Life as a Charge Sister in the Ministry of Pensions Nursing Service 1943-1947 and Nursing of WWII Patients

This story has been written to the BBC People's War site by CSV Storygatherer Coralie, on behalf of Mrs M L Beards. The story has been added to the site with her permission and Mrs Beards fully understands the terms and conditions of the site.

It was Remembrance Day in 1937, and I was in church with my Father for the service. Only yards away was a young Coldstream Guard (from the local barracks) standing in the Lady Chapel to sound his bugle at the right time. All went well but I NEVER forgot. Thirteen months later, I left home to start my career in Nursing on the coast of East Anglia. In less than a year WWII was with us, and being a “restricted” area we had plenty of “war” casualties - all the services.

In 1943, now trained, I entered the Ministry of Pensions Nursing Service at Roehampton, where 1st and 2nd World War casualties were cared for. Before D-Day in 1944, wards were built into the White Cliffs of Dover for the expected casualties and the air-vents are visible. On D-Day + 5 an order was issued “All amputations now to be sent direct to Wards K and M at Queen Mary’s Hospital, Roehampton” (with the famous Limb Factories next to them).

I knew because by D-Day I was Charge Sister on Wards K and M - 80 beds with all young men, mostly around 19 years, all patients having lost limbs. Most of our staff had also been sent to the coastal area (and I knew of those IN the wards in the cliffs) so I had 5 ½ months NON-STOP hard work being the only person knowing how to care for these young men. After 5 days those able to travel “nearer home” were moved, so my wards took more fresh young men. Here I must mention one, “B”, who came in D-Day + 10, very ill — “can’t live the night” I was told. We pulled him through and now 60 years on I am STILL in touch — a lovely story!

While I was at Roehampton, I was involved when Mr (now Sir) Archibald McKindoe really started with the ‘Guinea Pigs’, before he knew that ‘extra’ was needed, so he was able to move to East Grinstead. My friend worked on his ward, and I vividly remember her taking three ‘boys’ out on the bus to the pictures in Hammersmith, then for a cup of tea in a café, and then back on the bus. So many memories - those ‘pedicles’ (to grow new tissue with which to build new features) and the ‘saline baths’ used as treatment. I was at school in Surrey, only a few miles away from East Grinstead, a lovely quiet ‘country’ town, so, of course, the ‘neighbours’ were made welcome.

Later, at Stoke Mandeville, I had the 3rd ward opened for paraplegics; at Newquay three hotels as ‘convalescent’ homes, and then the Musgrove Park at Taunton, a hotted hospital for the U.S. servicemen. Of course, I ‘lost’ many and so Remembrance and the Bugle calls have been all part of my life. I also married a paraplegic patient, who died in 1971, when I became a 1st year member of the War Widows Association, and each year I go to London for Remembrance week and ‘our’ two Special Services.

Of course, I listened to many “last words” from those we could not save, but although I know, I NEVER will tell of their horrors. I also learned from others who pulled through, but as I was doing ‘dressings’ I would say “Forget what I am doing — just get something off your chest; I will never repeat what you say”. Now I know, that is the best way to avoid ‘Combat Stress’ — the new way of saying ‘mental problems’ - for those in ‘horror’ conditions!

When 4 years ago, I went on the Channel Ferry and I watched those ‘white cliffs’ all the time, I noticed they looked greenish — the storms and weather had gone down the “vent” holes, and so being, chalk organisms had grown! I was there, but I also know that even the top officers in today’s service (RAF and Light Infantry I spoke to) had NO idea of this.

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