Interview with Margaret Webb

Margaret Webb was born in Christchurch in 1914, the daughter of photographer Steffano Webb and Beatrice Webb (nee Buss). Describes her mother as very musical. Talks about her father's photographic studio and the nature of his photography which included portraits, wedding, debutante and school photos. Describes his huge camera.

Recalls attending St. Margaret's College and Rangi Ruru. Describes social events where she was usually chaperoned. Talks about her decision to become a nurse, her desire to travel and her nursing training. Recalls going to Sydney on the `Wanganella' in May 1939 and then on to London on the `Ormond'. Notes that she travelled with her architect friend Margaret Munro. Describes her impressions of London and first nursing job at Kensington. Recalls concerns about the likelihood of war, its outbreak and the change in London. Describes signing up for Queen Alexandra's nursing service, being called up immediately, going to Aldershot and then France. Describes her feelings about this, loneliness, discomfort and fever from injections.

Recalls being lectured on running a ward, setting it up and nursing for some months before action. Describes air raid warnings and being shifted to a tented hospital just before their station and hospital ship were bombed. Talks about refugees everywhere, going to another hospital, wearing tin hats and gas masks and tracer bullets while going down to the wharf and leaving France. Mentions arriving in Liverpool and some brief leave before being called up again and going on the troopship `Empress of Canada' which carried Scottish soldiers. Describes sailing to Egypt and going to the Sudan. Discusses wearing a white uniform and topee in incredible heat and going across the desert in army trucks. Notes that this was the Eritrean campaign and her hospital was the 32nd General Hospital. Recalls the hero of the campaign was Brigadier Slim who became a patient. Describes the social life in Khartoum including dancing on the banks of the Nile. Recalls British ships coming up the Nile carrying tanks and the arrival of General Montgomery.

Describes being posted to Palestine, Gaza and then the hospital ship `Oranje' to South Africa. Talks about being posted to No. 1 General Hospital on the Nile, returning to England as a theatre nurse in Dorset, and being en route to a new posting in Lahore on VE Day. Notes that she had become a Captain. Recalls being posted to Assam and then Gauhati for the rest of the war and treating emaciated soldiers from the Burma Road. Comments on leave while nursing and lifelong friends made as a result of the war.

Recalls returning to New Zealand in 1946 and the difficulties of settling down. Describes working in the plastics unit at Burwood. Mentions Dr. Manchester. Talks about studying maternity nursing and going to Gisborne before doing Plunket training in Dunedin and nursing in Ashburton and Christchurch.

Interviewer(s) - Susan Foster

Quantity: 4 C60 cassette(s). 1 interview(s).

Finding Aids: Abstract Available - abstracting complete OHA-2492.

Original recordings not available for playback. Surrogate copies will be provided.

Alternative form available: Listening copies OHLC-004263 - OHLC-004266