This has been a very sad day. Dear Mrs. Dearmer passed away at 7.30;
she was buried this afternoon at 5 o'clock owing to the hot weather,
and it being a general holiday it had to take place at once. At 7
o'clock four of Dr. Berry's unit from Vrynatchka Banja came to stay at
our camp for two days. I have been looking after the invalid dishes
for the typhoid fever patients. I made Mrs. Dearmer a large cross of
some gorgeous white wild flowers with acacia and clematis. The Serbian
Government sent up some lovely wreaths; the coffin was of silver and
gilt, very handsome; it had the Union Jack over and was covered with
wreaths. At 4.30 the remains were brought from her own tent to a tent
we had turned into a little chapel; it really looked sweet. At 5
o'clock the hearse arrived, a ghastly looking thing, with a statue of
a man in armour seated on the top. It gave me a dreadful shock when I
saw it; it reminded me of a circus; then all the Government officials
arrived, officers--the French, English and Serbian, and the prince
sent a representative. Crowds of people arrived from other units. We
had a military band; then the priests arrived, two in pale blue
oriental satin robes decorated with gold, and one a peacock oriental
satin edged with gold, one a rich velvet decorated with gold, one a
red oriental satin edged with gold, and the sixth a black gown edged
with silver. Each priest carried a candle, then two other men came
carrying incense. We all followed the hearse in twos as far as the
Greek cathedral; all the streets were lined with people to the
cathedral, and the cathedral was packed. The coffin was put near the
altar and we all stood round. A large lighted candle was put facing
the coffin and the six priests stood in front. They all took part in
the service. I forgot to say one cross was in silver, with Mabel
Dearmer written on it, and it had a large ribbon bow. The band played
until we got to the cathedral, and when it stopped the people sang.
The Serbs have lovely voices. They remind me of the Welsh. It was
terribly sad; the singing in the cathedral was glorious; the service
lasted about an hour and a half. One of the French officers read a
little address from the cathedral steps, then we walked on to the
cemetery, about a mile; the band led, then the hearse and the
mourners. Dr. Dearmer, Dr. Marsden and Dr. Atkinson met us at the
cemetery gates; the priests continued their prayers in Serbian; then
Rev. Mr. Little, who has come to join our unit, read our English
service. The grave was lined with white and decorated with clematis.
Mrs. Dearmer was buried next to Nurse Ferris. The coffin was lowered
into a box, then the lid was put on. After the service Dr. Dearmer,
Dr. Marsden, Dr. Atkinson went off in the motor for a few days. We all
got into motors and carriages and returned to the camp.