With the Scottish Women's Hospitals for Foreign Service in the Serbian/Bulgarian war

This collection contains photographs relating to the Balkans campaign which began in October 1915 and centred on Bulgaria and Serbia. Official photographs record the arrival of allied troops in Thessaloniki (Salonica), Greece, commanded by General Maurice Sarrail, and intended as support for Serbia against Bulgaria. The rest of the photographs relate to this campaign as it was faught in Serbia during 1916-1917. The particular view of the collection is that of Dr Agnes Bennett in command of the 7th Medical Unit of the Scottish Women's Hospitals for Foreign Service attached to the Serbian army (also known as the American Unit). This consisted of an ambulance unit and a field hospital. The images record wounded being brought in, views of the hospital camps and dressing stations at Dobraveni, Skocivir, and Ostrovo, all in Serbian Macedonia. Ostrovo seems to have been the main centre for the unit's medical operations. There are images of various activities and work at the dressing stations and of soldiers being treated and recovering. Several photographs show nurses celebrating May Day at the camp at Ostrovo which was beside a lake. Others show The Serbian army in the field, captured Bulgarian guns, the wreckage of a German airship, women and children of the local population in traditional dress, and the countryside

In 1916 Agnes Bennett was appointed commanding officer of the 7th Medical Unit of the Scottish Women's Hospitals for Foreign Service. From August 1916 her field hospital was attached to the Serbian army. An attack of Malaria led to her resignation in October 1917.(info from The Dictionary of New Zealand Biography, vol three, 1901-1920.

The 7th Unit of the Scottish Women's Hospitals for Foreign Service was called the American Unit because funds for its equipment and operation were raised in America. (Info from \"No Easy Path: The life and times of Lilian Violet Cooper,\" Lesley M Williams, Amphion Press, Brisbane, Australia, 1991.\")

Quantity: 93 b&w original photographic print(s). 12 b&w photo-mechanical print(s). 2 colour photo-mechanical print(s).