As the author of The Badge of Britannia and in which I included material supplied by Bridget
Robertson, I was delighted to read this book. It provides further and fascinating
information on the life and work of a nursing sister in the Queen Elizabeth's Overseas
Nursing Service in various colonial territories between 1947 and 1964. It describes the
dedication, pride and joy, success and frustration, and the delights and sometimes
sadnesses that a nursing sister in the Colonies in those days would experience in her
everyday work. In addition, it emphasises the comradeship of fellow nurses, the
excitements and friendships of colonial life and the satisfaction of a job well done.
Bridget wants especially to remind the younger generation of today that the Colonial
Nurses of yesterday were not aloof, uncaring members of a bygone regime; but were
dedicated, skilled and devoted professionals, who loved their life and work in the District/Provincial hospitals of the Colonies in which they served - in her case Kenya,
the Seychelles, Zanzibar and Nigeria. She also wants to revive memories, for nursing
friends and colleagues, of happy days now past in their respective colonial territories.
She has accordingly described the patients she encountered, together with their tribal
backgrounds, habits and customs; the layout of the various hospitals in which she
worked, and the medical problems with which she was involved. She has mentioned her
recreational activities and local leaves, and the excitement of special occasions such as
Royal visits. She has also commented on the various Nurse Training Schemes with
which she was involved, and the way nurses were graded; and has tried to show
how well (or otherwise) the local African staff were prepared to take over their own
nursing services and to run their own hospitals, with the onset of Independence for their
territories.
Her book brought back many happy memories for me, and will I am sure give great
pleasure to many ex-Colonials, whatever their role in the Service was; for the nurses of
those days not only provided much needed nursing care to the sick and suffering, but
also played their part in the social life of the community. All in all I found this a
fascinating and most enjoyable book.
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