Written by Vera K Jones from Llandrindod Wells:

"I joined the Army as a Nursing Sister in Queen Alexandra's Imperial Military Nursing Service on 5th October 1939. With a large unit of other Sisters, preparations were made for us to go overseas to work in a military hospital. After we embarked I wrote three letters home, on 23rd, 27th and 29th December. These were the first of very many to be written during the next five years, and kept by my sister Muriel.

In March 2005 they were published in my book "A Time to Remember" by Athena Press, London. The memories of those years are still clear in my mind.

We embarked on the troopship "Prague" and crossed the Channel in a very rough sea. A French destroyer escorted us, also, a British 'plane. After a few hours in Cherbourg we began a train journey across France which ended in Marseilles after 1.5 days and two nights!

The following day, we sailed on another troopship, the 'Neuralia', escorted by an Australian destroyer. The voyage through the Mediterranean took seven days with Christmas on board, before arriving at Haifa. Then followed a train journey south.

l have strong impressions of fruit tree groves; ploughs drawn by camels, bright coloured garments of women with earthenware jugs on their heads; flocks of sheep and shepherds; stone-walled villages with domes and minarets - all so like the Biblical pictures we had seen.

Our military camp was Sarafand where we were accommodated in bungalows but we still used our camp-beds and chairs. We were glad to be on duty in the wards of the hospital of 400 beds which had previously been used by the R.A.F. and were soon busy with sick and injured soldiers as it was a large camp. A marquee was erected for extra beds and we learned to improvise in camp conditions.

It was very hot, with heavy rain and beautiful sunsets. There were weird night sounds - jackals, asses, donkeys, sometimes a hyena would howl and wail. Our patients were English, Irish, Scottish and Australian.

In February 1940, I wrote home that all our Sisters received a signed Christmas card (delayed) from Queen Mary. I said that all we needed now was an Easter card from George R. I.

I am on night duty in the marquee. It has a concrete floor and little windows cut out in the tent walls. There are strange insects - masses of mosquitoes, hornets, grasshoppers, spiders, sandflies and lizards. Mosquito nets are provided for all patients.

June 1940

We have great anxiety about Dunkirk, and fear of a German invasion of Britain. I moved to Jerusalem with others in my unit. Our living quarters were in houses outside Herod's Gate. I was in the Italian Hospital taken over by the army and glad to be busy as continuous anxiety about the Home Front continued.

September 1940

A massive air-raid on London, many dead. In all our free time, we are 'glued' to wireless sets. I am working in the operating theatre. We have convoys of wounded men from the Western Desert. In October it is very hot with tropical lightning at night. By December, there is heavy rain lasting for days and there is new life on the ground, grass and flowers.

Christmas 1940

My second overseas. I look after the chapel, made festive with foliage and red and white carnations. The patients enjoy the festival with decorated wards, gifts, Christmas fare. We did our best to cheer them despite worrying news from the Home Front. So ended our first year overseas, nursing, experiences, anxieties, adapting to war-time life in a new country."