HMB
14th May 1918
My dearest Mother
What you have so long wished for has come to pass: I have been decorated to-day by the Queen of the Belgians with her own medal, the order of Elisabeth. She came on an unofficial visit to the hospital to-day and at the conclusion of her visit she decorated Matron, Sister and myself, four of the senior VADs, and four of the Swedish gymnasts. It was ripping having it from her own hands. She is such a darling little thing I absolutely fell in love with her on the spot. She looked so sweet trotting round and talking to all the men and taking snapshots of them. I shall have to be photographed in my medal and send you one. I have already been snapshotted several times.
We are going to have a bust in the mess tonight and crack a bottle of champagne over the event. It is an awfully pretty ribbon kind of a dull grey blue moire ribbon with cerise edges.
I shall be quite the nut now!
Of course I am fearfully excited. She shook hands with me, as I did my best curtsey, and asked how long I’d been here and if I was English, and then as she pinned the medal on my breast, thanked me and said I was “tres devouee”.
I am quite giddy with replying to “felicitations”. I believe we get signed photos of her too but I’m not sure of that. The Inspecteur, Chief of the Belgian Army Medical Service was there too and was awfully agreeable.
I must dry up now
Best love to you all
Your loving and thrilled daughter, Dorothy.
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