Alexandra's letter to her sister Victoria, dated November 25, 1914

Source:

The Life and Tragedy of Alexandra Feodorovna by Baroness Sophie Buxhoeveden, 1928

The letter:

With my big girls I went to Pskoff one day, privately, as sisters, to see Marie [Pavlovna the Younger]. Then we went out to meet Nicky at Grodno, visited hospitals also there and at Dwinsk together. When he goes off again, shall go to more towns. It's shy work, but the sisters' dresses help one. We wear it on such inspection journeys without Nicky. We passed our exams and received the Red Cross on our aprons and got the certificates of sisters of the war time. It was an emotion putting them on, and appearing with the other sisters — 40 — who had finished their course. We had a Moleben in my Red Cross Church. We are continuing lectures about illnesses, medicaments, anatomy, etc., to have a fuller course and we all enjoy it. Our mornings at the hospital continue, and weekly a train arrives with fresh wounded. Three thousand places at Zarskoe and Pawlowsk. In the Big palace we have officers and I go there every afternoon to see one, who is specially suffering. He is contusioned, and in the last week always unconscious, recognising nobody. When I come, he regularly recognises me, and then remains with a clear head all the night. He thinks he sleeps all day, suffers hideously — such cramps in the head and whole body — nerves too shattered, poor soul. He is touching with me, I remind him of his mother's kindness and as soon as I come, takes me at first for her (she is dead). When I call him and talk, he stares, then recognises me, clasps my hands to his breast, says he now feels warm and happy. His children are in Siberia and his wife (that has not made him happy) too.

Above: Alexandra, Olga and Tatiana in their nurse uniforms. Photo courtesy of Ilya Grigoryev at lastromanovs on VK.

Note: moleben (молебен) = a public prayer service or Te Deum in the Eastern Orthodox Church.