‘Aristocratic Amazons in Arms’: the First Aid Nursing Yeomanry, 1907–1918 – Professor Juliette Pattinson
23 Jan

Seminar series: Women and the First World War

Professor Juliette Pattinson, King’s College, London

‘Aristocratic Amazons in Arms’: the First Aid Nursing Yeomanry, 1907-1918

The First Aid Nursing Yeomanry, or FANY, formed in 1907 and still in existence today with unbroken voluntary service, is the longest established women’s military organisation. The Corps was the first to actively prepare for service, to wear military uniform, and to adopt khaki, to staff a regimental first aid post near the front line and drive officially for the British army in Northern France. They were also the only British unit to be sworn in as soldiers of the Belgian army and were the most highly decorated women’s corps of the First World War. As one British soldier surmised during the First World War, its acronym must surely have stood for ‘First ANYwhere’. This talk draws on members’ memoirs and oral histories, FANY records and newspaper articles to examine the early years of this long-standing unit. It considers the wider context of the formation of the Corps, the women who flocked to this innovative organisation and their service during the First World War.

  • Venue: In Flanders Fields Museum, Ieper.
  • Date: Thursday 23 January 2025
  • Time: 7pm

The seminar series is presented by In Flanders Fields Museum, Ieper – School of History and the University of Kent in partnership with The Western Front Association.

This is the ninth series of seminars on the history of the First World War, free and open to all. The theme for this series is Women and the First World War.

In Flanders Fields Museum, Lakenhallen, Grote Markt 34, 8900 Ieper, Belgium
‘Aristocratic Amazons in Arms’: the First Aid Nursing Yeomanry, 1907–1918 – Professor Juliette Pattinson, flandersfields@ieper.be
23 Jan 2025 19:00