Staff Nurse Nellie Spindler.

[Bob Coulson]

This lady has been discussed before but just thought I would give brief details for the benefit of anyone unaware of the only woman to be killed and buried in the Salient.

Nellie Spindler was born in Wakefield in 1891, the daughter of George and Elizabeth Spindler, her father was an inspector with the local police.

Nellie was a staff nurse with Queen Alexandras Imperial Military Nursing Service and was working with No 44 CCS at Brandhoek during the summer of 1917 as the 3rd Battle of Ypres got underway.

The 44th CCS was located closer to the front line than most due to the fact that they specialised in treating abdominal wounds which had to be seen to as soon as possible.

During the early weeks of the offensive the 44th was inundated with severely wounded men and Nellie did her job well, the senior nurse was full of praise for her work and conduct.

The CCS was located close to a railway and also an ammo dump which made it a prime target for German artillery.

On August 21st a shell landed and Nellie was critically injured, the senior nurse rushed to her aid but it was too late. In minutes she lost consciousness and in twenty minutes Nellie Spindler was dead.

Four other nurses were injured in this incident and Sister M Wood recieved the MM for her gallant conduct that day.

The 44th CCS was almost immediately moved via Remy Siding to Lijssenthoek where Nellie was buried the next day aged 26.

Her grave today lies in Lijssenthoek Military Cemetery, the only woman amongst over ten thousand men.

Bob.

[robbie]

Here's a photo of her gravestone.

http://www.wo1.be/eng/database/personen/pe...sp?persoonID=65

RObbie

[Sue Light]

This is Sister Kate Luard's account of the incident in a letter home two days later, from 'Unknown Warriors.'

Thursday, August 23rd. No. 10 Sta. St. Omer

"I’m afraid you’ll be very disappointed, but we are to re-open on the same spot so Leave is off. The Australians are not to go back, but we are to carry on the abdominal work alone as we did before they came up. I imagine that this week’s Push has gone well and that we’ve shoved their line back a bit, or they wouldn’t start the Hospital there again. Westhoek Ridge is ours. I don’t know about St. Julien, but we’ve done well. The ground has been hard and Tanks have been able to get going, flattening out these Pill-boxes which held us up before.

I expected [for one rash day] to be telling you all about Tuesday at home tomorrow, but must write it now. The business began about 10 a.m. Two came pretty close after each other and both just cleared us and No. 44. The third crashed between Sister E’s ward in our lines and the Sisters’ Quarters of No. 44. Bits came over everywhere, pitching at one’s feet as we rushed to the scene of the action, and one just missed one of my Night Sisters getting into bed in our Compound. I knew by the crash where it must have gone and found Sister E. as white as paper but smiling happily and comforting the terrified patients. Bits tore through her Ward but hurt no one. Having to be thoroughly jovial to the patients on these occasions helps us considerably ourselves. Then I came on to the shell-hole and the wrecked tents in the Sister’s Quarters at 44. A group of stricken M.O.’s were standing about and in one tent the Sister was dying. The piece went through her from back to front near her heart. She was only conscious a few minutes and only lived 20 minutes. She was in bed asleep. The Sister who shared her tent had been sent down the day before because she couldn’t stand the noise and the day and night conditions. The Sister who should have been in the tent which was nearest was out for a walk or she would have been blown to bits; everything in her tent was; so it was in my empty Ward next to Sister E. It all made one feel sick."

[Bob Coulson]

Sue,

Thanks for posting this, very interesting first hand account.

Bob.