PLIMSAUL, Annie

Biography

Annie Leonora Plimsaul was born in Norbiton on the 14th August 1876. She was educated at Kingston Hill High School, and Clifton High School for Girls, Bristol. Her father, William Sadler Plimsaul was an architect. She commenced nurse training at St Thomas’ Hospital, London on the 6th April 1903 completing on the 9th April 1907. She then worked for a short while as a temporary Night Sister at the Seamen’s Hospital, Geenwich.

Nursing Service in WW1

She was appointed a Staff Nurse in Queen Alexandra’s Imperial Military Nursing Service (QAIMNS) on the 25th February 1909 . When she joined the QAIMNS she was posted to the Military Hospital Hounslow . Hounslow Heath was a large military training area and the nearby barracks had one of the earliest barracks hospitals, now a listed building. Her appointment to the QAIMNS was subject to a probationary period and she was confirmed in the appointment on 22nd October 1909 .

She remained at Hounslow for nearly three years and was then posted to the recently opened Military Hospital at Cosham. Then two years later she was posted to the Military Hospital, Colchester, where she was serving at the outbreak of the Great War.

She was posted to No. 6 General Hospital as part of the British Expeditionary Force (BEF) and embarked for France. No. 6 General Hospital opened in November 1914, as part of a large hospital complex at Rouen. Rouen was safely behind the lines and became a major logistics centre with numerous base hospitals. Convalescent camps and hospitals were stationed on the southern outskirts of Rouen. A base supply depot and the 3rd Echelon of General Headquarters were also established in the city.

In 1915 she was posted forwards to No. 22 Casualty Clearing Station (CCS) which was opening at Aire-sur-la-Lys, in the Pas de Calais1. Shortly after it opened the CCS was visited by Maud McCarthy, Matron-in-Chief BEF:

20.9.15: Then to 22 Casualty Clearing Station established in Church Schools, a fine solid building, where Company, MOs and Nursing Staff can also be accommodated. Will be very good – only arrived 2 days before. Lt. Col. ____ recently a German prisoner, in charge, Miss Plimsaul QAIMNS, Sister in Charge. Returned to GHQ 8.30pm.

The Matron-in-Chief returned to No. 22 CCS on the 2nd December 1915:

2.12.15: To 22 Casualty Clearing Station, Miss Plimsaul i/c. All very good, with exception of arrangements for officers, which needs attention and improvement.

In March 1916 she moved with No. 22 CCS to Bruay-la-Buissière. This move was also noted in Maud McCarthy’s diary:

Miss Plimsaul QAIMNS reported move of 22 Casualty Clearing Station.

In June 1916 she was ‘Mentioned in Despatches’ by General Sir Douglas Haig, G.C.B., Commander-in-Chief of the British Forces in France for gallant and distinguished conduct in the field .

In July, Maud McCarthy came to see No. 22 CCS in its new location:

Bruay 1pm, 22 Casualty Clearing Station. This has wonderfully improved and is now thoroughly established and is more like a Stationary Hospital. The OC expressed himself entirely satisfied with Miss Plimsaul’s management, and the arrangements both for officers and men is excellent.

The Tiled Ward at No. 22 Casualty Clearing Station, Cambrai. Copyright: © IWM. Original Source: http://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/205243988

In January 1917 Annie Plimsaul was awarded the Royal Red Cross (2nd Class) (ARRC) . She continued to serve as Sister-in-Charge of No. 22 CCS and is mentioned by Maud McCarthy following a visit to Bruay on the 26th April 1917:

To 22 CCS (Bruay) – Miss Plimsaul, QAIMNSR Sister in charge and Colonel Goodwin, CO. Went all over the hospital – soon expecting to be very busy, but at the time of the visit fairly empty. The quarters for the nursing staff are most comfortable – had tea in their Mess.

Annie was promoted to Sister on the 18th May 1917 (though she was already acting as a ‘Sister-in-Charge’ . In October she was posted as a Sister to No. 2 General Hospital1, a base hospital at Le Havre. She had been with No. 22 CCS for some time, and the Commanding Officer spoke to Maud McCarthy on her next visit:

The CO regretted the departure of Miss Plimsaul, QAIMNS who had been in the unit for a considerable time, and he spoke in the highest terms of her work and management, her powers of organisation and her ability to keep her staff happy and yet getting the best out of them. He considered her quite capable of managing a General Hospital.

She stayed at Le Havre until March 1918 when she was posted to No. 24 General Hospital at Étaples. In December the then Matron of No. 24 General Hospital became sick and Annie Plimsaul took over as Acting Matron6. On December 31st, 1918 she was awarded the Royal Red Cross (1st Class) (RRC) .

As the Great War came to a close, she was posted to the Rhine Army as Acting Matron No. 42 Stationary Hospital, and stayed overseas until returning to the Cambridge Military Hospital in January 1920. She attended an Investiture at Buckingham Palace on March 24th, 1920 to receive the RRC from the King.

The Receiving Room: The 42nd Stationary Hospital (Art.IWM ART 2952) image: three wounded or injured British soldiers sit on a bench in the receiving room of a military hospital, awaiting medical treatment. The soldiers on the left lean back against the wall, one with his hands in his pockets, the other crossed in his lap. They have their mouths open, as if sleeping or suffering pain. The third soldier is hunched over, as though cowering or cold, sitting sideways o… Copyright: © IWM. Original Source: http://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/20781

As a member of the QAIMNS and not of the reserve, Annie remained in service and was not demobilised. She had a posting to the Royal Military Academy, Camberley in 1921, and was then posted to Hong Kong. She stayed in Hong Kong for four years returning to the Royal Victoria Hospital Netley as Home Sister in January 1926. In February 1926 she was awarded the Medaille de la Reconnaissance Française en Argent (Medal of Gratitude) for her service in France during the Great War .

She was posted to the Military Hospital Lichfield as Sister-in-Charge in January 1930, and retired from the QAIMNS on the 14th August 1931 having completed 22 years 170 days service.

She wrote a report for the Matron-in-Chief BEF in 1919, as part of a collection of Reports.