Page 13 - QARANC Vol 18 No 2 2020

Celebrating seventy years of other rank service
Up until 1950, the Army Nursing Service in its various iterations was an officer-only (or officer status) organisation. In the new egalitarian world following World War 2, plans were made to admit other ranks to the Corps to undergo training in various trades. The QARANC Association Gazette reported these and other important changes to the Corps in many of the early editions. Initially, following the cessation of fighting and the establishment of peace in Europe and the Far East, the Corps was busy re-forming itself into an established Corps of the British Army, renaming itself as Queen Alexandra’s Royal Army Nursing Corps, and bringing its rank structure into line with the rest of the Army. Some inconsistencies remained, the most revealing of which was the fact that the Corps had no other ranks. Once the Corps was renamed, and the various elements of Army Nursing Services were sorted out, the Corps set about establishing an other rank structure. The newly formed Women’s Royal Army Corps which was the new iteration of the Auxiliary Territorial Service (ATS) provided some seniors to help provide the structure and training for the expected QA recruits.
A Depot and Training Establishment was common to all other Army corps and regiments, so the Corps set one up at Hindhead in Surrey and this had gradually been built up over the previous two years. Initially it was set up for the basic administration and training of officers, their holding and drafting, and in anticipation of other rank entry a nurse training centre was set up. This was all supported by an HQ staff along with WRAC other ranks.
The nurse training scheme was a post-war reconstruction of great importance to the Corps. A chief nurse tutor had been appointed and she was supported by a number of sister tutors who covered the world, with each being responsible for the nurse training in her area. There was a preliminary training centre based at the RAMC Depot and every RAMC recruit received some nursing instruction as part of basic training. The QAs hoped to establish a similar centre at Hindhead once the other rank section was formed. Sister tutors were drawn from within the ranks
of regular officers who were seconded to civilian organisations to obtain the necessary university Diploma. These officers were selected by the Chief Nurse Tutor.
Thus training of student nurses in the Corps would come in to line with civilian hospital training, and work went ahead to gain approval for recognition by the governing authority for nursing (at that time the General Nursing Council for England and Wales; now the Nursing and Midwifery Council). Plans for an official inauguration were in progress, and apparently great interest was being
shown by prospective candidates and their parents.
By the time the QA Association Gazette number 3 was published, there was much more information about the recruitment of other ranks into the Corps. Twelve Army trades were approved for the new QA other rank structure. I was surprised to learn that the Corps intended to recruit women to train as chiropodists. It sounds like a good idea knowing the amount of mileage covered each day by nurses working on the wards!
Gazette number 4 published an
The Gazette QARANC Association 11
Early recruiting poster