Edith Cavell; a nurse who tried to do her duty?

“The Life and Times of Edith Cavell” explores the story of a Norfolk vicar’s daughter who became a national heroine. She was inspired to take up nursing and ultimately became matron in a Belgian hospital just as the first world war began. At that time, nursing was emerging as a profession of commitment and compassion to all who needed care, regardless of politics or position in life and her untimely death by firing squad in 1915 caused worldwide condemnation. After the war, her body was returned to Britain, (carried for part of the journey in Van 132, now restored and exhibited at Bodiam Station) and reburied in Norwich Cathedral. However, there is some speculation about Edith’s involvement with the darker side of working in an occupied country. Is there any truth in the accusation of treason levied by the Central Powers in Occupied Europe?

Our speaker, Melanie Gibson-Barton, is an acclaimed and accomplished speaker on Belgium-based topics and her talk uses her personal knowledge and insight to appraise Edith Cavell, the woman who described herself as “a nurse who tried to do her duty”.