19th December 1916 Tuesday

All material produced or reproduced here and throughout this work is the sole copyright of the author and the family of Doctor D.C.M. Page MC.

“It was a decided nuisance especially as I had to repack all my goods after shifting from the Royal Hotel into ‘digs’ near the barracks. Major Paton a Perth medical practitioner, was my superior officer at the War Hospital. He didn’t live in, but I did, and was very comfortable in a cosy bed-sittingroom. The hospital was well equipped and staffed with trained sisters and V.A.D. nurses*. There were 75 patients in the place, but my work was never very heavy.”

Voluntary Aid Detachment nurses (VADs) were established by the War Office before World War One to help out in military hospitals and usually consisted of women from well-to-do dispositions. You can read more about them in this post from the Museum of the Order of St John.

Find out about our connection with Dr Page and an introduction to his diary here