Nursing Service Records, First World War
The National Archives have now listed 15000 First World War Nursing Service Records. The following is taken from their website introduction; you can visit the National Archives at: http://nationalarchives.gov.uk/news/635.htm
Introduction
What are the Nursing Service Records?
Searching the records
What could these records help me to discover?
What do the records look like?
Further research
You can search and download over 15,000 First World War service records for nurses who served in the Queen Alexandra's Imperial Military Nursing Service, the Queen Alexandra's Imperial Military Nursing Service (Reserve) and the Territorial Force Nursing Service.
The Army Nursing Service came into formal existence in 1884 and ten years later a reserve of nurses was formed under the name of Princess Christian's Army Nursing Reserve. Experience of the medical services in the South African War 1899-1902, led to the creation of the professional Queen Alexandra's Imperial Military Nursing Service in March 1902. Queen Alexandra's Imperial Military Nursing Service then took over the reserve force and they were employed on a contract basis for the duration of the First World War.
The Territorial Reserve Forces Act 1907 led to the creation of a Territorial Force Nursing Service in 1908 to support its new force; in 1922 it was renamed the Territorial Army Nursing Service. The personnel were administered by a branch (TV 4, later TA 4) under the Director General of the Territorial Army, although the provision of training came under the Directorate of Army Medical Services. The branch was also responsible as Joint Secretary to the Queen Alexandra's Army Nursing Board and Secretary to the Territorial Army Nursing Service Committee.
What are the Nursing Service Records?
This series contains the records of nurses who served in the Queen Alexandra's Imperial Military Nursing Service (QAINMS), the Queen Alexandra's Imperial Military Nursing Service (Reserve) QAIMNS(R) and the Territorial Force Nursing Service (TFNS). The whole series is arranged in two alphabetical sequences WO 399/1-9349 contains the records of the QAIMNS and QAIMNS(R) and WO 399/9350-15972 contains the records of the TFNS.
Although the vast majority of the records cover the First World War period only, there are some records for nurses who served prior to 1914 and some after the war. There are no records however after 1939.
Searching the records
You can search the records by:
First name
Last name
Alternatively, you may wish to browse details of the whole collection.
What could these records help me to discover?
The records can tell you where a nurse trained, (especially before the war), references relating to their suitability as military nurses, which hospitals, Field Ambulances, Casualty Clearing Stations or other medical units they served in, what their superiors thought of them (confidential reports) and when they left the services.
What do the records look like?
The majority of the records are based on pre-printed army forms, which were then completed in ink or pencil. The only items not on army forms are the references and any personal letters from the specific individual to the War Office or army nursing authorities.
To get an idea of what the records look like, see the record of Marjorie Turton.
Further research
It is possible to find nursing personnel in the collection of First World War Medal Index Cards (WO 372). These too can be searched for and downloaded on DocumentsOnline.
You may wish to view First World War Unit War Diaries. A selection of First World War Unit War Diaries can be downloaded from DocumentsOnline.
You can consult the registers of the recipients of the Royal Red Cross in WO 145 to find a person who received this award.
The Disability Pension Files, held in the document series PIN 26/19985-20286, contain records relating to nurses.
Research Guides
Online Resources
Books
First World War Army Service Records, William Spencer, The National Archives, 2006.
Women In The War Zone, Anne Powell, The History Press, 2009.
Sisters in Arms: British Army Nurses Tell Their Story , Nicola Tyrer, Phoenix.
Roses of No Man's Land, Lyn Macdonald, Penguin, 1993.
Women in the First World War, Neil Storey and Molly Housego, Shire, 2010.
The Nursing Times (RCN Journal) Nurses and nursing services: British Army
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