers. We soon finished with preliminaries & were issued with food ration coupons for the days we were to spend there. All food including that in restaurants is rationed, including cakes purchased in shops! Fruit seemed to be unrationed & tea & coffee in cafés.

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The Swiss staff took charge of the children and the Polish personnel was taken to a transient hotel (camp) whilst I was called to the telephone – Arriving at Returning to the train to find them all gone, I was escorted by the elderly Swiss doctor to the delousing department. I gathered my suitcase which he carried for me.

Entering a large hall, with benches & hooks round the walls, I saw the remnants of our party undressing, so did likewise. The organisation was very good. We each had a box & string bag, identification disk on neck chain and coathangers: Large piles of blankets were nearby. Thinking this would be a good opportunity for a complete change of linen I had not noticed that I was the only one with a suitcase.

Snugly wrapped in a blanket I joined eleven other females completely nude soaping themselves lavishly under hot showers. Undaunted we scrubbed each other’s backs with a nail brush, and after a prolongued rinsing, we marched into an adjoining room where piles of towels

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receptacles of disinfectant and a female assistant armed with DDT. gun, awaited us. Having dried, we filed past her in nature’s beauty, arms above head like prisoners – She treated our hair, axillae etc systematically & on we passed to cover our shame with a fresh blanket in the next room.

Facing us were half a dozen large square chambers, rather like autoclaves & I feverishly wondered if that was to be our fate. However, we passed right through an open one & realized they were probably for treating clothes

Of course, everyone was laughing when we again entered the first hall and I’m sure no one realised the joke that we all put on the same garments which had not been treated – However, it was one of the nicest baths I’ve ever had in spite of the publicity parade, and the Swiss authorities were evidently satisfied.

Then followed a hot meal, soup with oatmeal; rather like porridge & mince meat, macaroni & tomato, lettuce, coffee & dark bread. The children

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had the soup & brown bread & their hostesses were disappointed that they did not want more. As a party of Czech & Viennese children who had arrived the previous day were ravenous – They had not had the "extras" with which ours had been provided on the train.

The children seemed rather overawed by all this & probably began to realise that they were soon to be parted from their teachers and that only two Polish nurses were permitted to remain with them during the six months at Ardelboden.

A Swiss lady, Mrs. Bensch took some of us round the fairytale town of Buchs in the afternoon: The houses reminded me of doll’s houses, two storey, painted mauve, pastel greens, blues, pinks & primrose, with doors, window frames & shutters a deeper shade. All were terribly clean & tidy. It was a perfect day & we walked round gardens & lake & up a hill to a 600 years’ old castle with sundials painted on each of its 4 walls. It was like a Walt Disney fairytale.

The exchange rate was 38 Swiss francs to a dollar, and goods were expensive.

The tiny principality of Lichenstein just across the Rhine & within sight each presented each of us with three Swiss francs & we were also able to exchange English or U.S. money at the Bank.

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I had some francs which the Swiss Minister in Warsaw had lent me and he had also given me a special visa to visit any place in Switzerland – Foreigners were only allowed to the border town, but had there been time I could have had a lovely tour. As it was we were leaving the next evening and I only had time to travel to Zurich.

We stayed in private hotels that evening and I hardly liked to disturb the bed, the spotless fine linen & dimity was overwhelming after the best that Poland could do for us. The view from my window held me spellbound.

Early the next morning I was awakened by the most joyous tinkling of many bells in rhythmic swaying. Looking out on the still sleeping town I saw in the distance the she cow – herd with his animals, each with a melodious bell round its neck. It was lovely in the peaceful dawn, and I wished there could have been more.

I was invited to a dinner given by the Polish Minister to Switzerland and various officials, the evening before – During our stay we were the guests of the Swiss Red Cross.

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At 6.45 am we saw the children off to Ardelborden. They all sang the "Warsaw" Song as the train drew out of the station, and seemed very happy.

I took the 7 am train to Zurich. The day was perfect, clear blue & warm – The journey was for the most part along the banks of the lakes – Walder & Zurich Zee – Zurich being I think the lovliest. I was fortunate in having a Polish man & woman with me to point out the points of interest. She was Mrs. Eugenia Yolante Berenbaum representing the Spanish South American press in Switzerland Her home was in Colombia, South America – her young daughter still in Poland –

I had three hours in Zurich and did a great deal of sightseeing particularly window shopping in that time – There were some lovely things in the Barnstrasse shops, and "Cooks" produced a pamphlet setting out the attractions of Zurich – Had some nourishment in the garden of the Kongress Hotel facing a lake, where the azaleas must have been eight feet high at least – Sitting on the station awaiting my return train, a girl offered me a banana – neither of us spoke the other’s language, but I gave her some sweets & we were both quite pleased with the exchange!

I could not attempt to describe the scenery, with the snow capped mountains in the background & the brilliancy of the Lakes: It was breathtaking –

A Swiss, who spoke perfect English & who had

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spent many years in the US. told me quite a number of interesting things on the way back. I asked him how Switzerland was able to keep out of the war – He explained one reason – Every man was a soldier with a uniform which he could don in a few minutes, a rifle & 60 rounds of ammunition. Not one round was used –

On arrival at Buchs at 4.15 p.m. I joined up with some of the others who had had a lovely sightseeing tour of the district and we dashed round to spend the last of our money – arriving at the train, laden with bags of oranges & lemons, cakes etc. We reluctantly moved out of Buchs at 6.30 p.m. & with 35 unaccompanied displaced Polish children we steamed on to Frankfurt arriving at 1.30 pm the next day, Sunday.

I made several unsuccessful attempts to contact someone in UNRRA who might be on duty – R.T.O, Travel Repatriation, but nary a one, although we were expected and understood arrangements would be ready for the cleaning, re-victualling (I like that word) and re-filling the train with some or all the 400 children we were expecting.
Also I was hopeful that our staff who had had a very strenuous & trying time would be very glad of some hospitality and a bed

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"ashore" for a few nights – But these things just don’t seem to happen these days of so much talk about organisation and efficiency – I fear I’m a disillusioned woman –

Fortunately we had sufficient food on the train for the day and we settled down to write letters & meditate on the future – Some of our party took a quite unofficial trip round the city & again returned satisfied that here was another Nazi city that had received its desserts. The children were forced to remain on the train as we were at a main platform and it must have been a trying day for them & for their charges.

Imagine my horror the next day on contacting UNRRA to find that there were no arrangements, any that had been made some time previously had been cancelled on receipt of a telegram saying that we had filled the train in Switzerland!! The origin of that telegram is still obscure.

Then began a series of discussions, telephone calls, conferences and what have you – Result, nothing could be done in Frankfurt & we would have to return to Munich which city we so recently skirted – You can imagine that the C.O. train D. Kapaszyk was glad that I was there to negotiate – as he did not speak English – We left at 4.30 pm

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with one displaced Polish girl in addition to our 35 from Switzerland. Time will not permit, but there is always a humerous side to these difficulties, and we laughed as we trundled off to Munich.

Food is always cropping up in various stages of importance – While we were standing outside Aschaffenburg I noticed several long frock coated, brassbuttoned gold braided very-important-looking German railway officials passing to a truck. Each carried a heavy sack of potatoes on his shoulders – Could not at that stage imagine why the truck could not have been shunted nearer the potatoes. Then I saw the neatest bit of pilfering.

First one official dropped his sack spilling potatoes on the track. He stood & gazed hopelessly (perhaps for our benefit) and did not attempt to replace more than half a dozen. Then he appeared to have a brain wave & walked back presumably to his office, returning shortly after with a large leather brief case which he hastily proceeded to fill with potatoes – placing it on one side. By this time the other officials had delivered their

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sacks & passing, bent & assisted the wily one to collect a few wayward potatoes & replace them in his sack. Whether his case full went on the black market or into his Frau’s larder history does not relate, but someone’s calories were increased quite substantially that time.

If anyone tries to tell you that bed bugs dislike DDT don’t you believe it. Our bunks had been treated previously & I had generously dusted under, around & on top of my mattress, blankets, wall etc with my private supply – However, that morning in Munich I was just smothered with bites & had I not found several marauders in my bed I might have been persuaded that I’d been eating oysters or strawberries!! I dare say the offenders died eventually from their meal or the DDT but they are pretty tough –

We crossed the Danube twice during that "tour", but little did I imagine it would play such an important role as to cause an impasse in the talks of the Big Four – It wasn’t blue either.

In Munich UNRRA has many H.Q. – Central H.Q. for Germany (outside Munich) Zone H.Q. & District H.Q. – all, and a

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number of other officials, including Polish Red Cross, were concerned with the arrangements for our return journey – but none had any plans ready, owing to the "cancellation" mentioned before –

Then I got practical & dug my heels in – we had been on the train ten days and it needed a good spring clean – The linen also required laundering before taking on another group – so I discussed with the C.O. & made a long list of requirements, which I feel some quite staggered the officials!

Then the Conference began, with representatives of Zone H.Q. Health & Child Welfare, District H.Q., Health, Child Welfare, & Field operations, Transient Camp officials, Polish Red Cross & your humble servant – with a most able & energetic U.S. official in the Chair – We commenced from bedrock and when we left the ball at last was rolling, but the target date for departure at the earliest was some 8 – 10 days hence –

This completely upset my plans for I was

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due to leave Warsaw for London "on or about June 1st and it was then May 22. I was forced to make the decision to leave the train & return as speedily as possible to Warsaw – and was sorry not to have made the return journey – with the unaccompanied children, sick Polish DP’s – (probably Tb.) some aged & a number of pregnant women, which the conference had decided would be the load –

I shuddered when I thought of the Tb. going back, for I had seen so many advanced cases living in undescribable conditions in Poland, unable to be hospitalised, and without any extra comforts and with very little food.

I was also sorry to leave the friends I had made among the staff. All had their tragedies – One school-master looking for his son last heard of in Dachau Concentration Camp, another looking for a daughter transported to Germany during the occupation. One woman teacher who shared my cabin & who spoke some English, whose husbands whereabouts were unknown except that he had been in Majanek & Gross

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Rosen Concentration Camps, was hoping to find him – and so on.
There was tragedy also among the children we were taking back. One group of five sisters, the oldest thirteen caring for the family, only knew that their mother had been dragged away from their home 4 years ago and the father had been shot dead before their eyes.

One or two children have parents in Poland – these are blonde & blue eyed & were forcibly taken by the Germans under the Nazi scheme of embodying them as loyal citizens of the Third Reich – There were some quite young babies, apparently born to Polish D.P. women, who now wish to return to their lawful husbands in Poland and consequently abandoned the children.

Satisfied that the arrangements were "proceeding to plan" I saw the children & staff transferred to the transient camp which was to be their home for the next 10 days or so. The final scene was rather harrowing for all the adults grouped round me and sang

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Polish songs of farewell – There was much kissing & shaking of hands & tears and I was handed a long list of their addresses with the earnest request that I write soon. and Thus as we drove away, I felt they had temporarily, anyway, lost another link with the outside English speaking world –

Then followed visits to the people responsible for getting me back to Warsaw. Found that nothing could be done before Monday & that was on Friday, so Miss Mainbridge, Chief Nurse in the U.S. Zone, Suggested that I see something of Munich in the meantime.

The trip to Berchestgaden was one of the most interesting – After a chapter of accidents & many delays we set out along the autobahn at 90 kilometres. We hadn’t gone far when the Lithuanian D.P. driver popped his head into the engine & looking up with a wry face told us "no Bertchestgaden" – My heart sank, I had been so excited at the prospect of seeing something of Adolfs little Kingdom.

Just then a 2 ton truck with a group of carefree U.S. G.I’s drove in sight & stopped to see what they could do to help.

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They were on leave & proceeding to the US. Leave centre at Berchestgaden & would be only too pleased to tow us along behind!! So we were duly hitched on after a refreshing Koka Kola & a doughnut at a roadside U.S. Red Cross "bar" nearby. Part of the journey was along the banks of the [indecipherable] with the Bavarian Alps facing us. A perfect day, we had left Munich at 2.15 pm & arrived at Berchestgden at 7.30 pm.

Our original plan had been to see Bertchestgaden and then move on to a small village near Salzburg for the night – With the car a casualty we were forced to seek accommodation when the tow rope was parted and to our consternation found that the town was not open to UNRRA personnel at the weekend!!! However, we finally found a resting place & meals –

After dinner we walked round unescorted in the dusk in occupied Germany. This would not have been advisable in Poland, a "liberated" country. Bavaria was the heart of the Nazi regime – Munich its birthplace.

The Fuhrer certainly had an eye for beauty

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when he planned his country home and stronghold. Sitting before a large plate glass window at dinner, the Eagle’s nest at the extreme summit of the highest peak was visible as a mushroom perched on top. I longed to visit it.

A nut & maple caramel sundae, the first I’ve had for years, was enjoyed later in a Snack bar, with music played by a blind German pianist – All these cafés are run by Germans under U.S. supervision and the Americans certainly surpass themselves in their arrangements for the welfare of their troops. They had their frauleins too, but now that they are permitted to bring their wives to Europe, the frauleins will not have the monopoly.

Did I ever tell you about the Polish & German bedmaking? Preferably feather beds, but my experience in Poland was of very thin & hard horsehair mattresses preferably usually divided in three, much too small for the bedstead & consequently prone to gaps between the sections –

Over this a sheet is laid, but as in some German beds the mattress fits into a deep

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wooden frame, the and the sheet is always narrow there is not much tucking in. Over this is placed the scarlet feather "eiderdown", encased in a white cover, with perhaps an oval opening in the centre or with lace medallions inset for trimming.

The pillow is an enormous square one, also scarlet for preference & most uncomfortable to my mind – In winter you snuggle under the eiderdown & pretend there are no draughts in summer you wish you had a top sheet – Actually once you become adept at manipulation its really quite comfortable but you are apt to get lost. Bed that night was very welcome, feathers & all –

The next morning we looked for transport to ascend the mountain & found only army vehicles, jeeps & heavy vehicles were allowed – Followed a tour to see which party we could join – Finally found a truck which was going up but not returning, but willing to take us. We risked the return journey & said we would walk the 2,600 metres if necessary. The road was narrow with many

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hairpin bends; the last section being one way only – a phone above & below regulating the traffic.

The views were magnificent – wild flowers in profusion, & a view of the Konigsee. It took about half an hour to reach the first tunnel through the solid rock, and there were five of these before we reached a very long, well lighted one – Passing through this we found ourselves on a semi circular parapet & parking area, a magnificent view before & solid mountain behind.

In the rock was a large solid steel door faced with copper & nearby a smaller one about 8 feet high. Engraved over the main door was "[Erbant 1938]" – (built in 1938). They told us Hitler used this place really for entertaining his guests to coffee & the view, but one wonders if he really had the jitters and foresaw that some stronghold such as this would be necessary for when serving the coffee.

By this time large groups of U.S. troops were arriving and we entered the door which was opened by a German attendant and passed into yet another giant corridor of solid rock and well lighted, with

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beautiful electric fittings. By this time one had lost all sense of direction as we were in the bowels of the mountain and found ourselves in a large circular anteroom with a solid stone dome. The rock was faced here & crystal electric lamps gave light. Strangely, although there was not a sign of ventilation the air was fresh.

Facing us was another copper door, burnished and with the lock shot away, showing a large gaping hole. This door slid silently into the wall & revealed a lift of burnished copper, fitted with leather seats & a beautiful circular mirror in which, I presume Hitler preened himself as he entered. Eight central lights finished the picture – Eight persons only were allowed in at a time, the doors silently closed, & the German attendant pressed the button and we, without any sensation of motion, ascended the 124 metres to the Eagle’s nest: That journey took a little over 1 ¼ minutes and the doors again slid back silently and we emerged into a large

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reception hall.

I could not help visualising the journey under Nazi control – with the S.S. troops, elite of elite, the hidden guns at every turning, the challenges & the checkings & possibly the shootings. All the doors opening off this room & the corridor were copper & all had the locks shot away – whether by the allies or the Nazis, I know not.

The large reception room had large plate glass windows of double glass – One had had a shot fired through but I could not tell from within or from without – the former I should imagine at some fugitive without: The enormous marble fireplace had chunks cut off by souvenir hunters and others had carved their signatures thereon.

The view was superb – no wonder the Fuhrer withdrew for meditation. Psychologically he probably chose the site as it had an uninterrupted view of Austria beyond the valley. I think he was gloating after Austria in 1938 wasn’t he & wondering how he could incorporate it in the third

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Reich?

All the furniture had been removed and several rooms were not on view – I noticed deep stairways leading below, so suppose there are subterranean passages into which he could withdraw if necessary – Anyway, it would make a very nice week end "cottage" with a few chintz curtains & comfy chairs!

Outside we were able to walk round the building and view the grandeur of the scene – from all sides – and look upon the huge S.S. barracks below, now in complete ruins –
It was not difficult to hitch hike down & we stopped halfway to visit the ruins of Hitler’s country house, bombed on April 26th 1944. This must have been magnificent surprising when one knows how simple were our Adolf’s tastes! The banquet hall was or had been all rose marble with an enormous plate glass window facing the view.

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The bedrooms had been upstairs and the servants domestic quarters nearby – There were signs of much camouflage – A German boy about 12 yrs with a small hurricane lamp then escorted us to Hitler’s bunker (air raid shelter) 66 feet metres below and 6 miles of passages (10 kilometres) This was undamaged but the furniture had been removed.

Machine gun nests and slits in the solid concrete at every corner of the passage – must have required an army to man them. Hitler & Eva Braun’s bedroom & living suite, operating theatre & dozens of guest rooms were pointed out. We were told that they could cook for 300 down there – A library for the guests and a prison for S.S. men were also seen – nothing was overlooked for everyone’s comfort.

I recalled that my friend the S. Tutor at Liverpool Royal Infirmary had told me that on one occasion the King & Queen were visiting Liverpool after a severe bombing – when some of the nurses had refused to go to the shelter – she was explaining how important it was to go & told them they must go

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down that night during the next raid which would be that night. They took her caution lightly – but after the heaviest raid of the series occurred some hours later, they asked her how she knew they would have one.

She then told them that it was arranged for the King & Queen to use their shelter in emergency – and it was certain the news that they were in the city would reach Germany & an extra furious attack would ensue – Sure enough it did – but our King& Queen did not stay at home because of it.

The ventilation in Hitler’s bunker was good although no apparatus was evident. We finally emerged a considerable distance from where we entered, after mounting 66 steps, and we had by no means traversed the entire shelter.

We completed the descent of the mountain in a US Ambulance & lunched on chicken soup, grilled chicken, vegetables, red wine, fresh cherry pie & coffee only signing the book, but paying nothing.

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As the car repairs would take at least a week we had to return by train and we had quite an experience there for Miss Mainbridge & Miss Arthur Albert did not have movement orders – they told a few fibs, used an old movement order & gave false names & we got away with it.

I was due to catch the train to Frankfurt that evening & we rang to ask them to hold the sleeper which they said they would – they sleepers are usually cancelled if you do not report before 6 p.m. to check up. Arriving at 7 p.m. I found clerks had changed & my sleeper gone – nothing to do but sit up all night –

The day before I had been driven round Munich & the sights were pointed out. Had coffee & doughnuts at Hitler’s Brown House, where he made his Annual Speech – a beer garden, now US. Club. Saw the place where the first Putsch took place and various other party buildings.

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I was sorry not to see Heidelberg, could have hitch hiked, but that did not appeal as it was very hot & I wasn’t energetic enough.

I was billeted in Munich at a US. transient officers’ mess, a jeep ride from UNRRA H.Q, but in Frankfurt I had a room in the Wiesbaden hotel near the Bahnhoff (Railway Station) and so was able to do a little spring cleaning much overdue –

I travelled from Frankfurt to Berlin on US. Army plane after a series of complications because my own travel order was incorrectly endorsed. The first part of the journey was quite good the last bad, & it took 2 hours. We landed at the huge Templehof airport and after checking in with "security" was transported on a double decker bus to O.M.G.U.S. (Occupation Military Govt U.S.) the H.Q. In Frankfurt it had been U.S.F.E.T. (U.S. Forces European Theatre)

This drive took me through a fairly large area of Berlin & gave some idea of the damage – I think I felt a little like the Polish boys – satisfied to see "an eye for an eye" –

Had no idea where I’d find UNRRA office, everyone in Frankfurt was delightfully vague – However, with an incorrect phone number, I endeavoured to contact them. This took some hours, but finally I set the creaky wheels in motion for a booking to Warsaw, and retired to my billet at

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"Chicago" one of the flats for transients. My meals were taken some 10 minutes walk away at the ""[Kittorp]" Hotel which had a delightful piazza overlooking a lovely, but neglected garden – I eat all my meals here under the awning.

UNRRA was unable to get me on the RAF plane (biweekly) the next day & I’d just missed the weekly U.S. one – They suggested that I go to Gatow airport – transport provided – a journey of nearly 1 ¼ hrs & see if I could get a cancellation. Was successful, but owing to delay in UNRRA Office checking through by phone the F/L had to close his manifest and I returned to Berlin – furious – as this meant a delay of 3 days.

UNRRA office is situated in the Kommandatura H.Q. in the former German People’s Court, where those arrested after the 1944 attempt on Hitler’s life were "tried" – The Allied Control Administration which jointly administers Berlin has four desks at the entrance, with military officials representing the Big Four – Britain, France, U.S, Russia, seated behind. The building is actually in the U.S. Sector – this may be the reason why the guard at the entrance is U.S.

Having three days to idle away I decided to see all I could and knew I would receive every assistance from the

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American Red Cross Club in the well known Titania Palatz – Joined an afternoon bus tour of the city, German guide complete. It was most interesting & pleasant, a lovely day with plenty of time to see the points of interest. I think you may be interested to hear a little so this is what we saw as we drove from one Sector to the other. Some of you may remember them.

Berliner Sports Palatz, an enormous building seating 25,000, in Potsdamer Streze Hitler declared war from here in 1939 and he & Goering spoke here every two weeks – It is now destroyed, but some walls & various inscriptions remain.

We passed other badly damaged or destroyed buildings – Pre-war German Army HQ; Dr. Ley’s HQ. Labour front – Strength thro’ Joy, 1936-37.

[Potsdamer] Railway Station, [Lerpsig Platz], and the Music Hall – This brought us to the centre of Berlin where we saw what remains of the Ministry of Post & Telegraph, & Ministry of Food – The latter still had a beautiful wrought iron doorway, with a large swastika & eagle – This is to be removed shortly –

At the [Anhalter] Railway Station, the

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largest in Berlin, with 70 trains daily before the war & 5 at present, we saw a large group of German refugees squatting on the footpath surrounded with their possessions. They did not look as hopeless as some I saw in Poland, as they had not suffered 6 years of oppression.

[Himmler’s] Gestapo H.Q. & Officer’s Training School, with concrete fortresses on the street corner, was a Royal Palace until 1918. During the war the road was closed & heavily guarded.

Goerings H.Q. & the Air Ministry brought us to the Russian Sector, in the heart of Berlin, where the damage is heaviest, as Mr. Churchill warned us it would be. Down Berlin’s Fleet Street to Hitler’s Chancellery, where we alighted for 20 minutes & remained 40! The interior is badly damaged, but the balcony from where he made many of his frenzied speeches & public appearances remained. The interior must have contained enormous apartments with marble walls & marble & mosaic floors.

I managed to collect some mosaics and a young German policeman kindly chipped a turquoise tile from the wall of Hitler’s bathroom for me – will make a nice teapot stand – we were told that a good deal of the damage was done by the S.S. before they left also.

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40.
Hitler’s bunker interested me – The entrance was guarded by a young Russian armed soldier – The shelter must have been lavishly fitted up – The German guide was not allowed to enter any of the buildings with us, but the Russian soldier pointed out where Hitler & Eva Braun were supposed to have committed suicide – The suite was stripped of furniture, except an old sofa & table & a few odd bits – Goebells & his family died here also –

It was nice to return to the freshness of the once beautiful Chancellery Garden. At the entrance we were surrounded by, German men, women & children selling medals of all descriptions & a few old p.c. I wanted a "[Mutter Krens]" – The decoration given to German women for increasing the population –

Bronze cross – 3-4 children
Silver cross – 5-7 children
Gold cross – 8-10 or more children

The cross is decorated with blue enamel & had a narrow ribbon. And this is where I was taken down – The guide was to find me one – A small boy produced it, but without ribbon.

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I wanted it complete – greed – so gave the guide 8 cigarettes & he was to deliver it to my hotel next day – which of course he didn’t – Found out later the value of a cigarette is about 3/6!!! So I shall not be able to show you a "mutter cross"

On we went, passing Goebell’s Ministry of Propaganda, Hotel Kaisershop where Hitler lived in 1933, to the Unter den Linden – The trees were used as fuel in 1944, and the Tiergarten is now a vegetable patch. The road was camouflaged during the war 4 metres above, to mislead the R.A.F.

Cows were peacefully grazing among the ruins of the University, and all round were damaged or destroyed buildings; State Opera House & Theatre, Grave of Unknown Soldier, Museums, Protestant’s Cathedral etc.

In the British Sector we saw the Reichstag, destroyed by fire in 1933 by the S.S., S.S. Barracks; a huge Russian Memorial 1941-45 – The Russians seem to build memorials huge, solid, imposing, as they go – In Poland it is the same – Kroll House – the [indecipherable] House of Berlin, from where Hitler spoke – and two huge bunkers, similar to those built in Gdansk, 4 or 5 storeys high, built

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in 1942, undamaged & now used to house 500 hospital beds each. The Queen Victoria Palace was Hitler’s guest house in 1937.

We passed the [indecipherable] See the lake which was camouflaged and an artificial one built in another area to confuse RAF, also. No confusion was apparent from the accurate bombing seen!

Passed the enormous German Broadcasting Company & came to the Olympic Stadium opened in 1936, seating capacity 100,000. It was good to see the Union Jack flying above – There was a special balcony for Hitler & his guests and he & Mussolini attended in 1937. Part of the building was destroyed by fire, when 200 S.S. refused to surrender to the Russians, who brought up flame throwers, to and settled the question.

At the Olympic Stadium is a huge shallow bronze urn on legs – Fourteen days before the "games" commenced fire was brought from Olympia – Hitler dreamed of a Nazi Europe with the Stadium as a sports centre – There are wonderful swimming pools & beautiful lawns and with Marsfield the training ground behind – Here each nationality lived in a village of its own during the games. Grain was stored below the stadium during the war.

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As we returned we drove through the Grunewald Forest with magnificent oak avenues meeting overhead & the [indecipherable] Lakes and [Wann-See] nearby.

It was interesting to see the German women at work on the roads, doing the heavy digging, cleaning, sorting, carting & stacking bricks & removing truckloads of rubble – would have liked to see them doing it in Poland instead of the Polish women –

When eating at the Hotels & waited on by German staff all politely asked for what we want I visualised the position reversed, with the Nazi’s in occupation. We waiting on them, our orchestras entertaining them, bus & taxi drivers driving them – How different it would have been and how nearly it happened.

I took the bus tour again the following day & also wandered round the partly undamaged shopping area of the Kurfurstendamm Strasse. The windows were practically bare, but I was told that one can purchase many things "in the back room" for cigarettes or food. What goes in the window must be sold for marks in which the Germans are not so interested –

The American Special Services certainly provide all amenities for the troops – Out of interested I visited one at "[Onkel Tom]" a

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suburb of Berlin – and this is what I found Library & reading room, portrait studio, film developing, art dept, optical information and entertainments depts.

The gift shop (canteen) displayed everything from scent to fishing tackle & golf balls. The American Red Cross at Rainbow Corner, Berlin (& other branches) also had portrait studio, manicurist, shoe shine, laundering & pressing service, craft shop, film developing, cable & postal services, package & wrappings, writing room and library, nightly entertainments, floor shows, ping pong, lounge, & photo copyist Special parties, such as birthday, were arranged. and Snack, & coca cola bars and light meals were provided – at small cost.

And so my tour of Berlin ended – after half an hour’s delay due to awaiting authority to fly over Russian Zone being delayed we set out from Gatow airfield and arrived in Warsaw 2 ¼ hours later.

And then began a round of offices: personnel, finance, travel to arrange my return trip to London & termination of work with the Polish Mission – I had many friends to see & many farewells

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to make, as well as a report of my trip to Switzerland with the children –

I had one last glimpse of Warsaw – The lilac on the flower stalls was replaced by masses of sweet scented mock orange blossom. "Lody" (ice cream) carts were everywhere among the ruins – their vendors in clean white aprons or overalls and head covering. The cones were minute & the dab of ice-cream would not be more than one large teaspoonful, but those who could find 5 zlotych were enjoying themselves

I gave a party in our minute bedroom to a number of my friends – It reminded me of my training days when soap dishes and odd bits of china were used as receptacles – We had Australian tongues, camp pie, cheese, jellied peaches, salted peanuts, raisins & peel, Xmas cake & the inevitable cup of tea – The rolls & butter were Polish. This was followed by the week’s laundry (after the guests left – but the garments could not be rinsed as the water went off!!

The following morning we took off and had an exceedingly rough trip to Gatow taking 2 ¼ hours – However, St Christopher kept his eye on things and we made a safe landing and set out for Croydon the next morning. This was quite the

[Page 123]
roughest flight I’ve ever experienced until we crossed the channel – It was grand to be in England again, but disappointing that I had just missed the Victory Parade the previous day –

Since commencing this I have travelled through or over seven countries – I think it’s high time I ceased these peregrinations, but in spite of the fact that my work in Poland was completed I was very sorry indeed to leave the many friends I made there. It was a wonderful experience – in fact the last year was one I would not have missed for years, in spite of its tragedies, anxieties, fluctuations and perhaps a little hard work. Now I am away from all that, sometimes I wonder if it really happened –

Here in the peace of England it is hard to understand what we really did fight for and one wonders whether the sacrifices were in vain – Time can only can tell this – In the meantime I must pack my bags and have a busman’s holiday gathering all the information I can about the nursing profession and its future –

I know there is a tremendous amount that I have omitted – but this has been written at odd times & places, so that you will receive it before we meet again –

All the best to all of you,

Yours very sincerely
Muriel K. Doherty.

[Page 124]
T.S.S. Sarpedon.
18.8.46.
My dear Mother,
Time is passing all too slowly as we heave along on the crest of the wave or plunge into the hollows between. They say it’s not really rough – but the high wind is making the sea most unpleasant. I never did like shipboard, much prefer the air, but can’t do anything about it.

Someone said yesterday that we were not due in Sydney until Oct. 1st. That on the calendar looks terrible, over six more weeks – we’ve only done two! The weather has been cold, wet, very windy, with only one week of sunshine, and that not when we crossed the equator!

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About 130 passengers – 75 children, but they don’t trouble us much.

Miss Dorothy Helmrich is in our cabin also an elderly parson’s widow Mrs. Beveridge: Mrs. Armytage must have changed hers – as she was originally put down as one of ours. Miss Sage, AANS. is on board, but we don’t often see her – as she frequents the Captain’s cabin, table & the lounge where much drinking goes on –

The food is quite good for ship’s food but I am longing for that juicy grilled chop & cup of tea at Avalon –

We don’t get much sleep before 1 am. Very noisy dances & other entertainments and the smoking

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room is next our cabin. We had to complain, but it hasn’t made so much difference.

There is a library on board, but I think the company gave a bookseller £20 & the bookseller sent all the books he couldn’t sell! I have a few thrillers, but hope to get something in South Africa – will keep those I have for you to read later.

The ship is full of Irish and padres – The Eire Minister & his wife & two children – Three R.C. priests, & two Anglo-Catholic, and numerous Irish people.

The Finlows wanted me to come up a day or two before sailing, but I had to be in London to get

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4.
tickets etc and so couldn’t. They came to the train at Crewe, but unfortunately we only stayed five minutes. They brought me flowers raspberries & gooseberries from the garden. The Darroch from Liverpool Infirmary wanted me to stay at the Hosp: a night before – but couldn’t for the same reasons. She came to the train at Liverpool & saw me on to the bus but was not allowed to come to the ship.

Have been playing quite a lot of patience & sometimes rummy – it passes the time.

There’s no news in this but will post at Cape Town & hope you receive it before I arrive.

Much love,
Muriel

[Page 128]
At Sea – off Capetown
25 24.8.46.
My dear Budd,
I’m silly – I write you a long air letter just now having carefully folded the form first to be sure it was correct. Then I found my "love & kisses" all on the outside back & thought it better to rewrite.

Three weeks gone and about five more to go – Supposed to arrive in Fremantle on 14th. and Sydney Oct 1st!!! That of course depends on many things, including weather.

Today we have just left Capetown and are heaving about on the top of the ocean waves in a most disconcerting manner. Many faces missing from break-fast. I’ve not been seasick but have had several severe "heads" and can’t settle to much when bumping about. We berthed on 23.8.46, with Table Mtn swathed in mist & a very cold gale blowing and showers all day. Ashore by 11 am. having waited for mail, which I didn’t get till the evening.

I was calling on the Gen: Sec: S.A. Nursing Assn. and found she’d died a couple of months ago. Saw Miss Marwick, Matron of the Groote Schuur Gen. Hosp. & was taken over – Excellent – Also heard about the progress of their reconstruction plans – far ahead of us. She said the Press would be sorry they did not know I was there. I wasn’t – B.B.C. told Miss Helmrich much the same – escaped again.

Thrilled to have your letter & one from Mother & Lan. Books may be in Durban. The mattresses sound attractive – I’ll need them – not much sound sleep on board – very noisy crowd and cabin next bar & smoking room & on promenade deck. Mother says you’re off to Melb: soon & you will be back probably before this arrives. Do hope you had good weather. Laura says it has been awful.

Parcels for Poland forwarded before I left London & I arranged for any others to be forwarded also – Fancy three more – they will be thrilled – Miss Frazer will be disappointed – I shall not be there in time – Hope RPAH reunion will not be over.

By the way, I have two good grey blankets, pillow, sheet & two cases which will be useful. I hope the Koalas remain & become tame. Didn’t have time for shopping yesterday, but will try & get a coat in Durban where we probably remain 3-4 days – Want to see Zululand also. Had a fancy dress dance recently – I went as an early Vic. lady in evening dress – They said I was the best, but the prize went to a couple – Pompadour – he a theatrical hairdresser & he gave his wife a magnificent wig – Photos were taken & if good will get one.

I do hope Mr. Black (whoever he may be) does my income tax returns – This one will probably be very complicated – Laura seems to have welcome home plans & Mother says Miss Lang has also – will have to make a few notes for the Press in case I can’t escape. Lovely warm sunny day yesterday – Bought bananas & mandarins in Capetown – Grapefruit for breakfast today – oranges for dinner – I did miss them in Eng: Glad Fauna is back at P.A. Will look forward to letters in Aust. Ports & will write from there: Durban 10 pm 26.8.46.
That’s all until we meet – Much love,
Muriel.

[Page 129]
[Air letter cover]

Miss H. B. Hetherington
Royal Prince Alfred Hospital
Missenden Road
Camperdown
New South Wales
Australia

[Page 130]
T.S.S. Sarpedon
En route to Durban
25.8.46.
My dear Mother,
Your most welcome letter of Aug. 6th was waiting in Capetown when we arrived. Glad you enjoyed the cable, will send another on leaving Durban – where we arrive on 27th and are supposed to leave on 29th – Am planning a trip to Zululand which doesn’t seem far away and will look at overcoats.

I liked Capetown, but the day was cold, windy & showery. We got ashore about 11 am and sailed at 7 am the following morning – Called on Mrs. Cribb, Gen: Sec: S.A. Nursing Assn. with whom I’d been corresponding & found she had recently died. Then saw the Matron of Groote Schuur Gen. Hosp & shown over & shown off!! Took a bus ride to Camps Bay along the coast which was suffering from the gale which we had sampled – no time for shopping, although no clothing rationing.

Letters from Lan & Budd also. Fancy two cakes waiting – It was lovely to have Bananas & mandarins again & crystalised fruits. You advise me to put my feet up – well I do frequently, but the ship pitches & tosses so much that I don’t enjoy it much – Had a fancy dress dance the other night & went as early victorian "lady" – photos taken – will buy one if good – Will write from Perth – & have told Lucy I am on my way

Take care of yourself
Much love
Muriel

[Page 131]
[Air letter cover]

Mrs. R. K. Doherty
7 Rocklands Rd
Wollstonecraft
New South Wales
Australia

[Page 132]
T.S.S. Sarpedon
Durban. 28.8.46.
My dear Budd,
Another day gone – We arrived yesterday at 6 am and at [indecipherable] were on a trip to the valley of a thousand hills & the huge Zulu reserve – A perfect day & glorious views & all very interesting.

The big Chief showed us how they live & sleep. He had the biggest tummy I’ve ever seen and it lay on the mat beside him when he demonstrated how they sleep! We climbed (in the coach) up & up & travelled by hairpin bends & steep hills – The native Kraals were lovely & the piccaninies fascinating. I got a bead & mealie necklace for Eliz:

The whole trip was 75 miles & we returned to Durban at 5 p.m. Cooling all night & again tonight. This morning we went for a tour round Durban, & to Indian & native markets – bought Eliz: a bangle, & this aft. did some shopping.

Another letter from you, dated Aug: 11th & one from Thelma Long – I thought she must have passed away it’s so long since I heard. Will not be in Sydney till Oct. 1st a terribly long trip – very interested in all the parties being prepared en route – only wish I had some decent clothes – Glad you have seen Fauna & that she’s back at P.A. Glad the broadcast was a success – wasn’t sure as it was done in such a hurry – £ 12-12-0 for that effort. Sorry to hear that Gertie is ill – hope they cure her this time.

The shops are full of goods here & food is abundant. Mandarins 1/- doz: bananas the same – Telegram asking me to phone "Ella Balfour" here – can’t imagine who she is but hope not the broadcasting people. Will ring in the morning.

We leave on our Indian Ocean tour on Friday 30th at 11 am & 14 days after that expect to be in Fremantle. We were invited to hear Dorothy Helmrich give her Broadcast recital at the S.A.B.C. last night – She has a beautiful voice & it was most enjoyable:

The lounge in which I am writing is so hot & stuffy that I can’t stay any longer. All windows screwed down & shutters up for cooling – doors closed & I heard one bridge player ask another if she felt the draught on her neck – All my news will have to wait till I return.

Take care of yourself, and don’t get too excited –

Much love
Muriel

[Page 133]
[Air letter cover]

Mrs. R. K. Doherty
7 Rocklands Road
Wollstonecraft
New South Wales
Australia

[Page 134]
[Printed letterhead – The Advertiser, Adelaide]

All sorts of people to meet me including refugees (looking for lost relatives from Belsen) – who had seen the press reports.
Invitation from Governor too late to accept.
Broadcast B.B.C. 2 pm. Thursday
Lunch with Polish Dr. at Perth Royal –
Min. of Health to morning tea – last minute urgent cabinet meeting – unable to come
Miss Monger to dinner Perth Royal Thursday
Bought jumper – several sent on appro:
Just exhausted with being introduced to people
7 a.m. Friday left for Adelaide –
Saw Fred Brinsden Kalgoorlie –
Olive in bed with back –
Good trip –
Arr: 6.35 pm Adelaide time.
Kit at Airways –
Clarice Maclaughlin at Hotel –
Wife of Manager ex-RAAF NS & friends of Kit
Phone calls galore –
Press (Miss Trait late SMH) flowers fruit –
Brought Kit huge box wild flowers from W.A. Sat. am
Clifford to coffee & shipping office

[Page 135]
Lunch with Kit.
Car to Lady Ritchies
Kits good friends –
Driven to Maclaughlins
(Miss Baker) for dinner – & driven home 11.30 pm.
Today Sunday phone calls
Dr. Forgan ex RAAF called for me
12th A. drove me to Ms. Goldeneys
Sherry, then down street to meet his wife – more sherry –
Then dinner Goldeneys with sons & Kit –
After aft tea back to Hotel & just going to Maclaughlins for tea & they are taking me to a Jewish Dr. friend who is collecting a few friends (refugees I expect)
Throat husky – very tired but enjoying life –
Army tomorrow for lunch
Then Party Lady Gowrie Club
Nurses – Dinner with others & speaking to crowd on Tuesday sometime
Sail on Wed: am.
Assembly Hall Melb: holds 600!!!

Must go now – love
Muriel.

[Page 136]
21.9.46.
My dear Mother & Budd,
There’s no time for two letters – life is hectic and never did I dream that the nursing world would wake up so suddenly & run me off my feet –

Perth was terrific arrived 9 am Sunday last – your letters awaiting plus many others & wires also. Invitations from all Cities asking me to speak – Melbourne are taking the Assembly Hall, I believe – I told Sydney I would speak one week after arrival –

Am sitting in Kit’s office while she does a few odds & ends – she’s very tired after Royalty but very well & thrilled I’m here – Tried to write diary of Perth on plane yesterday couldn’t remember everything but will try to tell you now.

14.9.46 Sunday – Fremantle 9 am. Jo, Lucy, Jeanette & John to meet me. Press & Mrs. Walsh (King Edward Obstet: Hosp: & of nursing enquiry fame) Polished off Press. (Miss Sage sent an army sister to interrupt interview to say she was waiting &

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2.
in a hurry to go ashore – so was I – but the Press finished with me first.)

Then A.B.C. got me, but an earlier radiogram enabled me to write a 1500 word story beforehand in anticipation.

Landed 11 am – to Ermine’s to lunch – Cottesloe.

Family gathering later & high & magnificent tea – lovely – Then they all sat round & I talked – they were silent, but asked questions & we had a happy time – Bed in wee sm’a hours. Slept at Ermines. Lucy & Olive came down from Kalgoorlie specially. I think that’s all –

15.9. Monday. Jo called & drove me to her place, & showed me her prize roses – championship –

Mrs. Walsh called & drove me to her hosp: & showed me over – In conversation later she asked me where I did my obstets – when I told her, I thought I’d go down in her estimation, but didn’t seem to.

On to a meeting of at Florence Nightingale Committee at their club – where I spoke – Got their ear & all enthusiastic – No the meeting was next day, there was a party for me, I forgot.

Miss Siegle, Matron Perth Royal, said Under Secretary trying to arrange for me to leave the ship, talk to nurses & fly to Adelaide –

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3.
Meeting finished 12.30 p.m.

Dashed to A.B.C. & did a question & answer broadcast impromptu 1 p.m.

1.30 pm heard I was to stay – Gave Mrs. W. my suitcase containing all my papers, my [indecipherable] & waterproof to take to the Perth Royal where I was to stay – & Jo took me to the ship to collect more clothes – Glorious sheaf of flowers from Lan & Tommy waiting & more mail

2.45 (ship sailed 3 pm) message to say U. Sec: unable to arrange finance & Mrs. Walsh had gone to Premier!!! Jo & I stood at head of gangway awaiting Mrs. W.

3 pm, whistle blew, passengers’ friends gong went & gangway unlaced. No Mrs. Walsh. Jo was desperate – went to watch. 3.5 pm she waved me to come off – & leaving a message for Chief Steward whom I had warned already, I just got off in nick of time.

Guest of Min. of Health – Now I had to justify the expenditure of £14-10-3 fare to Adelaide !! Having had this hair-breadth escape, they drove me to the Perth Royal & we had a lovely aft. tea & chat –

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4.
After dinner, I talked to trained staff round the fire – very enthusiastic and informal gathering. Bed at midnight – in the Matron’s flat where I was the honoured guest.

Tuesday. 16th Non-stop – Reporter again & photo appalling – Tried to prepare a few notes – Then to meeting Florence N.I.F. Comm again caught their ear & they wanted me to remain in Perth. Already offered job at Perth hosp: !!!! No thank you – no more institutions for me.

Mrs. W. in Chair, Matron of Childrens, Doctors, a Mr. Perry (wealthy & interested in [indecipherable] & others present – Most enthusiastic – Read corresp: from Looker etc. & I blew her trumpet. From then on it was one hectic rush & I can’t remember the sequence.

Under Secretary & Manager Perth Hosp: for morning tea – Dinner with a Dr. & Mrs Hislop (he’s in Parliament & dealing with milk pasteurisation bill now) Talked at Children’s Fremantle & Perth Royal to student nurses and to the biggest gathering of trained nurses they’ve ever seen in Perth at Perth Royal – Most enthusiastic & over 200 – including my nurse cousins and Lucy & Jo!!

[Transcribed by Sandra Mutton for the State Library of New South Wales]