CEFRG is proud to present our first blog post about a Bluebird. Matron Bertha Jane Willoughby, C.B.E., O.B.E., R.R.C., was highly decorated during the Great War. Commander of the Order of the British Empire, Officer of the Order of the British Empire, and Royal Red Cross 1st Class. Mentioned in Dispatches, no less than three times.
Worth noting, two of the Mentions came from the Commander-in-Chiefs in Egypt, and the Western Front. Matron Bertha Jane Willoughby was also awarded the 1914 Star, British War Medal, and Victory Medal. She served in England, France, Dardanelles, and Egypt with the Canadian Army Medical Corps (C.A.M.C.) in the Great War.
Canadian Nursing Sisters were nicknamed Bluebirds, for their blue uniforms and white veils. The soldiers did call them Bluebirds, and many would inadvertently call them Mom. However, for all wounded soldiers, friend or foe, they were comforting Angels of Mercy.
Before the Great War
Bertha ‘Bertie’ Jane Willoughby was born 24 November 1876 in Gananoque, Ontario. She was raised near Ellisville where her father, Henry N. Willoughby, was a cheese maker at Cold Glen Factory. At the time of her enlistment, Bertie was Superintendent of a Public Hospital. Her brother, H.W. Willoughby, resided in Lyndhurst, Ontario. Bertie was Methodist.
Bertie enrolled, in 1905, and went to Kingston General Hospital School of Nursing. Graduated, in 1908, and became the Superintendent of Nurses from 1908 until 1912. After that, Bertie transferred to the Protestant Hospital in Smith’s Falls.
Service of Matron Bertha Jane Willoughby
Assistant Matron Bertha Jane Willoughby enlisted with No. 1 Canadian General Hospital, C.M.A.C., at Valcartier, Quebec on 24 September 1914. Bertie’s attestation paper clearly states she was 7′ 1/2″ tall. This is by far the largest error, of many, in height description of C.E.F. personnel. However, though tall, Bertie was actually 5′ and 7 1/2″, 135 pounds, with dark complexion, dark hazel eyes, and gray hair. She had recovered from pneumonia when she was 9 years old, and had perfect hearing and vision. Oddly, the medical officer noted a “Lack of development”.
Canadian First Contingent
Bertie sailed for England on 22 September 1914. To proceed overseas, first Struck-off-Strength (S.o.S.) Cambridge General Hospital, 4 November 1914. Subsequently, arrived in France, 8 November 1914 with the Canadian First Contingent. Then, Taken-on-Strength (T.o.S.) by No.14 General Hospital, Eastbourne. Bertie admitted at No. 2 Canadian General Hospital, Le Touquet, with Bronchitis, 19 December 1914. Finally, she is discharged 19 January 1915.
Queen’s Canadian Military Hospital
The 18th Battalion Blog describes the hospital. The Queen’s Canadian Military Hospital was located in nearby Beachborough, Kent. It appears that there is no affiliation with Queen’s University in Kingston, Ontario. Located at Beachborough Manor. Affiliated with the Canadian Military infrastructure, but not formally under its control. This hospital was under the control of the Canadian War Contingent Association, with support from Canadian Lodge of Freemasons in London. Therefore, it did not report to the Canadian High Commission.
Opened in the residence of Sir Arthur Markham in October 1914. Active treatment hospital affiliated with the Shorncliffe Military Hospital (British), operated by Canadian and British personnel. Served soldiers of Other Ranks (non-Officers), and became an auxiliary hospital to Moore Barrack Hospital (Canadian), on December 1, 1917.
This facility was approximately 3-miles by road to Sandling and was convenient to both East and West Sandling Camps. The only Canadian Military Hospital operated wholly on voluntary funds. In addition, open to all soldiers of the His Majesty’s Dominions. Incredibly, only 30 of more than 3,000 soldiers treated here died.
Dardenelles and Egypt
On 24 July 1915, Bertie is to be Matron, she had been Assistant Matron until now. Once again, Bertie is proceeding overseas. But first, she is awarded Royal Red Cross, 1st Class. Then, at Hackery Hotel, London, 27-31 July 1915. Further, left hotel accommodations at West Cliff Hotel, Folkestone for Dardanelle, 31 July 1915. Finally, on 3 August 1915, disembarking overseas with No.5 Canadian Surgical Hospital. No.5 would become No.7 Canadian General Hospital.
On 16 March 1916, Bertha received her first Mention. Mentioned in Dispatches by Lt.-Gen. Sir J. G. Maxwell, Commanding Forces in Egypt, L.G. No. 29608, 21 June 1916. Bertha left Egypt on 11 April 1916, and arrived in France 21 April 1916.
France and England
Once again, on 28 December 1917, Mentioned in Dispatches by Commander-in-Chief, Sir Douglas Haig, London Gazette, No. 30448. Then, on 22 April 1918, Bertie is awarded the 1914 Star, having served with the First Contingent. And, once again, on 15 September 1918, she is S.o.S. to C.A.M.C. Casualty Company, Shorncliffe.
Demobilization of Matron Bertha Jane Willoughby
Once again, Mentioned in Dispatches, London Gazette No. 31089, 31 December 1918. Then, to be an Officer of the Order of the British Empire, L.G. No. 31092, 1 January 1919. Later, S.o.S. to No.15 Canadian General Hospital, Taplow, 14 June 1919. Finally, Bertie sailed to Canada on Sailing No.88, SS NORTHLAND, 26 June 1919.
On the same day, announced to be Principal Matron and Matron of Queen’s Military Hospital. But first, she has her final medical examination, 27 December 1919 at Kingston, Ontario. Then, Bertie is Struck-off-Strength at Sydenham Military Hospital, and posted to No.3 Depot, with effect from 31 December 1919.
Matron Bertha Jane Willoughby is S.o.S. of the C.E.F. in Canada on General Demobilization, with effect from 31 December 1919.
More
For more information about the Bluebirds, please see the excellent text, Sacrifice of Angels, by Corporal (Ret’d) Robyn-Rose May CD. The book covers 39 Canadian Nursing Sisters who died overseas in Greece, England and France, during the Great War. An upcoming blog post will feature one of these Angels of Mercy.
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Comments
2 Responses to “Matron Bertha Jane Willoughby in the Great War”
Congratulations on your site. I’m looking forward to future articles and thanks for the mention.
[…] on 1 March 1918. With the closing of the Matron-in-Chief’s Office in London, on 30 June 1919, the Canadian Nursing Sisters Demobilization in England had […]