Fields of Mud, Seeds of Hope is a unique sculptural piece commemorating the sacrifices made by the generation who served during the Great War and the legacies the conflict created.  Composed using battlefield mud from Passchendaele and earth taken from a Great War military camp in the U.K the work starts thoroughly soaked. As the wet mud dries and cracks the five battle weary silhouettes gradually appear, trudging home their backs to the past and facing the future.

Fields of Mud, Seeds of Hope will be on display in Ripon Cathedral from 3rd October to 14th November. 

Admission to the exhibit is free, to the Cathedral by voluntary donation and can be viewed 7 days a week from 9:30-17:00.

STEP SHORT PARADE 22 July 2018

With France visible across the Strait of Dover, Folkestone became an important transit point in WW1 for soldiers including nurses leaving for the battlefields of the Western Front.  From August 2014 until the end of the war approximately 10 million men passed through the port to France including others who were returning on leave or who were wounded requiring hospital treatment.

Embarkation was from the Leas, the cliffs above the harbour, and men marched down a steep hill to the boats that would take them to France. The word of command given to the marching men was, ‘step short’ and so today we honour all those who fought and gave their lives in WW1 at the Step Short Parade at the War Memorial Arch situated on the Leas directly above the harbour.  Col Jane Carey-Harris, Majors Adele Rutledge, Christine Duchemin, Liz Gregory and Major Gwin Foley as standard bearer, paraded for Millbank Branch of the Queen Alexandra’s Royal Army Nursing Corps Association.  We were proud to join approximately 200 others on parade from military Associations including between 20-30 standards being proudly carried.

2018 marks a special milestone in our commemoration of all those who were involved in WW1 but particularly those who marched down the hill now known as the Road of Remembrance to Folkestone Harbour and the and battlefields beyond.

GEF 22 Jul 18

The QARANC Association will fully fund a PhD Scholar from within the Association membership to undertake PhD studies at the University of Cardiff commencing October 2019 (or sooner if it suits the person accepted).

The Association has a particular interest in the heritage of the Corps with one of the Objects of the Association being, “Fostering esprit de corps, comradeship and the welfare of the corps and preserving its traditions .", something that is also made clear in the establishment, and the Terms of Reference, of the Heritage and Chattels Committee.

Although much has been written about the history of Army nursing, and many scholars continue to research and write our history, there is a lack of authoritative writing from the perspective of Army nurses themselves. It has been difficult for Army nurses, serving or retired, to gain the necessary skills and standing to be able to write history that is acceptable in academic and scholarly contexts. There are members of the Association who would like the opportunity to gain these skills at Doctoral level, in order to advance the body of knowledge from within Army nursing.

SCHOLARSHIP

The QARANC Association will fully fund a PhD Scholar from within the Association membership to undertake PhD studies at the University of Cardiff commencing October 2019 (or sooner if it suits the person accepted). The main supervisor will be Professor Holly Furneaux of the School of English, Communication and Philosophy, University of Cardiff.

For more information on the Scholarship including how to apply download the attached document below