Events in Nursing History

Kai Tiaki : the journal of the nurses of New Zealand, Volume XV, Issue 4, 1 October 1922, Page 179

Events in Nursing History

On May 12, 1922, we read m the " American Journal of Nursing" the American Nurses' Memorial, built with funds contributed by American nurses and their friends at Bordeaux m memory of the 275 American nurses who lost their lives during the great war, was dedicated.. The building was given to the Nursing School at Bordeaux, established as the first training school m France by Dr. Anna Hamilton and called the Florence Nightingale School, and is a beautiful home m charming grounds. In the big assembly rooms an inscription over the fireplace on either side bears these words: — To the Florence Nightingale School. In Memory of Our Comrades Who Died m Service In the Great World War We, the Nurses of America, Dedicate this Memorial To the Higher Education of Nurses For Humanity and for France. There is a very beautiful medal struck m memory of this event of which America may well be proud. The Nurses of Canada have decided to place at Ottawa a memorial to the Canadian Nurses who died while on military service m the Great War. It is not yet decided what form the memorial will take. The . official record of the losses of Canadian Nursing Sisters is as follows: — In the Canadian Army Medical Corps, fourteen killed by enemy action m France, two died of wounds m France, eighteen died of disease overseas, fifteen drowned by enemy action at sea, seven died on home service. Canadian Nurses attached to the American Army Nursing Corps: Six died on active service abroad, six on active service at home.

On July 12th a memorial was unveil-ed m the Chapel of Queen Alexandra's Military Hospital, Millbank, by Her Majesty Queen Alexandra to tire women of the Imperial Military Nursing Services who gave their lives m the service of the country during the Great War. The Chapel is a beautiful one dedicated ' ' To the iglory of Almighty God, as a memorial of all who have passed to their rest m the Military Hospitals of London." It was given m 1909 by one who afterwards died on active service m France. At the ceremony the Queen was received by among others the two Matrons m Chief of the Q.A.LM.N.S. and of the Territorial Service, Miss Braidsmore Smith and Dame Maud McCarthy, and the Matron of the Hospital, Miss Osborne, and there were numbers of the Military Nursing Service present m uniform. After prayers and service the names of nurses 126 which were inscribed on the marble memorial tablet which was then unveiled by Her Majesty, saying, "In the name of the Father, of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost I unveil this Memorial to the members of the Imperial Military Nursing Service who gave their lives m the Great War." Beneath the Memorial was a wreath of laurel tied with the colours of the Military Service, and Queen Alexandra placed below it her own wreath, exquisitely carried out m mauve flowers with foliage brown and golden. "It seemed to typify the pure gold which illuminates a sacrifice willingly offered, and makes it a thing of beauty." E cts from "British Journal of Nursing, " July 22nd.