The White Roses: Nurses in WWI

Last night Sheila Zerr and Nan Nartin, members of the BC Nursing History Society, spoke about the role of the Nursing Sisters during WWI. Zerr showed us a stained glass window in Vancouver that features an image of a "bluebird". Her skirt is well above her ankles and she is wearing sturdy boots. The story is that the skirts used to be longer, but they trailed in the mud of the battlefield so the sisters cut them and hemmed them shorter. In this way they are credited for introducing the shorter length of the flapper dresses in the 1920's.

Martin showed us an original cuff from a WWI uniform that is white and goes from the wrist to the elbow. It is detachable so it can be removed and cleaned, in fact it is still faintly blood-stained.

One of the mysteries of the uniform is this white rose at the back of the cape. Does anyone know the story behind this detail? According to Canadian author Gabriele Wills, there is an excellent book about nurses in WWI called The Roses of No Man's Land by Lyn MacDonald. Maybe that book tells the tale. Be sure to check out Gabriele's fantastic page about WWI, including facts about the medical front. You'll see the fabulous photo of Gabriele at the Vimy Memorial which I reproduced in the show in the gallery.

More than 2,800 Canadian Nursing Sisters served with the Canadian Army Medical Corps during the First World War, often close to the front lines of Europe and within range of enemy attack. With their blue dresses and white veils, they were nicknamed the “bluebirds” and were greatly respected because of their compassion and courage.

www.veterans.gc.ca

WWI

• 6 nurses killed in hospital bombings

• 15 killed when their hospital ship, the Llandovery Castle was sunk

• 15 died of contagious diseases such tuberculosis, which killed several other nurses when they returned home

• bluebirds were the first women allowed to vote legally in Canada in a federal election

A Remembrance Day in Afghanistan

Last night's talk on Women in War was the final community dialogue for this project created by the Firehall Arts Centre. We were treated to two nurse historians dressed at WWI Red Cross Nurses telling us about the nursing sisters in the Great War and a nurse currently serving in the Canadian Forces talking about her recent experiences.

Siobhan Annand is a Critical Care Nursing Officer in the Canadian Forces. Officer Annand has twice been deployed to Afghanistan and has also been posted in Haiti helping that country deal with the aftermath of the devastating earthquake. When asked why she enlisted as an emergency nurse of active duty she said, "Because I wanted to be a leader."


Annand showed us a collection of photos of the medical staff in action and during their down time. She deals with the worst cases of trauma by focusing on keeping her patient alive, no matter if they are Canadian, American, Taliban, or Afghan children. "Most of my patients are amputees," she says. "If they are Taliban, I try to make it very hard for them to hate me. Most are extremely grateful for what we do."

Annand showed us pictures of nurses and parents cradling children with severe burns and amputated legs. She described the way the Canadians set up their temporary hospital from the ground up. When a photo of a tarantula in a box came on the screen she said, "Those were our bed bugs." I was very interested in a photo of an American soldier covered in a homemade quilt. Apparently their are clubs in the States that make quilts for American soldiers showing and telling them how much they appreciate their service. When the soldier is in the trauma unit his buddies and the medical staff sign the quilt with indelible markers so that when he wakes up on his way home he can take comfort in this gift. "American soldiers get American blood and Canadian soldiers get Canadian blood," Annand states, but we don't hold back blood from any patient." She explained they have what they call a "walking blood bank"--soldiers who are screened and can donate blood if it's needed.

When Annand showed us a photo of nurses wearing Remembrance Day poppies, I detected emotion in her voice. "We were all ready to observe the moment of silence on the 11th day of the 11th hour and the call came in that more casualties had arrived." She spent the rest of Remembrance Day saving lives.

Annand donated her speaking fee to an organization called Soldier On, which helps rehabilitate ill and wounded soldiers.