poltrisk.blogg.se - Wounded on board radio commander

The place reeked with the odours of blood, antiseptic dressings, and unwashed bodies … They saw soldiers in their most pitiful state - wounded, blood-stained, dirty, reeking of blood and filth. That these women worked their long hours among such surroundings without collapsing spoke volumes for their will-power and sense of duty. In large marquees, nurses, pale and weary beyond words, hurried about. After his experience in a casualty clearing station at Daours, Harold recalled admiration for the nurses' work: Lieutenant Harold Williams was wounded at Peronne in September 1918. Nurses' wages were so low that they often received financial support from their families while they were away. In early 1916, the Australian Army gave officer rank to the AANS nurses along with badges of rank.ĭespite the equal rank, the Army paid the nurses around half what the male officers received. qualified (at least 3 years of training).

Like most working women of the time, nurses had to be unmarried. Listen to Effie Fussell talk about conditions at Heliopolis and Rouen Women who served Australia They continued to care for the men in hospitals after the war, and on troopships back to Australia. Nurses remained in France until the end of hostilities. 2 Australian General Hospital at Wimereux When the first convoy was ordered to remain in Egypt, many of the nurses joined Allied and Australian military hospitals near Cairo.ĭuring the Gallipoli Campaign in 1915, some nurses served in hospital ships off the coast and in primitive hospitals on Lemnos.īy 1916 in France, the AANS provided enough nurses to staff: The nurses in charge lectured and trained ambulance staff and regimental medical detachments. Some ships in the convoy had well-equipped hospitals. The sea voyage formed part of the training for the ambulance, medical and nursing personnel. HMAT Ascanius from Adelaide and FremantleĪnother four nurses selected by Dr Frederic Bird from his private hospital in Melbourne sailed on the flag ship, HMAT Orvieto.In late 1914, 25 AANS nurses sailed with the first convoy of the AIF in seven ships: Many returned soldiers needed health care after the war. Nurses were essential in the complex triage created by British forces to transport and treat sick and wounded soldiers.Īustralian nurses also trained to work in veterans' hospitals back home in Australia. in casualty clearing stations close to the front line.

at Australian and Allied hospitals near the action and behind the lines in England.

The nurses worked in many countries, including Belgium, Egypt, England, France, Greece and India: Of those women, 25 died during their service. Records show that 2861 women in the AANS served overseas during World War I. The Australian Army formed the AANS in July 1903, as part of the Australian Army Medical Corps. Some were part of the New South Wales Army Nursing Service Reserve - the first military nursing organisation in Australia.ĭuring the war in South Africa, Sister Fanny Hines was the first Australian military nurse to die on active service overseas.

Queen Alexandra's Imperial Military Nursing ServiceĪround 60 nurses from the Australian colonies served in the South African War from 1899.

Their skills saved many lives.Īustralian nurses also worked with other organisations during the war, such as: Australian military nurses served far from home, caring for the sick and wounded on land and sea.