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This helped to overcome many diseases including the rife Malta Fever which was traced back to a fever bacillus in goats milk. The incidence of Malta Fever ceased once soldiers were educated and banned from buying goats milk (cited in the book Queen Alexandra's Royal Army Nursing Corps (Famous Regts. S) by Juliet Piggott). World War One During World War One the wounded from the Gallipoli campaign of 1915 were transferred to Malta. The book Sub Cruce Candida: A Celebration of One Hundred Years of Army Nursing has photos of BMH Malta which includes group photos of the QAIMNS sisters, exterior shots of the building and some patients. There are also photographs of the Queen’s birthday parade at BMH Malta in the early 1950s. Second World War Malta During the Second World War Malta was heavy bombed by the Germans in the years 1940,1941 and 1942 in attempt to take control of the island. During the period from 1 January to the 24 July 1942 there was only one 24 hour period when no bombs from German or Italian planes fell (cited in the book Sisters In Arms: British Army Nurses Tell Their Story). Their main targets were the airfield and the naval base and the Maltese people became quite used to seeing the Spitfires flying off to defend their island against the enemy Messerschmitts and Junker planes. BMH Malta was located on a hill that overlooked the dockyard and the QAs at BMH Malta became used to the air battles. Prior to the arrival of a squadron of Spitfires Malta was defended by just four Sea Gladiator biplane aircraft flown by RAF pilots. No supplies could get through and for months the citizens were near to starvation. This affected hospital supplies and surgeons in Malta had to perform operations without gloves. The siege of Malta was over on the 3 November 1942and the island of Malta was awarded the George Cross for its national bravery by King George VI. By 1943 the Allies gained control of the area and QAs arrived in Malta aboard Hospital Ships. Wounded servicemen were taken to Egypt to be nursed back to health (cited in the book Women Who Went to War by Eric Taylor). Imtarfa Military Hospital Imtarfa Military Hospital adapted its role to meet the medical and nursing needs of under seiged Malta. For example nurses became Casualty Clearing Station (CCS) staff and nursed in the battlefield where they would treat wounded pilots and soldiers. The Matron of the 1200 bed Imtarfa Military Hospital was Maud Buckingham who drew on her experience from the First World War. Matron Buckingham wrote letters to the QAIMNS Matron in Chief, Dame Katherine Jones, during the Second World War. Extracts are cited in the book Sisters In Arms: British Army Nurses Tell Their Story. Maud Buckingham Matron Maud Buckingham remained in post well after the siege of Malta ended and did not leave the Island until July 1943. She had served three years in Malta. During this time she wrote personally to each bereaved family and received many letters of thanks back from mothers for her letter of condolence. Examples of these are cited in the book Sisters In Arms: British Army Nurses Tell Their Story. Matron Maud Buckingham received the Royal Red Cross (RRC) medal. Lt Clark Gable Food remained in short supply and QA Sister Marjorie Bennett in the book Women Who Went to War by Eric Taylor) describes a typical midday meal as hard cheese, dates, army biscuits and a mug of tea. She also describes going to an American dance because the food was better and dancing with a sweaty officer from whom she declined a second dance despite him being an excellent dancer because he left sweat marks on her white dress. This turned out to be Lieutenant Clark Gable and she never forgot turning down the handsome film star of Gone With The Wind! Lt Clark Gable was a member of the US Army Air Corps flying in the Flying Fortress planes. Help Needed: Qaranc.co.uk would like to add a page about the QA lanyard but need some help. Can anyone please help with a photo of the lanyard on the uniform and a photo of just the lanyard? It would also be helpful if anyone can give some tips on how to site and fit the lanyard. Please use the e-mail address on the contact page. Thank you! Sisters In Arms: British Army Nurses Tell Their Story Sisters In Arms: British Army Nurses Tell Their Story by Nicola Tyrer is an account of the QAs during the two World Wars. It includes first hand accounts of the Queen Alexandra nurses who were in the dressing stations, casualty clearing stations and field hospitals of Dunkirk, D Day, the fall of Singapore and many more locations where the QAIMNS served. Buy Now. Sisters In Arms: British Army Nurses Tell Their Story is also available as a talking book read by the actress Barbara Flynn and Sian Thomas. Buy Now. View More British Army Nursing Books - with free delivery available. Messina Sicily Earthquake 1908 Malta suffered from an earth tremor and then a tidal wave on the 28 December 1908. The coastal town of Messina in Sicily had been destroyed by an earthquake. The King of Italy sought help from Britain and a Field Ambulance section of RAMC (Royal Army Medical Corps) with two members of the QAIMNS (Queen Alexandra's Imperial Military Nursing Service) and a Stationary Hospital were transported to Messina in Sicily by the Royal Navy. They took with them ten days supplies and rations. Once in Sicily the RAMC and the QA Sisters cared for survivors of the Messina Sicily Earthquake 1908 on board HMS Minerva and HMS Duncan which were set up as dressing stations. The Stationary Hospital was set up in nearby Catona in what was a market place on the 2 January 1909. The QAs worked with two volunteer nurses from Malta until the 15 January 1909 when all four nurses returned to Malta. There is more written about the Messina Sicily Earthquake 1908 in the book Queen Alexandra's Royal Army Nursing Corps (Famous Regts. S) by Juliet Piggott). QARANC.co.uk would love to expand this page about BMHMalta with more details about this former army hospital and include a photograph. If you are a former or serving member of the Queen Alexandra's Royal Army Nursing Corps we would love your help. If you would like to contribute any info, photographs or share your memories of BMH Malta then please contact me. A British Army Nurse In the Korean War A newly published book about the QARANC is A British Army Nurse In the Korean War by Elizabeth Jilly McNair. QA Sister McNair saw active service in Korea and Japan and this book is based on her letters home and photographs she took during her 18 months spent nursing at the British Commonwealth General Hospital in Kure, Japan and the British Commonwealth Zone Medical Unit in Seoul, Korea. Buy Now! If you would like to contribute to this page, suggest changes or inclusions to this website or would like to send me a photograph then please e-mail me. The photos and pictures on this page have been kindly sent to us for inclusion on this page. If you would like to contribute photographs then please contact us. Findextrawork Since leaving the QA's we have done an assortment of self employed work and jobs, some which only take an hour a week, others have been full time. We have written about these at our other website Findextrawork at www.findextrawork.co.uk where we share the information for free to help others with information and resources about earning more money. Visit Findextrawork for more information. For the official Army QARANC webpage please go to www.army.mod.uk/qaranc/index.html For the QARANC Association website please go to http://www.army.mod.uk/qaranc/qaranc_assn/index.htm			Present Day » Become An Army Nurse » QARANC Junior Ranks » QARANC Officer Ranks » Abbreviations » Nicknames for QARANC » Battleships Online Game » Tank Driving Ministry of Defence Hospital Units » Duke of Connaught Unit Northern Ireland » MDHU Derriford » MDHU Frimley Park » MDHU Northallerton » MDHU Peterborough » MDHU Portsmouth » RCDM Birmingham Field Hospitals » Camp Bastion Field Hospital and Medical Treatment Facility MTF Helmand Territory Southern Afghanistan Territorial Army » TA Field Hospitals and Field Ambulances Photos » Photographs QA Uniform » Why QA's Wear Grey » QARANC Beret » Cap Badge » QA Corps Belt » QARANC Officer's Cloak QARANC Events » Army Reunions » Corps Day » QA Uniform Exhibition Nothe Fort Weymouth » Remembrance » AMS Carol Service Famous QA's » Dame Margot Turner » Dame Maud McCarthy » Military Medal Awards To QAs Nursing Events International Nurses Day QARANC.co.uk Info » Search » Site Map » Contact » Military Websites Help Needed: QARANC.co.uk would like you to share your memories of serving in the QA's, your fondest memories of military hospitals you may have served in or perhaps share any photographs and have them appear on the QARANC website. 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