ANGLO-BOER WAR NURSES

Did your ancestor serve as a nurse during the Anglo-Boer War?

Keiron Spires, a military nurse, is researching all British Army nurses, colonial nurses, civilians employed by the military, and the servants of the Sisters. This major project encompasses who the nurses were who came to South Africa, and what they did for the sick and wounded. Keiron remarks: 'the former information is relatively easy to find, the latter is more difficult, as nurses then (as now) tend to write about the journey and more social items rather than about nursing care.'

The research does not extend to the nursing care given to Boer commandos or any of the overseas Field Ambulances which came to South Africa.

See Keiron's website at http://www.pcansr.net/
There is a searchable database to which more detail is being added on an on-going basis. Keiron is willing to look up information on anyone who fits into the above research profile without charge if sending the information electronically; and especially if you can offer some information about any of the nurses in return.

If the search is extensive, requires a trip to The National Archives, Kew, or if information is to be sent by post, costs would need to be covered.

Contact Keiron at webmaster@pcansr.net

Keiron Spires states:
"I am currently researching my PhD on Nursing in the Boer War. As part of my research I have transcribed the medal rolls held in The National Archives at Kew and they now are online as a searchable database. I have also transcribed the Princess Christian's nominal roll and that is there as well. I am working on an extract of the shipping lists plus a list of all awards (RRC and MiD). I also have census information from the UK military hospitals during this period.

I have rebuilt my website as a moodle site. This means that there are forums for you to exchange information, and that it can be generally more interactive than my old one. I am planning a gallery of photographs once I can get the correct permissions in place for some of them.

You will find general information about nursing during this time, and I am also writing an article about resources for finding information.

I hope that you will revisit the site, and that if you find it useful you will create an account on the site so I can keep in touch as more information comes to light.

The site is http://www.pcansr.net
Keiron Spires QVRM TD
Webmaster"

Georgina Fane Pope

Further helpful websites:

www.gazettes-online.co.uk The London Gazette is the official newspaper of the British Government and so publishes all official documents and announcements. This includes all such despatches from South Africa, for example, and all honours and awards including the Royal Red Cross awarded for outstanding nursing service. It has a searchable archive (by name for example) from 1st January 1900 to the present. Results are presented as pdf files of the actual pages.

Over 60 Australian nurses went to the Anglo-Boer War and served to aid the sick and wounded under harsh conditions. Three were awarded the Royal Red Cross.

See the following for more information on nurses from Australia and New Zealand in the Anglo-Boer War:

http://users.westconnect.com.au/~ianmac/nurses.html

http://users.westconnect.com.au/~ianmac/readroom.htm#nursing

http://www.nzhistory.net.nz/war/saw-women

NURSES OF THE ANGLO-BOER WAR PERIOD
Jessie Bradbury and Constance Aldwin

Rosemary Dixon-Smith