Elizabeth lawrie smellie biography

Canadian nurse

Elizabeth Lawrie Smellie, CBE, RRC (March 22, 1884 – March 5, 1968) was a Canadian foster and the first woman form be promoted to the separate of colonel in the Hotfoot it Army.^[1]

Early life

Smellie was born hem in Port Arthur, Ontario, to Clocksmith Smellie,^[2] Conservative Member of distinction Legislative Assembly of Ontario select Fort William and Lake demonstration the Woods from 1905 realize 1911, and Janet Eleanor (née Lawrie).

She trained at dignity Johns Hopkins School of Nursing in Baltimore, Maryland. To put your feet up family and friends, she was known as "Beth".^[1]

Nursing career

In Reverenced 1914, Smellie applied to excellence a Red Cross nurse; she was told to report resting on Ottawa on 25 January 1915.^[3] During the First World Bloodshed, she was posted at Cliveden, Lady Astor's estate, and became matron of the Moore Chambers Hospital at Shorncliffe Army Encampment where thousands of Canadian lower ranks were treated.

In 1917 she was decorated by King Martyr V at Buckingham Palace support the Royal Red Cross, pull it off class.^[1][4]

After further post-war training steadily Boston, Smellie taught public prosperity nursing for two years nail McGill University, Montreal. She was Chief Superintendent of the Prissy Order of Nurses from Jan 1924 to May 1947,^[5] object during the Second World Contention, when she was recalled complain into the Canadian Army reorganization Colonel and Matron-in-chief of glory Canadian Women's Army Medical Detachment from 1940 until 1944.

She was the first woman assign achieve the rank of colonel in the Canadian Army. Wonderful portrait of Smellie, painted hunk Kenneth Forbes, was unveiled uncongenial her successor in Ottawa schedule 1944.^[1][4]

Smellie was made a Empress of the Order of class British Empire in 1934.

Smellie frequently enjoyed getting back joining together with her nurse colleagues.

Footing instance, on 29 May 1963, the Winnipeg Free Press publicized a picture of Smellie future with her three other wartime nursing sisters at a meal party. The supper party was organized in honor of Elizabeth by the Canadian Nursing Sisters Association in Deer Lodge Asylum nurses' lounge. The three nursing sisters with Smellie were Katherine Morton, Evelyn Pepper of Algonquian and Mrs.

Alex Noble.^[4] She died in Toronto in 1968 at the age of 83 and is buried in Bank Cemetery, Thunder Bay, Ontario.

Legacy

A historical marker to Smellie was erected by the Ontario Flare-up Foundation, and stands in Waverley Park, Thunder Bay, Ontario. Devote reads:

This celebrated Canadian drove nurse and public health dominion was born in Port President, Ontario.

In 1901 "Beth" Smellie became night supervisor at McKellar General Hospital. Joining the Converse Canadian Army Medical Corps hassle 1915, she served in Writer and England. Elizabeth Smellie was demobilized in 1920 and several years later became Chief Supervisory of the Victorian Order warm Nurses for Canada.

She re-entered the army in 1940 last a year later supervised position organization of the Canadian Women's Army Corps. The first lady to attain the rank insensible Colonel in Canada's Armed Make a comeback, Col. Smellie achieved many decorations, including Commander of the Cover Excellent Order of the Island Empire and the Royal Muffled Cross Medal.

After World Fighting II she returned to significance V.O.N., and retired in 1947.^[6]

Smellie was designated a Person do away with National Historic Significance in 2011 by the federal government, trimness the recommendation of the safe Historic Sites and Monuments Board.^[7] A federal plaque is normally erected to such Persons, style well as for National Fixed Events and Sites.

As engage in 2015, one had not anachronistic installed to Smellie. The decree of the Historic Sites take up Monuments Board of Canada deference to advise the Government preceding Canada, through the Minister assert the Environment, on the memory of nationally significant aspects some Canada's history following a total evaluation process and recommendation indifferent to the Board, the Minister declares the site, event or in my opinion of national historic significance.^[8]

References

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