Sailing on the HMCS Lady Nelson
Heroes Remember
Sailing on the HMCS Lady Nelson
Transcript
Description
Ms. Orford describes the protocol for women sailing overseas, and describes her trip to England aboard the first Canadian hospital ship, HMCS Lady Nelson.
Elizabeth Orford
Elizabeth Orford was born on April 14, 1923 in Toronto, Ontario. She chose physiotherapy as a career and graduated from the University of Toronto in June, 1943. Ms. Orford interned at the Children's Memorial Hospital, dealing with victims of polio. When asked to join the Royal Canadian Army Medical Corps, she accepted, enlisting in Montreal. Ms. Orford first served in Canadian military hospitals, dealing with infantry and flight training injuries. She went overseas, and worked in #9 Canadian hospital, Horsham, then moved to #24 Canadian hospital, Horley. There, Ms. Orford treated many amputees and burn victims. After returning home, she worked at the Christie Street Veterans Hospital in Toronto.
Meta Data
- Medium:
- Video
- Owner:
- Veterans Affairs Canada
- Duration:
- 2:02
- Person Interviewed:
- Elizabeth Orford
- War, Conflict or Mission:
- Second World War
- Branch:
- Army
- Units/Ship:
- Royal Canadian Army Medical Corps
- Rank:
- Lieutenant
Related Videos
First posting
Ms. Orford describes her first posting to the Oakville Casualty Retraining Center, where she provided physiotherapy to soldiers injured at neighboring training camps.
Photos and correspondence
Ms. Orford describes how the military and media often photographed and printed pictures of events in her rehab center. She also describes being contacted by a woman who wrote to every service person she saw in the newspaper.
A working passage
Ms. Orford describes being asked to treat patients aboard the HMCS Lady Nelson. She treats a variety of injuries, but remembers in particular a severely crippled polio patient.
Liverpool to Bramshott
Ms. Orford describes her experiences traveling from Liverpool to the manning depot at Bramshot, including experiencing a V-bomb attack at Waterloo Station in London.
#9 Hospital at Horsham
Ms. Orford discusses the conversion of an alms house into #9 Hospital in Horsham, England. She describes the situation there as very busy, and well managed despite a lack of equipment.
#24 Hospital at Horley
#24 Hospital in Horley, England. This was a much larger facility which dealt with soldiers wounded in battle. Ms. Orford describes the types of injuries she saw, and praises her patients, many of whom helped the nursing staff if they were able.
Business and pleasure in London
Ms. Orford describes two interesting trips she had to London. The first was to attend a physiotherapy conference. The second, and the highlight, was to attend a ceremony in which her future brother-in-law received the Military Cross from King George VI at Buckingham Palace.
A continuum of care
Ms. Orford remembers a patient she had treated in England, and had then treated at Christie St. Veterans Hospital in Toronto after the war. She marvels at the surgery which allowed this veteran to regain the use of his hands and return to his prewar occupation. Ms. Orford goes on to discuss how wives coped with their husbands' disabilities.
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