In Memoriam - Edith Cavell part three

"Nurse Edith Cavell. Patriot & Martyr. Funeral Procession, May 15th 1919." published by Beagles postcards.

After the war Edith Cavell's body was removed from the Execution burial ground and returned to England. Her body was transported by rail from Dover to London and a State Funeral was held at Westminister Abbey where thousands lined the streets of Westminister to pay their respects. Following the service she was re-buried on home soil at Norwich Cathedral.

Real photographic postcard of London & North Western Railway Company locomotive 2275 named "Edith Cavell" and dressed in patriotic splendour with a sign that reads "Lest We Forget".

Nurse Cavell is remembered the world over. Numerous memorials bear her name including this steam locomotive pictured above. Some of the memorials in New Zealand include;

Edith Cavell Hospital, Paparoa

Nurse Cavell Lane, opposite Edith Cavell Hospital in Paparoa

Edith Cavell Home & Hospital Ltd, Sumner, Christchurch

A plaque dedicated to Nurse Cavell unveiled in May 1917 at Maniopoto Hospital in Otago

Edith Cavell Bridge built at Arthur's Point between Queenstown and Arrowtown, and which stands over the Shotover River. Constructed between 1917 and 1919.

Cavell Street, Dunedin

Cavell Street, Reefton

Nurse Cavell statue sculptured by Captain William Henry Feldon, NZEF for St Mary's Hospital, Auckland

One of the trees planted in an avenue of trees on Hall Road (now Halver Road) in Manurewa honours the memory of Nurse Cavell. Sadly, the trees on this road no longer exist.

Patriotism is not enough - Edith Cavell part two

Real photographic postcard of the graves of Nurse Edith Cavell (centre) and architect Philippe Baucq, Belgium.

Belgian born Philippe Baucq was caught by the German authorities and convicted of spying. Nurse Cavell was caught and accused of treason. Cavell and Baucq were transported by German military vehicles from St Gilles Prison to Belgium's national shooting range at Schaerbeek on 12 October 1915. They were both shot dead by firing squad and buried at the execution ground as seen above.

Nurse Cavell's execution was widely publicised throughout the British Empire and the Dominion of New Zealand. Both true and fictional accounts of the execution spread through the world's newspapers. Cavell's death quickly led to her recognition as a hero, and the propaganda machine began (as seen by the smoking gun  held by the German officer in the fictional depiction of her execution below).

On 4 December 1915 the New Zealand Herald reported "the execution of Miss Edith Cavell, the English nurse, on a charge of harbouring in Brussels, has greatly shocked the Belgian community in that unhappy land, and they call it the bloodiest act of the whole war".

The Martyr Nurse - Edith Cavell part one

"Abide with me; fast falls the eventide. The Martyr Nurse." by artist Alfred Pearse.

British nurse Edith Cavell put her own life at risk during the early stages of the First World War. She assisted Belgian, British and French soldiers to escape German occupied Belgium for the safety of neutral Holland.
On 3 August 1915 German authorities arrested Nurse Cavell having discovered she had been hiding allied soldiers from them, and had committed treason. She was put on trial and condemned to death. Hours before her execution, she was given Holy Communion by Reverend Gahan and Nurse Cavell told him "Patriotism is not enough. I must have no hatred or bitterness towards anyone." 
A firing squad of eight German soldiers shot her dead at Schaerbeek on 12 October 1915.

This postcard was painted by London born artist Alfred Pearse. He had earlier visited New Zealand in June 1901 and was the illustrator for G.A.Henty’s book "Maori and Settler. A Story of the New Zealand War". He was also artist for the popular publication the “Graphic” during the King and Queen’s royal tour in 1901.

Pearse, age 61, enlisted as official New Zealand War Artist and commenced duty on 11 September 1918 at the rank of Honorary Captain with the New Zealand Rifle Brigade. He was attached to Brigadier-General C.W. Melville’s headquarters. On 27 September he left Headquarters in London for the battlefields in France and worked on a number of sketches and watercolours. By November the war had ended and in March 1919 Pearse was demobilized and discharged from military service.
Some of his work was reproduced and printed on postcards during the war including the postcard shown here “The Martyr Nurse", and "Heroic Nuns at Rheims” from a set of Gallant Deeds postcards, and also a set entitled “It’s a long, long way from Tipperary”, “Rescuing a wounded comrade under fire” and “Tank in action” for the King.

Alfred Pearse died in 1933 in London age 77 years.

War in the Air

"Brought down in flames", by British artist C.T. Howard.

Postcard no.1749, printed and published by J. Salmon, Sevenoaks, England. 

Whilst many young New Zealand men served in infantry and mounted regiments during the First World War, some saw active service in the Royal Flying Corps (RFC).


William and Rainsford Balcombe-Brown are the sons of Edward and Eliza Mary Balcombe-Brown, of Upper Hutt. Lieutenant William Balcombe-Brown of 68th Battery Royal Field Artillery was killed in shell fire in Belgium on 29 June 1915, age 22 years. His brother, Rainsford Balcombe-Brown became an airman and served in the Royal Flying Corps. Rainsford was promoted to Major and given command of 56 Squadron, Royal Flying Corps. He was decorated with the Military Cross for shooting down a German observation balloon in 1916.

In 1918 he was last sighted in the air in combat against four German triplanes. Sadly, he was reported missing on 2nd May and declared killed in action in France at the age of 23. Major Balcombe-Brown was the highest ranking New Zealand airman to be killed during the war. He is buried at Carnoy Military Cemetery located at the Somme in France.

Source: Otago Daily Times, 8 June 1918

Armentieres

"Armentieres. - La Rue du Pont de Flandre." published by Louis Levy ("L.L."), Paris.

The New Zealanders arrived in France in April 1916 and by May they were stationed in the Armentieres sector. New Zealand soldiers quickly discovered that the French town of Armentieres was a 'hot spot' for enemy shelling and the town and its outskirts would long be remembered by them as the scene for some of their first experiences of trench warfare and heavy bombardment.

Armentieres is located in northern France very close to the border of Belgium. To the west of the town, 453 New Zealand soldiers' graves lie in the largest New Zealand military cemetery in France, the Cite Bonjean Military Cemetery. One of the soldiers buried there is Private Robert John Cook, an 18 year old Wellingtonian who died of wounds in May 1916 and whose name is inscribed on the bell "Armentieres" at the National War Memorial Carillon in Wellington, New Zealand.

The French town is also famously referred to in the popular war song "Mademoiselle from Armentieres". There were many verses and all were sung with such vigour by soldiers on their march to war;

Oh, Mademoiselle from Armentieres,
  Parley-vous
Oh, Mademoiselle from Armentieres,
  Parley-vous
Mademoiselle from Armentieres, 
She hasn't been kissed for forty years!
Hinky-dinky, parlez-vous?

Oh, Mademoiselle from Armentieres, 
  Parley-vous
Oh, Mademoiselle from Armentieres, 
  Parley-vous
You might forget the gas and shell
But you'll nev'r forget the Mademoiselle!
Hinky-dinky, parlez-vous?

Oh, Mademoiselle from Armentieres, 
  Parley-vous
Oh, Mademoiselle from Armentieres, 
  Parley-vous
Where are the girls who used to swarm
About me in my uniform?

Hinky-dinky, parlez-vous?