Page 28 - QARANC Vol 14 No 10 2015

26 QARANC THE GAZETTE
Our family thanks to the QARANC!
Sir / Madam,
One of my favorite family photos of our eldest daughter - Zoe Alexandra NICHOLS (Born 15/08/86). Taken at Louise Margaret Maternity Unit, Cambridge Military Hospital, Aldershot - 20/08/1986.
Sadly I have no idea who the Major is, nor if she is still alive.
Zoe was followed by another two of our children, Joshua and Olivia, both at the Louise Margaret.
We will always be indebted to the CMH, and your Corps, in particular.
Best Regards, Derek NICHOLS. Winchester.
Afternote
The Major is Lt Col Carol Ayres (Retd) – Editor
Book Review
In the Company of Nurses
The History of the British Army Nursing Service in the Great War by Yvonne McEwen
This much anticipated critical account of nursing during the Great War is a must read for all with an interest in military nursing. Yvonne McEwen provides a meticulously researched, detailed and engaging account of the Queen Alexandra’s Imperial Military Nursing Service (QAIMNS) during the First World War. Split into three distinct sections, the author is never afraid to challenge assumptions; as suggested by the title of the first section (Magic, Miracles and Myth: the genesis of military nursing) which begins by challenging Florence Nightingale’s standing as the founder of military nursing. The author offers a fascinating précis of the evolvement of military nursing in order to provide the historical context of nursing in the First World War.
The second section of the book (The Wrath of the Gods) begins by providing the cultural, political and professional context of the deployment of military nurses to the Great War, outlining the challenges, tensions and interplay of the myriad organizations involved. Yvonne McEwen exposes the political machinations of the day, which, at times, impacted on the deployment, and employment of available nurses.
Interweaving personal accounts, newspaper reports and official records Yvonne McEwen brings to life the challenges faced by nurses at all levels. The personal accounts of military nurses at the front will resonate with many veterans of modern conflict; the key difference though is the number of casualties, which are incomprehensible. Then as now nurses were at the forefront of developments in clinical practice, from wound dressing to infection control to ‘specialist [nurse] practitioners’ who frequently worked in extended roles unsupervised. Many of the lessons learned during the Great War, and exposed in this text, will resonate with nurses today; some of which we have had to re-learn.
The third section entitled ‘In the House of the Gods’ reflects on the impact of the war on military nursing from both a professional and political viewpoint. Evident throughout the book is the enormous dedication, commitment and sacrifice of those QAIMNS who served during the Great War, a theme that will resonate with many. This is a thoroughly researched and well-referenced text that will be of interest to history buffs and junior nursing staff alike.
Reviewed by Lt Col G Kenward OF4 Emergency Care Nursing, AMD
Published by Edinburgh University Press (ISBN 978-0- 7486-7911-9) this book is available from the QARANC Regimental Secretary (£15 for Assn members plus £5 p&p), online or from most good book stores.