how it was then

I had never heard of her and then I saw the blue plaque An extract from Emma's diary while nursing overseas gave me some insight. "We got a great number of cases of frostbite, trench foot and rheumatism at this time and amongst them a Russian who, though he had served with the Australians for nearly a year, could hardly speak English at all. He was an enormous man, almost a giant and I got quite a shock when I first saw his foot. Poor fellow, he was terribly depressed and Rhoda and I were at our wits end how to cheer him up. In answer to our inquiries he always shook his head and said ‘No, sister.’ The other patients were very good to him and called him Tom, but his English was so limited that it made connected conversation almost impossible". Another time andother person, but at least she is remembered for her generosity.