Jack the Ripper – A Love Story ( Excerpt 188 )

Jack the Ripper – A Love Story ( Excerpt 188 )

  I experienced little difficulty in selecting my Doctors, unlike the Boer conflict there was no shortage of volunteers. I suspect in some part due to the fact that we are now a Corps within the Army Establishment with equivalent ranks and pay structures.

I selected five Doctors, three of them young surgeons, all hospital trained so used to a variety of tasks in their chosen field. The situation we were to be placed in, I felt it better to be a jack of all trades than a master of one. Once the hospital was up and running who knew what would arrive on a daily basis to test our skills.

The other two were just journeymen Doctors, who I felt with the aid of the nursing staff could cope with the walking wounded and less crucial cases.

The Matron I chose surprised a few people, she came to me as a senior sister, but I was so impressed by her attitude when I interviewed her that I offered her the Matron’s post. She was very flattered that I was prepared to place my trust in her, but reluctant to accept the post because of her age, she was in her late thirties.

But once I had explained that one of the reasons why I had selected her was because of her age, she accepted but still I felt, somewhat reluctantly. I wanted a young team around me, I needed the energy and the willingness to try new things. I had no time for people who might falter come the first problem.

(C) Damian Grange 2019