Dame Katharine Henrietta Jones &

Bar Bar or BAR may refer to: Food and drink * Bar (establishment), selling alcoholic beverages * Candy bar ** Chocolate bar * Protein bar Science and technology * Bar (river morphology), a deposit of sediment * Bar (tropical cyclone), a laye ...

(3 February 1888 – 29 December 1967) was Matron-in-Chief of

Queen Alexandra's Imperial Military Nursing Service Queen Alexandra's Royal Army Nursing Corps (QARANC; known as ''the QAs'') was the nursing branch of the British Army Medical Services. In November 2024, the corps was amalgamated with the Royal Army Medical Corps and Royal Army Dental Corps ...

(QAIMNS) for most of the

Second World War World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

, serving from 23 July 1940 to 1944. During the

First World War World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...

, she trained as a nurse at

St Bartholomew's Hospital St Bartholomew's Hospital, commonly known as Barts, is a teaching hospital located in the City of London. It was founded in 1123 by Rahere, and is currently run by Barts Health NHS Trust. History Early history Barts was founded in 1123 by ...

, London, later joining Queen Alexandra's Imperial Military Nursing Service (QAIMNS) in 1917, which she rejoined in 1937. Jones was

mentioned in despatches To be mentioned in dispatches (or despatches) describes a member of the armed forces whose name appears in an official report written by a superior officer and sent to the high command, in which their gallant or meritorious action in the face of t ...

, while serving in Palestine. In 1938, she returned to Britain where she was appointed the Principal Matron at the

War Office The War Office has referred to several British government organisations throughout history, all relating to the army. It was a department of the British Government responsible for the administration of the British Army between 1857 and 1964, at ...

. In 1939, the Second World War was declared and Jones mobilised more than 1000 QAs to France to serve with the British Expeditionary Force (BEF). Along with the British Army the QAs retreated from Dunkirk on 26 May 1940; all were safely returned to England. In July 1940, aged 44, Jones was promoted to Matron in Chief of the QAIMNS. As Matron in Chief of the QAIMNS, Jones wrote the introduction to ''Grey and Scarlet'', a collection of letters sent to her by Nursing Sisters of the Queen Alexandra's Imperial Military Nursing Service and

Territorial Army Nursing Service Queen Alexandra's Royal Army Nursing Corps (QARANC; known as ''the QAs'') was the nursing branch of the British Army Medical Services. In November 2024, the corps was amalgamated with the Royal Army Medical Corps and Royal Army Dental Corps t ...

from France, Iceland, Tobruk, Sudan, Eritrea, Gibraltar, Greece, Middle East, North Africa, Malta, Malaya and Singapore.Jones' profile at QARANC website
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Death

She died at St. Mary's Guest House, Burlington Lane,

Chiswick Chiswick ( ) is a district in West London, split between the London Borough of Hounslow, London Boroughs of Hounslow and London Borough of Ealing, Ealing. It contains Hogarth's House, the former residence of the 18th-century English artist Wi ...

London London is the Capital city, capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of both England and the United Kingdom, with a population of in . London metropolitan area, Its wider metropolitan area is the largest in Wester ...

, on 29 December 1967.

References

External links

Notice of Jones' appointment to the RRC
''Supplement to the London Gazette'', 8 June 1944 1888 births 1967 deaths British nursing administrators Dames Commander of the Order of the British Empire British Army personnel of World War II Nurses from London Queen Alexandra's Royal Army Nursing Corps officers British Army personnel of World War I British women in World War I British women in World War II Members of the Royal Red Cross {{UK-army-bio-stub