Impression sketch of Edith Cavell - by Jamie. Taken from original image at:
A daughter of a Swardeston vicar,
Frederick Cavell and her mother
Louise - Edith was born
December
1864, followed by three younger
Siblings; family status being poor.
As the Eldest, Edith gave
sacrifices;
In being shown to give to those
Less fortunate than herself - to
play
An influence in her future career
Beginning in Brussels as governess.
From 1890 Edith, in her twenties,
Decided to train in nursing - to
learn
In London Hospital under rigourous
Selection processes of Eva Luckes -
Then to work in variety of
hospitals.
After three years as Assistant
Matron
At Shoreditch infirmary, Edith
Cavell
Moved this time to Belgium -
recruited
By Dr Antoine Depage nursing school
L'École Belge d’Infirmières
Diplômées.
With nurse training established by
1910
In Brussels Cavell started to
assistant
The launch L'infirmière - a
professional
Nursing journal - within the year
1911
She helped many schools and
hospitals.
This was to include 13 kindergartens
-
All seemed well for career of Edith
Cavell but this was to change in
1914 -
Visiting her mother in August came
Declaration of conflict with
Germany.
The fact did not prevent Edith
Cavell's
Return to Brussels - only to find a
very
Different situation, with the school
Taken over by the Red Cross, as the
city
Then came under German occupation.
Remaining true to her decided
vocation
Cavell involved herself in the
situation -
Without prejudice the nurse matron
Assisted wounded allied and Germans;
Deciding to take one step beyond
safety.
Within 3 months of war Cavell began
To assist French and British wounded
Escape into the neutral
Netherlands -
Along with military aged Belgium’s
And French civilians - a risky game.
Close to Mons at Chateau Bellignies,
Prince Reginald de Croy's assistance
Was to source false papers -
shelters
Were provided in Brussels with money
And guides, given by Philippe Baucq.
Following such actions put Miss Cavell
In jeopardy, against German Military
Law - her outspokenness had already
Put her in eyes of suspicious
authority,
When Gaston Quien hit the final
nail.
A Collaborator, Quien gave the nurse
Away, in helping enemy leave
country.
3 August 1915 saw Cavell arrested,
Held for next 10 weeks in the prison
Of St-Gilles, with 2 weeks confinement.
During that time Edith Cavell made
Three sworn testimonies in
admittance
Of harbouring peoples in her home -
100 Belgian and French of military
age;
15 French along with 60 British soldiers.
The day prior to her trial, Cavell
signed
A statement of admission, how she
helped
Men to cross borders, to make their
way
To Britain - who wrote to thank
her, when
Safely arriving at their final
destination.
Edith Cavell made no attempt to hide
Facts of helping them escape, to a
country
Germany was at war with - the
penalty,
Within paragraph 58 of their
military law,
Was sentence to death by the Penal
code.
Her arrest and sentence was
'treason' -
Questioned in French, Cavell’s words
Recorded in German, so misinterpretation
By interrogator would have been
allowed.
Additionally the nurse sought no
defence.
While the British government
admitted
To being powerless to help Edith
Cavell,
The USA, in neutrality, tried
diplomatic
Pressure - a warning that any reputation
Of Germany would only be lowered.
Any execution would rank as murder -
On a level with Lusitania and
Louvain.
A reply was made, of their regret
not
Having four English women to shoot;
Although one opinion asked a
pardon.
Baron von der Lancken, gave reasons
Being for her honesty and that
Cavell
Had helped save many lives - General
Von Sauberzweig, military governor
Called for an immediate death
penalty.
This would stop any other authority
Giving leniency - in the trial of
twenty
Seven; Countess Jeanne de Belleville,
Louise Thuliez, Séverin, Baucq,
Cavell
Were those sentenced to be executed.
In reality only two were finally
murdered;
Cavell on the night of 11 October
received
Communion, to state, 'Patriotism is
not
Enough' - to add that she intended
to hold
No bitterness or hatred towards
anyone.
A Midnight deputation attempted a
Spanish
And American appeal of mercy, or to
halt
The execution - the hours ticked to
7 a.m.
Without any effect - dawn began to
rise over
Schaerbeek Range; a line of 16 men
waited.
The chosen hour of dawn when the
mind
Wakes from rest, perhaps then the
time
Chosen when the body is most calm -
Edith Cavell was led to the place;
perhaps
To learn how twenty-five had a
reprieve.
Cavell spoke finally to Paul Le Seur,
The prison Chaplain, to tell to
those
She loved her soul was safe - to be glad
To die for her country - alongside stood
Baucq, the architect who had helped her.
Within seconds, the figure of a woman
Became not just a story of
propaganda,
But a woman of substance - whose
name
Would go on beyond into the history
Of her chosen profession, as a
heroine.
by Jamie Mann.
Source: File: Edith
Cavell From
Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia [online] Available at: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edith_Cavell> [Accessed: 2 October 2015]
Mann, J., 2015. 100 years Ago - Poems by Jamie Mann. [letter] (Personal
communication, 12 October 2015).
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