Beyond the Marne: Quincy, Huiry, Voisins before and during the battle

by Henriette Cuvru-Magot

V

30 August, 1914.

TRAIN loads of wounded keep passing through Esbly. We all flock to the station, in the hope of bringing back good news. Alas, nothing comes but great numbers of refugees and wounded. The hospital installed in the waiting-room of the station is not large enough to care for all the wounded and provide comforts for the refugees. There are many young girls, but not enough to attend to all these unfortunates. While some of us are busy dressing wounds, others hasten to carry sandwiches and drink to the refugees on the trains, many of whom have had nothing to eat or drink for twenty hours.

Trains do not stop long enough at the station to allow the women of the Red Cross to go through all the cars. Even though it is against the rules, we reach the platform from the railroad-crossing and distribute fruit, bread, and chocolate to the children.

Our brave soldiers, for all their wounds and their weariness, look confident, and the ones we are able to approach assure us that they do not doubt our victory for a single instant. They have seen it. I can read it in their eyes.

How I long to be useful in these tragic hours! It is the duty of everyone to the full measure of his strength. No effort to help, however small, is unimportant.

Unfortunately, the hospital at Quincy is not yet completely organized, but meanwhile a branch has been fitted up at the railroad station. I am assigned to the Quincy hospital, and so am obliged to wait until it is opened.

There are moments when I could weep at not being able to do as much as I should like to relieve all this suffering—to give of my strength since I cannot give of my purse. I want to start for the hospitals near the front, but my mother absolutely forbids it.

I wrote to Bishop Marbeau asking to be allowed to work in one of his hospitals. He answers that Meaux has no hospital as yet, but that he will let me know in case there is any way I can be of use. He sends with his letter several packages containing warm clothing and various useful articles for needy soldiers of the neighborhood. I am deeply touched.