January 2016 Speaker
THE FORGOTTEN WOMEN OF THE GREAT WAR
Dr Vivien Newman, whose talk was about aspects of the Great War had chosen to focus on women, none of them young when they got involved, but who served with great courage.
She started with the Duchess of Sutherland, who had no need to get involved in war work, but because of her persistence got permission to get prisoners to be returned to the UK. Vivien then referred to the work of 52 year old Millie Stobart who joined the Belgian Red Cross and completed an 800 mile retreat to Dunkirk with sick and wounded soldiers.
Vivien then spoke about Lady, Major May Bradford, who organised newsletters by nursing staff and who recognised how important letters from home were to soldiers and their recipients by writing on their behalf.
The final woman was Suzanne Aubert, a nun who left her convent to work with incurables in New Zealand. She worked tirelessly helping the sick and continued doing this after the war ended.
After questions, Vivien was given a huge round of applause for a stirring afternoon.