About This Unit
Early recruits to the Australian Voluntary Hospital, an initiative established by Lady Rachel, Countess of Dudley, the wife of Australia's then Governor-General. The hospital was established as an independent field hospital to care for French, Russian, Serbian and Portuguese soldiers, as well as Commonwealth Soldiers. It was the United Nations of emergency healthcare.
The nurses' first posting soon after war broke out was to St. Nazaire, in France. By the end of October the unit was relocated further north to Wimereux. An old hotel by the sea was converted into a four-storey hospital and dozens of bell tents housed hospital staff.
In 1916 the hospital was absorbed by the British Army and renamed Number 32 Military Hospital. When the hospital finally shut it's doors in 1919, it's staff had treated more than 70,000 patients.