Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Nurse J. Tchan, 33, private hospital certificate, three years with Dr. Haynes.

Embarked on the SS 'Salamis' at Albany on 21st March 1900

INTERVIEW WITH NURSE TCHAN.
AN INTERESTING RECORD.
THE AUSTRALIAN NURSES AND THE WAR.
It will be remembered that in March last West Australia liberally subscribed to a fund for the equipment and despatch of a nurses' contingent. West Australia was the first of the colonies to move in the matter of sending nursing aid, although she was unable to claim the honor of getting her quota, away first, that distinction going to New Zealand, eight nurses from that colony being on board the Salamis, the boat by which the West Australian
nurses made the voyage from Albany. Those who were finally sent were Nurses Nicolay, Tchan, Plover, Armstrong, Brooks, Naylor, Rogers, Emmins, Speers, Milne, and Bole. Of these, two recently returned to Perth, viz., Nurses Tchan and Armstrong, and the former was interviewed by a reporter of 'The Morning Herald.'
At the outset of the voyage in the Salamis, she said, there was some dissatisfaction about having to take steerage accommodation, although she for one perfectly understood before they left Perth, that only such accommodation was available. She and another nurse offered to pay the £7 extra demanded by the captain for the privilege of dining in the saloon, but as the remainder objected, they decided to 'rough' it in the steerage, which turned out to be very 'rough' indeed. On arrival at Cape Town they were cordially received by the authorities, and were told that there was any amount of work at Ladysmith if they cared to go up there. They decided to go to Ladysmith, and eight of them remained there throughout the campaign, the other three eventually going to Pretoria. She found the hospital at Ladysmith in anything but a cleanly condition, but she attributed it mainly to the siege, although she thought the authorities had not been as prepared as they might have been. But very soon afterwards everything was put on a proper basis, and the hospital was conducted in such a way that no one had reason to complain. She spoke very highly of all the hospital arrangements that she saw while at Ladysmith and in the vicinity. She and Nurse Armstrong were each given charge of an enteric ward. Dr. North, of the Army Medical Corps came to her one day shortly after her arrival and said that as he had had no practical experience of enteric (another name for Typhoid fever), he would have to leave the ward in her charge wholly, as being and Australian, she was well fitted for the office. He undertook to merely sign her diet sheets. He also spoke in flattering terms of the Australian nurses - a sentiment which the matron (a Netley Hospital woman) eventually shared, although at first she appeared prejudiced against them. She had 58 patients at first, but had only one pillow for the lot. Matters in that respect, however, were quickly remedied. During the time she was in the hospital she had not a single Australian through her ward, while only one came to the hospital, and he was convalescent when he entered. Of the numerous patients she had had to nurse, she lost only three. She spoke warmly of the qualities of the English 'Tommy,' but was not so kindly disposed in favou of some of the young officers. The 'boys' of the Army Medical Corps she considered splendid fellows, always obliging and very civil. Without egotism, die thought the nurses sent from West Australia, by their work, had won a good name for themselves and for the colony, and she and Nurse Plover had been mentioned in the despatches. She was very grateful to the committee that had organised the contingent, and was sure the other nurses were. She spoke thankfully of the help afforded to them by Dr. Haynes. She had been delighted with the work, and was ready and willing to return to it if wanted. The war being practically over, there was not now the need for so many nurses, and the authorities were gradually ordering their return home. She expected that the remaining nurses would be returning with the next batch of men, with the exception of one or two who had decided to either remain in Africa or go to England. Nurse Plover had bean a victim to enteric, and had had a narrow escape, using so near to death at one time that they cabled the
fact to the colonies to her friends, but she had not only passed through the ordeal safely; but was convalescent when she (Nurse Tchan) left, and seemed likely to thoroughly recover.

The Inquirer and Commercial News (Perth) Friday 04 January 1901 page 9