Fire in Antwerp
Neve Bruce
It was October 8th 1914, the streets of Antwerp were aflame. With a rush of panic, Claire and her nursing friends were suddenly woken from their sleep. The city was under attack. German soldiers were advancing from the south. Shells were exploding on the hospital roof and catapulting over the building, burning fiercely. The nurses rushed to the hall and struggled under the weight of their patients as they desperately urged to get down the steep, dark stairs to the cellars below, while the war continued all around them. With more than 100 patients and very little time, Claire and her fellow nurses knew that somehow they had to get them to safety.
It was October 8th 1914, the streets of Antwerp were aflame. With a rush of panic, Claire and her nursing friends were suddenly woken from their sleep. The city was under attack. German soldiers were advancing from the south. Shells were exploding on the hospital roof and catapulting over the building, burning fiercely. The nurses rushed to the hall and struggled under the weight of their patients as they desperately urged to get down the steep, dark stairs to the cellars below, while the war continued all around them. With more than 100 patients and very little time, Claire and her fellow nurses knew that somehow they had to get them to safety.
Her back was aching and sweat dripped down her forehead. Her hands were trembling and her body was shaky, but her mind was steady. She had to remain focused, there wasn’t much time left and none to waste.
Her back was aching and sweat dripped down her forehead. Her hands were trembling and her body was shaky, but her mind was steady. She had to remain focused, there wasn’t much time left and none to waste.
Sister Claire Trestrail had always been influenced by her mother's nursing career and was inspired from a very young age. She had decided on that path by the age of 18. Claire grew up in a small, yet charming town by the name Clare in South Australia and she then began training at the Wakefield St hospital in Adelaide as a nursing sister, before passing her final exams for the Australasian Trained Nurses Association in 1911. Sister Claire was considerate and had a caring nature. She was extensively recognised for her resilience and selflessness. In 1913, Claire had set off for England on the Bernella ship in the interest of gaining further qualifications. When war broke out in 1914, nurses were required instantly. Claire and her nursing friends Caroline Wilson and Catherine Tullya participated in a group organised by Mrs St Clair Stobart, with orderlies and several other nurses who set off for Antwerp, Belgium on 22 September 1914. There, Claire, along with the other nurses, set up a 150-bed hospital in a disused and rat-infested concert hall at Berchem.
Sister Claire Trestrail had always been influenced by her mother's nursing career and was inspired from a very young age. She had decided on that path by the age of 18. Claire grew up in a small, yet charming town by the name Clare in South Australia and she then began training at the Wakefield St hospital in Adelaide as a nursing sister, before passing her final exams for the Australasian Trained Nurses Association in 1911. Sister Claire was considerate and had a caring nature. She was extensively recognised for her resilience and selflessness. In 1913, Claire had set off for England on the Bernella ship in the interest of gaining further qualifications. When war broke out in 1914, nurses were required instantly. Claire and her nursing friends Caroline Wilson and Catherine Tullya participated in a group organised by Mrs St Clair Stobart, with orderlies and several other nurses who set off for Antwerp, Belgium on 22 September 1914. There, Claire, along with the other nurses, set up a 150-bed hospital in a disused and rat-infested concert hall at Berchem.
It was on Monday, 28 September, that the siege of Antwerp began. The patients were coming in at exceedingly large amounts, suffering from horrid shrapnel wounds. Following on from this, Wednesday, 7 October, at midnight, the bombardment of Antwerp had its beginning.
It was on Monday, 28 September, that the siege of Antwerp began. The patients were coming in at exceedingly large amounts, suffering from horrid shrapnel wounds. Following on from this, Wednesday, 7 October, at midnight, the bombardment of Antwerp had its beginning.
The building was soon overflowing with more than 170 badly wounded French and Belgian soldiers. Claire remembered that “some of the men had been lying for hours in the dirt and cold until the blood was dry on them, and they were hungry and exhausted. Patients had to be evacuated from the hospital as the resources had been exhausted. There was very little transport available for the wounded soldiers. A motor vehicle they had discovered and attained was used as a way to transport some of the worst cases to nearby hospitals. Roughly 90 of the patients were capable of walking and were sent to a military depot 12 miles out of the city, although twenty-one nurses and patients remained stranded in the hospital at Berchem. The streets around them were abandoned.
The building was soon overflowing with more than 170 badly wounded French and Belgian soldiers. Claire remembered that “some of the men had been lying for hours in the dirt and cold until the blood was dry on them, and they were hungry and exhausted. Patients had to be evacuated from the hospital as the resources had been exhausted. There was very little transport available for the wounded soldiers. A motor vehicle they had discovered and attained was used as a way to transport some of the worst cases to nearby hospitals. Roughly 90 of the patients were capable of walking and were sent to a military depot 12 miles out of the city, although twenty-one nurses and patients remained stranded in the hospital at Berchem. The streets around them were abandoned.
It was October 8th, 1914, and the siege of Antwerp was almost at an end.
It was October 8th, 1914, and the siege of Antwerp was almost at an end.
In that single night alone, Claire had displayed the utmost strength, sacrifice and persistence, truly conveying ANZAC spirit. Not only had she and the other nurses worked together using tremendous physical strength and perseverance to carry the wounded soldiers to the cellars, but she had used her mental resilience, to push any fear aside, and ignore the danger all around her.
In that single night alone, Claire had displayed the utmost strength, sacrifice and persistence, truly conveying ANZAC spirit. Not only had she and the other nurses worked together using tremendous physical strength and perseverance to carry the wounded soldiers to the cellars, but she had used her mental resilience, to push any fear aside, and ignore the danger all around her.
When the women woke the following morning, the city lay eerily smouldering, still and silent. The city still drowning in flames. The nurses knew they had to somehow transport their patients out of Antwerp as soon as they possibly could. Spotting trucks nearby, the nurses sent several of their terribly wounded patients to the train station while also loading others on board as to be transported out of the city. Worryingly, Claire had realised there was none other left to take herself as well as the rest of the other nurses out of the city and as the late afternoon approaches, only members of the hospital staff remain in Antwerp, unable to escape.
When the women woke the following morning, the city lay eerily smouldering, still and silent. The city still drowning in flames. The nurses knew they had to somehow transport their patients out of Antwerp as soon as they possibly could. Spotting trucks nearby, the nurses sent several of their terribly wounded patients to the train station while also loading others on board as to be transported out of the city. Worryingly, Claire had realised there was none other left to take herself as well as the rest of the other nurses out of the city and as the late afternoon approaches, only members of the hospital staff remain in Antwerp, unable to escape.
As the hours flew past, Claire was starting to give up hope of getting away and the shells continued to yell and scream, while fires continued igniting. Day faded slowly into night when Mrs. Stobart, the organiser, saw three buses, carrying ammunition, straggling hurriedly along the main road. Stepping out in front of them, she convinced the drivers to take her crew. The group were bundled on board, and began a dangerous journey, venturing through countless hazards. Fallen trees, telephone poles, broken glass, burning streets and falling shells. The vehicles, accompanied by dancing flames, had managed to cross the bridge and heading out of the city within only a few moments before it had exploded into millions of pieces. As the buses conquer the rough travels ahead, Claire thought about the burning city behind them and the burning oil tanks ahead. It was a scene that she knew she will be remembered until the end of her life. Claire would never forget their courageous getaway from Antwerp. She exclaimed to the other nurses, "One day we will look back and joke about the days we just lived through”.
As the hours flew past, Claire was starting to give up hope of getting away and the shells continued to yell and scream, while fires continued igniting. Day faded slowly into night when Mrs. Stobart, the organiser, saw three buses, carrying ammunition, straggling hurriedly along the main road. Stepping out in front of them, she convinced the drivers to take her crew. The group were bundled on board, and began a dangerous journey, venturing through countless hazards. Fallen trees, telephone poles, broken glass, burning streets and falling shells. The vehicles, accompanied by dancing flames, had managed to cross the bridge and heading out of the city within only a few moments before it had exploded into millions of pieces. As the buses conquer the rough travels ahead, Claire thought about the burning city behind them and the burning oil tanks ahead. It was a scene that she knew she will be remembered until the end of her life. Claire would never forget their courageous getaway from Antwerp. She exclaimed to the other nurses, "One day we will look back and joke about the days we just lived through”.