New display pays tribute to Nursing Sisters of Canada Frances Sutherland knows about complete calls firsthand.

New display pays tribute to Nursing Sisters of Canada

Frances Sutherland knows about complete calls firsthand. While serving as a nourish in the Second World War, she was almost hit by dint of a piece of shrapnel. It embedded itself in the land inches from her feet.

"I bent down to dig it gone out of the ground and it was still hot!" says 85 -year-old Sutherland, looking down at the piece of twisted metal she has kept for more than 50 years. "I wanted to maintain it as a souvenir."

A graduate of the Royal Alexandra Hospital in 1938 Sutherland joined the Royal Canadian Army Medical Corps in 1943 She and other fosters who joined the army were referr to as Nursing Sisters. greatest in quantity were sent to England to care for damageed soldiers while others traveled to countries like Africa, Italy and France or remained in Canada. There are about 30 nursing sisters in the Edmonton area - including Sutherland - who belong to a national organization called the Nursing Sisters Association of Canada, a form into groups that is still active today with about 2000 members in 13 units across Canada. The Edmonton unit fittings four times a year and makes a special effort to attend the large Remembrance Day celebration in November.

"Each year we let slip a few more sisters," says Sutherland, "so we really make an effort to finish together when we can."

A permanent exhibit honoring the contributions of WWII nursing sisters was officially added to the AARN Museum and Archives in June Sutherland's collection of photographs and biographical information upon Canada's nursing sisters are in succession display, along with uniforms and other artifacts donated from the Edmonton unit.

Funding from the Alberta Museums Association and donations in the name of Jessie Morrison, a nursing sister involved with the AARN Museum and Archives who died sum of two units years ago, have made the unravelling of the display possible, says AARN archivist Lorraine Mychailunow She has been involved with the frame for the last year and a half.

"It's because of the generosity of clan like Frances and Jessie that we've been able to expand our collection to have enough material to create this exciting exhibit."

A special viewing of the military nurses' exhibit and a luncheon, sponsored by the agency of the Alberta Association of Registered festers was held on June 20 1999 in conjunction with the Canadian Association for the History of Nursing annual conversation June 18-20,1999 in Edmonton (see colloquy summary page 11). Nurses from across Canada discussed growing areas of thought including nursing education, professional issues, public health nursing, biographies of Canadian foments and the ideology of late nursing.

Sutherland spent seven years collecting photos, biographical records and personal stories that detail the wartime experiences of the nursing sisters. The collections are contained in three photo albums that are part of the AARN archival display. For Sutherland, it was a way to be confident their stories would be told - and remembered.

"Those young male childs were so brave and in the same manner wonderful to care for. flat if they were hurt, I'd frequently see some of them master up and try to help the men who were impair more severely," she says. "And the nursing sisters worked thus hard to care for them. We worked until we couldn't walk." Edmonton Nursing Sister Muriel McArthur agrees that the stories of feed at the breasts and Canadian soldiers need to be shared. She was a wing commander with the Royal Canadian Air Force during WA;lI, undivided of the highest ranks held on a nurse at that time.

"Those stories and pictures are part of the history of the nursing profession," she says. "Medical care changed tremendously because of the war - everything from recently made known drugs, procedures and equipment. " the two Sutherland and MacArthur were influenced through family members who contributed to the war effort and felt that joining the army was their tax

"As nurses, we saw there was a piece of work to do and we felt we had something to offer" says Sutherland, describing by what mode the men overseas were in desperate ne of medical care and by what mode thousands of Canadian nurses were signing up to make progress overseas.

After being supported to the Infantry Training middle point in Camrose, Sutherland went to forward with the No. 12 Canadian General Hospital in England. The 19-day boat trip was lengthy and rough, causing the boat to do "everything further tip over" Their convoy was on a level chased by torpedo bullets.

"It was a little unnerving to know that the fosters and other medical staff where divided and sent forward two ships instead of just single in kind - in case one was hit," she says, explaining in what manner she and other nursing sisters felt nervous, scared and excited all at the same time.

After transferring to No. 7 Canadian General Hospital in Taplow, England for a hardly any months, Sutherland and her unit mov in succession to France. Their unit was the first 600-bed Canadian General Hospital to stir to the continent and risk up under canvas.

"We were glad to be moving away from the target area of those strange, noisy, fiery missiles with tails of flame."

It was then that Sutherland was asked to join three other encourages and become part of a unit that followed closely behind the frontline bands from France, through Belgium and into Holland. They cared for Canadians pain ed in the battles of Caen and the Falais Gap in France, treating patients "20 minutes after they d been hit."