Shoulder cape : Sister L A Hooke, QAIMNS

Accession Number REL/15717
Collection type Heraldry
Object type Uniform
Physical description Brass, Cotton
Maker Unknown
Place made Malta
Date made c1915-1918
Conflict First World War, 1914-1918
Description

Queen Alexandra's Imperial Military Nursing Service (Reserve) lightweight grey cotton warp/wool weft cape. The cape is fastened at the collar with a small brass hook and eye. The body of the cape is made out of one panel of fabric with a wide (approximately 75mm) mitred scarlet cotton twill hem stitched to the outside. The rear of the cape has a small vent with a tab behind and a scarlet rosette stitched at the top of the vent. Cream thread remnants around the collar indicate where a white collar could have been lightly tacked. A ribbon bar for the 1914-15 star is pinned to the left breast, and the silver badge for the Queen Alexandra's Imperial Military Nursing Service Reserve pinned by its ribbon to the right breast.

History / Summary

Louisa Augusta Hooke was born in the 1870's in New England, NSW. She had retired from nursing and was holidaying in England with her mother when war was declared. She escorted her mother back on route to Australia as far as Colombo, and then returned to England and enlisted with Queen Alexandra's Imperial Military Nursing Service (Reserve) (QAIMNSR). She served in Malta in 1915, nursing wounded soldiers from the Gallipoli campaign. Her uniform is believed to have been made in Malta, as it is lightweight and suitable for the hot conditions there. She was also involved in nursing in England and Egypt before returning to Australia in 1921. Hooke did not nurse again and died in 1936.

Queen Alexandra's Imperial Military Nursing Service (QAIMNS) was established in 1902, replacing the Army Nursing Service in Great Britain. At the outbreak of the First World War there were 297 nurses in QAIMNS. This small number in the core service was maintained throughout the war, being supplemented by the approximately 11,000 nurses who enrolled in QAIMNS (Reserve). The women of QAIMNSR were employed on annual contracts, or until their services were no longer required. Women who joined QAIMNS or QAIMNSR were generally over 25 years old and single (although as the war progressed some younger or married women were able to join). They had to be well educated, of good social standing and to have completed a three year course of nurse training in a War Office approved hospital.