We had been told by our tutor that our results would arrive on this specific Saturday and she gave us our orders on how to proceed when we got our results. A “Pass” meant that we had contact the tutor who would be in her office to hear the news then go straight to the Stores where we would be issued with our frilly caps and red belt. The following day, we were to proceed to the QATC in Aldershot where Staff Nurse Block would begin early on Monday morning.
A “Fail” meant that we had to contact the tutor who would advise us on submitting a resit application.
The problem was that no contingency had been made for the Royal Mail and the possibility that someone may not get their results!!!! Yes, that was me! The poor soldier in the post room looked high and low, checked every pigeon hole and even checked the bottom of the sack but alas, no envelope for me. What to do now that I couldn’t follow orders? Of course, I contacted the tutor who told me in no uncertain terms that it must have been my fault and that I couldn’t have addressed my envelope correctly! Really?
I was then instructed to pack for Aldershot but wait until Monday morning and if I passed, I had to get myself to the QATC as quickly as possible. There would be no time to collect a frilly cap or red belt. I did pass and I managed to get there in time for the afternoon session. Of course, I had to have a meeting with the tutor there who again gave me a right telling off for being late for Staff Nurse Block and of course it must have been my fault. I think my name was mud but it wasn’t the last mud I would see that week!
The week went well and we had been told we would get our badge on Friday. We were so excited as we had been looking forward to getting our “dustbin lid”, the cherished 2” gunmetal grey badge proudly inscribed with “Army Trained Nurse”. However, when we were given our badges, we looked at them in dismay. What were these little blue badges and where were our dustbin lids? We were told that they were no longer being issued and these little blue badges were the new SRN Army Medical Services School of Nursing Badge. We left the QATC feeling very deflated.
The problem was that no contingency had been made for the Royal Mail and the possibility that someone may not get their results!!!! Yes, that was me! The poor soldier in the post room looked high and low, checked every pigeon hole and even checked the bottom of the sack but alas, no envelope for me. What to do now that I couldn’t follow orders? Of course, I contacted the tutor who told me in no uncertain terms that it must have been my fault and that I couldn’t have addressed my envelope correctly! Really?
I was then instructed to pack for Aldershot but wait until Monday morning and if I passed, I had to get myself to the QATC as quickly as possible. There would be no time to collect a frilly cap or red belt. I did pass and I managed to get there in time for the afternoon session. Of course, I had to have a meeting with the tutor there who again gave me a right telling off for being late for Staff Nurse Block and of course it must have been my fault. I think my name was mud but it wasn’t the last mud I would see that week!
The week went well and we had been told we would get our badge on Friday. We were so excited as we had been looking forward to getting our “dustbin lid”, the cherished 2” gunmetal grey badge proudly inscribed with “Army Trained Nurse”. However, when we were given our badges, we looked at them in dismay. What were these little blue badges and where were our dustbin lids? We were told that they were no longer being issued and these little blue badges were the new SRN Army Medical Services School of Nursing Badge. We left the QATC feeling very deflated.
On the way back to Woolwich I realised that I was on night duty the following night and I did not have a frilly cap or red belt. Whilst I could have got them on the Saturday morning, the frilly cap needed to be soaked in starch and dried overnight in time for me to spray starch it within an inch of its life if it were to stand tall the following night. Fortunately, my room mate wasn’t due at work until Monday so she let me have one of hers and I repaid her when I got mine.
On Saturday, I spent ages starching this cap and getting the frills to stand up nicely. I then had a rest in the afternoon ready for night duty. Although not a great quality photograph, you can see how proud I was ready for my first shift as a Staff Nurse. But pride comes before a fall…….
While we had been in Aldershot, the weather in Woolwich had been wet and windy but, on the Saturday, it was good, if a little breezy. At that time, we were still living in the accommodation on Academy Road which meant that to get to the QEMH, we had to cross Woolwich Common.
I realised as I was walking across that it was a bit wet underfoot but there was a well worn path which I followed. Then disaster struck. An almighty gust of wind took my gorgeous frilly cap and promptly dumped it in a muddy puddle!
I think I was in shock as I stared at it for a moment and then had to make a decision. Do I run back to the accommodation in the hope that someone can lend me a frilly cap? If I did that, I would be late on duty (and a QA is never late) and that would inconvenience the staff I would be taking over from. Or, do I carry on and risk being charged with being improperly dressed? So, I rescued my now very muddy cap and carried on.
I was working on Ward 1 so didn’t have far to go once I had got past the reception desk. To my sheer relief, the nurse I was taking over from was a Staff Nurse and not a Sister and when she saw how upset I was she gave me her frilly cap for the night and I returned it in the morning so all was well.
Going back to the dustbin lid, the following week my room mate came in from work and I noticed she had one. Apparently, she had chatted up the Stores Sergeant and he had found one for her. She swore blind that she asked him to try to find one for me as well but he could only find one.
Whilst I was thrilled for her, I never did get my dustbin lid but despite the wording on the little blue badge, I am still proud to call myself an “Army Trained Nurse”.
While we had been in Aldershot, the weather in Woolwich had been wet and windy but, on the Saturday, it was good, if a little breezy. At that time, we were still living in the accommodation on Academy Road which meant that to get to the QEMH, we had to cross Woolwich Common.
I realised as I was walking across that it was a bit wet underfoot but there was a well worn path which I followed. Then disaster struck. An almighty gust of wind took my gorgeous frilly cap and promptly dumped it in a muddy puddle!
I think I was in shock as I stared at it for a moment and then had to make a decision. Do I run back to the accommodation in the hope that someone can lend me a frilly cap? If I did that, I would be late on duty (and a QA is never late) and that would inconvenience the staff I would be taking over from. Or, do I carry on and risk being charged with being improperly dressed? So, I rescued my now very muddy cap and carried on.
I was working on Ward 1 so didn’t have far to go once I had got past the reception desk. To my sheer relief, the nurse I was taking over from was a Staff Nurse and not a Sister and when she saw how upset I was she gave me her frilly cap for the night and I returned it in the morning so all was well.
Going back to the dustbin lid, the following week my room mate came in from work and I noticed she had one. Apparently, she had chatted up the Stores Sergeant and he had found one for her. She swore blind that she asked him to try to find one for me as well but he could only find one.
Whilst I was thrilled for her, I never did get my dustbin lid but despite the wording on the little blue badge, I am still proud to call myself an “Army Trained Nurse”.
Oh gosh that lovely frilly cap in the mud! Glad you received your results in the end.....
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