TOPIC:

Julia Nettie Underwood, R.R.C.

Nursing Sister – Anglo Boer War

- Royal Red Cross Decoration
- Queens South Africa Medal to Nursing Sister J.N. Underwood
- Kings South Africa Medal to Nursing Sister J.N. Underwood

Julia Underwood was born in Goshen, Massachusetts, in the United States of America on 23 November 1873, the daughter to Charles Underwood and his wife May Ann (born Hoar)

Goshen is a small town stuck in the foothills of the Berkshire Mountains in Western Massachusetts and very rural in composition. It was here that Julia was raised in reasonably isolated circumstances given the fact that her father was a farmer in the district.



However, despite her obscure beginnings, she was to make her mark on the nursing services offered during the Anglo Boer War.

In 1893, at the young age of 20 she left her native shores, no doubt filled with a missionary zeal, to take up teaching at the recently established Huguenot Seminary at Bethlehem in the Orange Free State in South Africa. After a year hard at it she was persuaded to take charge of a private school at Ladybrand, a small town not too far away and it was there that she found herself when war broke out in 1899.

An article that appeared in the Friend newspaper in Bloemfontein on 15 June 1942 best describes the conditions in which she found herself and how it came to pass that she deserted teaching as a profession in favour of nursing, that being the more immediate and pressing need:

“When the British occupied the town she was placed in charge of the hospital and until the end of the war she did yeoman service there. There was a period of ten weeks I am told when Miss Underwood and her assistants had to sleep on the floor at odd moments in place of a proper nights rest.

Mrs Underwood tells me that when she first arrived in the Free State she had to travel by post - cart from Theunissen to Bethlehem, stopping only at Winburg and Senekal for fresh horses – a journey which took 19 hours.”

Life was difficult and it was going to get worse before it got better – the Boers were often in and around the area nestled as it was in what could be described as their circle of influence – and it wasn’t long before the British forces garrisoned the town.

War became the cause of a flourishing romance between Julia and a young British officer, Lieutenant Peter Croft. Croft had been an officer with the C.I.V. and had transferred to the A.S.C. by the time he was stationed in Ladybrand.

In the meanwhile Julia was continuing to impress on the nursing front. On 10 September 1901 she was Mentioned in the Dispatches of Lord Roberts as part of the Civil staff.

Ere long this was followed by a Gazette entry dated 27 September 1901 where she was awarded the Decoration of the Royal Red Cross.

A further accolade came her way with the penning of a letter to the Deputy Administrator, Bloemfontein from Major F. White, Late Commissioner, Ladybrand, which he wrote at Bethulie on 14 October 1901:

“I am of opinion some mark of His Majesty’s approval would be equally politic and deserving. In this connection I would also bring to your notice the services rendered by Nurse J. Underwood whose unwavering and constant attention eminently aided the recovery of patients. When short- handed she lived in the hospital day and night without relief working herself into a state of ill health. Nurse Underwood is an American”

Julia Underwood also served on the Hospital Train traversing the line of communication between Ladybrand and Bloemfontein.
Her discharge came on 21 August 1902 her nursing career having earned her justly deserved recognition in official quarters. For her efforts she was awarded, in addition to the R.R.C., the Queens South Africa Medal and the Kings South Africa Medal, both highly coveted to nurses.

With the war having come to and end, her thoughts now turned to the contemplation of marriage.

On 9 September 1902 a Special Marriage License was submitted by the Resident Magistrate, Ladybrand to the Lieutenant Governor, who, in turn, submitted it to the Colonial Secretary with the comment – “I have ascertained that both parties are majors. Please sign if you affirm”

The accompanying Affadavit read as follows, “We the undersigned – Peter Croft and Julia Nettie Underwood having appeared before the Resident Magistrate of Ladybrand do hereby solemnly swear and declare that we are in no way related or have any affinity to each other, that we are respectively bachelor and spinster, that we have each resided three months in the Orange River Colony and we know of no lawful impediment to a marriage contracted between us, and now appear and deposit the sum of £5 (5 pounds sterling) for application for a Special Marriage Licence to the above effect.”

The Colonial Secretary signed his approval on 22 September paving the way to their marriage shortly thereafter.

After the war Julia settled down to married life with her new husband. Peter Croft, who later served in World War I as O.C. of the Cape Auxiliary Transport Company in France, purchased a farm, “Kuilput” outside Bloemfontein where the family resided.

The aforementioned article in the Friend newspaper went on to mention,
“Mrs Croft’s husband, I learnt, also holds a very coveted distinction – the Freedom of the City of London. Seven of Major and Mrs Croft’s children, children in law and grandchildren are today on active service in various parts of Africa – a truly military family.

Julia passed away at the grand old age of 90 on 21 July 1963 - she was staying with one of her children at 8 Osborne Road, Selbourne, East London, South Africa, at the time.

In many respects a remarkable woman.

Thanks to Elne Watson, I have become a convert to the use of maps in recent times. This has caused me to revisit some of my posts and enable me to provide more visual context of the recipients area of operation in the war.

Julia Nettie Underwood's medal roll clearly indicates that she served on the Lines of Communication between Bloemfontein and Wolvehoek in the Orange Free State. I have now included this in the map appended below. Additionally, we know from what has been written about her, that she worked in trains on this route as well as "manned", almost single-handedly, the hospital at Ladybrand. I have highlighted Ladybrand in the map as well.

This is where she met and married the dashing young CIV Lieutenant, Peter Croft who, at this time, was seconded to the ASC in the town.





Regards

Rory

One of the many benefits of tracking down family members of recipients is that they are often able to provide photos etc.

I was very fortunate to be sent these in respect of Julia Nettie Underwood. In one of them, dressed in nurses uniform, she is sporting her RRC and, I assume, her QSA - perhaps the KSA was issued later.

Thank you Rory,

It's good to see Nursing Sister Underwood photographed with one of "The Nation's Gifts", or nurses' wallets, which were given as Christmas presents to all nurses serving in South Africa in 1901. The wallets were paid for out of the London Morning Post's "Field Force Fund", of which Queen Alexandra was patron. She consented to have her double "A" monogram stamped on the wallets, which "enhanced the value of the gift in the eyes of all, as a witness of the patronage she has graciously accorded to the work being carried out on behalf of those serving their country at the front" (London Morning Post, 18 Nov 1901).
The few I have seen have been in pristine condition, and I suspect many recipients put the wallets away and kept them as precious mementoes rather than using them in the field.








Morning Post, 18th November 1901


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