Helen Cargill

Dame Helen Cargill DBE RRC
Birth name	Helen Wilson Cargill
Born	1 October 1896
Died	4 December 1969 (aged 73)
Allegiance	United Kingdom
Service/branch	Royal Air Force
Years of service	1923–1952
Rank	Air Commandant
Unit	Princess Mary's Royal Air Force Nursing Service
Battles/wars	World War Two
Awards	Royal Red Cross, 2nd Class (1941) Royal Red Cross, 1st Class (1945) Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire (1951)

Air Commandant Dame Helen Wilson Cargill, DBE, RRC (1 October 1896 – 4 December 1969) was a British nurse and Royal Air force officer. From 1948 to 1952, she was Matron-in-Chief of Princess Mary's Royal Air Force Nursing Service.^[1]

Early life and education

Cargill was born on 1 October 1896. She was educated at St Bride's School, Edinburgh. From 1919 to 1923, she trained as a nurse at St George's Hospital, a teaching hospital in London.^[1]

Military career

In June 1923, Cargill joined the newly re-named Princess Mary's Royal Air Force Nursing Service.^[2] She was promoted to sister on 1 July 1926,^[3] and to senior sister on 1 February 1939.^[4] During the interwar period, she served in the United Kingdom and in the Middle East.^[2]

Cargill saw active service during World War Two.^[2] She was an acting matron as of June 1941.^[5] From 1942 to 1944, she served in the UK and in Aden.^[2] Following the Normandy Landings, she was Matron of the RAF Hospital in Normandy, France.^[2] From September 1944 to May 1945, the end of the war in Europe, she was Matron of a hospital in Brussels, Belgium.^[2]

Cargill returned to the United Kingdom after the end of the war and spent the rest of her military career as Matron of the RAF Hospital in Matlock, Derbyshire.^[2] This was a psychiatric hospital that specialised in the treatment of former prisoners of war.^[2] On 16 July 1948, she was appointed the Matron-in-Chief (IE head) of Princess Mary's Royal Air Force Nursing Service.^[1][6] On 1 February 1949, when the women's forces were integrated into the British Armed Forces, she was granted the rank of air commandant.^[7] On 12 May 1952, she retired from the military due to "medical unfitness for air force service".^[1][2][8]

Honours

In the 1941 King's Birthday Honours, Cargill was appointed an Associate Member of the Royal Red Cross (ARRC).^[5] In the 1945 King's Birthday Honours, she was promoted to Member of the Royal Red Cross (RRC).^[9] In June 1949, she was appointed a Commander of the Order of St John (CStJ).^[10] In the 1951 New Year Honours, she was appointed a Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire (DBE).^[11]

References

1. "CARGILL, Air Commandant Dame Helen Wilson". Who Was Who. Oxford University Press. April 2014. Retrieved 1 October 2016.
2. "Private Papers of Air Commandant Dame Helen W Cargill". iwm.org.uk. Imperial War Museums. Retrieved 1 October 2016.
3. The London Gazette: no. 33184. pp. 4802–4803. 20 July 1926. Retrieved 1 October 2016.
4. The London Gazette: no. 34596. p. 868. 7 February 1939. Retrieved 1 October 2016.
5. The London Gazette: (Supplement) no. 35204. p. 3752. 27 June 1941. Retrieved 1 October 2016.
6. "New Matron-In-Chief" (pdf). The British Journal of Nursing. July 1948. p. 81. Retrieved 2 October 2016.
7. The London Gazette: (Supplement) no. 39043. p. 5161. 17 October 1950. Retrieved 1 October 2016.
8. The London Gazette: (Supplement) no. 39539. p. 2578. 9 May 1952. Retrieved 1 October 2016.
9. "W.R.A.F. Director To Be A.D.C. To The King". The Times (51344). 31 March 1949. p. 4.
10. The London Gazette: no. 38650. p. 3132. 24 June 1949. Retrieved 1 October 2016.
11. The London Gazette: (Supplement) no. 39104. p. 9. 29 December 1950. Retrieved 1 October 2016.

External links

• National Portrait Gallery entry