Dear Forum, I am researching an Englishwoman who was in the French Red cross and was captured with two other Nursing Sisters, who were not British, by the Germans and was among French Medical Officers also captured and taken to the 261st Field Lazarette at Beaurieux. The lady in question was Louise Constance Colt-Williams, a Nurse who gave invaluable assistance to 3 British Officers who were also captured and from the R.A.M.C.attached 25th Brigade, R.F.A. at Maizy. Louise was repatriated before the examiner T.BYARD, Captain, wrote the report, on 8th November at 17, Mancester Square. The report was from Captain W.A. Rees, age 35, address:- Portroller House, Stornaway, who was captured 28th May 1918 at Maizy and not wounded. This was from the National Archives WO/161/97/65. I would like to know how to find out about these remarkable women who joined the French Red Cross in WW1. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance. Mother Mave

You could try sending a query to the archivist at the French Red Cross, Virginie Alauzet. The contact form is at the following url:

French Red Cross contact form

Patrick

She appears in the list at the back of Laurence Binyon's 'For Dauntless France' as having gone to France through the British Committee of the French Red Cross prior to December 31st 1917, though it gives no information other than her name. I have a feeling that the previous link to the Croix Rouge won't hold any details to women recruited in England via the British Committee, though I'm not 100% sure of that. And she doesn't seem to have a medal card of any sort at The National Archives, which might have led on to her original unit.

Sue

She does but I can't find it on ancestery - yet.

Description Medal card of Colt-Williams, Louisa
Corps Regiment No Rank
Voluntary Aid Detachment

Date 1914-1920
Catalogue reference WO 372/23

Well done - I was trying to be too clever and add 'French Red Cross' in - less is more, of course.

Sue

PS - it won't be on Ancestry, as there are no women's cards there.

Have never looked before - there are a fantastic array of MID's though.

Mick

Sue, the one who appears on Binyon is Miss E.L. Colt-Williams, not Louise Constance, unless her initials have been confused.
Edith Laura COLT-WILLIAMS served as an Orderly with the Girton & Newnham Unit of the Scottish Womens' Hospitals from 17 October 1916 until March 1918.

Norman

I don't seem to be doing very well with this one do I? Perhaps I'd better leave the French Red Cross alone in future

Sue

Have just had a look at papers on this German hospital and found a letter from Constance Colt-Williams dated 14th Octoner 1918 from an address in Paris to the mother of one of a British Officer who died whilst she was nursing in the German Lazaret in Beaurieux in 1918 . It would seem that the Germans captured Beaurieux in May and just before the French recaptured the village later in the year she was sent to Germany as a prisoner for some four and a half months . She reports that she was the only Enlish nurse in the Lazaret but there were two French girls working there and were well treated by the German staff.

Dear Patrick, Sue, Mick, Norman and M Johnson, Sorry to be so late replying, but I am overwhelmed, again, by the wonderful response from this Forum, you all have given me so much more to go on. I have the Medal Cards for both Louisa and Edith from the National Archives, I believe that Edith is Louisa's sister, but on the 1891 Census she is shown as Emma L.Colt-Williams, but I believe that is an enumerators error. She is shown as Edith L. Colt-Williams on the 1901 census. All that you tell me fits in with the article ( letter) that I had from the National Archives too. I am so excited and thank you all so much for the trouble you have gone to on my behalf. Can I be cheeky and ask if it would be possible to have copies of the letters and/ correspondence from Constance ( or where to find them) as I am more and more intrigued by both sisters really, as I had no idea that Edith too was a brave woman and I have yet to find out what happened to her. Any information on Binyan's (book?) would be appreciated too, it sounds interesting. Thank you so much again, Mavis

Hello Mavis
Only too happy to help . If you could PM me your address I will put a copy in the post as it it too large for my printer . Sadly it is only a transcript and not in her handwriting but I hope that you will find it of interest .
Maurice

Dear Maurice, Thank you for this wonderful offer, I will, of course, pay postage. I have emailed my address. Thank you once again. Kind regards,
Mavis

Mavis

The book is:
For Dauntless France - An Account of Britain's Aid to the French Wounded and Victims of the War
Laurence Binyon
Published by Hodder and Stoughton, 1918.

It gives an account of the hospitals, the canteens, the relief work, and also an autobiographical account of Binyon's work as a orderly in one of these hospitals. In addition there is the list of workers mentioned before, and an index of voluntary organizations involved. It's difficult to come by now, and I don't think it's ever been reprinted since that first edition, but well worth reading if you can perhaps get a copy through inter-library loan.

Sue

There is a copy online:

http://www.archive.org/stream/fordauntless...00biny_djvu.txt

Dear Sue, I have tried to find the book and as you say it is out of print, but will continue to look for it, and Michael, thank you too as you gave me the website to download the book and both Edith and Louisa's name is on the list at the end, just as you said. I have now saved the book and can now look at it, but will try and get the book, just in case I lose the file on my computer. I cannot thank you enough, all of you, your knowledge always astounds me. Maurice, I have sent my postal address to your email address, please lt me know if it has not arrived. Thanks again, kind regards, Mavis

Hi Mavis

I am new to the forum, but I have been researching my Great Aunt Daisy Ellen Pope, who joined the French Flag nursing Corps in 1915, and was sent to France in June 1915. The FFNC was set up by the British Committee of the French Red Cross, and I believe that somewhere in the region of 280 qualified nurses were recruited to look after the wounded of the French Army behind the Front Lines. One of the prerequisites was that they could converse in French. There is a lot of information available online at www.rcnarchive.rcn.org.uk

Because they worked for the French Army they were not awarded the 1914-15 Star, but were awarded the War and Victory medals. Many were also awarded a French medal the "Reconnaissance Francaise". My great Aunt's is in Silver.

The records of the British Committee of the French Red Cross, was apparently handed over to the French Embassy in London in 1925. I believe that they were either given to the French Red Cross, or stored in French Government archives. I am yet to find out, as I cannot get the French Red Cross to respond. I have a contact email address for FRC, it is as follows, Communication@croix-rouge.fr I am currently translating my request for information to them into French, as they have totally ignored my English E mail.

I hope this information is of interest


Dave

Daisy Ellen Pope trained at the Camberwell Infirmary and served with the FFNC at Toul from May 1915 – November 1918 She was awarded the medal of Recconnaisance France in Silver and the Insigne Special for Nurses.

NGG

Hi NGG

Thank you for the information, Daisy Pope was at Camberwell as shown in 1911 Census. She was at Verneuil, Hospital 36 in 1917 - 18, when the hospital was overrun, during the German 1918 Spring Offensive, and escaped in an ambulance. I have enclosed a photo of her medals presented to her by the British Committee of the French Red Cross in 1919. Will add an additional post with a postcard sent to her brother in December 1917.

Dave

Click to view attachment

Postcard of Chateau Verneuil, Hospital 36 sent to my Grandfather by his sister Daisy Pope December 1917, and photo of the Chateau after the German Spring offensive 1918. The British sisters, Pope, Perkins, Lewis and the only French sister who joined the FFNC L'epine, lived in a room on the right of the chateau. it was pretty run down with few windows left in place. The Hospital consisted of wooden huts in the grounds.

Dave

Click to view attachment Click to view attachment Click to view attachment

Dear Dave, I don't know how I missed your messages on the Great War Forum in September, but I did go on holiday on the 28th and was ill whilst away and then not too good when I came back, but thought that I had been on the website since then but never saw your messages if I did!! Anyway apologies for not thanking you for your input, it is most appreciated. I did get a reply from The French Red Cross, try this email address ne_pas_repondre@croix-rouge.fr; or this lady Virginie Alauzet at Virginie.Alauzet@croix-rouge.fr; she was very helpful, even though I wrote the question about Louisa in English, she however replied in French, but I managed to get that translated. I hope this helps, Regards, Mavis

Hi Mavis, I hope that the FRC were more helpful than the response I received. They referred me back to the British Red Cross, and the RCN Archive. I am trying to find how long my Great Aunt Daisy spent at the FRC Tuberculosis Hospital at Palavas sur Flot, when she returned to France in 1919. I believe it was also referred to as Hospital Militaire No 1.

Dave