after the outbreak of world war i in 1914, eleanor williams was invited by dr trent champion de crespigny to join him on active service with the first australian imperial force. infectious disease was emerging as a significant issue for the campaign in turkey and the middle east, and the army wanted to recruit people with bacteriological and laboratory training to work on the problem. accordingly, williams enlisted with the australian army nursing service on 20 july 1915 and embarked for egypt a fortnight later on the "rms orontes". on arrival, williams was posted to the 3rd australian general hospital on the island of lemnos in greece. this was one of the hospitals that received patients from the gallipoli campaign.