A Higham Ferrers Ambulance Man in South Africa

Supt. J W Higgins, of the Higham Ambulance Corps, has received the following letter from Private J Abbott, a member of the corps, who is on the Princess Christian Hospital train, which runs between Durban and Ladysmith—

Durban, March 31st.

Dear Sir,—I enclose you a few lines to say that I am going on alright. I am pleased to tell you I have got a good start on the train. I am selected to be in the officers’ ward, and am getting on first rate. The first run we had was up to Ladysmith: we brought down five cases of dysentery—they were very bad, there being nothing on them but skin and bone. We did have a job with them—no one could imagine what it was without seeing them, but I am pleased to tell you we brought them all down without losing one. We have

Not had a Death

on the train yet. We fetch all down from Ladysmith, and have brought 241 men in all, from Mooi 76 men, and from Pietermaritzburg 60 men. They are coming home on the Nubia, and sailed on March 31st, so we have been very busy the last fortnight.

I am pleased to tell you I am getting on well with my work. We have got a good sergeant, and I am getting on well with him. The train is a fine one, and we have to keep it nice and clean. I should like you to see it. It is fitted up with 22 beds in sick ward, 18 for the patients and four for the orderlies. There are two of us in our ward. The man that is with me belongs to the R.A.M.C. He is a good fellow and we get on well together. The soldiers have a lot of things given them on their way down. Ladies come in the wards at most of the stations and bring them something. In fact, they have everything given them you can think of. Some were very bad cases. Five or six had a leg off; one had got

Shot Through the Neck.

I had not seen anything like it before and shall not want again after this, although is we are wanted and I can help I shall be pleased to do it.

It is splendid scenery from Durban to Ladysmith, hills all round. They are not over strict with us on the train and if we stop half a day anywhere we can have a look round. We had a bathe in the Mooi river. My wife tells me you are having some rough weather in England, but it is very hot here; in our ward it was 90 degrees, but it doesn’t hurt me for I have gained a stone since I landed.

I was at Wynberg a fortnight and was put in a ward with 24 men with a Sister over; I used to help her dress the wounds and got on first class. I saw young Francis (Wellingborough) the first day I was there, on the platform; he had come down to fetch some wounded for their camp, No. 2. They are under canvas. Our ward, No. 1, was built of wood. They are very comfortable places, and all round Wynberg is very nice. Francis is getting on alright and looked well. Of course I don’t know when I shall see him again, as we have left there.

There is no one up this way that I know. We were the first to come here; a few more ambulance men have come to Durban this week but none that I know. I expect

We Shall Meet at Pretoria

all of us. We have been running up to Ladysmith three times a week, and ours was the first train to enter the town. It is a miserable place; the houses are knocked about awfully and the people have been dying about ten per week there. It is a very unhealthy place. I think this is all this time from one of your boys.

J Abbott.