What were the conditions of World War I Australian nurses compared to World War II Australian Nurses and were there outstanding changes in the different wars?
We all hear how much nurses affected the war but how much is known about their experiences? Since the 100 years of Anzac we have found out so much more about the experiences of World War I nurses with series such as the ABC Anzac Girls. Less is known about the nurses of World War II nurses to the general public. What were the differences in the conditions pay and were either treated different as society changed.
Nurses had to fit a certain criteria to be able to serve. All nurses had to be single or widowed. Some nurses would lie about this to follow their husbands to war using their maiden name to sign up. It was a general thought for the nurse to come from a rich/well off family as the family had to support them financially. All Australian nurses had to be a nurse or had medical training before leaving and controversy about the army nurse uniform was subjected to them. In particular the red cape was controversial as all Australian nurses wore them but only highly ranked British nurses …show more content…
Over 80 per cent of the Australian casualties occurred at the Western Front and that’s also were seven AANS Nurses were awarded the Military Medal "for acts of gallantry and devotion to duty under fire" while working in casualty clearing stations in France. Alice Ross-King’s side of the story is shown in ABC Anzac Girls. An example of the service to the country and patients is shown by Sister Alicia Kelly, “During one bombing raid in August 1917, Sister Kelly shielded her patients ' heads with enamel wash basins and bedpans. A chaplain found her in a hospital tent, holding a wounded man 's hand as the bombs fell. "I couldn 't leave my patients," she said simply.” (Australian War Memorial,
We all hear how much nurses affected the war but how much is known about their experiences? Since the 100 years of Anzac we have found out so much more about the experiences of World War I nurses with series such as the ABC Anzac Girls. Less is known about the nurses of World War II nurses to the general public. What were the differences in the conditions pay and were either treated different as society changed.
Nurses had to fit a certain criteria to be able to serve. All nurses had to be single or widowed. Some nurses would lie about this to follow their husbands to war using their maiden name to sign up. It was a general thought for the nurse to come from a rich/well off family as the family had to support them financially. All Australian nurses had to be a nurse or had medical training before leaving and controversy about the army nurse uniform was subjected to them. In particular the red cape was controversial as all Australian nurses wore them but only highly ranked British nurses …show more content…
Over 80 per cent of the Australian casualties occurred at the Western Front and that’s also were seven AANS Nurses were awarded the Military Medal "for acts of gallantry and devotion to duty under fire" while working in casualty clearing stations in France. Alice Ross-King’s side of the story is shown in ABC Anzac Girls. An example of the service to the country and patients is shown by Sister Alicia Kelly, “During one bombing raid in August 1917, Sister Kelly shielded her patients ' heads with enamel wash basins and bedpans. A chaplain found her in a hospital tent, holding a wounded man 's hand as the bombs fell. "I couldn 't leave my patients," she said simply.” (Australian War Memorial,