"A lady with a lamp shall stand
In the great history of the land,
A noble type of good
Heroic womanhood."

--H.W. LONGFELLOW, "To Florence Nightingale."




CHAPTER III

HOSPITALS--RED CROSS--V.A.D.


When war broke out on August 4, 1914, probably the only women in our
country who knew exactly how they could help, and would be used in the
war, were our nurses in the Navy and Army nursing services.

In the Army, Queen Alexandra's Imperial Military Nursing Service
had in it at that time about 280 members, matrons, sisters and staff
nurses, Miss Becher, R.R.C., being Matron-in-Chief for Military
Hospitals. The Q.A.I.M.N.S. had a large Reserve which was also
immediately called out and these nurses were used at once, six parties
being sent to France and Belgium by August 20th.

The Second Branch was the Territorial Force Nursing Service, which was
in 1914 eight years old. It was initiated by Miss Haldane and a draft
scheme of an establishment of nurses willing to serve in general