#12 Hospital

Heroes Remember

#12 Hospital

Transcript

We went up to Belgium Turnhout in the back of ambulances and that was quite a distance to be riding in an ambulance. We opened a hospital there and that was quite a big hospital. I had a ward of 30 Jerry's. We had to give penicillin to all the patients so every three hours I was jabbing needles into these men, I think there must have been about 50 and I started at 9 o'clock and I ended at 12, and started all over again because you had to give it every 3 hours at that time. I had 30 and then I had English and Canadian patients as well. Every time I went into this ward, the one German that was in charge of it, he'd get up and yell at the rest, "Attention!"only it was in German. But I got along fine with them, they were just the same as we were. We looked after them just as though they were our own.

Description

Ms. Beattie, now with #12 hospital in Belgium, describes the around the clock regimen of penicillin injections she gave to both Allied and German patients, all of whom being treated with equal care.

Edna Beattie

Edna Beattie, the second youngest of seven children, was born in Thorndale, Ontario on December 17, 1915. Life was difficult on the family's farm. Ms. Beattie decided to be a nurse, and trained at the Victoria Hospital in London, Ontario. She enlisted in 1940, and then worked at the London Military Hospital. In 1941, Ms. Beattie went to England where she joined #15 Hospital. After falling ill, she was sent home to Canada. She later returned overseas, joining #12 Hospital in France. After moving to Belgium, she treated both Allied and German wounded.

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