Finally Sharing Belated Women's History Month Story of Another Important Female War Hero!

Recent blogs brought you stories about October being Women's History Month, about the famous Persons Case and Persons Awards.

Going back over recent stories here, you will also find covered the heroism of Canada's own Lehna Higbee, Chatham New Brunswick born, a nurse and administrator who went on to do incredible deeds in WWl with the US Navy. So incredible  that she  became the first woman ever to be awarded the US Navy Cross. She even had a ship named in her honor, and another to be built and to be commissioned a few years down the road.

Today's story is about Beatrice MacDonald who was born in 1881. After high school she escaped what was  no doubt  a full household with 9 other siblings, and headed off to New York's Hospital School of Nursing. (below)

Beatrice MacDonald is in the following picture of the  graduation class, but it is not known where.

Beatrice was working as a  nurse when WWl started, though America was years away from entry. Like many others, she wanted to join the war effort by volunteering with the American Ambulance Services and was sent off to the American Hospital of Paris for a period of time.

She then returned to the New York area and became a nurse and manager in the offices of surgeon  George E Brewer.

In 1917  Beatrice MacDonald, (at left)  joined the US Army  Nursing Service and along with Doctor Brewer, five other doctors and about 65 nurses headed off to France.     Soon  they would be dispatched to the No 61 British Casualty Clearing Station just about 3 miles from the front lines and near a place called Poporihghe Belgium. (Shown with orange icon below.)

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The clearing station was really a series of many tents and  because of all the muck and grime on the ground a series of walkways permitted movement between each. As MacDonald would later describe, a fall could easily have you standing up to your waste in the mess. Reports say some 2,400 casualties were being treated at the facility. Be they minor or the more serious. The lucky ones made it to recovery tents.

The nurses were well known for their bravery at the time. They nevertheless felt more comfortable knowing that all the tents were clearly marked with large red crosses and one in front of the camp standing some 40 ft. high and 30 ft. wide. While lighting was obviously kept at a minimal, the crosses were given enough light to show the planes overhead that the area was clearly a hospital setup.

But that  was  not enough. It was during the 3rd Battle of Ypres when the German planes started circling overhead, and soon started to swoop down of the hospital tents. Several bombs were dropped and there is even a report existing that said that an enemy plane swooped across the area and was  using a machine gun  to shoot down any casualties trying to seek cover, some even naked,  and of course the medical staff trying to get them back under cover.

It was 17 August 1917, and on that date. the tent that many of the nurses were sleeping in that MacDonald had to leap to grab her helmet... but it was too late. She was hit in the head by shrapnel, and while treated on sight, was shipped off to another facility but not expected to live. A night cook was standing just 20 ft away from her and was..."blown to pieces." 

Here's some news coverage back at her home of NY City...

Here is a more detailed newspaper accounting about a week later...

Doctors operated  on MacDonald but found the damage too bad to repair her right eye, and so it had to be removed. . But Beatrice  pushed on even when order to return to the United States. She pleaded with  her Colonel and eventually was allowed to return back to her duties caring for the wounded.

Months later, in January of 1918  Field Marshall Sir Douglas Haig, Commander of all of the British Expeditionary Forces on the Western Front, gave Beatrice a special mention in his dispatches. Most do not realize this but a MID is in fact a medal for bravery.

The British Government then went on to award Nurse Beutrice MacDonald another medal according to America's commander of the Expeditionary forces of the USA  at the Western Front.  

Here we see General Pershing telling MacDonald that her Commander in Chief.. ie.. the President of the United States, has approved the acceptance of Britain's Military Medal.

And here we see the press telling the world of this nurse's bravery, and an act so brave another country is awarding her a medal for her actions.

Here is what that medal looked like at the time...

There is more to come!

On Monday or Tuesday I will bring a follow up to make up for the lost blog of last week.

see you then,
Bart