Dulsie Brown - Training as a nurse during the War

[gmac101]

My Great Great Aunt  trained and worked as a Nurse during WW1.  See the attached photo - She's the Nurse standing on the left.  According to her registration records post war she trained at University College London between 1915-18 and received a certificate.  This photo seems to show her a long way from London - possibly in her native Scotland (she was from Galashiels).  What would the training have consisted of, would she have been posted away from UCL?   would it have mostly consisted of on the ward training or would she have had lectures and demonstrations? 

[alf mcm]

The photo shows Dulsie as Nursing Member {VAD} of a Voluntary Aid Detachment. She would not be a trained nurse, as is the woman sitting in middle front row, She would have had some basic nursing and first aid treatment. This dates the photo to late 1914 to sometime in 1915. Perhaps her VAD experience encouraged her to train as a nurse. There were no Voluntary Aid Detachments in Galashiels, so she would have joined one nearby.

The photo was probably taken at a small Auxilliary Hospital.

Regards,

Alf McM

[Jim Strawbridge]

The font of all knowledge on this and other forums was Sue Light. Unfortunately she is no longer with us but her various websites with her research are still available. I think that this may help you :-  http://www.fairestforce.co.uk/

[gmac101]

Many thanks Jim Strawbridge and Alf McM - a few leads to follow up - post WW1 she followed a man to Valparaiso in Chile - but unfortunately nothing came of it and she returned to Scotland.  She worked for the Red Cross in WW2