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Margaret-Dickinson

A veteran interview with

Margaret Dickinson

Margaret Dickinson trained as a nurse in 1939 before joining the Queen Alexandra’s Imperial Military Nursing Service.
The nurses were responsible for setting the first hospital up in Normandy after the D-Day Landings (D+13). They then followed the troops right through France, Belgium and Holland before finishing in Munster Germany.
She recalls treating a German prisoner of war who she was determined to get better who gave her a medal.

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About Margaret Dickinson

Margaret Dickinson served as a nurse in the Queen Alexandra’s Imperial Military Nursing Service (QAIMNS) during World War II, beginning her training in 1939. She volunteered and landed in Normandy shortly after D-Day, following the troops through France, Belgium, and Holland before ending up at a hospital in Münster, Germany. Margaret’s unit was the first British hospital to land in Normandy, and they operated in tents until reaching Münster.  

She faced constant danger, with heavy gunfire and the ongoing battle at Caen. Margaret’s role as a nurse required unwavering dedication and resilience, particularly when treating a German prisoner of war. She helped him recover, and he gifted her a medal with a swastika and Hitler’s signature. Margaret reflects on this experience and the medal’s significance.  

Margaret’s service was marked by constant movement, harsh conditions, and the ever-present threat of enemy attack. Despite these challenges, she persevered and provided crucial medical care to those in need. Her story exemplifies the courage and compassion of nurses who served on the front lines of World War II.

Credits

Interviewed by:
Brig. C Elderton
Reviewed by:
Atiyyah Afzal
Transcribed by:
Fiona Marshall

Copyright:
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Home | Veterans | Margaret Dickinson

A veteran interview with

Margaret Dickinson

Margaret-Dickinson

Margaret Dickinson trained as a nurse in 1939 before joining the Queen Alexandra’s Imperial Military Nursing Service.
The nurses were responsible for setting the first hospital up in Normandy after the D-Day Landings (D+13). They then followed the troops right through France, Belgium and Holland before finishing in Munster Germany.
She recalls treating a German prisoner of war who she was determined to get better who gave her a medal.

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Cite this interview:

MLA Style:
Dickinson, Margaret. A Veteran Interview with Margaret Dickinson. Interview by Brig. C Elderton. Legasee, n.d. https://www.legasee.org.uk/veteran/margaret-dickinson/. Accessed 25 May. 2025.
APA Style:
Dickinson, M. (n.d.). A Veteran Interview with Margaret Dickinson [Interview by Brig. C Elderton]. Legasee. Retrieved May 25, 2025, from https://www.legasee.org.uk/veteran/margaret-dickinson/
Chicago Style:
Dickinson, Margaret. n.d.. A Veteran Interview with Margaret Dickinson. Interview by Brig. C Elderton. Legasee. Accessed May 25, 2025. https://www.legasee.org.uk/veteran/margaret-dickinson/
Harvard Style:
Dickinson, M. (n.d.). A Veteran Interview with Margaret Dickinson. [Interviewed by Brig. C Elderton]. Legasee. Available at https://www.legasee.org.uk/veteran/margaret-dickinson/ (Accessed: 25 May 2025)
Vancouver Style:
Dickinson, M. A Veteran Interview with Margaret Dickinson [Internet]. Interview by B. Elderton. Legasee; n.d. [cited 2025 May 25]. Available from: https://www.legasee.org.uk/veteran/margaret-dickinson/
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