| Dame Helen Cargill DBE RRC | |
|---|---|
| Birth name | Helen Wilson Cargill |
| Born | 1 October 1896 |
| Died | 4 December 1969 (aged 73) |
| Allegiance | United Kingdom |
| Service/branch | Royal Air Force |
| Years of service | 1923–1952 |
| Rank | Air Commandant |
| Unit | Princess Mary's Royal Air Force Nursing Service |
| Battles/wars | World War Two |
| Awards |
Royal Red Cross, 2nd Class (1941) Royal Red Cross, 1st Class (1945) Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire (1951) |
Air Commandant Dame Helen Wilson Cargill, DBE RRC (1 October 1896 – 4 December 1969) was a British nurse and Royal Air force officer. From 1948 to 1952, she was Matron-in-Chief of Princess Mary's Royal Air Force Nursing Service.[1]
Early life and education[]
11 Cluny Avenue, Edinburgh
Cargill was born on 1 October 1896, the daughter of William Cargill SSC and his wife, Jane Elizabeth Murphy. They lived at 11 Cluny Avenue in Morningside, Edinburgh.[2]
She was educated at St Bride's School, Edinburgh. From 1919 to 1923, she trained as a nurse at St George's Hospital, a teaching hospital in London.[1]
Military career[]
The grave of Dame Helen Cargill, Morningside Cemetery, Edinburgh
In June 1923, Cargill joined the newly re-named Princess Mary's Royal Air Force Nursing Service.[3] She was promoted to sister on 1 July 1926,[4] and to senior sister on 1 February 1939.[5] During the interwar period, she served in the United Kingdom and in the Middle East.[3]
Cargill saw active service during World War Two.[3] She was an acting matron as of June 1941.[6] From 1942 to 1944, she served in the UK and in Aden.[3] Following the Normandy Landings, she was Matron of the RAF Hospital in Normandy, France.[3] From September 1944 to May 1945, the end of the war in Europe, she was Matron of a hospital in Brussels, Belgium.[3]
Cargill returned to the United Kingdom after the end of the war and spent the rest of her military career as Matron of the RAF Hospital in Matlock, Derbyshire.[3] This was a psychiatric hospital that specialised in the treatment of former prisoners of war.[3] On 16 July 1948, she was appointed the Matron-in-Chief (IE head) of Princess Mary's Royal Air Force Nursing Service.[1][7] On 1 February 1949, when the women's forces were integrated into the British Armed Forces, she was granted the rank of air commandant.[8] On 12 May 1952, she retired from the military due to "medical unfitness for air force service".[1][3][9]
Honours[]
In the 1941 King's Birthday Honours, Cargill was appointed an Associate Member of the Royal Red Cross (ARRC).[6] In the 1945 King's Birthday Honours, she was promoted to Member of the Royal Red Cross (RRC).[10] In June 1949, she was appointed a Commander of the Order of St John (CStJ).[11] In the 1951 New Year Honours, she was appointed a Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire (DBE).[12]
Death[]
She died on 4 December 1969 and was buried with her parents in Morningside Cemetery, Edinburgh, close to their family home. The toppled gravestone lies in the south-west section.
References[]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 "CARGILL, Air Commandant Dame Helen Wilson". Oxford University Press. April 2014. http://www.ukwhoswho.com/view/article/oupww/whowaswho/U53978. Retrieved 1 October 2016.
- ↑ Edinburgh and Leith Post Office Directory 1896–97
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5 3.6 3.7 3.8 "Private Papers of Air Commandant Dame Helen W Cargill". iwm.org.uk. http://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/1030004305. Retrieved 1 October 2016.
- ↑ "No. 33184". 20 July 1926. pp. 4802–4803. https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/33184/page/4802
- ↑ "No. 34596". 7 February 1939. p. 868. https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/34596/page/868
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 "No. 35204". 27 June 1941. p. 3752. https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/35204/supplement/3752
- ↑ "New Matron-In-Chief" (pdf). The British Journal of Nursing. July 1948. p. 81. http://www2.rcn.org.uk/development/rcn_archives/historical_nursing_journals/browse_journals?sq_content_src=%2BdXJsPWh0dHAlM0ElMkYlMkZyY25hcmNoaXZlLnJjbi5vcmcudWslMkZkYXRhJTJGVk9MVU1FMDk2LTE5NDglMkZwYWdlMDgxLXZvbHVtZTk2LWp1bHkxOTQ4LnBkZiZhbGw9MQ%3D%3D. Retrieved 2 October 2016.
- ↑ "No. 39043". 17 October 1950. p. 5161. https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/39043/supplement/5161
- ↑ "No. 39539". 9 May 1952. p. 2578. https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/39539/supplement/2578
- ↑ "W.R.A.F. Director To Be A.D.C. To The King". The Times. 31 March 1949. p. 4.
- ↑ "No. 38650". 24 June 1949. p. 3132. https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/38650/page/3132
- ↑ "No. 39104". 29 December 1950. p. 9. https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/39104/supplement/9
External links[]
The original article can be found at Helen Cargill and the edit history here.