Queen Alexandra's Imperial Military Nursing Service
Queen Alexandra's Imperial Military Nursing Service (QAIMNS) was formed during the First World War and continued to provice nursing care during the Second World War. Between 1939 and 1945 members of the QAIMNS served throughout the world, including; Britain, Africa, Burma, China, Egypt, France, Gibraltar, Hong Kong, Iceland, Italy, Malaya, Malta, Normandy, Palastine and Singapore.
At the start of World War Two members of the QAIMNS along with VAD nurses were mobilised to France with the British Expeditionary Force (BEF). With French troops were holding the German army at the Maginot line, their services were not required by the military and they were occupied treating the French local civilians and holding clinics, enjoying a good social life enjoying French culture and playing sport. Because there was little action in the first year the time was called The Phoney War or the Bore War. As the German Army advanced through Holland, Belgium and France in May 1940 the nurses withdrew with the British troops. The retreat was very swift equipment and field hospitals were destroyed by the QA with assistance from the Royal Engineers rather than leaving valuable medical equipment for the enemy. Many QAs made their way to Dunkirk to await evacuation and none were left behind in France.
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June 2010 - Please note we currently have a large backlog of submitted material, our volunteers are working through this as quickly as possible and all names, stories and photos will be added to the site.
List of those who served with the Queen Alexandra's Imperial Military Nursing Service during The Second World War
My mother joined the QA's [Queen Alexandra's Imperial Military Nursing Service, now known as the QARANC ] and arrived in India 21st March 1944.
After a time serving in on-shore hospitals she joined the Hospital Ship "Karoa" and participated in the evacuation of wounded soldiers from the Burma Campaigns. The "Karoa" would sail between Madras, Chittagong and Calcutta collecting the wounded out of Chittagong. She remembers spotting 2 periscopes of submarines in the Bay of Bengal but they never fired on the "Karoa" so perhaps it was the Allies or the enemy respecting the Geneva convention.
She made good friends of two other Sisters on board the "Karoa"and each had charge of a level of the Ship. There were four levels: Officers on top deck; British Other Ranks on the next level down; Indian soldiers on the next level; West Africans on the next level and East Africans on the lowest level. My mother was Sister-in-charge of the Officers' Ward; her friend Jane, Sister-in-charge of the Indian Ward and Joyce, Sister-in-charge of the West African ward.
They each remember the visit of Lord Louis Mountbatten and would pass the message on to each other to be ready as he descended to inspect the Wards!
These three Sisters kept up a friendship all their lives. My mother married a British Officer at the end of the War and went to Australia. Joyce returned to Suffolk, England and Jane married and went to live in Canada. The three corresponded over all the years.
Eventually Joyce came out to Australia to visit her son who was married and based in Sydney. She was intending to visit her WW2 friend Amy in Melbourne but unfortunately my mother died only a few days before they ever re-connected.
Joyce met my father and asked if she could have something of my mother's, an ashtray in the form of a brass shoe. The story went that she and my mother had bought one each in a bazaar in India and had pledged to meet on the steps of St Paul's cathedral after the War with their brass shoes! Chance had dictated otherwise and so the story closes here.
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