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| Edith Cavell with her pet dogs |
Today is the birthday of the famous Nurse Edith Cavell, who was born on 4th December 1865, in Swardston, Norfolk. Her early years were idyllic, summers spent painting and drawing flowers in the summer and ice skating in the winter. She decided to become a nurse after successfully nursing her father through illness.She trained at the Royal London Hospital, Whitechapel 1896 , completing her training in 1898. Edith worked in Shoreditch, Kings Cross & Manchester before leaving Britain for Belgium. She was Matron of Belgium's first training hospital & school for nurses.
When war broke out Edith Cavell was in Norwich visiting family, instead of staying in Britain in relative safety, she felt it her duty to return to Brussels to treat the wounded. Often criticised for treating German & Austrian wounded, she also treated Allied soldiers in her care. helping over 200 soldiers escape to neutral Holland. Edith Cavell was shot on 12th October 1915 after being found guilty of treason, at a trial on the 7th October. Her death caused an outrage (although legal under international law), and her name was used as a recruitment symbol for the rest of the war.
More info here: Imperial War Museum, https://www.iwm.org.uk/history/who-was-edith-cavell
Cavell Nurses Trust, https://www.cavellnursestrust.org/edith-cavell
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