ANZAC Girls

Next Tuesday is April 25-

a year since the Gallipoli landing.

A year? Already?

Somehow, I don't think we'll beat the Germans any faster

if you don't fall in love with Mr Dooley.

Love? You haven't seen Harry for weeks.

You don't even know if he's alive.

Mr Dooley - he's gone.

He was selected for officer training.

Olive! I got a telegram from Harry.

He's passing through Rouen. I'm going to see Harry today.

Good luck to you too, sweetheart.

I'm leaving No. 1 AGH.

The AIF matron-in-chief is taking furlough to Australia.

We'll miss you.

I'll be back.

You see, I'm going to volunteer.

- Pat! - The casualty clearing station.

There's one quite near Trois Arbres.

Take care. - There was a battle at a place called Fromelles.

Harry was killed.

Artery forceps.

- Are you done yet? - Coming, Captain.

Oh, dear.

S-sorry. I'll put yours under now.

Cou...count for me.

One, t-two...

Oh, goodness!

I'm so... I'm so sorry.

There's no time to get to the latrines.

Get ready to bring him up fast, as soon as I'm done.

- We're almost there. - Oh...

Sister, you'll have to finish the anaesthetic.

- Chloroform's just there. - But I-I don't know...

Mine's in hypovolemic shock. I need her to be ready.

- Get me 1/10th strychnine. - Mr Cooper can do that.

This boy's spleen has ruptured. If I don't get it out, he's gone.

Go ahead.

And bring me some ether while you're there.

- Yes, sir. - Cooper, over here.

- Yes, Major. - We'll do him fast.

- What if I give him too much? - A few drops at a time.

- Hello there. - Is it over?

Just relax. We'll be with you the whole time.

Can you count with me to 50?

- More ligature. - One...

- Dropping. - ..two, three...

- That's it. Keep going. - ..four...

He's turned a funny colour, Captain.

I think he's going to...

..vomit.

Come on, Sister.

That's it.

- He's ready for surgery. - Very good, Sister.

- Strychnine ready? - Yes, Major.

Do it.

We did it. We saved him.

- Good. - Hm.

And ours is under.

Our shift's over.

Sister Ross King?

Alice?

- Alice. - Yes?

We can go. The day sisters are here.

"The son you raised was kind, thoughtful

"and so very brave.

"I haven't heard from his battalion, but each day I pray

"that this terrible news will be contradicted."

Good morning.

How was your shift?

I'm writing to Harry's mother.

Let her know I'll forward on any news I get.

Wouldn't she have been informed already?

There's been no confirmation.

He could still be alive.

But didn't someone actually see it happen?

A sergeant saw him fall, but there's been no corroboration.

No record of his body being found.

He's not on the German...

He's not on their list.

Oh, you've ripped your stocking.

- I've got a spare one inside. - Coming to breakfast?

- Here she is! - Is it true?

You put a patient under?

Oh! We were very shorthanded.

And Captain Mooney talked me through the whole thing...

But you still did it? You gave an anaesthetic?

- Yes. - What type? A local?

- General? - Uh, yes, indeed.

Um...it was a general.

Imagine if you'd given too much and he...

- I mean, how'd the op go? - Did the patient survive?

Oh... Crumbs. I don't know.

Looks like you're about to find out.

- Sister Steele. - Hello, Captain.

Hmm?

About what happened in theatre this morning,

Major Springer and I both agreed

you did ripping good work.

Indeed, if it wasn't for you jumping in when you did

and keeping a level head, I dare say

we'd have lost one or both of those cases.

S-so the patient I put under, he's still alive?

- Recovering very well. - Oh!

If only we had one of you

for every theatre across the frontier,

we'd stand a fighting chance.

You!

This porridge looks good.

Our cooks are such bricks.

I got you something. Alice.

It's not much, and I know you and Lieutenant Moffitt

- weren't married... - We were engaged.

Well, I just thought how hard this must be for you and...

Well, perhaps you could tie it around your hat

next time you go out.

Thank you, but it's too generous.

- Oh, please, I insist. - I have no time

for frills and furbelows - I just...

I have to check the post.

She's still a bit jaggy.

Sergeant, these lists they publish in Australia,

- do they come through here first? - The casualty lists?

No, they get sent straight to the newspapers back home.

This is from last month. Do you have any recent papers?

No, I don't. I just distribute the mail, love.

- All fed? - Most of them are asleep.

Is that an ambulance?

I didn't hear a bugle. And our ward's full.

- Well... - Careful, buddy.

We've got one, two, three, four patients sitting up

that we could put into chairs.

I wouldn't worry about that, Sister.

Thank you.

You're here, and I'm on shift.

Well, it's nearly over. I'll cover for you.

Go on. Imshi.

What are you doing here?

I broke my specs.

So I spoke to the colonel

about getting your eye quack here to fix them.

Colonel could only square me as far as No. 12 British...

So you bribed a driver to take you the rest of the way.

Patski!

- How did you break your glasses? - Oh, just under my foot.

You should have got a two-egg omelette, seeing as we're sharing.

Company's gonna win the war.

It's good of Pete to let you scurry off like that.

I'm always covering for her and Norm when he visits.

Norm's her sweetheart.

So Pete and Norm are fairly serious, then?

I wouldn't cover for her if they weren't.

No, of course not.

But, as my friend Alice likes to say,

"You've got to cast sweets in the cup while you can."

Someone's in a hurry.

Mmm.

Patski!

I can't.

It's alright, kiddo.

I might be able to get a bit of leave in a couple of weeks.

I was thinking I might take you up to Blighty.

It's not as easy for us nurses getting leave.

We're in short supply.

Fritz sure has a fancy for us tonight.

That's the gas!

- Where's your mask? - I haven't got one.

No. No, no, no.

No.

Oh!

I need a mask! I need a gas mask! Do you have a gas mask!

Try the dispensary! And get inside!

Come on, Dooley. Come on!

Ooh! Have you got any more?

My last one. But there's soda.

- Thanks. - Keep this on.

- Slow breaths. - Help me!

Ah!

- Jesus. - Stay here!

Here, inside!

- Help me! I can't see! - Olive! I've got one here!

Help!

- I can't see. - Come on.

This way.

Sit down, keep your head still.

I can't see! Help!

- Keep still. - Help me! Help me!

More soda.

Shh, shh, you'll be alright.

- Keep still. Just keep still. - You'll be alright.

- Take deep, slow breaths. - Help me.

I know it stings, but try to stay still for me. It will ease.

It's not something to trifle over.

One drop too much, you kill the patient.

Not enough, he wakes up in the middle of the operation.

But there's a shortage of anaesthetists,

not just in our unit, from what Captain Mooney was saying.

- What's this? - They've announced

an anaesthetist training program for nurses.

It might put noses out of joint but it's a good initiative.