大象传媒

This story was submitted to the People鈥檚 War site by Elizabeth Perez of Stockport Libraries on behalf of Margaret Ledger and has been added to the site with her permission. She fully understands the site鈥檚 terms and conditions.

I left Lady Manners鈥� School in Bakewell, Derbyshire in 1939. Europe was beginning to fall under the control of Hitler. Germany had become very powerful, and it was becoming obvious that England would be at war against Germany. I was 18 years of age, so I knew I had to do something useful for the Country. I decided to become a nurse. I commenced my nurse training at the Chesterfield and North Derbyshire Royal Hospital on the 18th September, 1939. War had been declared. The training was to take four years from September 1939 to October 1943.

During my nurse training days, we had lectures from the Doctors and Nurse Tutor. We worked hard on the wards and departments including the Operating Theatre. There were air raids at night-time. The wards and departments were all blacked-out, and when the air raid sirens sounded, we covered the patients鈥� heads with little pillows. The training was hard, but I thoroughly enjoyed myself. It was so interesting. At the end of my first year, I sat my preliminary examination. After three years training I sat my State Registered Examination, I passed and was given the title 鈥淪tate Registered Nurse鈥� (i.e. SRN). Now I became a Staff Nurse. I was allowed to check drugs and to be in charge of a ward.

At the end of my four years training, I joined the Queen Alexandra鈥檚 Imperial Nursing Service. The Army, the Navy and the Royal Air Force were asking for trained nurses to look after their wounded men to serve in England and Overseas wherever the Forces were stationed. The Queen Alexandra鈥檚 Nurses were serving with the Army in India and other places of the Empire before the War. This Service had a long history developing from the Army Nursing Service established by Florence Nightingale in the Crimea. Therefore it was a very well established Nursing Service. So were those serving the Navy and the Air Force.

On applying for the Q.A.I.M.N.S. I was interviewed at York and then returned to Chesterfield Hospital to await orders. After about one month I was informed that I had to report to the Examination School in Oxford and to live in Lincoln College. When I arrived in Oxford, I purchased my uniform 鈥� both indoor and outdoor. I was given a full medical examination and various inoculations. The typhoid injection had nasty side effects. At Oxford there were several Nursing Sisters and a well-established Military Hospital in the Examination School. After six weeks, a number of us Nursing Sisters were sent on embarkation leave (I think it was for two weeks). We were now in a grey and scarlet uniform 鈥� a very smart outfit. It was all very exciting for me and very upsetting for my parents. However it was war and we were eager to help.

On our return to Oxford, we obtained our tropical uniform, and eventually were given orders to be prepared to move on. The orders came at midnight in December 1943 and we all moved from Oxford Station at about 2am. The huge long train was all blacked-out. We Nursing Sisters travelled First Class. It seemed a never-ending journey. It was, because we eventually arrived in Scotland, at Greenock on the Cylde. There were several large ships on the Cylde. Our ship was to be the 鈥淪tratheden鈥�. There were aircraft carriers, battleships, corvettes and two large ships. One was ours the 鈥淪tratheden鈥�. We all boarded a light ship, which took us to the 鈥淪tratheden鈥�. We stayed on board for one day; we did boat drill and were given other instructions. Finally we set sail during the night. All ships were blacked-out. It seems but a dream. We all experienced sea sickness, however we recovered. After several days at sea, we finally entered Algiers harbour on Christmas Eve 1943 and anchored there until Boxing Day. When all the convoy then set sail again out into the Mediterranean Sea, we could see only water for miles.

Eventually we arrived at Port Said. The escort ships disappeared, probably to escort other ships. The personnel from the two troop ships disembarked and were sent to various places. The Nursing Sisters on the 鈥淪tratheden鈥� were transported to a transit camp. This was a tented place. After about a week, we were told to pack our bags and we were transported by a large truck to Port Suez, where we embarked on a ship 鈥淭he Sythia鈥�. It had been damaged but repaired. On board were New Zealanders, Maoris and Australians. The troops had been prisoners in Crete, and had also fought in the North African Campaign. We eventually arrived in Bombay, India. The Nursing Sisters, Doctors and other English personnel disembarked, leaving the New Zealanders, Maoris and Australians to sail on to their respective country.

At Bombay Station, where we assembled, we were given further instructions by officers, who were awaiting our arrival. We were all dispensed into various trains. I was posted with other Nursing Sisters to Secunderabad. It is in Hyderabad Province. Eventually we arrived at our destination, after travelling several days in the train. We were tired and it was very hot and humid.

The next day we commenced our nursing duties. I was posted to the Operating Theatre. We sterilised our instruments in large fish kettles, and the work consisted of casualties transported from the front line in Burma. The casualties were British, Indian, African and other personnel brought to Base Hospitals by train. Some had been shipped by hospital ships to Madras, then conveyed by train to various military hospitals. Some had travelled for days in the heat of India and were very weary. They had dysentery and malaria and other topical diseases, as well as their severe wounds. The Operating Theatre staff worked from 7.00am or before that time until 12 midday. No patient was anaesthetised during the heat of the afternoon, it was too hot. Therefore work commenced again at 5.00pm or 6.00pm. There was no air conditioning or fans in the Operating Theatre. We were all sweating and it was very hot with masks over our faces. However we survived and progressed with our work.

After nine months in Secunderabad, I was posted to a jungle hospital in Mysore Jungle, many miles away from Secunderabad. I travelled alone on the train to Bangalore. There were other travellers on the train, mostly natives of India and some British troops, but I was the only Nursing Sister. I was locked in my small compartment, and at every station we stopped, an officer came to check that I was safe. There were many incidents on the trains, chiefly stealing. However I eventually arrived in Bangalore Station, and was conveyed to the British Military Hospital by an officer, who had been awaiting my arrival.

At Bangalore Military Hospital I met two other Nursing Sisters, who had been posted to the Jungle Hospital. We awaited further instructions from G.H.Q. Delhi. During this time we worked in the British Military Hospital in Bangalore. The patients were similar to the casualties in Secunderabad. There were Italian prisoners of war, who were captured in North Africa, who were employed on general duties. They were very polite, but enjoyed hiding away from work. One day three of them had disappeared, and I went to search for them, because we were short of staff. They were sitting outside the Quartermaster鈥檚 Stores. I told them to come back to the ward. In a chorus of three voices, they replied 鈥淢adam, we do not make war, we make love鈥�.

Eventually Eileen, Margaret and myself received orders to proceed to Gudalur in Mysore Jungle. We boarded a train to Mysore and we were met by the Commanding Officer, Major Bathgate, who had brought adequate transport to enable our tin trucks and other luggage to be conveyed with ourselves to the Jungle Hospital, which was to be our home. It was a memorable time, we stayed in Gudalur for five months. It was a small hospital, 105 bedded in tents, Indian, Gurkha and English patients. The two Medical Officers were Major Bathgate and Capt. Henry Oaks. The Nursing Sisters were Eileen Bowman, Margaret David and Margaret Ledger. The Nursing Orderlies were mainly British with a few Indian and Gurkha. We were kept busy with various tropical diseases; accidents were frequent because there were many troops in the jungle, all preparing to go to Burma. This was 1944 and the Burma Campaign was in full activity. Many of the men were ill with various complaints, therefore the hospital was always busy. The three of us enjoyed our daily tasks. We did not have days off, but we kept going and enjoyed the experience. We were all very happy in this jungle.

Everyone in training was taught to work in rough conditions and to be self-supporting. I learnt to drive a Jeep and ride a large cavalry horse. We were supposed to have lessons in shooting a gun, but it did not materialise. Our outfit in the jungle was bush jacket and slacks, large boots and socks. It was a high malarial area, therefore we had to take mepacrine tablets daily. It was an antimalarial treatment. Our skin became very yellow, but we never developed malaria, in fact we never contracted any of the tropical diseases. Our lighting was by hurricane oil lamps. The bath tubs were small canvas ones. The three of us slept together in a medium sized tent, we each had our own camp bed. There was no running water, it was brought to us by the Batman, Indian or Gurkha, in a large tin bucket. Three buckets would arrive and the water was very hot as there was no cold water. We were on restricted amounts of water. Our toilets were small pots elevated on a stand and emptied by the 鈥渟weeper鈥�.

We lived with the wild animals; there were many - monkeys, elephants, wild boar, snakes and tigers, but we never saw any. The soldiers on exercise in the jungle met many wild animals. Bamboo and other tall trees surrounded us. There were large snakes around, but we never saw any. Scorpions were an every day appearance. There were white ants, which would build a huge mound over night. It was incredible how fast they worked. There were millions of them, they would sting our feet when they managed to invade our bedding and shoes. We slept beneath mosquito nets. A life that will never be forgotten and I frequently recall the wild life that lived in the jungle. The birds and white ants were plentiful. The monkeys gave so many amusing moments with their iniquistive ways.

We spent Christmas in our jungle home, which was very interesting. Traditional Christmas puddings were served, but we ate wild boar. In January 1945 orders came from G.H.Q. Delhi that the Hospital was to close, and the three Nursing Sisters were posted to the British Military Hospital in Wellington in the Nilgiri Hills.

It was a great relief from the intense heat in the jungle. The effects of our primitive life were beginning to show, however it was pleasing to be able to sleep without the mosquito nets and to have a good hot bath without fat floating on the top, as it had done in our jungle home. The Military Hospital in Wellington, South India, was a peacetime hospital, a hill station and our quarters were lovely and cosy. We had fires in our sitting rooms and we burnt eucalyptus leaves on the room fires. We were given fresh food and vegetables. It was a great joy to eat food which had not been cooked over an open charcoal fire. Tea and coffee are grown on the slopes of Wellington and Ootacamundoo. There is a notable railway to the Hill Station. It is one of the 鈥済reat little railways鈥� shown on the television from time to time. The trees and scrubs around are beautiful. Night jasmine filled the warm night air with a delightful perfume. I learnt to play golf and squash in Wellington. Facilities were ideal. Army transport assisted if we were going to other medical sections in the area. Otherwise you rode a bicycle or had a ride in a rickshaw, but the latter was only taken if you were in a party, it was unwise to ride alone.

The sick patients in the British Military Hospital in Wellington, South India, were chiefly convalescents sent from Base Hospitals in other parts of India i.e. Secunderabad, Poona etc. The soldiers had served in Burma and had been badly wounded both mentally and had limbs i.e.legs or arms removed or severe skull wounds. They were having rehabilitation treatment and it was rewarding work to see their progress. There was a large maternity and families wing. This was for officers鈥� and other ranks鈥� wives, whose husbands were serving in India before the outbreak of the war.

On 8th May 1945 the war in Europe was over. We did not celebrate because the war in the East was still in progress, although a rumour was circulating that something was about to take place. Then on 6th August 1945 we heard about the atomic bomb that was used. Japan surrendered on 14th August 1945, we were all jubilant because we would be going home to England.

In April 1946 I was posted to Nasik in Bombay Province, in preparation for going to Japan with a hospital which was to be formed in Nasik. However I had served too long in India, and for medical reasons it was unwise for all who had served over two years in India, therefore we were posted home and left Bombay in June 1946. I sailed on the 鈥淏rittanic鈥� it was a different journey home, no comparison to the outward journey in December 1943 and January 1944, then the U-boats were patrolling the seas and we were on the lookout for immediate danger.

The ship arrived in Liverpool at the end of July 1946. My Aunt and Uncle from Hazel Grove were on the quayside to greet me. Their only son had been killed in 1941. He was a R.A.F. Bomber Pilot. After one month鈥檚 leave I was posted to the British Military Hospital in Shaftesbury, Dorset. I worked there in the Operating Theatre until January 1947.

After this time I travelled to South Africa, Southern Rhodesia, West Africa, Singapore, Malaya, Japan, West Africa and North Africa. I returned to England between these places, and was posted twice to Singapore.

I finally retired from the QARANC in July 1974. There had been many changes and The Corps had changed from the Queen Alexandra Imperial Military Service to the Queen Alexandra Royal Army Nursing Corps. During the war many Nursing Sisters died, chiefly on the ships, which the Germans torpedoed, also from various tropical diseases. Queen Mary became our Colonel in Chief from 1950 until 1963. Her Royal Highness Princess Margaret was appointed Colonel in Chief on 29th September 1954, a post she held until her death in February 2002. On 27th March 2002 the Queen Alexandra鈥檚 Royal Army Nursing Corps held a Service of Thanksgiving commemorating one hundred years of army nursing.

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