Nurses in WWI

"War is a man's business"!! It was indeed true in 1914 and no women were to be found on the front line. But by the end of WWI, about 90,000 women, from the British Empire, had volunteered as nurses. More than 3,000 were Australians and about 550 were from New Zealand. Like the men, nurses from Australia and New Zealand served in different countries including India, Gallipoli, France and Belgium. They were to be found in hospitals, sometimes placed on ships or trains, or closer to the front line in casualty clearing stations.

Photo: https://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/205349955

As the rate of casualties increased, so did the need for more nurses. There primary role was to provide medical care for the wounded. In doing this, the nurses became known as the ‘white angels. So nicknamed by dying soldiers, thinking they were surrounded by angels when they arrived in a hospital. 

But in addition to their primary role, the nurses became invaluable in providing comfort and support to the soldiers. They were beloved by soldiers for taking a good care of them, but also appreciated by the authorities, because they helped in cheering up the soldiers during their convalescence and getting them back to the front more quickly. Nurses sometimes helped soldiers to write to their family. Most of those who were close to the front line had chocolate, cigarettes and some alcohol in their bag, so they could share with a soldier if death was near.

‘White angels’ became a symbol of the war. To the soldiers who felt trapped in the hell of everyday trench warfare, nurses were the devoted women who represented peace and safety. 

Under normal circumstances, hospitals were located well behind the front line. But there was a need for casualty clearing stations to be close to the front line where immediate assistance could be given to the wounded soldier before he was transferred to the hospital for further treatment. Sometimes, when there was a movement in the front line or heavy shelling in preparation for an attack, the medical staff, including the nurses, would come under fire and some were injured. In other cases, nurses assisted in the recovery of soldiers while heavy shelling was going on around them.

Nurses were confronted with the same risks as the soldiers. For Australia, 25 nurses died during their service. But most of all, many suffered from what is known today as Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). Having to witness all kind of wounds, innumerable deaths, despair, misery and fear from soldiers, took a great toll on them and like a lot of men, they too were unable to forget what happened during the war.

Photo: https://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/205351022

Just like the men, the nurses were entitled to decorations for bravery with eight receiving the Military Medal during WWI. 

We usually imagine nurses as the gracious ladies taking care of the soldiers, the ‘white angels’. But they had different tasks depending on their status in society. For example, to provide medical assistance or take part in an operation, nurses had to have done some prior studies or attained a diploma. This usually applied to ladies from the upper classes of society who had access to higher education.

But in a medical facility, people to clean, especially after an operation or if a soldier was sick, someone to bathe the soldiers and to do the laundry, were also needed. These were the duties of the less educated nurses from the lower classes. Far more nurses were needed for these tasks than the well-known ‘white angels’. But these nurses were able to better themselves by taking an exam to prove that they were able to provide medical care to the wounded soldier. If they passed, they were promoted to work as a ‘white angel’.

Nurses had many challenges. On a daily basis, they were confronted with soldiers with all manner of wounds, the ever presence of death and the risk to their own lives. It is no wonder that many ended up with PTSD. The ‘white angels’ provided comfort and support as well as their medical duties. The lower ranked nurses undertook the tasks that were critical to the operation of the hospital. It was a team effort. In the end, a great many of our soldiers, and Australia as a whole, have a great debt to these wonderful women.