Anne Thomson
Encyclopedia
Brigadier
Dame Anne Thomson, DBE
, RRC
was a British
nursing sister, matron and administrator.
She served as:
Anne Thomson was the first QAIMNS Nursing Officer ever to reach the rank of Brigadier
in the British Army
, which she did in 1950. Four years later, she was named a Colonel Commandant
of the QARANC on 12 December 1954. She also held the title of King's Honorary Nursing Sister (KHNS).
Brigadier
Brigadier is a senior military rank, the meaning of which is somewhat different in different military services. The brigadier rank is generally superior to the rank of colonel, and subordinate to major general....
Dame Anne Thomson, DBE
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
, RRC
Royal Red Cross
The Royal Red Cross is a military decoration awarded in the United Kingdom and Commonwealth for exceptional services in military nursing.The award was established on 27 April 1883 by Queen Victoria, with a single class of Member...
was a British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
nursing sister, matron and administrator.
She served as:
- Matron-in-Chief of the QAIMNS (now the QARANCQueen Alexandra's Royal Army Nursing CorpsQueen Alexandra's Royal Army Nursing Corps is the nursing branch of the British Army and part of the Army Medical Services....
) from 1948 to 31 January 1949 - Director of Army Nursing Services (DANS) and served from 1 February 1949 to 1952 (succeeded by Dame Helen S. GillespieHelen GillespieBrigadier Dame Helen Shiels Gillespie, DBE, RRC, QHNS was a British nursing matron during World War II.From 1952 until her retirement on 31 July 1956 on completion of her term, Gillespie served as Matron-in-Chief of Queen Alexandra's Royal Army Nursing Corps...
)
Anne Thomson was the first QAIMNS Nursing Officer ever to reach the rank of Brigadier
Brigadier
Brigadier is a senior military rank, the meaning of which is somewhat different in different military services. The brigadier rank is generally superior to the rank of colonel, and subordinate to major general....
in the British Army
British Army
The British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...
, which she did in 1950. Four years later, she was named a Colonel Commandant
Colonel Commandant
Colonel Commandant is a military title used in the armed forces of some English-speaking countries. The title, not a substantive rank, could denote a senior colonel with authority over fellow colonels...
of the QARANC on 12 December 1954. She also held the title of King's Honorary Nursing Sister (KHNS).