This afternoon at 2 o'clock the Austrians started shelling this town.
The first shell dropped two doors from this hospital, setting the
place in flames; two shells struck two of the hotels. The shelling
lasted about three-quarters of an hour, but our firing soon stopped
them. It was from Semlin the Austrians were firing, and the guns must
have been very big as the shells were a very large size; I have a
piece of one. This is indeed a wicked war, so many people absolutely
ruined and their homes smashed to pieces. The matron from this
hospital returns to England in about ten days' time; she is having a
picnic this afternoon in the Botanical Gardens. One of our naval men
has just come up here. It seems that the Austrians fired two shells
on to Milanovatz; we replied by firing back four shells into one of
their towns. The Austrians replied by firing back eleven shells on
Belgrade; we sent back twenty-two shells into Semlin; then the house
was set on fire two doors from this hospital. A man blew a big whistle
for the fire alarm in the middle of the road. The doctor had me moved
into one of the back wards, as this ward is in the range for firing;
all the patients were removed to the back.