Tuesday 18 February 2014

Inspirational Women who died in the service of their country during WW1


 In the previous post I mentioned the Commonwealth War Graves Commission, how they began and the sterling work they do today.

Just one of the many cemeteries that come under the authority of the Commission is Etaples Military Cemetery, Pas de Calais, France.   There, among the graves of military men, you will find the following graves of women of all ages and from all corners of the world who served during the First World War, who died or were killed in the line of duty and are buried in France:

Nursing Sister Annie Watson BAIN of the St. John’s Ambulance Brigade

Nursing Sister Dorothea Mary Lynette CREWDSON, of the Voluntary Aid Division

Nursing Sister Marjorie CROYSDALE, of the Queen Alexandra’s Imperial Military Nursing Service

Matron Eveline Maud DAWSON, of the QAIMNS

Nursing Sister Matilda E. GREEN, Canadian Army Nursing Service

Nursing Sister Alice Violet HALLAM, of the VAD

Nursing Sister M. LOWE, of the Canadian Army Nursing Service

Doris Mary LUKER, described as a ‘worker’ of the Queen Mary’s Army Auxiliary Corps

Nursing Sister Katherine Maude Mary MACDONALD, of the Canadian Army Nursing Service

Mary Maria MATTHEWS, a worker of the Queen Mary’s Army Auxiliary Corps

Marguerite Maud McARTHUR, a civilian volunteer with the Young Men’s Christian Association

E.M. NISBET, a civilian volunteer with The Scottish Churches Huts

Blanche Amelia PAGE, a worker, of the Queen Mary’s Army Auxiliary Corps, attached to The Signals Section of the Royal Engineers

E.H. ROUTLEDGE, Assistant Forewoman of the Queen Mary’s Army Auxiliary Corps

Nursing Sister Jeanie Barclay SMITH, of the QAIMNS

Bertha Gavin (Betty) STEVENSON, a civilian volunteer with the YMCA

Nursing Sister Gladys Maude Mary WAKE, of the Canadian Army Nursing Service

Nursing Sister Jessie Emily WAKEFIELD, of the Territorial Force Nursing Service

E. WHITTAKER, worker, of the queen Mary’s Army Auxiliary Corps

And, under the heading “Non World War Dead’:

Florence Victoria GROVER, a civilian who went to visit her husband, Private Grover, who was too ill to be returned to Britain.  Florence contracted influenza and died while in France.  She is buried in the same cemetery as her husband - Private Albert GROVER.

I haven’t specified their ages, but they were definitely not all young women – Sister Alice Hallam was 45, Eveline Dawson, 49, Jeanie Barclay Smith, 42,

May they rest in peace assured that WE WILL REMEMBER THEM