Page 24 - QARANC Vol 14 No 13 2016

22 QARANC THE GAZETTE
Somme 100 Commemoration
The Battle of the Somme was one of the largest battles of the First World War. Fought between 1 July and 18 November 1916, the aim was to relieve the French Army fighting at Verdun, who were engaged in an attritional battle in which the Chief of the German General Staff, Erich von Falkenhayn sought ‘to bleed the forces of France to death’.
By its end, the British Army had
suffered 481,842 casualties, the French
250,000 and the Germans 537,918.
The first day of the Somme offensive,
1 July 1916, was especially notable in that it resulted in 57,470 British casualties, greater than the combined (British) casualties of the Crimean, Boer and Korean wars respectively.
Whilst serving at 4 Armoured Medical Regiment, I jumped at the opportunity to take part in the commemoration of the centenary of the battle. The ceremony took place at Thiepval Memorial Grounds; designed by Sir Edwin Lutyens, the memorial is the largest Commonwealth Memorial in the world.
The memorial bears the names of 72,000 officers and men, including 7 Victoria Cross winners. Over 90% of those remembered died in the 141 day long, Battle of the Somme. The names on the memorial are reserved for those missing,
or unidentified, soldiers who have no known grave. The inscription reads:
Here are recorded names of officers and men of the British Armies who fell on the Somme battlefields July 1915 February 1918 but to whom the fortune of war denied the known and honoured burial given to their comrades in death.
On 27 June, I arrived in Sissone, a French military camp and my home for the next 6 days. The whole military team was about 400 strong, including representatives of the Commonwealth forces that fought on the Somme –
Australia, Bermuda, Canada, India, New Zealand and South Africa. My role was to support the smooth running of the event, including standing vigil throughout the night until the moment that the troops went ‘over the top’.
The war is often remembered for its poets; Brooke, Hodgson, Owen, Rosenberg and Sassoon. However, amongst its female protagonists it is the nurses who are best remembered, particularly Edith Cavell and Vera Brittain. Therefore, as the only member of the QARANC, the successor to the Great War’s Queen Alexandra’s Imperial Military Nursing Service and the Territorial Force Nursing Service, I felt particularly honoured to represent the Corps at such a poignant ceremony.
Sgt Eric Asare HCA
The Florence Nightingale Commemoration Service
It was a bright morning on Sunday 8 May 2016 when LCpl Evans QARANC and I travelled to Hampshire for the annual Florence Nightingale Memorial Service. The Service was held at St. Margaret’s Church in East Wellow. This church was frequented by Florence during her stays at her Romsey-based home, Embley Park, and is also the site of her burial. The pride felt by the Romsey community of Florence’s pioneering influence on nursing practice was evident, reflected through the impeccable upkeep of her grave and her inclusion in the inspiring church services, one of which LCpl Evans and I were lucky enough to hear.
After arriving at the church, we were met by Col K Irvine RRC L/QARANC. This was a fantastic opportunity to meet the new Chief Nursing Officer (Army) as she accompanied us into the church. The service was a wonderful tribute to Florence and incorporated the relevance of her work to the current
nursing climate. As a student nurse, one aspect of the service which resonated with me was The Nightingale Reading. This extract from Florence’s addresses to her nurses-in-training emphasised that the qualities that make a good nurse may be ‘the difference between a nurse nursing, and a nurse reading a book on nursing’. This reminds us that ‘no nurse can stand still’ and that we must continually reflect and learn throughout our careers to ensure we deliver the utmost of patient care. Another key moment was when LCpl Evans was given the honour of carrying the lighted Nightingale candle to the altar, a reminder of Florence’s courage and compassion during the darkest of times and as a tribute to all those who nurse today.
Following the church service, we ventured outside where Cecilia Anim, President of the Royal College of Nursing, laid a wreath at Florence’s graveside. Out in the sunlight, this was truly a fitting end to a beautiful service.
The day ended with lunch in the Village Hall. This gave everybody an opportunity to exchange career experiences and impart advice on those of us just beginning our nursing journey. LCpl Evans and I thank everyone involved for giving us the opportunity to attend this valuable day.
[Extracts from Florence Nightingale to her Nurses by Florence Nightingale. Macmillan, London. 1915. Pages 141-3.]
Pte Eliza Miles DSHE