Nursing
One of the main things women did during the war was nursing. At the time of World War I, it was thought that a woman's place was in the home. A group of Australian nurses, however, did travel overseas to assist Australia's war effort and to help save wounded soldiers. Nursing was one of the largest roles played by women in ww1. Yet they did more than just save the lives of Australian soldiers, they managed, through their skill and resourcefulness, to build the foundations for a strong reputation for nurses everywhere.
When women offered their services in war they were immediately turned down by the government. At first they weren't even allowed to work in factories as it was seen as unladylike for them to be exposed to that environment. Being told that women still had to uphold traditional gender roles women turned to nursing as the only way to help. Female doctors weren't even allowed to work overseas as it was thought that that they would not have been able to deal with the landscape and physical demands.
On 1 July 1903 the Australian Army Nursing Service was established. It was staffed entirely by volunteer civilian nurses. Although during this time they were perceived to be no more qualified as first aid workers.
During early stages of the war the Medical Services of women were doubted. They were proved wrong when it was female nurses that saved the life of a medical director that once doubted them. What he didn’t realize was that not only did nurses helped heal people but also boosted the moral of soldiers. 0While the female nurses who were involved in World War I have gone relatively unrecognized in comparison to the male soldiers, there were a few who were exalted to an official place in history by being decorated with the Royal Red Cross.
When women offered their services in war they were immediately turned down by the government. At first they weren't even allowed to work in factories as it was seen as unladylike for them to be exposed to that environment. Being told that women still had to uphold traditional gender roles women turned to nursing as the only way to help. Female doctors weren't even allowed to work overseas as it was thought that that they would not have been able to deal with the landscape and physical demands.
On 1 July 1903 the Australian Army Nursing Service was established. It was staffed entirely by volunteer civilian nurses. Although during this time they were perceived to be no more qualified as first aid workers.
During early stages of the war the Medical Services of women were doubted. They were proved wrong when it was female nurses that saved the life of a medical director that once doubted them. What he didn’t realize was that not only did nurses helped heal people but also boosted the moral of soldiers. 0While the female nurses who were involved in World War I have gone relatively unrecognized in comparison to the male soldiers, there were a few who were exalted to an official place in history by being decorated with the Royal Red Cross.
Nursing Awards
The Royal Red Cross is awarded by the British monarch and was initially established in 1883 by Queen Victoria.
If a nurse displayed devotion and bravery under fire, she was awarded the prestigious Military Medal which was equivalent to the Military Cross but originally created for other ranks in the army.
The first sisters to form the medical units left Australia in September 1914. They followed the Australian troops to all parts of the world, including Egypt, England, France, Belgium and Mesopotamia (now occupied in part by modern-day Iraq). They served in hospitals, hospital ships and hospitals constructed under tents without any floor covering.
If a nurse displayed devotion and bravery under fire, she was awarded the prestigious Military Medal which was equivalent to the Military Cross but originally created for other ranks in the army.
The first sisters to form the medical units left Australia in September 1914. They followed the Australian troops to all parts of the world, including Egypt, England, France, Belgium and Mesopotamia (now occupied in part by modern-day Iraq). They served in hospitals, hospital ships and hospitals constructed under tents without any floor covering.
Nursing Stats
Throughout World War I, a total of 2139 nurses served overseas in places like Gallipoli and France, while a total of 423 served in hospitals in Australia. Of these, 25 died and 388 were honored for their service, seven of them being awarded Military Medals. The number of lives that the Australian nurses saved can never be calculated. What we do know is that their contribution to the war earned them a new respect from not only the medical profession but also the Australian public. 0Although women were placed with higher expectations and were allowed to get jobs that were once classed as male jobs, it was still not enough for gender equality, women got paid at most only 60% of what males made and as soon as men returned from war, women were sacked. But it did improve the equality between men and women.