Georgina Fane Pope

Georgina Fane Pope. Born Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island 1862. Died June 6, 1938.  She graduated from the Bellevue Hospital School of Nursing, in New York. and served in various administrative positions at hospitals in the US. With the Canadian involvement in the South African War , she volunteered for nursing services with the British forces in October 1899. In fact she headed the first group of four Canadian nurses. In 1902 she returned to South Africa , leading a small nursing force, the third such group but this time they were officially the Canadian Army Nursing Service, a part of the Canadian Army Medical Corp. In 1903 she was the first Canadian to receive the Royal Red Cross for conspicuous service in the field. Once more at home, she continued to serve in the Canadian reserves. By 1906 she was working with the permanent forces at the Garrison Hospital at Halifax and in 1908 she became the first Matron of the Canadian Army Medical Corp. She served in World War 1 in 1917 -1918.  In 1983 Canada’s National Historical Sites and Monument Board declared her a National Historic Person of Canada.