Elsie Inglis - The Woman with the Torch by Eva Shaw McLaren
page 108 of 118 (91%)
page 108 of 118 (91%)
|
"'I am grateful to you for leaving decision in my hands. I will
come with the division.' "Following upon this cable came a letter, in which she emphasized her reasons for remaining: "'If there were a disaster we should none of us ever forgive ourselves if we had left. We _must_ stand by. If you want us home, get _them_ out.'" Orders and counter-orders for the release of the division were incessant, and on their release depended, as we have seen, the home-coming of the Unit. "The London Units Committee had feared greatly for the fate of the Unit if, as seemed probable, the Serb division was not able to leave Russia, and on November 9 approached the Hon. H. Nicholson at the War Department of the Foreign Office, who assured them that the Unit would be quite safe with the Serbs, who were well disciplined and devoted to Dr. Inglis. At that moment he thought it would be most unsafe for the Unit to leave the Serbs and to try to come home overland. "Mr. Nicholson expressed the opinion that the Committee would never persuade Dr. Inglis to leave her Serbs, and added: 'I cannot express to you our admiration here for Dr. Inglis and the work your Units have done.'"[21] |
|