Page 23 - QARANC Vol 16 No 2 2018

THE GAZETTE QARANC 21
having his hands bandaged by a long-haired woman in biblical robes, possibly Mary Magdalene. Above her head is the badge of QAIMNS(R). At the bottom is a scroll with the legend, “Whatsoever you shall do to one of these, shall be done for me”, (Matthew 25:40). Above at the centre is a dedication, “To the Memory of Mary A. Walshe Q.A.I.M.N.S.R. Died at Malta 19 VIII 1915”.
Mary was a staff nurse in QAIMNS(R) and sadly died on Malta on 21 August 1915 having volunteered only weeks earlier. Mary had worked for many years as a surgical staff nurse at the County and City Infirmary in Waterford. She is recorded as having died at the Nurses’ Hospital in Strada Maggiore, Floriana, from a disease that she had contracted working in a military hospital. She was buried in Addolorata Cemetery in Paola just outside Valletta.
The Church of St Mary Magdalene was part of the Magdalene Asylum situated adjacent to the church. It was deconsecrated in the mid-20th century and was blessed again by the Bishop on February 25, 2015. Our tour guide, Maria, put us in touch with Father Michael who arranged to open the church so we could see the plaque. Prior to the church coming back into use, it had been beautifully restored, and the plaque was in very good condition.
During WW1 the church served Catholic soldiers stationed in Fort Saint Elmo as well as Navy families from the Camerata Barracks across the road. In July 1915, two schools, St John’s and St Elmo, on Merchants Street, were refurbished and converted into a hospital, known as the St Elmo Hospital. St Elmo Hospital became operational on 12 August 1915 and had 218 beds with the veranda accommodating an extra 100 beds.
ly
The hospital admitted main
y
nl
surgical casualties an d
nd
eventually closed in 1918. The military records fo
s Mary Walshe give no clues
e as to her connection to the
Mary Magdalene church, except that we know she was Catholic. We can only assume she was based at the St Elmo Hospital and worshipped at the church, and when she died, the congregation wanted to recognise her sacrifice by erecting the plaque as a memorial.
This short morning
visit to a lovely and
much-loved church in a
narrow street in Valetta
was a highlight of the
tour for many of us. Our grateful
thanks must go to Father Michael for allowing us to visit the church, ask questions and take photographs, and also to our Maltese tour guide, Maria Rosner, who put us in touch with him. Walking back to return to our hotel, we found our way barred by the Maltese version of changing the guard outside the Presidential palace, and were well entertained by a military band – a lovely way to end our stay.
Two other Army nurses are buried on Malta, and we remember them too. Dolores Elizabeth Knight ARRC QAIMNS(R) died in 1937, having retired to Malta after her service as sister and acting matron in England, France and Malta during WW1. Lieutenant Eileen Bramwell QARANC was killed in a road traffic accident at Ta’Qali in 1957, and is buried at Mtarfa Military Cemetery.
We took some time to be regular tourists in Malta too, and enjoyed our visits to the harbour, the buildings associated with the Knights of St John,
r or
The memorial plaque to Mary Walshe inside St Mary Magdalene Church
(now the Mediterranean Conference Centre) and the Malta War Museum, (with its spooky underground air raid shelters) amongst others. We also walked around the old walled city of Mdina, and the ancient town of Rabat. Evenings were spent in convivial company in local restaurants enjoying Mediterranean cuisine in huge portions!
We would like to record our thanks to Lieutenant Colonel (Retd) Lindi Kibbey for organising the tour, to Mike Peters, our guide, and to Maria Roser, our Maltese guide who made the trip fun and educational. Like all such tours, you don’t know a lot of what you need to know until you get there, and this makes you want to go back! Finally, we are grateful to the QARANC Association for the grant towards our visit.
Major (Retd) Alison Spires
Lieutenant Colonel (Retd) Dr Keiron Spires
Our surprise parade outside the Presidential Palace! WW1 Forrest Military Hospital – only 100m from our hotel