Research Enquiries
Queen Alexandra's Royal Army Nursing Corps
The Army Medical Services (AMS), incorporates the Royal Army Medical Corps (RAMC), Royal Army Veterinary Corps (RAVC), Royal Army Dental Corps (RADC) and Queen Alexandra’s Royal Army Nursing Corps (QARANC). The history of the AMS can trace its origins from 1660, alongside the formation of the regular army: at this time the service details of all medical officers were first recorded. The Museum of Military Medicine houses the archives and artefacts of these Corps and their antecedents. The archive includes material dating from late 17th century to the present day: documents relating to the European and Imperial conflicts of the 18th and 19th centuries, the Crimean War (1854-1856), Anglo Boer War (1899-1902) and the Balkan conflicts of the early 20th century, WWI and WWII, the Korean War (1950-53) and later minor conflicts, such as the Malayan Emergency (1948-1960), Cyprus 1963-64 and the Falklands conflict (1982). These archives are open to the public for research. An appointment is necessary.
This archive comprises personal papers, reports, diaries and various other items that relate to the history of military nursing. The archives retain an array of reports from World War I and a fine collection of personal papers e.g. Dame Maude McCarthy, Chief Nurse, Western Front 1914-1918. The museum’s library houses numerous books written about army nursing in general i.e. Queen Alexandra’s Royal Army Nursing Corps, Famous Regiments series as well the reminisces of army nurses i.e. A Nurse’s War by Brenda McBryde. The QARANC Gazette, a useful resource, containing such information as general Corps and Association news, both current and historical, obituarises, data on local association meetings etc., has been published since the 1950s and are available in the museum library.
Military nurses, both regular and territorial (Territorial Force Nursing Service – TFNS), records for WWI are retained by The National Archives in series WO 399. The information varies but can contain original attestation papers, annual reports, details of postings, applications for pensions and pay. Medal rolls for nurses and Royal Red Cross rolls to military nurses may be found in WO 145. Those nurses who qualified for a pension can be found in WO 23.