News Notes

It is with very great pleasure that we welcome the announcement of the new honours conferred on members of the nursing staff.
Miss Barton (Principal Matron) and Miss Northover (Assistant Matron) receive the Royal Red Cross (1st Class), Sister W. White and Nurses Frankeiss, Girardet, and Cockran receive the Royal Red Cross (2nd Class). We may mention that a photograph of Miss Barton appeared in our February number, and one of Miss Northover in May.

Six members of the staff have recently left for service elsewhere:
Lt.-Col. Sir James Kingston Fowler, K.C.V.O.(who has gone to France), Capts. Preston and Clarke (to field ambulance work), Capts. Lloyd and Bensted Smith (to Casualty Clearing Station), and Capt. Hardcastle (to a division for regimental duty). All will join in regretting their departure, and in wishing them the very best of good fortune in their new spheres of activity.

On June 6th a noteworthy incident took place at the hospital. Lady Babtie (wife of Surgeon-General Babtie, V.C.) came down to the hospital on a mission to present the D.C.M. conferred by H.M. The King on one of our patients - Pte. James Dear of the 2nd Dorsets. Pte. Dear gained this coveted honour in Mesopotamia by an act of remarkable gallantry. At Kut-el-Amara he twice went back under heavy shell fire to bring up ammunition. He was wounded, and has now been invalided out of the service.

The Organ Fund, on behalf of which we published an appeal in our last number, is growing at a very satisfactory pace. Its object is to provide an organ for the hospital chapel, not only to enhance the beauty of the present services for patients and members of the staff, but also to be left in position as an appropriate thank-offering when the building is returned to its former occupants - the orphan daughters of soldiers, sailors and marines. Subscriptions to the Organ Fund should be addressed to the Rev. J. Thompson Phipps (Senior Chaplain).