Edith Cavell - my first ever heroine

106 years ago today a remarkable woman, an English nurse, was executed by the Germans in Belgium. It was 7am on a Tuesday morning and Edith Cavell had spent the previous 10 weeks in solitary confinement at St Gilles prison in Brussels. The commanding officer told the firing squad they need have no qualms at shooting her for she was not a mother and her crimes were heinous. Her 'crimes' were that she had concealed Allied soldiers wounded in battle or separated from their regiments, nursed them, then guided them to freedom across the Belgian border into neutral Holland. She did this because she believed her responsibility as a nurse was to save their lives and alleviate suffering. Had the soldiers been captured they would have been shot or sent as prisoners to Germany.

Edith Cavell was my first ever heroine. When I was about eight or nine we learned about her in a part of the curriculum called 'Social Studies'. My primary school, which I now know provided very poor education, had a small cupboard full of books and in that cupboard I found a book about Edith Cavell, which I read. I was captivated by her story and thought she was marvellous. Such a brave woman.

In 1984 while visiting Norwich Cathedral I came across a rather neglected grave. I started to read it and was astounded to see that it was Edith Cavell's grave. I found it a very moving experience. My photo today is of a much younger me by her graveside.

I have just started to read the biography of Edith Cavell by  Diana Souhami. It has taken me a while to source it but I finally had it sent over from the UK. I'm glad it has arrived because I wanted to start reading it before today, the 106th anniversary of her execution.

On the evening before she was executed she said "Standing as I do in view of God and eternity, I realise that patriotism is not enough. I must have no hatred or bitterness towards anyone." What a woman.


I must say I was relieved to see on the web recently that her graveside has been significantly restored,  as is right and proper.