Letter from Louisa Garrett Anderson Page 1

Letter from Louisa Garrett Anderson to Alan Garrett Anderson. Written from Chateau Mauricien, Wimereux, Boulogne

Dearest Alan

Thanks v. much for yr letter just recd.

It wd be very nice if you could come over to see us. If you do come please tell Dr Woodcock before hand so as to be able to bring parcels if necessary (kind thought!) If I have warning I have no doubt I can get a bed for you either here or in Boulogne though both places are pretty full. I shd love to see you & I think you wd be interested to see things here. We are quite busy here & rather nicely placed although not luxuriously. We sent home our first convalescents today in great spirits at going but quite sad to leave - a mixture of feelings & a great many handshakings & good wishes all round.

It is sad that Lord Roberts has died although I think it is rather fine for him over 80 to have managed to die 'at the front'.

I don't expect to be able to come home yet - we have been taken on regularly as a military hospital, rationed etc, telephone [?illegible] - & there is plenty for us to do. If I stay on, I will come over & see M[other] & try & straighten my own affairs abt Xmas & then come back again. Letters take an immense time to reach you but the actual journey is quite simple & quick. Even on rough days the midday boat has reached us in time for luncheon.

It is awfully nice of you to offer us another big help but don't give us anything yet. I think I can manage. It makes all the difference having been taken over by the War Office. The army rations strike me as excellent in quality & amt & they require very little supplementing so that our expenses are reduced tremendously. An army chaplain has been here today, at my request, for a service in the ward. We had no piano or harmonium but the men sang well & liked it. Annie & Eliza are a tremendous help & are working very hard. I think they are quite interested but it is a great change for them to run an institution with 60 beds & a staff of 20 with Belgian refugees under them & ambulances running in & out of the courtyard night & day.

Very much love to everyone.

L&K
Yrs LGA.

Kenneth wrote a nice letter as we started 2mos ago & I have never answered. Will you ask him to forgive me. There is so little time for writing & I try to write a note to the friends of all the men when they come in & this takes time.

Annie [Goodwin] and Eliza [Fenn] - LGA's parlour maid and cook, who went with the WHC to France
Kenneth Anderson - cousin. Louie his wife. Their son Angus was killed on board HMS Bulwark on 26 Nov 1914.

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