 
|
VOLUNTARY
AID DETACHMENTS >
JUDY STOKES, Hampshire, BRC, VADs
|
|
|
|
|
|
Where did you work?
"
Park Prewett Hospital
at Basingstoke, which came under the ruling of Sir
Harold Gillies, who was pioneering plastic and
jaw surgery. This was absolutely fascinating
work.
At that age I had no idea that I was taking
part in history. "
|
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
How did you prepare for the work you had to do ?
"Before
we ever went to work on the wards, we had to
go through what we politely called, the Chamber
of Horrors. Photographs of the worst cases to
note our reaction. Obviously no adverse reaction
could be shown. They had enough to cope with.
It sounds strange
to say, but after a while you didn’t
see their faces. You only saw their personalities.
When families came to visit, we were sometimes
shown photographs of what they had looked
like. And I don’t know whether a man
in that situation is given something extra,
but their spirit was fantastic.
Sometimes it was just
a skin graft. Skin would be taken from one
area and had to be sewn on. I understand today
that it can be stuck but in our day it had
to be sewn. Various other things: lost eyelids.
Skin was taken from behind the ear, with just
a fringe of hair for eyelashes and attached.
Oh, Sir Harold was really very clever."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
What sort of work did you do and how did it help patients?
"
We really were privileged.
We just took it in our stride, being the kids
we were. Our main job was beds, bathing, meals,
assisting when doing dressings. We would hold
things, fetch things and make ourselves generally
useful. All the time we were observing. We would
reach a point where we could do small things
ourselves. Take stitches out for instance. It
was a learning process all the time.
And it became a wonderful
matrimonial bureau. [A] Great many staff and patients
got married. We had dances…the men used
to go out to various places of interest. Anything
and everything to get them used to going back
to civilian life.
You could help them mentally a great deal.
Particularly the ones who perhaps had been
deserted by a fiancee and were feeling particularly
down….
Yes, I feel that we
played a large part—-an important part—in
their mental recuperation. Treating them just
as one would any other man. And hopefully
it’s had something to do with moulding
my own character. Maybe I’m more compassionate.
Hopefully I’m more understanding of
people’s problems.
I think it was a very rewarding time in my
life. Because I was given, as well as being
able to give."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
What happened
next?
"Unfortunately my older sister became very ill. My mother found it difficult looking after her single-handed. So I gave up nursing on what I thought would be a temporary basis. Very much against my mother’s wishes. She never wanted me to give up. She said, ‘you might think you’re going back to it; I bet you don’t.’ She was right, I didn’t. I got married instead."
Listen to Judy Stoke's story
|
|
|
|
|
|
 |
|
FACTS
The word ‘plastic’ in ‘plastic
surgery’ comes from the Greek word ‘plastikos’,
which means to mould or give form to. Written evidence
suggests that the ancient Egyptians had medical
treatment for facial injuries 4,000 years ago,
but it wasn’t until the late 19th and
20th centuries that it began to develop more
rapidly. It was the First and Second World Wars
in particular that led to better techniques,
as surgeons had to treat so many serious facial
and head injuries.
|
|
|
|
|
FACTS
Members of the JWO were carefully chosen for
different positions, as they had to be able
to cope with difficult situations. Hospital
Welfare Workers, who often had to help service
men come to terms with their injuries, were
picked by a special panel to make sure they
had an understanding nature and could deal with
uncomfortable situations in a positive manner. Find out more about their training.
|
|
|
|
|
FACTS
The relatives of service men wounded in the
war also had to come to terms with the horrific
injuries their loved ones might have received,
as this letter from a soldier to his wife reveals:
“Dear Wife, I have some good news…I
shall soon be home. Now I have some bad news
for you but you mustn’t mind because I
don’t. Tomorrow I am going to have my
hands amputated. Thank God it isn’t my
eyes for I am longing to see you again.”
|
|
|
|
|
|
