Radiographers Gleichen & Hollings at work
Lady Helena Gleichen and Nina Hollings were English radiographers who worked on the Italian Front during World War I. The following letter excerpt, dated August 7, 1916, gives Gleichen's impressions of the second day of the Battle of Gorizia, aka the Sixth Battle of the Isonzo. The letter was later included in Gleichen's memoir, Contacts and Contrasts.
"Today more work and already orders pouring in for to-morrow.
We feel much left behind. The observation balloons are in front of us now instead of miles back and the Italians have taken possession of the 305 guns that used to bombard Cormons, ammunition and all. the Austrians had underground passages under the river Isonzo to bring up their ammunition and their dugouts had sofas and pictures and arm-chairs and piano-fortes. We have seen lots of the clubs which the enemy use as weapons. These clubs sometimes have two iron rings, sometimes three with spikes all round. What do you think of that for modern civilization? I believe Lord Northcliffe is coming here for the night to-morrow. I wonder if you know him. We are looked upon as the curiosity section, I can't think why except for the profusion of cases we get through and the miles we travel."
From pages 201, Contacts and Contrasts, by Lady Helena Gleichen
The story of Helena Gleichen's work on the Italian Front is included in the young adult collective biography, Women Heroes of World War I.
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