The First World War is known as a catastrophic war in which many had sacrificed their lives for others, between the years 1914 and 1918 61,000 Canadians lost their lives during the war (Canadian War Museum). This exhibit’s focus is dedicated to the 2,800 women who served as nurses during the First World War and enlightening their experiences and sacrifices that they made during the war (Canadian War Museum). In Canada, the role of a nursing sister was the only position open to women during the first world war, due to its exclusivity and being the only position available to women who wished to serve in the war effort it became highly sought after (Morin-Pelletier, 2024). Nurses during the First World War were tasked with tending to wounds, managing the pain of the injured soldiers, managing illness, administering vaccines as well as offering comfort to the soldiers who were injured and afraid (Canadian war museum). The position of a nursing sister was not necessarily without danger, the number of nurses who lost their lives during the First World War was greater than that of the Second World War (Dodd, 2017). Recognizing the efforts of these women is important as we remember our veterans, the nursing sisters dedicated their efforts to healing and comforting soldiers while also being at risk of contracting fatal illnesses, obtaining life threatening injury and even at risk of being killed in action (Morin-Pelletier). Over the course of the war 61 nurses had lost their lives, they were dedicated to their position. (Dodd, 2017). The cause of death of these 61 brave nurses varied, with 21 of these women losing their lives in action, 39 others passing from illness and one who had lost her life in an accident (Dodd, 2017).
The artifacts in this exhibit have been carefully selected, the artifacts consisting of letters, pictures and other important documents each have the intention as they stand alone and together to illustrate and illuminate the extraordinary efforts and the stories of these brave women. Their stories hold great importance to our Canadian history and the evolution of the role played by women in times of war across the globe.
Bibliography
Dodd, D. (2017). Canadian Military Nurse Deaths in the First World War. Canadian Bulletin of Medical History / Bulletin Canadien d’histoire de La Médecine, 34(2), 327–363. https://www.jstor.org/stable/48742733
Morin-Pelletier, M. (2024). "Has Any Great Harm Been Done?" Canadian Women Breaking Barriers During the First World War. Histoire sociale / Social History 57(117), 117-138. https://dx.doi.org/10.1353/his.2024.a928522.
“In Uniform - Nurses.” Canada and the First World War, www.warmuseum.ca/firstworldwar/history/people/in-uniform/nurses/. Accessed 10 Nov. 2024.
“Remembrance: Canada and WWI.” Canadian War Museum, 1 Feb. 2024, www.warmuseum.ca/remembrance-day-resources/canada-and-the-first-world-war.