British Army Nurse

[Slipdigit]

In the mid-1980’s when I was in nursing school, we had a guest speaker, a Mrs. Gaylord, to come and talk to us about taking care of people who knew that their death was imminent. She was a well spoken English woman who had served in World War II as a British Army Nurse. She served in Norway 42 or 43 and in France and the Low Countries in 1944-45.

Her service in Norway consisted of providing medical care to wounded commandos and Norwegian resistance fighters. As a sideline, she would help to carry Jewish babies across the mountains into Sweden. They would strap the babies to their back, stun them with chloroform or similar agent and ski them over the mountains to safety.

On one such trip, they encountered a German patrol. In the resulting fight, she and a Norwegian got separated after he was wounded in the chest. They made it far enough away for her to try to treat his wound, but it was obvious he would not make it. She dug a snow cave for him to die in and as she was withdrawing from the cave, he grabbed her by the arm. He told her that he was the last of his family; the Germans had killed his wife, brothers and his parents and knew he knew he was going to die. He said he had no children and that he was the last of his line. He asked her to say his name each day, so that his name would not disappear. She told us his name and said she had said it everyday since then. Unfortunately I do not remember it other than his Christian name was Anders. She said that she then helped him out of his boots, gloves and hat so that he would die more quickly. She then skied on over into Sweden.

After she was withdrawn from Norway, she was attached to an army hospital that followed the British 2nd Army in France. She told us that contrary to what was thought, the most grievously wounded did not get treated first. They treated the ones they thought would survive first then, if they were still alive, the ones they thought wouldn’t. Her job was to care for these men and often times they were conscious of what was going on and of what their fate was. She said they mostly took it stoically and asked her to contact family and friends for them. Almost to the man, she said they asked her to tell them that he did not die in pain. She said they all knew that the medical people could not save everyone and that their death would help save someone else.

I respected this woman greatly and she died a few years later here in Montgomery. The obituary didn’t mention these aspects of her service but I remembered it because I looked at her job as one of the most difficult aspects of our calling. I cannot imagine having to tell a young man that his time to die had come and that you could do nothing to prevent it.

[spidge]

There may have only been one Florence Nightingale however all of them could wear the name with pride.

[Slipdigit]

A follow-up question.

What were nurses considered to be in the British Armed Services?

In the US, nurses held officer rank but had no command authority outside the medical realm. Men were not allowed to be nurses. If not functioning in a medical capacity, nurses were subject to authority of a PFC, even if they held a field grade (nursing) commission. Appropriate courtesies commensurate with the rank were still observed. Pay for nurses was also half of a male officer with the same rank. This was explained by saying that since the nurses held no command position, they should not get full pay. What a crock! (IMHO)

I guess their differing status did help in some ways. Nursing officers captured by the Japanese and Germans were not held for the duration as were men who were medical officers.

[spidge]

Originally Posted by Slipdigit

I guess their differing status did help in some ways. Nursing officers captured by the Japanese and Germans were not held for the duration as were men who were medical officers.

Many Australian nurses who were captured by the Japanese were just shot.

[Slipdigit]

I guess no one knows. Any good ideas on where to find info?

[Owen]

Lots of stories of Nursing here.
BBC - WW2 People's War - Nursing and Medicine Category


On ranks.

In 1941 badges of rank were introduced for members of the QAIMNS as before this they had been granted officer status but not been allowed to wear rank. Nurses served throughout the war in most areas including the Japanese concentration camps of Hong Kong and Malaya and carried ranks from Lieutenant to Brigadier.

http://www.historyofwar.org/articles...ns_qaranc.html

Book might be of interest.


Amazon.co.uk: Do English Women Never Cry?: British Army Nurses Tell Their Story: Books: Nicola Tyrer


Also this.
QA World War Two Nursing

World War Two Nursing and nurses were then known as the Queen Alexandra's Imperial Military Nursing Service (QAIMNS). Each QA had an officer status but no actual rank. This changed in 1941 when a rank structure was formulated to bring the QAs into line with the rest of the British Army. For the first time QAs wore rank badges and were able to be promoted and receive financial benefits along with ranks from Lieutenant through to Brigadier.

[von Poop]

Seems to be very similar to the US Jeff.

Culled from George Forty's 'British Army Handbook':
Auxillary basis until 1914.
Queen Alexandra's Imperial Military Nursing Service (QAIMNS) being the main service, merging with the Nursing reserve and Territorial Army Nursing Service (TANS) on mobilisation for WW2.

Ranks: Members of the QAIMNS granted Officer status in 1904 but only in 1941 were they granted emergency commisions and allowed to wear badges of rank.

QAIMNS /ARMY Equivalent ranks:
Matron-in-Chief / Brigadier
Chief Principal Matron / Colonel
Principal Matron / Lt. Colonel
Matron / Major
Senior Sister / Captain
Sister/Staff Nurse Lieutenant

Sketchy info I'm afraid but it's a start.

Cheers,
Adam.

Edit: Cross-posted with above... he does that when he sees you writing something...

[Slipdigit]

Thanks guys.

I'll looke over what you sent.