A Noble Woman: The Life-Story of Edith Cavell — John Shaqi
A Noble Woman: The Life-Story of Edith CavellProtheroe, Ernest
History
A Noble Woman: The Life-Story of Edith Cavell
Protheroe, Ernest
Cavell, Edith, 1865-1915
The columns of the British press were flooded with letters denouncing
the crime and acknowledging the death of the martyr as an irresistibly
compelling call to duty; and innumerable suggestions were made for
perpetuating in tangible form the memory of a daughter of England who
had taught us how to die.
One notable scheme for a memorial was speedily announced in connexion
with the London Hospital, which happened to be establishing a new
nursing home, which was to bear the name of Queen Alexandra. With true
nobility of heart Queen Alexandra promptly requested that her name
should give way to that of Edith Cavell, and public subscriptions
quickly assured an enlargement of the original scheme.
The _Daily Telegraph_ initiated a subscription fund to provide a statue
in stone and bronze by Sir George Frampton, and the eminent sculptor
intimated that his work would be a labour of love and a voluntary gift.
The Westminster City Council offered a site opposite the National
Portrait Gallery; and thus the statue will face Trafalgar Square,
already rich in national memories. Edith Cavell's death first became
known in England on Trafalgar Day. The base of the Nelson Monument was
hidden under the customary floral tributes to our greatest naval hero,
and amid them was placed a wreath of laurels, a symbol of the martyrdom
of the heroic nurse, of which the public would learn through the press
the following day. It will be peculiarly fitting for the statue to Edith
Cavell, whose last words were that she was glad to die for her country,
to be within sight of the column where stands the one-armed Nelson,
whose last immortal signal, 'England expects every man to do his duty,'
has ever been an inspiration not only to the Fleet, but to every true
lover of his country.
Other ideas for the perpetuation of the name of Nurse Cavell included
the raising of a Cavell Regiment, that should be a living monument of
brave men, who would be heartened and vivified by the noble life and
death of their devoted countrywoman. But the true spirit of Britons
negatived the necessity for a particular regiment. The next day after
the announcement of the death of Miss Cavell every eligible man in her
native village joined the Forces, and the recruits, all told, must have
numbered many thousands.
Probably it would afford general satisfaction if another proposal bore
fruit, namely, the institution of a new Order, equivalent to the
Victoria Cross, for heroism by women of our race and Empire; and the
heroism of our women in the present War emphasizes the justice and
wisdom of some such acknowledgement.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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