Florence Nightingales All

Dominion, Volume 31, Issue 178, 26 April 1938, Page 5

Florence Nightingales All

Five Hundred And Fifty New Zealand Nurses Who Served In The Great War

yjUCH has been told of the New Zealand soldiers in the Great War, but little has been heard of the five hundred and fifty New Zealand nurses who served overseas. Their story is an interesting one of experiences spread over many fields; they were beloved by those they helped. A soldierat the New Zealand General Hospital, Egypt, wrote of them during the war:—

Not even Florence, in the dark Crimea, Tending- her stricken heroes, lamp in hand. Surpass those who came from our dear land, To do this work of love and mercy here. Tongrue cannot utter, pen may not express Their sympathy, their kind and gentle care, How oft ascended an unspoken prayer to Heaven, For blessing on such gentleness. And e'en the sentry passing through the gloom, Of that dark garden where the nurses slept, Kight glad in heart, proud of watch he kept. Softly and lightly tiptoed past each room.

QF the 550 nurses those who paid the supreme sacrifice have their names inscribed on a very beautiful memorial at York Minster, England to the British- Sisters who Ipst their lives. The entry of the New Zealand nurses into the war dates back to August, 1914, when six of their number were sent with the advance Expeditionary Forces to Samoa at three days’ notice. On April 8, 1915, the first contingent of 50 nurses under the matron-in-chief, Miss Hester Maclean, set sail from New Zealand in the s.s. Rotorua. It is said that they made a picturesque group in their coats of grey and scarlet, so well known as the British Army nurses’ uniform, varied somewhat to distinguish their special unit and with a silver' badge of fern leaf and a red cross to represent New Zealand. Contingent followed contingent accompanied by our nurses who were posted to the various centres of the war. They also served on hospital ships, nor must be forgotten the work of the nurses on home service.

Throughout the war the nurses in the home hospitals worked splendidly, and never more so that In 1918, when the epidemic of pneumonic influenza played such havoc in this country. At that time when the supply of nurses was not in any .way equal to the demand, the sisters at Trentham, 1 eatherston and at the Rotorua Military Hospital showed wonderful endurance and remained on duty even when seriously ill. One nurse fell a victim herself and died of pneumonia. On the departure of New Zealand nurses for the front in April, 1915, the Hon. Minister of Public Health expressed his appreciation of the number of nurses who had volunteered for active service; almost al. the nurses in our public and privat'l hospitals, and knowing the good work thev had done in the hospitals, he was quite confident that they would uphold the best traditions of the nursing profession.

The New Zealand Nursing Journal (Kia Tiaki) reports: “Surely the beneficent spirit of Florence Nightingale must have been drawn earthward to contemplate the tribute offered by our appreciative people to her modest successors, that band of quiet workers following in the wake o£ her grand and noble mission.” It might be mentioned that 12 New Zealand sisters gained the Royal Red Cross first-class grade and (54 the sec ond class of this order and many others were also mentioned in dispatches. Many Heroines. T'HE- editor of the Kia Tiaki writes: A “Throughout the world the name of the New Zealand nurses are mentioned with that of Edith Cavell and coupled with hers in admiration and regret. Hers was the happiness to have accomplished much fdr her country and to have made the very most of the great opportunities given her, regardless of the certain penalty of discovery, which she paid with such bravery. These others had but set forth on their new errand to which danger accompanied them. Theirs was all anticipation and eagerness to be of their full use. They' were facing discomfort, perhaps privations, possible death, but they hoped first to have been vouchsafed their opportunity.

Heroism is largely a quality called forth by the occasion. No one can foretell how events may cause her to act. It was heroism when Sister Griffiths at Alexandra jumped from her seat on the ambulance van and ran to the rear to see that all in her charge were out safely and was killed by the fatal collision. It was heroism to go to Serbia and face the terrible scourge o£ typhus as women doctors and nurses did, and died, too. It was heroism when the nurses refused to leave their dying patients in the bombarded town and remained amid shells and bloodshed to soothe their last moments. When our nurses, despite their slender chance, held up their comrades in the terrible sea and helped them while life remained as the Marquette sank, it was heroism. Major Wylie, of the New Zealand Medical Corps, paid a tribute to our nurses in that 'disaster when he wrote: “At no time did I see any signs of panic or any signs of fear on the part of anyone, and I cannot find words adequately to express my appreciation of the magnificent way in which the nurses behaved, not only on the vessel, but afterward in the water. Their behaviour had to be seen to be believed possible.” Writing in 1916, the editor states: “Our nurses long more and more to cross the sea, and be there to help, to alleviate the cruel sufferings of the wounded and the sick. Upward of 400 have already been sent from this little co.untry, and many have gone at their own expense to offer their services, which have all been accepted, and have done splendid work in Egypt, France, and England, on hospital ships, barges, trains, and ambulances. Here, also, they have done good work in the military hospitals and have accompanied our troops on crow’ded transports, after working very hard under difficult conditions and battling with sea sickness and discomfort.” Thus, in a letter from one sister, we read of their strenuous work at the mouth of the Tigris and through the Persian Gulf conveying wounded to Bombay. The awful heat when strong men succumbed and died and when the sisters’ or orderlies’ hands were so chilled by icepacks they had to be opened on account of becoming septic must have tested their endurance to the utmost, but all that sister says is that they were thankful they could “stick it” and be able to attend upon the poor men. “Somewhere in France.”

'THIS is an excerpt of a letter by a ■*" nurse from “Somewhere in France”: “As I- am writing this, 2 a.m., the big guns are roaring not far away and I can almost feel the table shake with them. I often think to myself how many boys are sent to eternity with that shot; boys who, in peace time, could have made life worth while. The ones who deserve our pity most are the poor laddies who are blinded. It is the most pathetic of all. So many have lost either or both eyes. It is so hard to try and keep it back from them when they ask and ask every day when the bandages will be taken off so that they can see. Often when I have been dressing their terrible wounds I tell them how sorry I am for them. They try to smile and always say, ‘Ob, sister, don’t mind me; you ought to see my poor mate; he’s lots worse’than me.’ It is this spirit which makes one feel they are made of tbe ve/’y best. Poor lads, my heart aches for them and their dear ones at home.”

The New Zealand sisters had a varying experience in the war. Some who were sent to the Imperial authorities were sent to many fields of action. ■Wherever they laboured they served Io relieve the sick and the dying with the highest traditions of their noble profession.