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.[3] The Royal Red Cross was established by Queen Victoria in 1883 for exceptional service in the field of military nursing.[4][5]
Janet Pilgrim | |
|---|---|
| Nickname(s) | "Florence of Arabia" |
| Born | c. 1966 |
| Allegiance | United Kingdom |
| Service | 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 |
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.[6]
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.[7]
References
edit- ^ "Exclusive: Top bravery award for Iraq war nurse nicknamed 'Florence of Arabia'". Daily Record. Retrieved 8 March 2017.
- ^ Farmer, Ben (17 January 2016). "Hero medic: Army cast me aside when trauma was too much". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 8 March 2017.
- ^ "London Gazette Supplement 58776, 24 July 2008, page 11244". Retrieved 25 February 2018.
- ^ Edward C Joslin. Observer Book of British Awards and Medals. Page 36. Published Frederick Warne & Co, 1973.
- ^ Peterkin, Tom. "Major Janet Pilgrim wins the Royal Red Cross first awarded to Florence Nightingale". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 6 May 2017.
- ^ 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.
- ^ "Nursing Major Wins Top Award", Localnewsglasgow.co.uk, October 2008.
External links
edit- Press release, mod.uk; retrieved 8 March 2017
- King's College London news archive, kcl.ac.uk; retrieved 8 March 2017