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PoppyAppeal




Mesopotamia World War One Photographs


Photographs of Basra and Baghdad during WWI taken by QAIMNS nurse Ethel Smithies


The photograph collection below were taken by QAIMNS(R) nursing sister Ethel Smithies during her First World War service at Mesopotamia where she served at Basra and Baghdad. They were kindly provided by her nephew. Mesopotamia is now modern day Iraq. The name changed to Iraq in 1921. Mesopotamia was often nicknamed Mespot by British troops.

Photograph of 31st Hospital Baghdad:

31st Hospital Baghdad


Photo of the staff from 31st Hospital Baghdad during the Great War:

31st Hospital Baghdad Staff Photo

Even at times of conflict and war army nurses have tried to brighten their surroundings for the benefit of their patients. The Great War was no exception, nor was the hot conditions in Mesopotamia and members of the Queen Alexandra's Imperial Military Nursing Service at Basra Hospital tended to their gardens:


QAIMNS Nurse Tending To The Hospital Garden


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.




QAIMNS nursing sisters even kept mascots as pets. The picture below shows off the hospital pet black sheep and mascot. Unfortunately we do not know his name. The picture also shows the tinned huts that served as a hospital and must have been hot in the Mesopotamian humid weather. On the back of the black and white photos is hand written Taken the day before sister ? left us. The black lamb is our mascot given us by the Australians. By the way ? ? has gone to France.


QAIMNS Sheep Mascot

The QAIMNS Nursing Sisters below are outside their hospital hut and wearing a mixture of QA veils and desert helmets.


QAIMNS Nursing Sisters


In the original photo the words Queen Alexandra Club and civil post office can be made out:


Mesopotamia


The QA Sisters Club in Basra during The Great War:


QA Sister's Club Basra


Queen Alexandra Club


This is thought to be Baghdad. It looks like on QA sister is treating a wound on the eye or forehead of a fellow officer:


Qaimns Nurse Treating Nursing Sister


The postcard photo below is of Mesopotamia wounded soldiers being transferred to the army hospitals:


Mesopotamia Wounded


Soldiers marching at Mesopotamia


Mesopotamia Soldiers


Mending a puncture at Mesopotamia


Mending Puncture Mesopotamia


Army Nurse at Basra:


Army Nurse Basra


The QAIMNS nurses who took the photos on this page are pictured below. Ethel Smithies is pictured on the far left and more can be read about her with details of her awards on the Royal Red Cross page.


QAIMNSNurses




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 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

Find Extra Work 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
www2.army.mod.uk/qaranc/index.html
For the QARANC Association website please go to
www2.army.mod.uk/qaranc/qaranc_assn/index.htm




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