Читать книгу The Times Great War Letters: Correspondence during the First World War - James Owen - Страница 60

BATTLE SHOCK

26 May 1915

SIR,—YOUR MEDICAL Correspondent, in an article in to-day’s issue, makes kindly reference to the hospital at 10, Palace-green opened for officers suffering from battle shock—due to the foresight of Dr. Maurice Wright. I should like to report progress, as the public were good enough to trust me with £10,000 to start, and run, this hospital, and many people have written since to ask me about it. The hospital, after it became known, has always been full, and so insistent has been the demand for further accommodation that we were compelled to start a second hospital. This was not easy to do in London, as the absolute essentials to successful treatment are complete quiet and isolation. The difficulty was solved by the most generous gift by Mr. R. Leicester Harmsworth, M.P., of his furnished house, Moray Lodge, Campden-hill. The conditions are ideal—a large house standing in lovely grounds of four acres or more. This has now been opened for 33 patients. More than 100 officers have passed through 10, Palace-green, and with but very few exceptions all have recovered from the effects of this shock of battle. Dr. Aldren Turner, acting for the Director-General, has completed an organization so that the officers are sent direct from the front to Palace-green, which has been very helpful towards their recovery. I have money enough to run the two hospitals for nine months more. I feel sure that the public will not allow this work to stop for want of money.

Yours truly,

KNUTSFORD

“THE TIMES” IN THE TRENCHES

CONTENTS BILL RIDDLED WITH GERMAN BULLETS

1 June 1915

A soldier writes from “somewhere in France” under date May 25:—

Knowing that the German Press were rather dilatory with the news, we took the liberty of hanging your bill of 21st, “Italy Declares for War,” over the front of our trench breastwork, where it could be read with ease by about 1,000 yards of German lines. Never did your news get such a cutting up. The board was riddled with shot, but after 24 hours it is still readable. We carried that board about seven miles to let them have the truth, and if you will let us have a good “leader” on your bill we’ll be pleased to repeat the dose as it’s sure to have a good effect.