Queen Alexandra's Royal Army Nursing Corps (QARANC; known as ''the QAs'') was the

nursing Nursing is a health care profession that "integrates the art and science of caring and focuses on the protection, promotion, and optimization of health and human functioning; prevention of illness and injury; facilitation of healing; and alle ...

branch of the

British Army The British Army is the principal Army, land warfare force of the United Kingdom. the British Army comprises 73,847 regular full-time personnel, 4,127 Brigade of Gurkhas, Gurkhas, 25,742 Army Reserve (United Kingdom), volunteer reserve perso ...

Medical Services Health care, or healthcare, is the improvement or maintenance of health via the prevention, diagnosis, treatment, amelioration or cure of disease, illness, injury, and other physical and mental impairments in people. Health care is deliver ...

. In November 2024, the corps was amalgamated with the

Royal Army Medical Corps The Royal Army Medical Corps (RAMC) was a specialist corps in the British Army which provided medical services to all Army personnel and their families, in war and in peace. On 15 November 2024, the corps was amalgamated with the Royal Army De ...

and Royal Army Dental Corps to form the

Royal Army Medical Service The Royal Army Medical Service (RAMS) is a specialist corps in the British Army The British Army is the principal Army, land warfare force of the United Kingdom. the British Army comprises 73,847 regular full-time personnel, 4,127 Brigad ...

History

Although an "official" nursing service was not established until 1881, the corps traces its heritage to

Florence Nightingale Florence Nightingale (; 12 May 1820 – 13 August 1910) was an English Reform movement, social reformer, statistician and the founder of modern nursing. Nightingale came to prominence while serving as a manager and trainer of nurses during th ...

, who was instrumental in lobbying for the support of female military nurses. The Army Nursing Service, which had been established in 1881, and which from 1889 provided Sisters for all Army hospitals with at least 100 beds, had only a small number of nurses in its employ. In 1897, in an effort to have nurses available if needed for war, the service was supplemented by Princess Christian's Army Nursing Service Reserve (PCANSR). Nurses registered for the service and by the beginning of the

First Boer War The First Boer War (, ), was fought from 16 December 1880 until 23 March 1881 between the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, United Kingdom and Boers of the Transvaal (as the South African Republic was known while under British ad ...

the reserve had around 100 members, but swelled its membership to over 1400 during the conflict. PCANSR eventually became the Queen Alexandra's Imperial Military Nursing Service. On 27 March 1902, Queen Alexandra's Imperial Military Nursing Service (QAIMNS) was established by Royal Warrant, and was named after

Queen Alexandra Alexandra of Denmark (Alexandra Caroline Marie Charlotte Louise Julia; 1 December 1844 – 20 November 1925) was List of British royal consorts, queen-consort of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions, and Empress of India, from 22 Januar ...

, who became its president. In 1949, the QAIMNS became a

corps Corps (; plural ''corps'' ; from French , from the Latin "body") is a term used for several different kinds of organization. A military innovation by Napoleon I, the formation was formally introduced March 1, 1800, when Napoleon ordered Gener ...

in the British Army and was renamed as the Queen Alexandra's Royal Army Nursing Corps. Since 1950 the organisation has trained nurses, and in 1992 men were allowed to join. The associated Queen Alexandra's Royal Army Nursing Corps Association is a

registered charity A charitable organization or charity is an organization whose primary objectives are philanthropy and social well-being (e.g. educational, Religion, religious or other activities serving the public interest or common good). The legal definitio ...

. Queen Alexandra was president from 1902 until her death in 1925. The following year she was succeeded by Queen Mary.

Amalgamation

The Secretary of State for Defence announced on 15 October 2024, that it will amalgamate with the Royal Army Dental Corps and

to form one unified corps, the

The Army Nursing Service

Five early members of the Army Nursing Service trained at The London Hospital under Eva Luckes, and went onto become Superintendents. They also later served in the QAIMNS. * May Russell, joined in 1885, promoted in 1893.May Elizabeth Russell, British Army Nurses’ Service Records 1914–1918; WO399/7286; The National Archives, Kew * Ann Garriock, joined in 1886, promoted in 1899.The War Office records for Ann Garriock do not appear to have survived. Ann Garriock, see: Boer War Nurses Database vailable at: http://baseportal.com/cgi-bin/baseportal.pl?htx=/pcansr/Research/research, accessed on 14 October 2024 * Sarah Elizabeth Oram, joined in 1886, promoted in 1899.Sarah Elizabeth Oram, British Army Nurses’ Service Records 1914–1918; WO399/6348 * Caroline Hutton Potts, joined in 1887, promoted to Acting Superintendent in 1899.The War Office record for Caroline Hutton Potts does not appear to have survived. Caroline Hutton Potts, Military Nurses 1856–1994; transcription by Sue Light vailable at: www.findmypast.co.uk, accessed 18 March 2018/ref> * Sarah Lucy Wilshaw, joined in 1887, promoted to Acting Superintendent in 1900. * Caroline Hodgson, Matron 1893-1904.

Queen Alexandra's Imperial Military Nursing Service (QAIMNS)

When Queen Alexandra's Imperial Nursing Service was formed

King Edward VII Edward VII (Albert Edward; 9 November 1841 – 6 May 1910) was King of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions, and Emperor of India, from 22 January 1901 until his death in 1910. The second child and eldest son of Queen Victoria and ...

asked Sir Frederick Treves and Sydney Holland, Chairman of the

London Hospital The Royal London Hospital is a large teaching hospital in Whitechapel in the London Borough of Tower Hamlets. It is part of Barts Health NHS Trust. It provides district general hospital services for the City of London and London Borough of Tow ...

for advice. Holland asked Eva Luckes,

Matron Matron is the job title of a very senior or the chief nurse in a hospital in several countries, including the United Kingdom, and other Commonwealth countries and former colonies. Etymology The chief nurse, in other words the person in charge ...

of The London Hospital for advice.Rogers, Sarah (2022). 'A Maker of Matrons'? A study of Eva Lückes's influence on a generation of nurse leaders: 1880–1919' (unpublished PhD thesis, University of Huddersfield, April 2022) Several London Hospital supporters were members of the first Army Nursing Board including Sir Frederick Treves; Norah, Lady Roberts; Queen Alexandra – who was a keen supporter and President of The London Hospital from 1904; and London Hospital trained civilian matron of the

Westminster Hospital Westminster Hospital was a hospital in London, England, founded in 1719. In 1834 a medical school attached to the hospital was formally founded. In 1939 a newly built hospital and medical school opened in Horseferry Road, Westminster. In 1994 the ...

, Mabel Cave. Six of the first 27 matrons and principal matrons had all trained at The London under Eva Luckes. * Ethel Hope Becher, GBE, RRC and Bar, Principal Matron, 1903, Matron in Chief, War Office, 1910-1919. * Ann Garriock, RRC, Matron, 1903, Principal Matron - South Africa, 1907-1910. * Emma Maud McCarthy, GBE, RRC & Bar, DStJ, Matron, 1903, Principal Matron War Office, 1910-1914, Matron in Chief, British Expeditionary Force (BEF), 1914-1919. * Sarah Elizabeth Oram, DBE, RRC, Matron 1903, Principal Matron -South Africa, 1911-1914, Nursing Inspector and attached to BEF 1914-1915, and Matron in Chief (Acting ) Eastern Mediterranean Force 1915-1919. * May Russell, RRC, Matron, 1903-1911. * Caroline Hutton Potts, Matron,1904-1911. * Gertrude Richards, CBE, RRC, Matron,1904-1919.

Territorial Force Nursing Service

The Territorial Force Nursing Service (TFNS) was originally formed to staff the territorial force hospitals at home, and the majority of its members spent their service during

World War I World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...

in the United Kingdom, not only in the 25 territorial hospitals, but also in hundreds of auxiliary units throughout the British Isles. Within a short time they were also employed in the eighteen territorial hospitals abroad, and alongside their QAIMNS colleagues in military hospitals, casualty clearing stations and on

hospital ships A hospital ship is a ship designated for primary function as a floating healthcare, medical treatment facility or hospital. Most are operated by the military forces (mostly navy, navies) of various countries, as they are intended to be used in or ...

in France and Belgium,

Malta Malta, officially the Republic of Malta, is an island country in Southern Europe located in the Mediterranean Sea, between Sicily and North Africa. It consists of an archipelago south of Italy, east of Tunisia, and north of Libya. The two ...

Salonica Thessaloniki (; ), also known as Thessalonica (), Saloniki, Salonika, or Salonica (), is the second-largest city in Greece (with slightly over one million inhabitants in its Thessaloniki metropolitan area, metropolitan area) and the capital cit ...

Gibraltar Gibraltar ( , ) is a British Overseas Territories, British Overseas Territory and British overseas cities, city located at the southern tip of the Iberian Peninsula, on the Bay of Gibraltar, near the exit of the Mediterranean Sea into the A ...

Egypt Egypt ( , ), officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, is a country spanning the Northeast Africa, northeast corner of Africa and Western Asia, southwest corner of Asia via the Sinai Peninsula. It is bordered by the Mediterranean Sea to northe ...

Mesopotamia Mesopotamia is a historical region of West Asia situated within the Tigris–Euphrates river system, in the northern part of the Fertile Crescent. Today, Mesopotamia is known as present-day Iraq and forms the eastern geographic boundary of ...

and

East Africa East Africa, also known as Eastern Africa or the East of Africa, is a region at the eastern edge of the Africa, African continent, distinguished by its unique geographical, historical, and cultural landscape. Defined in varying scopes, the regi ...

Territorial Army Nursing Service

The Territorial Army Nursing Service (TANS) was formed in 1920, when the Territorial Force was renamed the Territorial Army. It existed until 1949, when both regular and reserve nurses joined the QARANC. Territorial Army nurses served alongside QAIMNS nurses all over the world, and in all campaigns during

World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

Ranks

The initial ranking system used by the QAIMNS was as follows.

Senior appointments

The Colonel in Chief was The Duchess of Edinburgh GCVO GCStJ CD. The Corps had two Colonels Commandant, Colonel Andrea Lewis RRC, who was appointed in 2023, and Colonel Kevin Davies MBE RRC OStJ TD DL, who was appointed in 2017. In January 2016 a new post, Chief Nursing Officer (Army), replaced the role of Matron-in-Chief and the Director Army Nursing Services.

List of Chief Nursing Officers (Army)

*Colonel Karen J Irvine (January 2016 – January 2018) *Colonel Alison McCourt (February 2018 – 2019) *Colonel Alison Farmer (December 2019 – Nov 2022) *Colonel Paul Jackson (Nov 2022 – Present)

List of Matrons-in-Chief QAIMNS/QARANC

* Dame Sidney Browne (1902–1906) * Caroline Keer (1906–1910) * Dame Ethel Becher (1910–1919)Such was the expansion of QAIMNS during the First World War that there were three Matrons-in-Chief simultaneously (Becher, McCarthy & Oram). * Dame Maud McCarthy (1914–1919) (France & Flanders) * Dame Sarah Oram (1915–1919) (Middle East) * Beatrice Isabel Jones (1916–1920) for

* Dame Anne Beadsmore Smith (1919–1924) * Florence Hodgins (1924–1928) * Rosabelle Osborne (1928–1930) * Marguerite Medforth (1930–1934) * Daisy Martin, 1934–1938) * Catherine Roy (1938–1940) * Dame Katharine Jones (1940–1944) * Dame Louisa Wilkinson (1944–1946) * Lilian Hunnings (1946–1948) * Brigadier Dame Anne Thomson (1948–1952) * Brigadier Dame Helen Gillespie (1952–1956) * Brigadier Dame Monica Golding (1956–1960) * Brigadier Dame Barbara Cozens (1960–1964) * Brigadier Dame Margot Turner (1964–1968) * Brigadier Barbara Gordon (1968–1973) * Brigadier Helen Cattanach (1973–1977) * Brigadier Joan Moriarty (1977–1981) * Brigadier Vera Rooke (1981–1984) * Brigadier Rita Hennessy (1985–1989) * Brigadier Jill Field (1989–1992) * Brigadier Hilary Dixon-Nuttall (1992–1995) * Brigadier Jane Arigho (1995–1999) * Colonel Bridget McEvilly, 1999–2002) * Colonel Kathy George (2002–2005) * Colonel John Quinn (2005–2008) * Colonel Wendy Spencer (2008–2011) * Colonel Pete Childerley (2011–2013) * Colonel David Bates (2013–2016)

List of Matrons-in-Chief TFNS/TANS

* Dame Sidney Browne (1909–1920) * Dame Maud McCarthy (1920–1925) * Dame Anne Beadsmore Smith (1925–1931) * Rosabelle Osborne (1931–1936) * Agatha Phillips (1936–1940)

References

Order of precedence

External links

Official website

QARANC Association Official website

History and information about Army Nurses (QARANC Association Official history website)
{{The British Army British administrative corps Health in Surrey Medical units and formations of the British Army Military units and formations established in 1902 Army medical administrative corps 1902 establishments in the United Kingdom Nursing organisations in the United Kingdom Organisations based in Surrey Staff College, Camberley