The autograph book of VAD Nurse May Benson and a portrait by Fred Brooke
May Benson, a cousin of my husband, was born in Paris to an English family in 1892. During the war, May was trained by the Red Cross to become a Voluntary Aid Detachment nurse at Cornwall Hall Hospital in Sevenoaks, Kent. May's father was Head Lad to Harry Andrews, a racehorse trainer in France. During her time at Cornwall Hall, May collected poems, drawings and messages from the soldiers she treated. According to one of the historians at the WW1 Roadshow in Wantage, her VAD nurse book is one of the best he has ever seen. It is believed May also volunteered as a VAD at the start of World War II.
These include an autograph book kept by May and a series of postcards mainly from World War I and two from World War II. Note Fred Brooke painted her portrait in the album.
Photograph
Photograph of May Benson
VAD nurse May Benson
Medical
VAD nurse May Benson and her brother Henry
Photograph of May Benson and her brother Henry
Autograph book kept by May Benson and a series of postcards, mainly from WW1, plus two from WW2. Note Fred brook painted May's portrait in this album.
VAD nurse May Benson's autograph album
Cornwall Hall Hospital, Sevenoaks
Photos from Cornwall Hall Hospital, Sevenoaks
CONTRIBUTOR
Jane Andrews
DATE
1917
LANGUAGE
eng
ITEMS
59
INSTITUTION
Europeana 1914-1918
PROGRESS
METADATA
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