In the previous post I mentioned the Commonwealth War
Graves Commission, how they began and the sterling work they do today.
Just one of the many cemeteries that come under the
authority of the Commission is Etaples
Military Cemetery, Pas de Calais, France. There, among the graves of military men, you will find
the following graves of women of all ages and from all corners of the world who
served during the First World War, who died or were killed in the line of duty and
are buried in France:
Nursing Sister Annie Watson BAIN of the St. John’s
Ambulance Brigade
Nursing Sister Dorothea Mary Lynette CREWDSON, of the
Voluntary Aid Division
Nursing Sister Marjorie CROYSDALE, of the Queen
Alexandra’s Imperial Military Nursing Service
Matron Eveline Maud DAWSON, of the QAIMNS
Nursing Sister Matilda E. GREEN, Canadian Army Nursing
Service
Nursing Sister Alice Violet HALLAM, of the VAD
Nursing Sister M. LOWE, of the Canadian Army Nursing
Service
Doris Mary LUKER, described as a ‘worker’ of the Queen
Mary’s Army Auxiliary Corps
Nursing Sister Katherine Maude Mary MACDONALD, of the
Canadian Army Nursing Service
Mary Maria MATTHEWS, a worker of the Queen Mary’s Army
Auxiliary Corps
Marguerite Maud McARTHUR, a civilian volunteer with
the Young Men’s Christian Association
E.M. NISBET, a civilian volunteer with The Scottish
Churches Huts
Blanche Amelia PAGE, a worker, of the Queen Mary’s Army
Auxiliary Corps, attached to The Signals Section of the Royal Engineers
E.H. ROUTLEDGE, Assistant Forewoman of the Queen
Mary’s Army Auxiliary Corps
Nursing Sister Jeanie Barclay SMITH, of the QAIMNS
Bertha Gavin (Betty) STEVENSON, a civilian volunteer
with the YMCA
Nursing Sister Gladys Maude Mary WAKE, of the Canadian
Army Nursing Service
Nursing Sister Jessie Emily WAKEFIELD, of the
Territorial Force Nursing Service
E. WHITTAKER, worker, of the queen Mary’s Army
Auxiliary Corps
And, under the heading “Non World War Dead’:
Florence Victoria GROVER, a civilian who went to visit
her husband, Private Grover, who was too ill to be returned to Britain. Florence contracted influenza and died
while in France. She is buried in
the same cemetery as her husband - Private Albert GROVER.
I haven’t specified their ages, but they were
definitely not all young women – Sister Alice Hallam was 45, Eveline Dawson,
49, Jeanie Barclay Smith, 42,
May they rest in peace assured that WE WILL REMEMBER
THEM
