Visits to ships in Lemnos harbour?

[AndyR]

Hi

I've come across the following account of an Australian lance-corporal going aboard the Queen Elizabeth in Lemnos harbour - ‘Lizzie Inspected’.

http://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/cgi-bin/paperspast?a=d&d=MEX19150622.2.26

Was this sort of visit common place and does anyone know of similar accounts?

thanks

Andy

[kjharris]

Hi Andy

Nurses often visited other ships in Mudros Harbour at Lemnos, often for social reasons, but sometimes just to see over the big ship or to inspect the medical facilities on offer on other ships.

cheers

Kirsty

[AndyR]

Hi Kirsty

Thanks for your very helpful reply - I hadn't considered the possibility of seeing the medical facilities available.

My reason for asking was that my grandfather lists four ships (but with no context) in Mudros during the week at the start of October between leaving Gallipoli and before going to Salonika. He was an RAMC doctor, and I couldn't understand him having time for four visits in a week unless there was a reason (though he seems to have been on the wrong side of his Colonel at the time so perhaps was looking for an excuse to be anywhere but in camp!). I think your suggestion probably gives me the answer.

The ships were Askold, Chatham, Albion and Scorpion and from the logs all were in Mudros during that week, and the inclusion of Scorpion (a destroyer) suggests it wasn't just seeing the 'big ship'. Askold being Russian seemed strange, but the idea of seeing the medical facilities available could be an explanation there too. Maybe odd though, that all are military and no hospital ships (though he could easily have been on board one or more of them from Suvla).

Don't suppose you could point me to a description (diary?) of the sort of facilities they saw?

Thanks again

Andy

[kjharris]

Hi again

Mmmm, perhaps your grandfather was meeting with the ship's doctor (colleagues from the past?). I'm lacking a bit of context here, ie. where had he been working prior to this, and what sort of doctor he was which might suggest a reason. Was he separated from his unit? Maybe he knew others onboard? Sight-seeing is probably the best reason, and the potential offer of better food onboard than onshore. Also, the breeze in the harbour probably smelt better than onshore.

Bern, on this forum, who has researched Lemnos and nurses could probably give a better explanation!

Nurses generally visited other hospital ships to see the medical facilities, and the set up for patients (some hospital ships weren't purpose built but converted passenger ships); they went to navy ships for the food! Lemnos supplies weren't good.

cheers Kirsty