Thursday, 13th January, 1916
Letter from Marie dated Jan 4th
She said she had not got any news
from home for sometime which is curious
as I wrote constantly. She was anxious
to have news of you. Was glad to hear
Tommy was with us for Xmas.
She was very grateful to him for sending
a cheque for her special men, she
was able to give all the 5th Connaughts
& 6th Dublins in the Hospital a special
present with his best wishes. A Pipe
cigarettes tobacco & some sweets to
each, they were delighted & thought
themselves the luckiest of men.
In fact she gave all the men in her
block a very good time with the
money we collected & sent out.
Another nurse also got some money
so they were able to do things well.
She took some of the men out for a
drive the next day which was a
great treat to them.
She told me she had a great escape
of being poisoned with an injection
of typhoid. Most of those who had it got ill.
(No Reference Available)
Marie Helena Martin
Born 25 April 1892 and died 27 January 1975. Marie Helena was Mary Martin's daughter and worked in Malta and France as a VAD nurse during the First World War. In 1937 she founded the religious order Medical Missionaries of Mary. Charles Andrew Martin
Born 3 June 1895, Charles Andrew was Mary Martin's son. This diary is dedicated to him. He was reported wounded and missing in December 1915 and died of his wounds on December 8 while in Bulgarian captivity, aged 20. However it wasn't until July 1 1916 that official confirmation of his death was received. Thomas Patrick Martin
Born on St. Patrick’s Day, 17 March 1891 and died in 1954, Thomas Shannon Patrick was Mary Martin's son and was known in the family as Tommy. He served in the 5th Battalion of the Connaught Rangers, a famous Irish regiment of the British Army but survived the war. 5th Connaughts
5th Battalion of The Connaught Rangers, a famous Irish regiment of the British Army. Tommy Martin, son of Mary Martin served in this battalion. 6th Royal Dublin Fusilliers
6th battalion of the Royal Dublin Fusiliers, an Irish regiment of the British Army and the battalion where Charles Martin, son of Mary Martin served and died. |