The Nurses’ War

 The Nurses’ War

Reviewed By  Grasshopper2       April 3, 2022

 

Author  Victoria Purman

Distributor:      HarperCollins Publishers Australia
ISBN:                 9781867207764
Publisher:         Harper Collins Publishers Australia/HQ Fiction AU
Release Date:   April 2022  

   Website:   https://www.harpercollins.com.au

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The Nurses’ War is a powerhouse of a story in many ways. What makes it a special Historical Fiction is that Victoria Purman has connections with some of the characters. Matron Ethel Gray was a real character and awarded many Honours. Sister Ruby Dickson was also a real nurse and buried in the St Mary’s Church yard. The City of Adelaide features in the story and many references are made to local places such as Rundle Street.

The story begins in May 1915, when Cora Barker, an Australian nurse, arrived in England to help care for Australian troops injured in the war. She and a small team have been given the task of converting a mansion, donated by a wealthy family, into a hospital. They have help from some of the locals, and deliveries of beds, bedding and surgical equipment needs to be unpacked and readied. The magnificent grounds around the house have also been covered by emergency accommodation for the wounded.

As we begin to know the characters and their stories, we realise that no one has an idea of the extent of the devastation and wounded that will soon overwhelm them. As the first Australian soldiers begin to arrive the reader also cringes at the lack of basic pain relief, infection control, and suitable procedures. However, everyone works hard to bring comfort and relief to the wounded neglecting their own needs.

For three years we share Cora’s life and desperate attempt to improve the outcomes for the soldiers. She has firm bonds with the women she began this job with and has befriended one of the locals. The war news comes to them in patches and is quite different to the media versions.

The details in this book are superb. So many references are made to locations in Adelaide, the families, and the customs that each page is precious.

Fiction, History