CANADA'S MILITARY NURSES IN THE FIRST WORLD WAR: THE BLUEBIRD UNIFORM AND AUTOGRAPH BOOKS AS MATERIAL CULTURE

Abstract

The history of Canada’s First World War military nurses, the “Bluebirds,” has been defined by the appearance of their light blue uniforms. This thesis uses the framework of material culture methodology to examine the Canadian Army Medical Corps (CAMC) uniform, and a collection of nurses’ autograph books which contain illustrations, poetry, and comments by patients. Examination of the uniform provides insight into the collective identities of CAMC nurses, and how nurses interacted with the national identities projected upon their dress. Autograph books reveal the complicated and deeply personal relationships between nurses and patients. This thesis recoups the complex identities and unique experiences of the Bluebirds.