Dr. Haigh and nurses at the Anglo-Serb Hospital in front of the entrance of today's building of NI Institute and Museum Bitola, 1917-1918
Mary L. Matthews (1864-1950) was missionary to the Protestant American School for Girls in Bitola (Monastir). She arrived in Bitola in 1888 and her post lasted for 32 years, in which she took only three short furloughs to the U.S., in 1893-1896, 1904-1905, and 1913-1915.
Mary L. Matthews (1864-1950)
During this time she kept a diary recording many events and also she personally took many valuable photos with her own camera.
In this post, short notes are presented, giving us valuable information about Bitola at the beginning of Second Balkan War.
Bitola (Monastir) October 1917 - from Diary of Mary L. Matthews
Oct. 2, Tues.
Fine day. French and German planes early. Not much use of French cannon. From 6.30 to 7.15 P.M., Germans sent 14 shells on the Salonica road near the Anglo-Serb Hospital. One shell fell in the drive-way, unexploded, so warning had to be given to Dr. Coxon as she returned from Sorovitch in the auto. The shells whistled over our house so we waited in suspense to see where they would fall. Four of them did not burst. When the first one fell on the Red Barracks, a shower of pieces fell around us at the School. We went in from the front porch to the basement.
Oct. 3, Wed.
No plane in A.M. but heard one or two in P.M. and German shells at a distance. Two wounded were brought to the Anglo-Serb Hospital. At 11.30 P.M. shells began and were serious until nearly 2 A.M.
Oct. 4, Thurs.
Fine day. We had our bags packed and ready if fire should come near us. Thank God, there was none near us. Two houses burned elsewhere. A shell fell on the Shuli house (next to our gate) and did much damage. It broke many panes for us:, three of the four in my cellar window, four in the reception room, some in the hall and in the school-room, but we are all safe again. Planes and shells in the A.M. but not near us. Mr. Peterson (Walter S.) and Mr. Scott Russell (American Ambulance) called and I gave them tea which they greatly enjoyed. We talked of Iowa. Mrs. Dvorjak sent for ivy for wreaths for burial of several Serbian officers. Tonight I am keeping on - all my clothes to be ready for sudden need.
Oct, 5, Fri.
No shells on the city; a few on the hill-front. Planes spent much time hovering about. We cut peaches in the evening for preserves. Women came about getting money from their men in the U.S. through the American Consul, at Salonica.
Oct, 6, Sat.
Pleasant day. Cool. We made peach preserves. Shells on the hill-front but not on city. Not much French firing.
Oct. 7, Sun.
At 10.30, two shells on city. At noon, more shells far away. French fired cannon. In P.M. French Commandant came about damage to our Boys' School by French soldiers who had occupied it for six weeks. There had been misunderstanding and Gen. Sarrail at Salonica had understood that it had been burned by soldiers. Not true.
Oct. 8. Mon.
A plane in A.M. Some French firing. Some shells on the front. Seemed like a battle tonight at a distance. Was it at Prespa? Rockets above Turnovo this evening.
Oct. 9. Tues.
Read Fred. Moore's book, "The Balkan Trail". Fairly quiet A.M. A little firing; more in P.M. Uncha mended our church roof.
Oct. 10. Wed.
Put patched panes in window of school-kitchen door and in the barn I found whole ones, for my cellar window. Am very thankful. Planes and firing by French and Germans not far away. Soldiers entered our garden and took the last of our peaches.
Oct. 11. Thurs.
Beautiful warm day. Mr. Russell and Mr. W.L. Harrison called, and had tea and "peaches and cream". They are American Ambulance men, Unit 3, Mr. Harrison was Oberin student.
Oct. 12, Fri.
Rainy but not very cold. Am thankful for glass in the windows of my celler and the school kitchen. No planes. No shells on city. Hard fighting in the night. Presba? Resna?
Oct. 13. Sat.
Some shells in evening but not near us. Machine guns French and German shells occasionally until midnight.
Oct. 14, Sun.
Fine day. Mrs. Bakalova came and got her money from the Consul. I wrote letters for other women to have money come for them. Fighting toward Resna. Artillery active. Shells on hill-fronts and on old ward of city. Quiet after 8 P.M.
Oct. 15. Mon.
Fine day. Not cold. Planes over city. Shells nearly all day, mostly on the fronts. Made more peach preserves and developed films. Mr. Harrison brought Mr. Tenney and we had tea downstairs (basement). Showed them about the house. They are Oberlin students. We had a good time. Uncha went for allowance of flour from Government,— 3 kilos for each person, at 6 ½ pias. a kilo but free to those who can’t pay.
(London Times of Oct. 26 reported from Corfu; "The Bulgarians on Oct. 15, without cause, "twice bombarded Monastir: 348 shells of all calibers, into the town. Considerable damage; 3 women, 1 man, and 1 boy killed, 6 seriously injured.") Rather too strong,
Oct. 16. Tues.
Beautiful warm day. Planes in A.M. Shells in P.M., one near bridge on Bukovo road when the American men passed. Wrote letters. Mr. Davis (Philip D.) and Mr. Skelton (Le land R.) came and brought letter from Mrs. Kennedy of Kortcha, Albania. They went to see the city and came back and spent the night in our reception room and had supper. Mr. Davis played the organ and led prayers. Shells began again at 11 P.M., heavy shells on city and on Salonica road. We staid up. Mr. Davis got up and dressed and we visited until 1.15 A.M. Then we tried to nap.
Oct. 17. Wed.
Mr. Davis and Mr. Skelton left for Kortcha at 7.25 A.M. Shells from about 10.20, most of day, on road and city and front. Four fell on hospital, street side; one to cellar wounded a woman. We all retired early very sleepy.
Oct. 18. Thurs.
I printed pictures in my cellar today as I had time. Sorted my films, Mrs, Pesha came and took my letters to Vodena. Shells while she was here about noon, over us to road back of R. R. station. A girl hanging clothes lost her arms. Her mother was wounded, too. No one went there until 4 P.M. then the women were taken to Dr. Haigh’s Anglo-Serb Hospital. The girl had lost much blood. Her brother has been in our School. No word yet from Dr. Haigh. If he does not return, it will be a great loss to the city. More quiet evening. Some French shells fired toward the enemy. Did not go to bed until 1.30 tomorrow A.M.
Oct. 19, Fri.
Cannon on fronts active all day, and French and German planes. No shells on city. Carpenters repaired Shuli house, next door. Damage was serious. Printed more photos. Uncha finished digging our potatoes.
Oct. 20, Sat
Miss Grahame (Eng. Relief) stopped in this A.M. to wait for shells to pass. Has been warned that Broadway is very dangerous and should he avoided. Fighting was constant today and heavy on all this front, Many were wounded; hospital work heavy, but Dr. Haigh is not here and no word has come from him. All Serbs, even scribes, are called to the army. Shells in evening and several burst overhead in a peculiar way, as it seemed,
Oct. 21. Sun.
Slept 3.30 to 7.30 A.M. Artillery battle. Quiet evening. Street guards strict. Sister Atkinson (Anglo-Serb Hospital) had word that her brother was killed in France, Fire in Yeni ward. A dump burned last night. More wounded. A woman carried to hospital who is out of her head.
Oct. 22. Mon.
Some German shells but not near us. Some French firing. Quiet evening.
Oct. 23. Tues.
Quiet day. French fired some shells in evening, but no German shells came. In P.M I went to the hospital and had tea with the Sisters. Word came that Dr. Haigh was at Corfu ten days ago, so we know he was not on a ship that was sunk by U-boat. I saw Mr. Profi-Patche at Hospital. He is better and will leave soon. (He had been wounded. Was father of one of our girls.)
Oct. 24. Wed
I wrote letters most of day. Sister Wren came and had tea here. Shells from 4.30 to 5.30 P.M, and she waited for them to stop. One shrapnel near the police station, in our ward. Snow fell on Mt. Peristeri (Our highest peak) alt, 8000 ft, or 6000 above city.)
Oct. 25. Thurs
Slept little after 2.45 A.M. Sister Wren sent word of chance to send mail to Salonica, and I hurried to send letters. Mrs. Siko came about a of her relatives (Roumanian Macedonians) who had lost everything. She wanted my recommend, I gave it, but Miss Grahame (British Relief) said the woman was so grasping she did not give her anything. Sister Wren sent me her letter from Lady Grogan (London) to read. The latter said she wished she were here with me now. (In 1903 she spent months in relief work in this district) Bent man came for bread. Rather quiet day. A few shells about 6.15 P.M
Oct. 26 Fri.
Shells on roads and city in P.M. as well as at noon, so I could not go to the P.O. Uncha took up plants from my garden. Shells passed over us while we worked. Dr. Haigh expected at Hospital at 8,30 P.M. after his vacation at Corfu. Sister Wren not as well. She sent me an English paper full of pictures.
Oct. 27. Sat.
Beautiful day, not cold. Snow on mountains is beautiful. Battle in very early morning, with shells on city, but I slept. Started toward town to see ruins but there were planes and I came home. Many planes and firing at them, and artillery battle. Dr. Haigh came and found me in garden gathering cyclamen blossoms.
Oct. 28. Sun.
Beautiful cool day. French planes went to the front and were fired on by the Germans. We could see the black smoke. Ger. planes came over city but dropped no bombs, Man from Government came to give order that not many may sleep in one room, and to whitewash cellars. Dr. Haigh came and told me of a substitute for glass: unbleached cloth dressed with boiled linseed oil and dried (This served us well for some windows for two years.) We gathered at 11 o'clock fir the reading of a sermon.
Oct. 29. Mon.
Mr. Tsiko came to have me give a statement that four shell had struck his two houses. He hears of Eng. and Amer. societies at Salonica which will help financially!
Wrote letters until after midnight.
Oct. 30. Tues.
Stephka came and brought shous she had bought for eight eggs! They are just right for Uncha and he will take them. I gave a woman cotton blankets to make clothes for her children. Went to lunch at Hospital.
Oct. 31, Wed
Only a little firing. Very few shells from, the enemy and those went far. Wrote until past midnight. Heard one U.S. ship has been sunk. Made cookies.
Note.
This is the experience of one month of the twenty two months in which Monastir was under fire from the Germans and Austrians who were the allies of the Bulgarians. The Central Powers had occupied Monastir city from Nov, 1915 to Nov. 1916. When they had to retreat, they entrenched themselves in the near-by mountains and bombarded the city for nearly two years, destroying half of it by shells and fire.
I had with me in the School, three of our graduates who were asst. teachers until we had to close the School in Nov. 1916. They helped at the Anglo-Serb Hospital, interpreting and aiding the sisters in many ways. They had had Physiology in English, and First Aid, and could be useful. Two stayed one year and one stayed two years and Dr. Haigh was thankful for their help. He had four trained-Sisters, and carried on his Hospital with a ward for men and one for women, in the cellar of the old Turkish Military School, at the edge of the city. He did a fine work for the civilians. His biography would be very interesting but he would never allow it to be written. He worked in China as Medical missionary; in Bulgaria in 1912, caring for the Turkish prisoners; in Serbia, fighting typhus; in Monastir in this hospital supported by British friends of Macedonia; In Poland; as advisor to the League of Nations; and was the Medical Officer on the Floating University ship which went around the world. He has been in Derby, Eng, for these last years, in Public Welfare. He has a lovely wife and a boy, about twelve years old.
I had, also, our Pastor's wife and daughter and his mother, with me for two years, as they had no cellar. Two graduates and their parents whose home, near by, was but a wooden cottage, were with me two years, and a few others of our Protestant community. Eight slept in the School dining room in the basement. I was the only missionary there for two years and a half. It was a great opportunity to help the people. If I had fled to Salonica, there would have been a panic among our people.
I greatly enjoyed the calls from Americans at various times.
One school-girl who had no home remained as my maid during the war. Our good Pastor Mirchev was interned in France for two years, because he had preached in the Bulgarian language, to which the Serbs objected. He went to Bulgaria and did good service after the war.
Full diaries and letters of Miss Mary L. Matthews at Mount Holyoke College, where she was in the class of 1885. https://ascdc.mtholyoke.edu/exhibits/show/marymatthews
References
1. Mary L. Matthews Papers, 1863-1950 - Mount Holyoke College Archives and Special Collections
 October 1917 - notes from the diary of Mary L. Matthews){kind=link}
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