One of the least recognised of all the armed services would have to be the Royal Australian Army Nursing Corps (RANC). During World War One, more than 3000 Australian civilian nurses volunteered for active service; where they treated and cared for wounded Australian young men. They treated injuries that varied from cuts and abrasions to serious injuries such as gunshot wounds (Great War Nurses, 2017).

 

The nurses worked in hospitals, on-board ships, trains and casualty clearing stations on the front line. The services provided was vital in supporting the war effort during World War One, and crucial in saving the lives of many soldiers’ lives on the front line. The Australian Army Nursing Service (AANS) was formed in 1903 in July as a part of Australian Army Medical Corps (AAMC). During World War One more than 2,000 members of the AANS served overseas alongside other organisations, such as the Queen Alexandra's Imperial Military Nursing Service (QAIMNS), Red Cross, and privately sponsored facilities (Great War Nurses, 2017).

 

Nursing during World War One provided a major opportunity for Australian women to actively participate in the war.  Australian Army Nursing Services worked in many countries including Egypt, England, France, Gallipoli, Italy, Burma, Salonica and India. When serving overseas, Australian nurses did not treat only Australian wounded servicemen, they also nursed the wounded from many other nations (Australians in World War 1, 2017)

 

“At least 2139 nurses served abroad between 1914 and 1919, and a further 423 worked in military hospitals in Australia; sadly 29 died on active service” (Women in Action, 2017)

 

 

 

 

 

References

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Great War nurses | The Australian War Memorial. 2017. Available at: https://www.awm.gov.au/visit/exhibitions/nurses/ww1.

 

Nurses - Australians in World War 1 - Research Guides at State Library of Victoria. 2017. Available at: https://guides.slv.vic.gov.au/wwone_soldiers/nurses.

 

Women in action - nurses and serving women | australia.gov.au. 2017. Available at: http://www.australia.gov.au/about-australia/australian-story/women-in-action.

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Orange City Council (2014) Australian Nurses in World War 1. Available at: http://www.centenaryww1orange.com.au/stories/australian-nurses-in-world-war-i/ (Accessed 5 December 2017).