Women in the War Zone

The nurses who served on the frontline during the First World War were often only yards away from the frontline, in an environment a world away from the comfort of home. These ministering angels were symbols of hope to the men under their care. In Women in the War Zone, Anne Powell has selected extracts from first-hand accounts of the experiences of those women who served abroad, from Petrograd to Basra, Antwerp to the Dardanelles, Russia and Romania, the Somme, Ypres and Arras. Their stories are of extraordinary courage and compassion. Featuring detailed biographies of all female medical personnel, this book honours the often unsung contribution they made to alleviating the suffering of the First World War.

Auteur

Anne Powell

Résumé
In our collective memory, the First World War is dominated by men. The sailors, soldiers, airmen and politicians about whom histories are written were male, and the first half of the twentieth century was still a time when a woman's place was thought to be in the home. It was not until the Second World War that women would start to play a major role both in the armed forces and in the factories and the fields. Yet there were some women who were able to contribute to the war effort between 1914 and 1918, mostly as doctors and nurses. In Women in the War Zone, Anne Powell has selected extracts from first-hand accounts of the experiences of those female medical personnel who served abroad during the First World War. Covering both the Western and the Eastern Fronts, from Petrograd to Basra and from Antwerp to the Dardanelles, they include nursing casualties from the Battle of Ypres, a young doctor put in charge of a remote hospital in Serbia and a nurse who survived a torpedo attack, albeit with serious injuries. Filled with stories of bravery and kindliness, it is a book that honours the often unsung contribution made by the female doctors and nurses who helped to alleviate some of the suffering of the First World War.