Impression
sketch of striking nurses - by
Jamie
Within the London
area, close to Euston,
The Endsleigh
Palace Hospital opened
July 1915, for
the treatment of officers -
The building was then recently taken
Over, in an act
of war office requisition.
Within the
evening of 15 October -
After only four
months of operations -
Unanimous actions
were quickly taken
By the whole of
the nursing staff,
In support of
senior nursing officer.
All together united,
they formulated
A joint
communication to Secretary
Of War, who they
held as responsible
For the state run
military hospital,
And for the
establishment's conduct.
The collected
nursing staff stood
In protest, for
the manner to end
A contract of
Miss Florence Tubb,
As their senior
nursing officer -
Without allowing
her any self-defence.
They ended to
emphasize collective
Indignations -
with warning for this
Would continue,
should the War Office
Refuse petition
to keep Miss Tubb, until
Dismissal reasons
were investigated.
In reply was
communication from
The hospital
secretary, to say how
They were wrong -
that the matron
Was dismissed
without knowing why
The committee decided
as they did.
To manage as
matron, such a hospital
With 35 nurses - along
with 60 voluntary
Lady Helpers, 100
officers, 40 orderlies
And kitchen staff
- along with war office,
Committee and
medical men, was hard.
The rule of the
committee was reached;
Miss Tubb was not
suited to the post -
All nursing staff
had been asked to meet
The committee and
chairman to discuss
The situation - but
not one attended.
A consequence of
this, was committee's
Acceptance their
resignations - the view
Was regret, how
the nurses set out
To paralyze the
hospital to cause injury,
To approximately
90 wounded officers.
The whole staff to
leave at short notice,
Being unfortunate,
but the committee
Had taken actions
- so that within a day
Arrangements would
all set in place
For a new matron
and new nursing staff.
by Jamie Mann.
Anon.,1915. Strike
of Nurses - Officers War Hospital. The Daily Telegraph, [online] 16 October. P.7.
Col.6. Available at:
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ww1-archive/11922671/Daily-Telegraph-October-16-1915.html
[Accessed: 18 October 2015].
Mann, J., 2015. 100 years Ago - Poems by Jamie Mann. [letter] (Personal
communication, 18 October 2015).
#WW1 #WW1centenary #GreatWar #WW1poem #GreatWar #WW1centenary
#worldwarone #worldwaroneremembered #WW1London
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