Corsham Commemorates

The life and autograph book of Nurse Elsie Cuss.

 Elsie Cuss from Crudwell was just 17 at the start of WW1 but her war was spent looking after returning wounded soldiers as a Red Cross Nurse based in Malmesbury with the 20^th Voluntary Aid Detachment. She kept a WW1 autograph book which she asked her own family and friends and wounded soldiers in her care to sign. Interestingly some of those autographs were from staff and soldiers in Corsham Hospital suggesting that Elsie moved between hospitals. The entries are a mix of simple signatures with name and rank, some left details of where they were injured, others wrote poems or limericks, there are jokes and some drew little sketches. There are entries from British and Irish soldiers and one Canadian and a Belgian.

Soldiers often wrote about their experience in the trenches but they also related their comments to their nurses or to their enemies. The language and the stories reflect the feelings at the time and some are politically incorrect, certainly not repeatable today. As a young nurse Elsie seems to have been popular and received advice from soldiers and family alike.

Elsie received a Red Cross Medal for her service during WW1 and was also awarded medals for Nursing service in WW2. Elsie was later a nurse in Malmesbury General Hospital to complete a lifetime of nursing. She died in 1973.

     

   

 

 Thanks to Elsie’s niece Chris Sparrow from Hankerton for sharing Nurse Elsie Cuss’ story and her autograph book.

Soldiers Autographs from Nurse Cuss’ Diary 1915 -1919.

Malmesbury and Corsham Hospitals.

24450 Bombadier P.Summers. No.9 Siege Battery RGA. Wounded at Festubert May 16^th 1915

Corpl. Reg A Barrett. London Irish Rifles. Wounded at Givenchy. 31/5/15

L.A.Holmes 17^th Batt. London Regt. Wounded at Givenchy. 1/6/15

Pte W Herbert 2^nd E Surrey Regt (with sketch)

RJM(?) Cousins. 1^st R.I.R. wounded Formells 9^th May

Spr.F.Atkins no 670 Royal Bucks Hussars. Wounded by shrapnel in the left foot at the Dardenells on the 28^th August on Hill 70.

Pte R. D. Board 6^th Batt. Glos Regt. May 15^th 1915. (with sketch)

Sapper P Jarvis 41770 65^th Field Coy Royal Eng 10^th Division. Wounded 18 days after landings at Suvla and Anafarta Bays Dardenelles. 14/10/15

Act/Cpl H Mycock. 13^th Batt Rifle Brigade. Wounded Mametz Wood. Aug 11^th 1916

Pte E Prothers. 7^th Batt R.S.L.I. Wounded at St Eloi nr Ypres Belgium June 10^th 1916.

Frank C Ferris.2/1^st R.W.Y. 1916

E.P. 7^TH RSLI Corsham Oct 5^th 1916

Pte. A.E. Trowbridge. 1^st Dorset Regt. 16.10.16

F Jewell Sergeant. Wiltshire Regt.

H.Fulchorpe. Princess Patricia.s Canadian Light Infantry.

Pte J Martin 2^nd Lincoln’s January 31^st 1919

12884 John J Green. 10^th DLI. Wounded left fore arm on the Somme 16^th Sept 1916

Pte J Hamilton Border Regt. Wounded at the Dardenelles on the 28^th August also wounded in France

Artificer L Wolfe. 48^th Battery. RGA. 3^rd Division BEF

Pte Francis Lovell Hall. 2^nd Essex Regt. 31/1/19

Pte Tom W Pirrie No 2 F Amb RAMC

9173 S W Wakefield. 1^st Wilts. Frost Bitten Feet. November 1914 Ypres. Wounded at the Battle of the Somme July 1916.

Pte J Daiph 5^th Seaforth Highlanders 12^th July ‘15

Lucina M Law Aug 19^th 1916

18611 Pte A Wade. 8^th Royal Berks. VAD Bed X Hospital Corsham Wilts

Rfm. E C Wallis 12^th London Regt. ‘The Rangers’ . wounded Gillemont 9/9/16

Bdr E Lewis. Royal Field Artillery. VAD Hospital Corsham

A.M.Gough Royal Flying Corps. VAD Hospital Corsham 30/10/16

Pte Merriman Box Ward Corsham

Capt Fowler VAD Hospital Box Ward Corsham 30/10/16

H. Hartley Sgt. L.F.

Pte J Martin. 2^nd Lincolns. January 31^st 1919

Pte Robert Blythe 10^th Northumberland Fusiliers October 11^th 1916

L.C.Evans 12 (WSY) att S.L.I . Wounded Dec 9^th 1917 . gassed at St Quantin Sept 18^th 1918

Pte Stansell Box Ward Corsham VAD Wilts 30

Pte J Dart 2/4^th Som. L. Iny Red Cross Hospital Malmesbury Oct 4^th 1918

Pte Robert Blythe 10^th Northumberland Fus.

Pte Harrison No 097733 496 Company Corsham Wilts Oct 1916

Pte Slade

Pte P Sortin. VAD Hospital Corsham

H Smith Sgt. Wounded at Thiepval August 25^th 1916

Yos Milans. Belgian Soldier. 11 Rigement de ligne ¾. 3 Division Arme Begium. 17 May 1915

Sgt Cranness 14425 11^th Essex Regt 29.10.16

Sgt Young Box Ward

Sgt Wood RFA Wounded June 16^th Ypres

Pte W.G. Dulake. 2^nd Batt Queens R.W.S. Wounded at Festubert 16/5/16