| Brief Description |
This World War I New Zealand Army Nurse's uniform was owned and worn by Sister Vida McLean. Trained in Wanganui, Miss McLean served with the Army Nursing Service in Samoa and Egypt during World War I. At the outbreak of war, hundreds of nurses from all over New Zealand volunteered for the New Zealand Army Nursing Service, keen to go to war and ‘do their bit for New Zealand’ and ‘home’ (England).
Initially the New Zealand Government restricted the number of New Zealand nurses to 110. It wasn’t until April 1915 that some of these New Zealand nurses were sent to Europe. Nurses proved their worth, developing techniques to nurse men with the new wounds and problems caused by changing warfare. When the war was finally over, 13 New Zealand Army nurses had died and another five died later as a result of their war service. Those that served had saved the lives of many thousands of wounded soldiers.
Sister Vida McLean's service uniform comprises: (A) dress, (B) cape, (C) apron, (D) cap.
A : Dress, grey cotton with band collar, hook and eye neck closure, centre front faced opening to waist with four pearl grey buttons and hand-made buttonholes, patch pocket topstitched at left breast proper, set-in sleeves with buttoned cuffs, army rank of woven red stripes on both lower sleeves, waist band with left off-centre hook and eye opening; the skirt is in a different grey fabric from the bodice, off-centre placket opening from waistband 260 mm long and fastened with domes, patch pocket sewn over right hip proper in same fabric as bodice, back yoke with centre topstitched seam, waistband and plain skirt.
B: Cape, a nurse's shoulder cape made of red felted fabric, centre front opening with hook and eye fastening, bound neck edge with seven domes for attaching a collar, topstitched top facing all round with V split and tab facing sewn centre back inside, shoulder seam and dart on point of shoulder across end of seam.
C: Apron, starched white cotton apron with a narrow bib, shoulder straps from bib top that cross over the back and button onto the waistband, one-piece skirt, buttoned waistband, four linen-covered buttons.
D: Cap, white starched cotton to cover hair completely, back material closely gathered and the brim folded back at the front.
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