After seven and a half years and two hundred and forty-four posts, this is the last. Ten years ago I decided to try and seek out accurate information and details about military nurses during the Great War in an effort to cut through the myth and fantasy which abounds, both on the web and in written works. Along the way I’ve done a lot, produced a lot and learnt a great deal. The last year has given me my most important lesson so far. It’s taught me that I’ve failed, or more precisely been very naive and stupid to think that I could ever have made a difference. The mass of books, articles, television programmes and social media sites generated by the centenary of the Great War show that accuracy is not high up on most people’s list when it comes to the nursing services of the Great War. Fantasy, drama and a good story far outweigh any need to get facts right and the professional nurse remains all but ignored, except when held up as a miserable harridan set on her chastisement of the heroine VAD. While there’s an insistence on getting things right for the British military forces in general - i.e. the men - for nurses it seems that anything goes. To criticise or complain is to dig your own grave and I would like to avoid that for a little bit longer.
Of course there are some wonderful oases scattered throughout the desert for which I’m truly grateful, but the desert seems to be getting bigger and the oases rather wider apart. Let’s hope for a wet winter. After seven years the Intrepid Band have finally surrendered.
I'm sorry to hear you are packing in your blog but I guess everything comes to it's natural end. Thank you for all your posts, I've personally found them very informative. Good luck with what you do in the future.
ReplyDeleteReally, Sue? That's such a shame. Please re-consider. I'm quite sure your posts have been immensely helpful to many, as have your comments and resposnes on various forums. Only the other day, at a family history conference in Devon, I was recommending you to someone who had a question about nursing that I suspected that you alone could probably answer. In that particular case I recommended they contact you through Scarlet Finders. Take a deep breath, and a break for a while and then maybe re-visit. In the meantime, please don't delete your blog. I have had similar doubts over the years about some of the blogs I have written and, in a couple of cases, given up and then deleted the work; something I regret now (although I did at least save copies). But if you do decide that this is really the end, I won't be the only one who regrets this passing and there will be many who are thankful to you for the information you have shared.
ReplyDeletePaul
I'd like to agree with Paul and add that I have appreciated this blog very much as an addictive diversion from my main interests. Please stay active in the blogosphere.
ReplyDeleteThank you. Efforts will be concentrated on my two websites, Scarletfinders and the new one, The Fairest Force (links in right hand column) so nurses won't be disappearing yet.
ReplyDeleteI've just now found your blog, only to learn you're not continuing with it. Nooooo! Please leave it active, as I hope to learn much from it (I'm very interested in learning more about those who were directly involved in the war, but not in the fighting -- nurses, padres, ambulance drivers, etc).
ReplyDeleteI am so sorry you are going to stop posting to your blog. Yet so understandable. The hard work and wonderful research you have done on these nursing sisters has been invaluable for historians, genealogists, and anyone interested in knowing the truth about these incredible women. Thank you for all you have done.
ReplyDeletePS Sue...You have made a huge difference. I can't count the number of times someone has referred to your work and used it in some way or another to cast a more accurate light on the contributions these women made to the war effort.
ReplyDeleteThanks Debbie - it's very kind of you. But both my websites continue and hopefully they'll continue to be a source of information for anyone with an interest. It may well be that I pick up again on this blog or a new one later in the year.
ReplyDelete