King & Country · First World War · FW173
FW173 depicts a nursing sister in grey and white with a short red cape. She stands holding a small white vessel, without a patient or hospital furniture. The uniform is the central identifying feature and provides a striking contrast to the khaki and field-grey figures around her in the FW range.
Queen Alexandra’s Imperial Military Nursing Service and its wartime reserves supplied trained nurses to military medical units. Their work extended beyond conventional hospital wards to casualty clearing stations, hospital ships and ambulance trains. The National Army Museum’s account of women’s wartime service distinguishes these professional nursing organizations from other forms of women’s auxiliary work.
Review
The red cape creates a clear focal point without turning the figure into a dramatic tableau. I particularly like the ordinary, composed stance: nursing is represented as a job being performed. It is a useful individual subject for the medical side of the collection.
Reference: FW173 release reference. Review observations are based on the product reference photographs.
Related figures: FW046 · Wounded · FW073 · Goodbye-ee.
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