Queen Alexandra's Royal Army Nursing Corps

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Cap Badge of the Queen Alexandra's Royal Army Nursing Corps

Queen Alexandra's Royal Army Nursing Corps (QARANC; commonly known as the QAs) is the nursing branch of the British Army and part of the Army Medical Services.

In 1902, Queen Alexandra’s Imperial Military Nursing Service (QAIMNS) was established by Royal Warrant, and was named after Queen Alexandra, who became its President. In 1949, the QAIMNS became a corps in the British Army and was renamed Queen Alexandra’s Royal Army Nursing Corps.

The associated Queen Alexandra's Royal Army Nursing Corps Association is a registered charity.

Queen Alexandra was President until her death in 1925. The following year she was succeeded by Queen Mary.

1 Territorial Army Nursing Service
2 Ranks
3 List of Matrons-in-Chief QAIMNS/QARANC
4 List of Matrons-in-Chief TFNS/TANS
5 Footnotes
6 See also
- 6.1 Other Army medical services
- 6.2 Other Armed Forces nursing services
7 Order of Precedence
8 External links

[edit] Territorial Army Nursing Service

The Territorial Force Nursing Service (TFNS) was established in 1909 as a sister organisation to the QAIMNS. Its purpose was to supplement the regular service in emergencies and all its members worked as nurses in civilian life. It was renamed the Territorial Army Nursing Service (TANS) in 1920, when the Territorial Force was renamed the Territorial Army. It existed until 1949, when it became the Territorial Army branch of QARANC.

[edit] Ranks

The initial ranking system used by the QAIMNS was as follows.

QAIMNS rank	Equivalent Army rank (from 1941)
Staff Nurse^[1]
Sister	Lieutenant
Senior Sister^[2]	Captain
Matron	Major
Principal Matron	Lieutenant-Colonel
Chief Principal Matron^[3]	Colonel
Matron-in-Chief	Brigadier

From 30 May 1941 QAIMNS personnel were granted emergency commissions and wore rank insignia corresponding to their equivalent Army rank.

The TFNS/TANS ranking system was identical.

On 1 February 1949 the women's forces were integrated into the armed forces. Initially, QARANC, along with the Women's Royal Army Corps, adopted the old Auxiliary Territorial Service ranking system, with the Matron-in-Chief holding the rank of Senior Controller, but in 1950 both corps switched to ordinary Army ranks. Professional titles were still used on the wards.

Other Ranks were introduced in 1956.

[edit] List of Matrons-in-Chief QAIMNS/QARANC

Sidney Browne, 1902–1906
Caroline Keer, 1906–1910
Dame Ethel Becher, 1910–1919^[4]
Dame Maud McCarthy, 1914–1919^[4]
Dame Sarah Oram, 1915–1919^[4]
Anne Beadsmore Smith, 1919–1924
Florence Hodgins, 1924–1928
Rosabelle Osborne, 1928–1930
Marguerite Medforth, 1930–1934
Daisy Martin, 1934–1938
Catherine Roy, 1938–1940
Dame Katharine Jones, 1940–1944
Dame Louisa Wilkinson, 1944–1946
Lilian Hunnings, 1946–1948
Brigadier Dame Anne Thomson, 1948–1952
Brigadier Dame Helen Gillespie, 1952–1956
Brigadier Dame Monica Johnson, 1956–?
Brigadier Dame Barbara Cozens, ?–1964
Brigadier Dame Margot Turner, 1964–1968
Brigadier Barbara Gordon, 1968–1973
Brigadier Helen Cattanach, 1973–1977
Brigadier Joan Moriarty, 1977–1981
Brigadier Vera Rooke, 1981–?
Brigadier Mary Hennessy, ?–1989
Brigadier Jill Field, 1989–1992
Brigadier Hilary Dixon-Nuttall, 1992–1995
Brigadier Jane Arigho, 1995–?
Colonel John Quinn, 2005–

[edit] List of Matrons-in-Chief TFNS/TANS

Dame Sidney Browne, 1909–1920
Dame Maud McCarthy, 1920–1925
Dame Anne Beadsmore Smith, 1925–1931
Rosabelle Osborne, 1931–1936
Agatha Phillips, 1936–1940

[edit] Footnotes

^ Phased out before 1944.
^ Introduced at some time between 1902 and 1919 as Assistant Matron.
^ Introduced in the 1920s.
^ ^a ^b ^c Such was the expansion of QAIMNS during the First World War that there were three Matrons-in-Chief simultaneously.