Annie Brewer

Annie Elizabeth Brewer, also known as Nancy, was a British nurse. She served on the front line in France throughout the First World War, despite being injured in a shellfire attack. She was awarded the Legion d'Honneur and the Croix de Guerre, which makes her one of the most highly decorated nurses of any country in WW1.[1] She also received the British War Medal and Victory Medal from the British Government, but was never recognised by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission.

Annie Elizabeth Mistrick
Born
Annie Elizabeth Brewer

21 November 1874
Newport, Wales
Died30 January 1921(1921-01-30) (aged 46)
Newport, Wales
NationalityBritish
OccupationNurse
Medical career
FieldNursing
InstitutionsFondation Baye
AwardsLegion d'Honneur and Croix de Guerre

Background

Annie Brewer was born in Newport, South Wales, on 21 November 1874. At the age of 24 she qualified as a nurse of 'insane persons' and worked in hospitals around Britain including in London and Chester, before travelling around Europe as a personal nurse and companion.[2]

War record

While in Paris in 1914, WWI broke out and she joined up with French nursing and ambulance services, the Fondation Baye, seeing action in war zones including the Marne, the Somme and Verdun.[3] She helped with 229 operations in 7 days at the battle of Verdun.[4] On one occasion the ambulance in which she was travelling was shelled and she was wounded in the head and leg. She also came under shellfire while working in a French hospital. The strain led to a period of serious illness, but she insisted on returning to duty once she recovered.

Marriage

Her work fed over into her personal life when she met French ambulance driver, Daniel Mistrick, marrying him on the Verdun battlefield according to French genealogy sources. She remained in Europe, working at a feeding station in Germany after the war ended with the French army of occupation.[5]

Death

In 1921, she returned to Newport to nurse her ailing mother at 23 West Street, but was herself seriously ill and died of kidney disease, Bright's disease, on 30 January 1921 aged 46. Although she is buried at St. Woolos cemetery, she currently does not have a war grave. Gwent Western Front Association are campaigning for the Commonwealth War Graves Commission to put her on their register.[6]

Commemoration
Peter Strong of the Gwent Western Front Association introduces (from right) Welsh Government Health Minister, Vaughan Gething AM, Jayne Bryant AM and Debbie Wilcox, Leader of Newport City Council at the unveiling of a Blue Plaque to Annie Brewer at West Street Newport
Blue Plaque for Annie Brewer at 25 West Street Newport
Ian Brewer and family at the unveiling

Ian Brewer, Annie's great nephew, has researched the life of Annie Brewer and published on BBC Cymru.[7] She was also featured in BBC Wales television documentary Annie's War: A Welsh Nurse on the Western Front.[8] The Western Front Association unveiled a blue plaque on West Street with guests including members of Mrs. Mistrick's family, Health Minister Vaughan Gething and pupils from St. Woolos primary school, on 30 January 2018.[9]

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References
  1. de Castella, Tom. "New blue plaque finally celebrates nurse from First World War". Nursing Times. EMAP Publishing Ltd. Retrieved 1 May 2018.
  2. Gwent Western Front Association (2018). "From workhouse to war hospital". Gwent Western Front Association newsletter.
  3. "Annie Elizabeth (Nancy) Brewer (Mistrick)". WAW: Women and War. Retrieved 1 May 2018.
  4. Jones, Dominic (15 May 2017). "Newport wartime nurse hailed". South Wales Argus. Retrieved 1 May 2018.
  5. "Family trace story of WWI hero nurse". BBC News. Retrieved 30 April 2018.
  6. "Unveiling of plaque commemorating Anne Brewer". www.westernfrontassociation.com. Gwent Western Front Association. Retrieved 1 May 2018.
  7. "Discovering Annie's War". BBC Blogs - Wales. BBC Wales. 8 September 2014. Retrieved 1 May 2018.
  8. "Annie's War: A Welsh Nurse on the Western Front". BBC. BBC One. Retrieved 1 May 2018.
  9. "Blue plaque for decorated WWI nurse". BBC News. 2018. Retrieved 30 April 2018.
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