4 October.—­Yesterday our work was hardly over when Mrs. Stobart sent a summons to all of us “heads” to come to her bureau.  She had grave news for us.  The British Consul had just been to say that all the English must leave Antwerp; two forts had fallen, and the Germans were hourly expected to begin shelling the town.  We were told that all the wounded who could travel were to go to Ostend, and the worst cases were to be transferred to the Military Hospital.

I do not think it would be easy to describe the confusion that followed.  All the men’s clothes had to be found, and they had to be got into them, and woe betide if a little cap or old candle was missing!  All wanted serving at once; all wanted food before starting.  In the midst of the general melee I shall always remember one girl, silently, quickly, and ceaselessly slicing bread with a loaf pressed to her waist, and handing it across the counter to the men.

With one or two exceptions the staff all wanted to remain in Antwerp.  I myself decided to abandon the unit and stay on here as an individual or go to Ostend with the men.  Mrs. Stobart, being responsible, had to take the unit home.  It was a case of leaving immediately; we packed what stores we could, but the beds and X-ray apparatus and all our material equipment would have to be left to the Germans.  I think all felt as though they were running away, but it was a military order, and the Consul, the British Minister, and the King and Queen were leaving.  We went to eat lunch together, and as we were doing so Mrs. Stobart brought the news that the Consul had come to say that reinforcements had come up, the situation changed for the better, and for the present we might remain.  Anyone who wanted to leave might do so, but only four did.

We have since heard what happened.  The British Minister cabled home to say that Antwerp was the key to the whole situation and must not fall, as once in here the Germans would be strongly entrenched, supplied with provisions, ammunition, and everything they want.  A Cabinet Council was held at 3 a.m. in London, and reinforcements were ordered up.  Winston Churchill is here with Marines.  They say Colonel Kitchener is at the forts.

The firing sounds very near.  Dr. Hector Munro and Miss St. Clair and Lady Dorothy Fielding came over to-day from Ghent, where all is quiet.  They wanted me to return with them to take a rest, which was absurd, of course.

Some fearful cases were brought in to us to-day.  My God, the horror of it!  One has heard of men whom their mothers would not recognise.  Some of the wounded to-day were amongst these.  All the morning we did what we could for them.  One man was riddled with bullets, and died very soon.