Edith Campbell

Edith Campbell (1871 to 1951) was a Canadian nurse who served with the Canadian Army Medical Corps in the First World War. Born in Montreal into a medical family and trained at the school of nursing of New York's Presbyterian Hospital, she enlisted in September 1914 at the age of 42 and was among the first Canadian nurses to reach England, where she helped set up the Duchess of Connaught Canadian Red Cross Hospital at Cliveden in Taplow and became its first matron. She was removed from that post after the Taplow affair, which Sir William Osler believed had treated her unjustly. She went on to serve in France, was mentioned in despatches twice, and received the Royal Red Cross, first class, and the Military Medal for her conduct during an enemy air raid at Etaples. After the war she was superintendent of the Toronto branch of the Victorian Order of Nurses until 1934, and her medals and papers are held by the Canadian War Museum.