Nurses’ Memories of the Great War

Join Jerry Palmer as he explores the personal stories of nurses who served on all sides and various fronts during the First World War.

During the First World War, women were mobilised into the work force in unprecedented numbers and across all kinds of professions. It prompted anxieties in some quarters about how war work might impact them, especially for those taking up dangerous jobs in support of the war effort.

Nurses, working in a field traditionally perceived as feminine, were largely excluded from such concerns. Yet, as Professor Palmer reveals in this talk, the testimonies of volunteer nurses suggest that their work was at once incredibly difficult and often deeply traumatic.

Thanks to a tranche of previously overlooked memoirs, Palmer narrates the day-to-day lives of these remarkable women. He considers how their own conceptions of the war corresponded with the broader public discourse around the conflict and the role of women. 

He also reveals themes common to nurses from across the different combatant nations and on the various fronts where they were stationed, despite major disparities in the quality of medical care.

About the speaker

Jerry Palmer is a former Professor of Communications at London Metropolitan University. He has published extensively on the topics of history, literature and media. His most recent book is ‘Nurse Memoirs from the Great War in Britain, France and Germany’ (2021).