Florence in the Time of War: … … All the Englishmen who were here when the war began, with hardly one exception, offered their services to their country; those who were thought to be of use were taken, and those who are still here, again with hardly one exception, are working for the Italian Red Cross or in English hospitals in Italy. Mr. Reginald Turner, the novelist, represents the committee of the British hospital in Florence, Mr. Arthur Acton is also working there. Mr. Sargent, the sculptor, and Mr. Cecil Pinsent are with the Red Cross at the Italian front. Mr. Reginald Temple is going to help at the Y.M.C.A. depot at Otranto. Mrs. Sturt, the Misses Maquay, Mrs. Rathbone, Baroness de Cosson, Mrs. Hulton, Mrs. Coldstream, and Miss Zoe Williams are working at the British hospital. Miss Theresa Hulton is at a canteen in the north. Miss Tharp is at an Italian hospital near Florence, and there, Miss Romola Trench has also been nursing. Mr. and Mrs. Trench are busy at their villa at Settignano. Mrs. Ross at Poggio Gherardo knits for the soldiers. Miss Flora Priestly has been nursing in a hospital in France but is coming to Florence again in December. Lady Enniskillen is making blankets from old newspapers. Miss Helen Zimmern, an English writer on Italy, fills cushions for the wounded. Miss Blood with Princess Ghika left lovely Villa Gamberaia in the first year of the war to nurse the wounded at their villa at Biarritz. Nothing can work better against the insidious German propaganda here than this, that silently, with no fuss, every Englishwoman in Florence is in some way a worker for the war. They work for the Italian soldiers as they would for their own countrymen. The Italians know this and are grateful. … (continues) …
Transcribed in whole or part from scanned originals: Presented with or without modified text and punctuation. For absolute accuracy refer to the original newspapers. Source: The British Newspaper Archive
Referenced
GRO1100 Devonport: Cecil Ross Pinsent: 1884 – 1963