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Edna applies
When war declared Edna Pengelly applied to go on active service. -
Period: to
Ednas life
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Journey to England
The long cramped journey to Britain was difficult, there was lots of excitement about the exotic sights they went pass. -
Arrival in England
The nurses arrived in London,From there they thought they would be going across the english channel to nurse the wounded men on the Western Front, but the NZ soldiers wern't fighting at the Western Front they were fighting at Gallipoli. -
No. 19 General Hospital
The nurses arrived in Alexandria, Edna was sent to No. 19 general hospital. The work was punishing, it was very hot and they worked for hours with out stopping. -
Frosbite
Soldiers fom Gallipoli sometimes had terrible frostbite, and some of these men had to have thier feet amptutated. -
Brockenhurst
Edna was sent back to England. She went to work in the NZ hospital at Brockenhurst near Southampton. The soldiers were glad to be cared by nurses from their own country. -
Edna starts a diary
'The hospital got very busy after the battle of somme, NZ soldiers were heavily involved.' -
Operations
Pateints were pouring in and there were operations galore. -
Another convey
Edna described the arrival of yet another convey of anbulances and wounded soldiers. -
Belgian Village of Passchendaele
The campain started around June it lasted for months, -
'Limbies'
The long conveys of ambulances came again. This time, they carried survivors from Passchendaele. Many of the patients were 'limbies', but the hospital also cared other serious wounded soldiers. -
Last attacks
The Germans launched their last huge attacks. Many soldiers had been effected by Mustard gas (which was used by both sides) these mens were burnt,swollen eyes and blistering throats. -
Hospital Oatlands
Edna described Oatlands as a 'like a beehive- at least a thousand here. -
The end of the war and the aftermath
Finnaly, the war came to an end "we heard rumors at 8.30 that the armistice had been signed but, of course nobody beleived it. At noon it was a fact." Some people went to church to celebrate. -
Back home
Edna came back, she went to work at Queen Mary Hospital in Hanmer, nursing soldiers recovering from the war.