Dame Katharine Henrietta Jones, DBE, RRC and Bar was Matron in Chief of the QAIMNS for most of the Second World War, serving from 23 July 1940-44.
During the First World War, she trained as a nurse at St Bartholomew's Hospital, London, later joining Queen Alexandra's Imperial Military Nursing Service (QAIMNS) in 1917, which she rejoined in 1937. Jones was mentioned in despatches, while serving in Palestine. In 1938, she returned to Britain where she was appointed the Principal Matron at the War Office.
In 1939 World War II was declared and Jones mobilized more than 1000 QAs to France to serve with the British Expeditionary Force (BEF). Along with the British Army the QAs retreated to Dunkirk on 26 May 1940; all were safely returned to England. In July 1940, aged 44, Jones was promoted to Matron in Chief of the QAIMNS.
As Matron in Chief of the QAIMNS, Jones wrote the introduction to Grey and scarlet : letters from the war areas by army sisters on active service. This collects letters sent to the Matron in Chief by Nursing Sisters of the Queen Alexandra’s Imperial Military Nursing Service and Territorial Army Nursing Service from France, Iceland, Tobruk, Sudan, Eritrea, Gibraltar, Greece, Middle East, North Africa, Malta, Malaya and Singapore.[1]
She died, unmarried, at St. Mary's Guest House, Burlington Lane, Chiswick, London, on 29 December 1967.