Christmas Day in the Sick Bed

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“Christmas Day, 1918 passed off very successfully, and I was able to get quite a deal of enjoyment out of the day. In the morning I had hordes of visitors, including old Col. McDermott. Then at one o’clock the chef served us up a most excellent eight-course dinner. He excelled himself. The O.C. of the Hospital, Col. Omyrod, supplied us with champagne, and sweets, cigars and cigarettes were supplied by the Red Cross – American and British – and Y.M.C.A. Afterwards we danced, and played games (musical chairs etc) with some of the Russian sisters. There was a splendid concert in the hall at night, and then more dancing. The chef, who was well ‘on’, caused great amusement by dancing in and out of his kitchen in white cap and apron in true musical comedy style.”

This was Douglas’s fourth Christmas of the war. Christmas Day 1915 was spent with the men of the 130^th (St. John) Field Ambulance in Calonne.

Christmas Day 1916 was spent with hospital patients in Bonnie Scotland.

Christmas Day 1917 was when the padre got rather muddled. Christmas 1918 was the turn of the chef to have one too many.

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