Janet Pilgrim (British Army officer)

Janet Pilgrim
Nickname(s) "Florence of Arabia"
Born c. 1966
Allegiance United Kingdom
Service/branch British Army
Rank Lieutenant Colonel
Unit Queen Alexandra's Royal Army Nursing Corps
Battles/wars Kosovo War
War in Afghanistan
Iraq War
Awards Royal Red Cross
Queen's Commendation for Valuable Service
Victoria Cross

Major Janet Pilgrim, RRC[1][2] (born c. 1966) is a former British Army nurse who was awarded the Royal Red Cross in 2008 for her services in Iraq. The Royal Red Cross has been described as the nursing equivalent of the Victoria Cross and was introduced to military nursing by Queen Victoria following the death of 24 army nurses in South Africa.[3]

As commander of the Basra air base's field hospital during the battle with the Mehdi Army, she led the busiest British field hospital since the Falklands War. The hospital itself came under heavy fire on many occasions.[4]

Pilgrim was educated at King's College London and was a member of the Queen Alexandra's Royal Army Nursing Corps. She served in Bosnia and Kosovo, prior to her deployment to Basra, and subsequently commanded the base hospital at Camp Bastion, Afghanistan. She was nominated by Cosmopolitan Magazine for their Ultimate Woman of the Year 2008 award.[5]

References

  1. ↑ "Exclusive: Top bravery award for Iraq war nurse nicknamed 'Florence of Arabia'". Daily Record. Retrieved 8 March 2017.
  2. ↑ Farmer, Ben (17 January 2016). "Hero medic: Army cast me aside when trauma was too much". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 8 March 2017.
  3. ↑ Peterkin, By Tom. "Major Janet Pilgrim wins the Royal Red Cross first awarded to Florence Nightingale". Telegrpah.co.uk. Retrieved 6 May 2017.
  4. ↑ Peterkin, Tom (4 August 2008). "Major Janet Pilgrim wins the Royal Red Cross first awarded to Florence Nightingale". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 26 March 2009.
  5. ↑ "Nursing Major Wins Top Award", Localnewsglasgow.co.uk, October 2008.


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