How Anne Lister Defied Society’s Expectations For Women In Georgian England

How Anne Lister Defied Society’s Expectations For Women In Georgian England

Today I want to talk about Anne Lister. She lived in a time when women were expected to behave in ways that society considered “respectable,” modest, and feminine.

Anne was born on the 3rd of April 1791 in Halifax, Yorkshire, into a minor landowning family. Her childhood was not especially easy for her. Several of her siblings tragically died young, something that was not uncommon in that era. From an early age she stood out. She was intelligent, curious, determined, and very interested in learning. While many girls of her class were expected to focus mostly on domesticity, Anne loved classical literature, history, languages, and to study. Books became a source of comfort for her.

In 1805 she was sent to school in York, where she met Eliza Raine, who would become her first serious romantic relationship. Their connection was very deep and emotional, and Anne’s diaries suggest that she already had an understanding of her feelings towards women from a very young age. In a society where same-sex relationships were rarely discussed openly, Anne must have felt somewhat isolated, cautious, and also misunderstood. But unlike others in the era she refused to entirely hide who she was.

As she grew up, Anne became well known for behaving differently from what society expected of women. She dressed mostly in black, she preferred practical clothing, and had a confident, direct personality that many considered unusual or unfeminine. Some people mocked her by referring to her as “Gentleman Jack.” The nickname was intended to insult her but it reflected how impossible she was to ignore. She did not fit into the role society thought she should.

Anne inherited Shibden Hall in Yorkshire during the 1820s and became heavily involved in managing the estate. She took an active interest in her business, coal mining, canals, railways, and land management, areas that were normally dominated by men. I really admire her strong character and determination. When women had such limited legal and financial independence, Anne pushed against the expectations.

 She also renovated Shibden Hall to suit her own tastes, adding a Gothic tower and improving the grounds around the estate.

Travel became a huge part of her life. She travelled across Britain and Europe, which was something that was still quite unusual for women at the time. She climbed mountains in the Pyrenees and explored remote regions of the world. Travel seemed to have given her a sense of freedom that she could not find at home. Her diaries also reveal that she had times of loneliness, frustration, and disappointment, particularly in her relationships.

Her most important relationship was with Ann Walker. In 1834 the two women took communion together at Holy Trinity Church in York and considered themselves married, despite it having no legal recognition. For Anne, this was clearly something very meaningful and emotional. In many ways they created a private life together in defiance of the world around them. The couple lived together at Shibden Hall and travelled extensively.

In 1839 Anne and Ann began an ambitious journey through Europe and into the Russian Empire. They travelled through harsh conditions, drawing attention wherever they went because two wealthy English women travelling alone was extremely unusual. During the journey Anne became ill with a fever while in Georgia, then part of the Russian Empire. She died on the 22nd of September 1840 at the age of only 49 years old. Ann Walker arranged for her body to be brought all the way back to Halifax to be buried. I would have been a long and emotional journey that must have been heartbreaking.

Perhaps Anne Lister’s greatest legacy is her diaries. She wrote about her life, relationships, travels, business dealings, and thoughts. Large sections were written in a secret code that combined symbols, letters, and mathematics. The diaries were eventually deciphered long after her death and revealed an extraordinarily honest account of her life and who she was.

 Today they provide historians with a rare and personal glimpse into both women’s history and LGBTQ+ history during the 19th century.

Do you think society fully appreciates just how unusual and courageous people like Anne Lister were?

Image info:

Artist: attributed to Joshua Horner

Date: 1830

Collection: Calderdale Metropolitan Borough Council

The Fearless Victorian Explorer Who Refused To Let Illness Stop Her

The Fearless Victorian Explorer Who Refused To Let Illness Stop Her

Today I want to tell you about a remarkable woman of the Victorian era, Isabella Bird. In an era when many women were expected to live quiet and restricted lives, Isabella travelled across some of the most difficult and remote parts of the world completely alone.

She was born on the 15th of October 1831 in Boroughbridge, Yorkshire, into the family of a clergyman. As a child she constantly moved when her father took up different church positions around England. Isabella was intelligent, outspoken, and curious about the world, but she also struggled with poor health. She suffered from back problems, headaches, and insomnia. Doctors believed that fresh air and travel might improve her condition, and this is something that would eventually shape the rest of her life.

In 1854, she travelled to the United States. For many Victorian women, this journey would have been intimidating and maybe even improper, but Isabella appeared to have love to explore new places. She turned the letters from her travels into books, and she gradually became known for her travel writing.

She travelled across places including Hawaii, Japan, China, Korea, India, Persia, and the Rocky Mountains of North America. In Colorado she rode hundreds of miles through dangerous terrain, often dressed practically and riding in ways that shocked many in Victorian society. I do admire her determination. Travel during the nineteenth century was tiring, uncomfortable, and sometimes dangerous, especially for a woman travelling alone.

In 1880, her sister Henrietta sadly died from typhoid, a loss that affected her badly. Isabella went on to marry Dr John Bishop, but he also sadly died only a few years later. During the late 1880s, Isabella’s health suffered another serious setback when she became ill with scarlet fever. It was dangerous infectious diseases in the Victorian era, especially for someone already weak. Many people may have expected her to slow down, but remarkably she recovered and rather than hiding away from the world, she threw herself even more into her travels and also humanitarian work. In Kashmir, she helped to establish a hospital for women in memory of her late husband.

After the death of her husband, Isabella even began studying medicine so that she could help the people she met during her travels even more, her journeys seem to no longer be only about exploration but also compassion.

By the 1890s, Isabella Bird had become one of the most famous travellers in Britain. She became the first woman to be admitted as a fellow of the Royal Geographical Society, this  broke barriers in a world that was dominated by men. Even in her seventies, she was still planning new journeys.

She died in Edinburgh on the 7th of October 1904 at the age of 72, only a few days before what would have been her 73rd birthday on the 15th of October. She had only just returned from Morocco. She refused to let illness, grief, or Victorian expectations control her life. I sometimes wonder how many women of her era must have secretly dreamed of the freedom that Isabella Bird managed to find.

Do you think she was seen as inspiring during her lifetime, or too unconventional for many people to fully understand?

 

The Courage and Compassion of Australian Wartime Nurse Kathleen Hope Barnes

The Courage and Compassion of Australian Wartime Nurse Kathleen Hope Barnes

Today I  want to continue looking at some of the remarkable nurses who served during the Second World War. I want to tell you about Kathleen Hope Barnes.

Kathleen Hope Barnes was born on the 19th of May 1909 in Cottesloe in Western Australia. Her parents had emigrated from Scotland and Ireland, and her father ran a local shop. She went to  Methodist Ladies’ College in Claremont. Nursing was starting to be seen as  a profession and a public service.

When the Second World War started in 1939, Kathleen joined the Australian Army Nursing Service. In April 1940, she became part of the first group of Western Australian nurses who were sent overseas. She left from Fremantle on board Nevassa. For many of these brave women, it would have been the first time they had travelled so far from home.  

By October 1942, Kathleen was serving in Port Moresby in Papua during the New Guinea campaign. She worked with the 105th Casualty Clearing Station that cared for wounded soldiers in the harsh tropical conditions.  Disease and exhaustion were a huge part of everyday life. In March 1943 she was promoted to lieutenant, and just a few months later she became a captain.

In late 1944 and early 1945, Australian forces moved into Jacquinot Bay on the island of New Britain. Kathleen led some of the first Australian nurses to arrive there. Their arrival meant that injured troops could finally receive medical care closer to the front lines.

Her dedication did not go unnoticed. Kathleen was mentioned in dispatches for her wartime service and became an Associate of the Royal Red Cross. She was also appointed a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE).

After the war, she continued nursing in Australia and helped to expand community healthcare services before her death in 1981 at the age of 72.

 

 

The Australian Nurse Who Survived The Bangka Island Massacre In 1942

The Australian Nurse Who Survived The Bangka Island Massacre In 1942

I want to tell you about a remarkable individual, Vivian Bullwinkel, an Australian nurse who served in World War Two.

She was born on the 18th of December 1915 in Kapunda, in Southern Australia, just north of Adelaide. She trained as both a nurse and a midwife. Those who knew her described her as both determined and compassionate. Before the war broke out, she worked in hospitals in Victoria and Melbourne.

When the Second World War began to spread across the world, Vivian wanted to serve her country. At first she tried to join the Royal Australian Air Force, but was rejected because she had flat feet. Many people may well have given up at that point, but she was determined and refused to give up. Instead, she joined the Royal Australian Army Nursing Corps in 1941. She was sent to Singapore just as the Japanese forces were advancing through Malaya during the Pacific War.

By early 1942, the situation had become desperate. Singapore was collapsing and they began to evacuate . Vivian and dozens of other nurses boarded the SS Vyner Brooke in the hopes of escaping. But on the 14th of February 1942, the ship was attacked and sunk by Japanese aircraft. The survivors managed to reach Bangka Island.

What happened next became one of the darkest moments involving Australian nurses during the war. On the 16th of February 1942, Japanese soldiers arrived at Radji Beach on Bangka Island. The men were separated and killed. Vivian and 21 fellow nurses were then ordered into the sea before being gunned down from behind in what became known as the Bangka Island Massacre. Vivian was hit, but the bullet missed her vital organs. She pretended to be dead and remained still until the soldiers left. You can only imagine the terror and heartbreak she must have felt lying there among her friends.

For days afterwards, she hid with a wounded British soldier named Cecil Kingsley. She  nursed him while she was also suffering from her own injuries. Eventually they were captured, and Vivian spent more than three years as a prisoner of war. Conditions in the prison camps were harsh. Despite this, she continued to take care of others whenever she could.

After the war ended, Vivian returned to Australia and gave evidence at the Tokyo War Crimes Tribunal. She later became Director of Nursing at Fairfield Infectious Diseases Hospital and she devoted a lot of her life to honouring the nurses who had died. She also supported nursing organisations and memorial projects for veterans.

Over her lifetime she received many honours, including the Member of the Order of the British Empire, the Officer of the Order of Australia, the Associate Royal Red Cross, the Florence Nightingale Medal, and the Efficiency Decoration. She also received campaign medals for her wartime service, including the 1939-45 Star, Pacific Star, War Medal 1939-1945, and the Australia Service Medal 1939-45.

Vivian died in Perth on the 3rd of July 2000 at the age of 84, but her story continues to be remembered across Australia. In 2022, she became the first woman honoured with a statue at the Australian War Memorial.

 

How Wartime Britain Turned Scarcity Into Creativity Through Substitute Foods

 How Wartime Britain Turned Scarcity Into Creativity Through Substitute Foods

I have been finding out a little about what life was like on the home front during the Second World War. One area that really caught my attention was the strange substitute foods people used. When we think about wartime Britain, we think about the courage during the air raids or the soldiers that were fighting abroad, but there was actually another battle happening in British kitchens. People had to find ways to feed their families with less and less food available to them.

When the war began in 1939, imported food started to become harder to bring into Britain because of German U-boats that were attacking supply ships. The government were worried about shortages and in response to this fear the government brought in rationing. By 1940, staples like butter, sugar, bacon, and meat were tightly controlled. Families could no longer just buy what they wanted. They had to adapt and improvise.

One of the most famous foods from wartime was Spam, which was originally produced in the United States. It become an incredibly important staple during the war because it was able to last a long time and could be transported fairly easily. For some families, Spam was a regular part of their meals because fresh meat was scarce. It was fried, sliced into sandwiches and added to stews. It became a symbol of survival and practicality.

Powdered milk and dried eggs also became extremely common. Fresh milk was prioritised for children and expectant mothers, so many adults had to rely on powdered versions instead. Dried eggs arrived mainly from America and it came in tins. People mixed the powder with water and used it in cooking or scrambled it in frying pans. Many people complained about it, saying that it didn’t taste right. But people still used it because there was little other choice.

What fascinates me the most though are the mock meals that people created. Housewives were especially under pressure to keep their families fed. Mock cream was made using margarine, sugar, and a little milk or flavouring instead of real cream. It was often spread into cakes to make children feel they were still having a treat. Mock turkey recipes used pork, breadcrumbs, onions, and seasoning shaped into a large roast with parsnips used for legs to resemble a turkey. There were even carrot-based recipes used to imitate apricot jam when fruit was scarce.

The government encouraged this creativity through leaflets, radio broadcasts, and Ministry of Food campaigns. Lord Woolton Pie became one of the best known wartime dishes, made mainly from root vegetables covered with potato pastry. People learned to waste almost nothing. Leftovers were reused, bones were boiled to become soup, and vegetables were stretched as far as possible.

I honestly think there must have been mixed emotions around these meals. For children, the substitute meals would have become normal, but older generations remembered what had been lost.

Do you think the creativity people showed with wartime food helped families emotionally as well as physically during the war?

The American Flight Nurse Who Flew 425 Missions Across Two Wars

The American Flight Nurse Who Flew 425 Missions Across Two Wars

I have been learning about some of the people who served in the world wars. I want to tell you a little bit about Lillian Kinkella Keil.

She was born on the 17th of November 1916 in Arcata, California. Her father left when she was still young, so she and her siblings were raised in a convent.

After finishing high school, she trained at St. Mary’s Hospital in San Francisco and qualified as a registered nurse. By 1939, she had become one of the first stewardesses for United Airlines. But when the United States entered the War, like everyone else, her life changed. She joined the United States Army Air Forces after a passenger encouraged her to do so. She went on to train as a flight nurse.

By 1943, she was serving in London, and not long after that, she was caring for the wounded after D-Day in June 1944. She worked close to the front line, including with the forces of General George S. Patton as they advanced across France. She flew hundreds of evacuation missions, transporting injured soldiers to safety.

After the war, she briefly returned to civilian life, but when the Korean War started, she joined the United States Air Force. She became one of a small number of nurses stationed in the Far East, making even more evacuation flights. Across both wars, she flew around 425 missions and is believed to have cared for over 10,000 wounded service members.

She earned 19 medals and ribbons, including four Air Medals, two Presidential Unit Citations, the World War II Victory Medal, four World War II battle stars, and the Korean Service Medal with seven battle stars.

She went on to marry and she continued nursing in civilian life. Lillian Kinkella Keil sadly died of cancer on the 30th of June 2005 at the age of 88.

The Land Girls: How Women Stepped Forward to Feed a Nation at War

The Land Girls: How Women Stepped Forward to Feed a Nation at War

We have been learning a lot about the people who served during the world wars. And we often first think of the men and women who were serving abroad, but many served at home too. I want to talk about the Womens Land Army. A strong army of women who helped feed the nation in war. 

During the First World War, with so many men leaving farms to fight, Britain was facing a growing food crisis. Imports were under threat from enemy submarines, and the country needed to produce more food at home. In 1917, the government introduced the Women's Land Army to help fill that gap, and it was later revived again in 1939 at the start of the Second World War, which is the one most are familiar with.

They were overseen by the Board of Agriculture and Fisheries in the First World War and then the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries.

Women from all walks of life volunteered. Some came from cities and had never set foot on a farm in their life, while others already knew what rural life was like. Many women  signed up because of a sense of duty, though they did not always fully understand the work involved. When they first arrived, the reality could be quite a shock. The countryside could feel lonely, and the work was far more physical than anything many if them  had done before.

 

The Land Girls of the First World War were usually dressed in simple, hard-wearing clothes, but there was no real uniform.

During the Second World War they were issued a uniform. It quickly became recognisable: brown corduroy breeches, a practical green woollen jumper, beige blouse, grey wool socks and brown sturdy boots. There was also a tie and green felt hat worn for more formal occasions. It was designed for work rather than style. The women worked long and exhausting days. They milked the cows, planted the crops, harvested the fields, and even cared for livestock no matter what  the weather was like. For many, the physical work was one of the hardest parts to adjust to.

Food varied depending on placement. On some farms, meals were simple but fresh and filling, sometimes even better than what people in cities were managing with rationing. On others, it could be quite basic, and shortages were still a reality. It was not always consistent.

One of the most unexpected parts of their experience was the people they met. Women from very different backgrounds found themselves living and working side by side. Friendships were made between women who may never have met in everyday life, and for many, it was their first taste of independence.

Before the wars, a lot of women- especially the younger, unmarried ones -were expected to stay close to home. Their lives revolved around domestic jobs, or limited job options outside the home. Decisions were usually influenced by their parents or social expectations.

They were also earning their own wages. Although their pay was generally lower than the male agricultural workers. It might not have been much, but it was theirs. They could spend it, save it, or send it home. That financial independence, even on such a small scale, was something many had never experienced before.

Their daily lives were different too. Instead of being told what was expected of them in a traditional sense, they were doing essential, skilled work -feeding the country. They learned new abilities, made decisions on the job, and proved to themselves and to others, that they were capable of physically demanding labour.

At first, not all locals were welcoming. Some farmers doubted whether the women could cope with such demanding work, and there could be a lack of trust. But the Land Girls gradually proved themselves.

They still found time for fun. Their were dances of course. And the shared laughter after a long day. There was a strong sense of camaraderie that helped to carry them through the hard times.

Their contribution was essential. Without them, Britain’s ability to feed itself would have been in serious danger.

 

How do you think taking on such roles might have changed how these women viewed their place in society afterwards?

 

Image info:

Eileen Barry, Audrey Willis, Betty Long and Audrey Prickett after a day rat catching, whilstof training on a Sussex farm. Farmer Giles brings them a jug of fresh milk to add to their tea.

Date: 1942

 

Julia Catherine Stimson: The Nurse Who Helped Shape a Profession

Julia Catherine Stimson: The Nurse Who Helped Shape a Profession

I have been learning about some of the remarkable people who served in the world wars and I want to talk about Julia Catherine Stimson.

She was an American nurse, born on the 26th of May 1881 in Worcester, Massachusetts. She was raised in an educated and well-connected family. She studied at Vassar College and earned a bachelor’s degree and went on to earn her Masters. She worked in hospital administration. By 1917, with the First World War, she volunteered for military service.

During the war, she become Superintendent of the Army Nurse Corps, and was the first woman to attain the rank of Major in the United States Army. She worked tirelessly to organise and lead nursing and cared for thousands of wounded soldiers. She was awarded the Distinguished Service Medal, the World War I Victory Medal, the Royal Red Cross, and later the Florence Nightingale Medal in 1929.

Even after retiring in 1937, she returned during the Second World War to help recruit and guide a new generation of nurses, continuing her quiet determination.

She sadly died on the 30th of September 1948 at the age of 67, having also received the American Campaign Medal and World War II Victory Medal.

Do you think she realised just how much she was changing the future for others?

Mary Louise Hawkins: The WWII Flight Nurse Who Refused to Let Anyone Die

Mary Louise Hawkins: The WWII Flight Nurse Who Refused to Let Anyone Die

I have been learning about some of the remarkable people who served during the World Wars, and over the past couple of days have been finding out about some of the incredible nurses. So I want to tell you about Mary Louise Hawkins.

She was an American flight nurse who waa born on the 24th of May 1921 in Denver, Colorado. During World War II, she served with the U.S. Army Air Forces as part of the air evacuation service. She cared for wounded soldiers being flown out of combat zones.

On the 24th of September 1944, while she was evacuating patients from the fighting in Palau to Guadalcanal, her aircraft was forced to crash-land on Bellona Island after it ran low on fuel. In the chaos, one patient suffered a devastating throat injury. With no proper equipment, Hawkins improvised a suction device and worked for 19 hours to keep him alive until help arrived. Every patient survived.

For her incredible and amazing actions, she was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross. After the war, she continued nursing.

Mary Louise Hawkins died on the 9th of July 2007, at the age of 86.

Anna Mae Hays: The Nurse Who Became America’s First Female General

Anna Mae Hays: The Nurse Who Became America’s First Female General

I have been learning about some of the remarkable people who served during the world wars, and this time I wanted to share the story of Anna Mae Hays.

She was born Anna Mae Violet McCabe on the 16th of February 1920 in Buffalo, New York, in the United States. Her parents were officers in the Salvation Army, and her when she was young, she had frequent moves before the family settled in Pennsylvania. She loved music and dreamed of studying at Juilliard, but finances forced her in to another direction. In 1939, she began training as a nurse and qualified in 1941.

In May 1942, she joined the U.S. Army Nurse Corps, becoming part of the American effort in the Second World War. By early 1943, she was sent to India, where she worked in a field hospital near the Ledo Road. The conditions were harsh, there were bamboo buildings, disease, and the constant danger, but she carried on.

After the war, she remained in the Army and continued her nursing career. When the Korean War began, she was deployed again, this time to Inchon in 1950. The cold, the lack of supplies, and the sheer number of wounded made the conditions even more difficult than before. Alongside a small team of nurses, she helped treat tens of thousands of patients.

Her career continued to grow through the 1950s and 1960s. She served in senior hospital roles, cared for President Dwight D. Eisenhower during illness, and became Chief of the Army Nurse Corps. During the Vietnam War, she visited nurses in the field, working to improve training and support for those serving overseas.

In 1970, under President Richard Nixon, she became the first woman in U.S. Armed Forces history to be promoted to brigadier general.

She received numerous honours, including the Army Distinguished Service Medal, Legion of Merit, and Army Commendation Medal. After nearly three decades of service, she retired in 1971.

Anna Mae Hays died on the 7th of January 2018 at the age of 97.

 

Do you think moments like her promotion changed perceptions more than policies ever could?

Maude C. Davison: Leadership, Survival, and the Angels of Bataan

Maude C. Davison: Leadership, Survival, and the Angels of Bataan

I have been learning about some of the remarkable people who served during the World Wars and over the past couple of days we have been focusing on some of the nurses who served. Today I wanted to talk about Maude C. Davison.

She was born on the 27th of March 1885 in Ontario, Canada, and began her career as a dietitian before she trained as a nurse in the United States. By 1918, she had joined the Army Nurse Corps, which was the start of a long military career.

She rose through the ranks and by 1941, she was serving in the Philippines as chief nurse. After the invasion of the Philippines following Pearl Harbor, she organised nurses, all whilst the area was being bombed and even after she was injured. As the American forces left, she helped to establish makeshift hospitals in jungle conditions and later within the Malinta Tunnel on Corregidor.

 

When the surrender came in 1942, Davison led her nurses into captivity at Santo Tomas. These incredible women became known as the Angels of Bataan. Despite the harsh conditions, she maintained strict order and ensured their survival. After their liberation in 1945, her health was broken, but her leadership had saved lives. Maude C. Davison died on 11th of June 1956, aged 71.

 

 

Image info:
Major Maude C. Davison and First Lieutenant Eunice F. Young, ANC
Date: 1945

Annie G. Fox: The Nurse Who Stayed Calm Under Fire at Pearl Harbor

Annie G. Fox: The Nurse Who Stayed Calm Under Fire at Pearl Harbor

I have been learning about some of the remarkable people who served during the world wars and recently I have focused on some incredible US nurses. Today I want to find out about Annie G. Fox.

She was born on the 4th of August 1893 in East Pubnico, Nova Scotia. She later became an American citizen. She joined the United States Army Nurse Corps and steadily built a career.

By the 7th of December 1941, she was serving as chief nurse at Hickam Field in Hawaii. When the attack on Pearl Harbor happened, she remained at her post and continued to care for the wounded. She administered anaesthetics, organised treatment, and guided both trained staff and civilian volunteers.

She was awarded the Purple Heart in 1942, becoming the first woman to receive it. At that time, the award could be given for outstanding service, not just for being wounded. Later, when the rules changed, her Purple Heart was replaced with the Bronze Star in 1944.

She passed away on the 20th of January 1987 at the age of 93.

Elsie Seetoo’s Extraordinary Journey Through War and Service

Elsie Seetoo’s Extraordinary Journey Through War and Service

I have been learning about some of the remarkable people who served during the wars, and today I want to share a little about Elsie Chin Yuen Seetoo.

She was born on the 14th of September 1918 in Stockton, California. His parents were Chinese immigrants. During the Great Depression, her family returned to Guangdong in China, where she continued her education. She began her nurses training in Hong Kong in 1938.

Everything changed in December 1941 with the outbreak of World War II in the Pacific. As Hong Kong came under attack, she worked caring for the wounded and qualifying as a nurse in the midst of all chaos. When the city fell, she made her escape. She disguised herself and travelling over 700 miles to reach Free China.

She then joined the Chinese Red Cross, working in hospitals and training medical staff, before eventually enlisting in the U.S. Army Nurse Corps in 1944. Becoming the first Chinese-American to serve in the Corps. She worked all across China and then in the United States until 1946.

She married Joseph Yuen in 1946, and they had four children, and then later married Ben Seetoo after she had been widowed.

After the war, she continued her work in medicine and her education, using her abilities as a translator and writer to bridge the gap between cultures. Her service was recognised with the Congressional Gold Medal in 2020.

The Quiet Courage of Colonel Ruby Bradley

The Quiet Courage of Colonel Ruby Bradley

I have been learning about some of the remarkable individuals who served during the world wars, and today I want to talk about Ruby Bradley.

She was born on the 19th of December 1907 in Spencer, West Virginia. She entered the United States Army Nurse Corps in 1934 as a surgical nurse.

During the Second World War she was stationed in the Philippines. Just weeks after the attack on Pearl Harbor in 1941, she was captured by the Japanese. She was eventually held at Santo Tomas Internment Camp in Manila. Her time there was harsh. She suffered hunger and illness. But, she continued to care for others. She helped in hundreds of operations and assisted in bringing new life into the world. She risked punishment by smuggling food and medical supplies.

By the time the camp was finally liberated in February 1945, she was dangerously underweight, but she returned home and even continued her service. During the Korean War, she refused evacuation until every wounded soldier had been safely loaded onto a plane. She only just escaped, moments before the danger closed in.

She rose through the ranks, becoming a colonel before she retired in 1963. Even then, she continued to work as a nurse for many years.

Ruby Bradley died on the 28th of May 2002 at the age of 94.

From Nurse to Leader: Florence Blanchfield’s Remarkable Wartime Journey

From Nurse to Leader: Florence Blanchfield’s Remarkable Wartime Journey

As many of you may know, I have been learning a little about the some of the incredible people who served during the world wars. Today I want discover Florence Aby Blanchfield.

She was born on the 1st of April 1884 in Shepherdstown in West Virginia. Her mother was a nurse and she had relatives who were physicians. After completing her nursing training in 1906, she moved into hospital roles, as a surgical nurse. She later worked in places as far away as the Panama Canal area.

When the First World War started, she joined the Army Nurse Corps and served in France from 1917 to 1919. Although she briefly returned to civilian work after the war, she was compelled back in to military service.

By the late 1930s, she was working in Washington and was rising slowly through leadership roles. During the Second World War, she became a superintendent of the Army Nurse Corps. She oversaw its growth from just a few hundred nurses to tens of thousands. She was awarded the Distinguished Service Medal in 1945 and played a key role in securing full military status for nurses in 1947. She also became the first woman commissioned into the regular U.S. Army. In 1951 she was awarded the Florence Nightingale Medal recognising her work in nursing.

Florence died on the 12th of May 1971 at the age of 87.

The Nurse Who Took Flight and Changed Wartime Medicine

The Nurse Who Took Flight and Changed Wartime Medicine

I have been learning about individuals who served during the world wars and today I want to talk about Elsie Ott.

 She was born in 1913 in Smithtown, New York, and trained as a nurse in New York City. Before the war she worked in several hospitals. In September 1941, she joined the Army Nurse Corps and was quickly given the rank of second lieutenant. She was first posted to Louisiana and Virginia, then she was sent to India.

In January 1943, with only 24 hours’ notice, no formal air evacuation training, and having never having flown before, she was assigned to care for wounded soldiers on a flight from Karachi. Over the course of a week, she helped transport injured men across continents to Washington, D.C., a journey that would normally have taken months by sea.

After the flight, she carefully recorded what had worked and what had not. Just two months later, she became the first woman to receive the Air Medal.

She later rose to captain and left service in 1946. She went on to serve in the Vietnam War. Elsee died in 2006 at the age of 82 or 83.

Image info:

 Lt. Elsie Ott being awarded the Air Medal by Brig. Gen. Fred Borum 

From Frontline Nurse to Lasting Voice: The Story of June Wandrey

From Frontline Nurse to Lasting Voice: The Story of June Wandrey

I have been learning about the lives of those who served during the World Wars. Today I would like to share with a little about June Wandrey.

She was born on the 25th of June 1920 in Wautoma, Wisconsin, and grew up in a small American town before everything changed with the start of the Second World War. In 1942, she joined the United States Army Nurse Corps, a role that would put her close to the realities of war. Over the next four years, she served across North Africa, Sicily, Italy, France, and even Germany. Her service earned her eight battle stars, a reflection of just how much she experienced.

After the war, she chose to share the memories of her time as a war nurse. Her book, Bedpan Commando, brought attention to the work of military nurses, it was also published in television and radio. In 1995, she went to Nettuno, Italy, fifty years after the Anzio landings, she even met Bill Clinton during the commemorations.

She stayed closely connected to the veteran community. She passed away on the 27th of November 2005 at the age of 85.

The Forgotten Flight Nurse: Reba Z. Whittle’s Wartime Ordeal

The Forgotten Flight Nurse: Reba Z. Whittle’s Wartime Ordeal

I have been finding out about some of the incredible people who served in the World Wars. Today I want to share with you a little bit about Reba Z. Whittle.

She was born on the 19th of August 1919 in Rocksprings, Texas, and she chose to become a nurse. After completing her training, she joined the United States Army Nurse Corps in 1941.

She trained as a flight nurse in 1943. These were the nurses that worked caring for wounded soldiers mid-air, often without a doctor there. By early 1944, she was sent to England, where she flew dozens of missions, helping to evacuate the injured.

On the 27th of September 1944, everything changed. Her aircraft was hit by German fire and crashed. She was injured and disoriented but managed to escape, only to be captured. She became the only American military woman held as a prisoner of war in the European theatre.

She was moved between hospitals and camps, even helping to care for other prisoners in spite of her own injuries. Eventually, after months in captivity, she was released in early 1945 and was able to return home. She received honours for her service, but the effects of her experience did not fade.

After the war, she did struggle with ongoing physical and emotional wounds. She looked for recognition and support, and faced a long and difficult process before she received partial acknowledgement. Even then, it never really reflected what she had endured.

She was overlooked for far too long. It makes me wonder how many others were in similar situations, long after the war had ended.

Ruth M. Gardiner: The Flight Nurse Who Gave Her Life Saving Others

Ruth M. Gardiner: The Flight Nurse Who Gave Her Life Saving Others

I have been learning about the people who served during the Wars, and I want to tell you about Ruth M. Gardiner.

She was born on the 20th of May 1914 in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. She was drawn to care for others, so she trained as a nurse at a sanatorium in White Haven, Pennsylvania, where she graduated in 1934. She worked as a civilian nurse before joining the United States Army Nurse Corps in 1941.

She trained for a new and dangerous role as a flight nurse. She was assigned to Bowman Field in Kentucky and went on to serve in Alaska with a medical air evacuation unit. Flight nurses travelled with wounded soldiers, tending to them in the air, often in harsh weather and over long distances. It must have required huge courage, she would have known that the conditions could change very quickly.

On the 27th of July 1943, while on a medical evacuation mission near Naknek, Alaska, her aircraft crashed. She was only twenty-nine years old and became the first Army Nurse Corps flight nurse killed during the war.

In 1944, an Army hospital in Chicago was named in her honour, the first named after a woman or a nurse, a wonderful way to ensure that her service would not be forgotten.

Renée Lemaire: The Nurse Who Chose Others During the Siege of Bastogne

Renée Lemaire: The Nurse Who Chose Others During the Siege of Bastogne

I have been learning about people who served during the world wars. I wanted to share a little about Renée Lemaire. She was born on the 10th of April 1914 in Bastogne, Belgium, and her family owned a hardware store.  She  trained as a nurse in Brussels.

By December 1944, she returned to Bastogne to visit her parents. She became trapped when the German offensive surrounded the town. Even though she was facing danger, she did not leave. Along with Augusta Chiwy, she volunteered at an American aid station, working with wounded soldiers who were cold, exhausted, and frightened. She dressed wounds, handed out medication, fed men who could not feed themselves, and she offered something more- reassurance. She seemed to lift morale. 

On Christmas Eve 1944, the building housing the aid station was bombed. Through the fire and the chaos, she helped evacuate wounded men. She managed to save six, but she sadly died while attempting to rescue another. She was a nurse who chose others, even in unimaginable danger.

She inspired a character in the television series Band of Brothers, where she is shown working with medics like Eugene Roe. But the real story shows even more bravery. 

When faced with this same fear, would we find the same courage to stay and help others?