Nellie Spindler
Information about birth
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Date of birth: 10/08/1891 |
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Place of birth: Wakefield, Yorkshire, England, United Kingdom |
General information
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Profession: Nurse |
Army information
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Country: England, United Kingdom |
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Force: British Expeditionary Force |
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Units: — 44th Casualty Clearing Station (Last known unit) |
Information about death
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Date of death: 21/08/1917 |
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Place of death: Brandhoek, Reninge, Belgium |
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Cause of death: Killed in action (K.I.A.) |
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Age: 26 |
Cemetery
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Lijssenthoek Military Cemetery Plot: XVI Row: A Grave: 3 |
Points of interest 2
| #1 | Place of birth | ||
| #2 | Place of death (approximate) |
My story
Nellie Spindler was the daughter of George and Elizabeth Spindler. She was born around 1891 in Wakefield, West Yorkshire. Her father worked there as a police inspector and Nellie was there, after her training in Leeds, working as a nurse at City Fever Hospital. In October 1915, she enlisted in the Queen Alexandra's Imperial Military Nursing Service of the British Army. As a 24-year-old young lady, Nellie had not yet reached the required minimum age of 25. It may explain why her enlistment form shows 1889 instead of 1891. Nellie died on 21 August 1917, during the Battle of Passchendaele. Initially she was serving in a military hospital in the UK, but in May 1917 she was transferred to the 44th Casualty Clearing Station and Nellie travelled to the French and Belgian battlefields.
Since 19 July 1917, the 44th Casualty Clearing Station had been operating in the vicinity of Brandhoek, near Ypres. Close to the front, first aid was administered at a dressing station. When injuries required further care, the casualty was transported to a Casualty Clearing Station. This was the closest place to the front where nurses were employed. On the starting day of the Battle of Passchendaele, one wounded person after another arrived at the Casualty Clearing Station. Although the working conditions were difficult, Nellie did a good job.
In late August 1917, disaster struck for Nellie. As the field hospital was located near an ammunition depot, it was often the target of artillery shelling. On 21 August, the Casualty Clearing Station was hit during such an attack and Nellie was badly injured: she was immediately unconscious and died 20 minutes later in the arms of a fellow nurse. Today, Nellie rests in the British Lijssenthoek Military Cemetery in Poperinge. The Casualty Clearing Station was also evacuated that day to Lijssenthoek, where many hospitals were located.
Since 19 July 1917, the 44th Casualty Clearing Station had been operating in the vicinity of Brandhoek, near Ypres. Close to the front, first aid was administered at a dressing station. When injuries required further care, the casualty was transported to a Casualty Clearing Station. This was the closest place to the front where nurses were employed. On the starting day of the Battle of Passchendaele, one wounded person after another arrived at the Casualty Clearing Station. Although the working conditions were difficult, Nellie did a good job.
In late August 1917, disaster struck for Nellie. As the field hospital was located near an ammunition depot, it was often the target of artillery shelling. On 21 August, the Casualty Clearing Station was hit during such an attack and Nellie was badly injured: she was immediately unconscious and died 20 minutes later in the arms of a fellow nurse. Today, Nellie rests in the British Lijssenthoek Military Cemetery in Poperinge. The Casualty Clearing Station was also evacuated that day to Lijssenthoek, where many hospitals were located.
Sources 1
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44 Casualty Clearing Station (The National Archives, Kew (TNA), WO 95/345/2) https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/ Sources used |
More information 3
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Commonwealth War Graves Commission Database https://www.cwgc.org/find-records/find-war-dead/casualty-details/149546 |
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Namenlijst (In Flanders Fields Museum) https://namenlijst.org/publicsearch/#/person/_id=d835ebcb-8a2d-4578-a306-348f20f2eb37 |
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Lives of the First World War (Imperial War Museum) https://livesofthefirstworldwar.iwm.org.uk/lifestory/4966147 |