Queen Alexandra's Royal Army Nursing Corps

Did You Know?

• The Territorial Army Nursing Service (TANS) was formed in 1920 when the Territorial Force was renamed the Territorial Army, and existed until 1949.
• In January 2016, the role of Matron-in-Chief and Director Army Nursing Services was replaced by the post of Chief Nursing Officer (Army).
• Territorial Army nurses served alongside QAIMNS nurses worldwide during World War II.

History

The Queen Alexandra's Royal Army Nursing Corps traces its beginnings to Florence Nightingale, who pushed for the backing of female military nurses. The Army Nursing Service, founded in 1881, began supplying Sisters to army hospitals of at least 100 beds from 1889, though it kept only a small staff. In 1897, Princess Christian's Army Nursing Service Reserve was created to bolster it; this reserve started the First Boer War with roughly 100 members, then grew to more than 1400 during the fighting.

It later evolved into the Queen Alexandra's Imperial Military Nursing Service, established by Royal Warrant on 27 March 1902 and named for Queen Alexandra, who served as its president. In 1949, this service became a British Army corps, renamed the Queen Alexandra's Royal Army Nursing Corps. The corps has trained nurses since 1950, and men were first permitted to join in 1992. The Queen Alexandra's Royal Army Nursing Corps Association is a registered charity.

Queen Alexandra held the presidency from 1902 until her death in 1925, succeeded the next year by Queen Mary. On 15 October 2024, the Secretary of State for Defence announced it would merge with the Royal Army Dental Corps and Royal Army Medical Corps into a single corps, the Royal Army Medical Service.

The Army Nursing Service

Five early members of the Army Nursing Service trained at The London Hospital under Eva Luckes and later became Superintendents, also serving in the QAIMNS. They were May Russell (joined 1885, promoted 1893), Ann Garriock (joined 1886, promoted 1899), Sarah Elizabeth Oram (joined 1886, promoted 1899), Caroline Hutton Potts (joined 1887, promoted to Acting Superintendent 1899), and Sarah Lucy Wilshaw (joined 1887, promoted to Acting Superintendent 1900). Caroline Hodgson was Matron from 1893 to 1904.

Queen Alexandra's Imperial Military Nursing Service (QAIMNS)

To form Queen Alexandra’s Imperial Nursing Service, King Edward VII sought advice from Sir Frederick Treves and Sydney Holland, who then consulted Matron Eva Luckes. Six of the first 27 matrons and principal matrons were London Hospital trainees under Luckes.

Territorial Force Nursing Service

The Territorial Force Nursing Service (TFNS) was formed to staff territorial force hospitals at home. During World War I, most members served in the United Kingdom, not only in 25 territorial hospitals but also in hundreds of auxiliary units. They were also employed in eighteen territorial hospitals abroad and alongside QAIMNS colleagues in military hospitals, casualty clearing stations, and on hospital ships in France, Belgium, Malta, Salonica, Gibraltar, Egypt, Mesopotamia, and East Africa.