Writing The Century 18 - The Camel Hospital [15 Minute Drama]

Episode

First
Broadcast

Comments

20111107

Writing The Century -

The Camel Hospital,

Inspired by the diaries of Sara Wilsdon

dramatised by Karen Brown

The series which explores the 20th century through the diaries and correspondence of real people:

Sara Wilson was a V.A.D (Voluntary Aid Detachment) nurse posted to Egypt in January 1918.

The drama charts her journey through three different military hospitals,one of which is a canvas hospital in the desert, where she meets and marries the love of her life.Her diary spans a tour de force period in Sara's life, when this young woman from a sheltered background encounters death and love.

Sara - Rebecca Callard

Mary - Jessica Blake

Matron ....... Jacqueline Redgewell

Italian boy - Peter Singh

American Officer - James Nickerson

Research consultant - Professor Alison Fell

Directed by Pauline Harris

Sara was a VAD Nurse (Voluntary Aid Detachment) a unit which provided medical assistance in time of war. VADs like Sara were young women eager to 'do their duty'.. Sara at 24 years of age travels from 'Connaught Hospital' Aldershot to '31 General Hospital' Cairo with 22 other nurses. There she nurses the wounded and dying and sees the devastating effects of Typhus and Malaria on our troops. And yet she writes with good humour and energy, a fresh and vivid voice, taking a wondrous interest in the beauty of the landscape and the country's exotic atmos. Unfazed by danger she takes every opportunity to explore her surroundings. In Cairo Sara finds out that her brother Newton has been killed in action. She bears her grief quietly, continuing to do her duty and hiding it from the injured men in her care.

In July 1918, Sara is transferred to a tented hospital in the desert in Kantara. There she meets and gradually falls in love with Ray Wilsdon. Her diary documents her growing affection for him, his transition from friend to fiancee. When the war ends in November Sara's devotion to duty continues. Her soldiers are still being killed, dying of their injuries and typhoid. She and Ray get engaged . In May 1919 orders come through that Sara must transfer to the 'Citadel Hospital' Cairo where there are localised uprisings. Sara asks to be be demobbed and is waiting to go home when Ray sends a wire asking her to marry him right away. Sara is faced with a difficult decision whether to go back home or stay with Ray in Egypt.

Professor Alison Fell has published several articles and chapters on women and the First World War. She is the co-editor with Christine Hallett of Visions and Revisions: Studies on First World War Nursing (London: Routledge, 2012) and is currently writing a book entitled Back to the Front: Women as Veterans in Interwar France and Britain. She is also leading the Legacies of War 2014-2018 project at the University of Leeds, coordinating activities around the First World War Centenary - http://arts.leeds.ac.uk/legaciesofwar/.

Dramatised diaries of VAD nurse Sara Wilsdon in Egypt during WWI.

20111108

Writing The Century -

The Camel Hospital,

Inspired by the diaries of Sara Wilsdon

dramatised by Karen Brown

The series which explores the 20th century through the diaries and correspondence of real people:

in January 1918.

After travelling thousands of miles from Aldershot to Abbasea the military hospital has only one

patient so Sara and her friend Mary have time to sightsee. Soon, however, the is hospital is full and

Sara has a sense of purpose until she receives tragic news regarding her brother. She meets

Ray for the first time and hopes he wishes for nothing more than friendship.

Sara - Rebecca Callard

Mary - Jessica Blake

Ray - Jake Norton

Captain Theobald - James Nickerson

Matron - Melissa Jane Sinden

Amelia - Verity-May Henry

Patient - Peter Singh

Research Consultant - Professor Alison Fell

Directed by Pauline Harris

Sara meets Ray for the first time and hopes he wishes for nothing more than friendship.

20111109

The Camel Hospital - Episode 3

Sara Wilson was a V.A.D (Voluntary Aid Detachment) nurse posted to Egypt in January 1918.

Peace is declared in Egypt, but conflict erupts between Ray and Sara when he declares his love for her.

Sara - Rebecca Callard

Amelia - Verity-May Henry

Ray - Jake Norton

Matron - Olwen May

Research Consultant - Professor Alison Fell

Directed by Pauline Harris

Professor Alison Fell has published several articles and chapters on women and the First World War. She is the co-editor with Christine Hallett of Visions and Revisions:.

Peace is declared in Egypt. But conflict erupts between Ray and Sara.

20111110

Writing The Century -

The Camel Hospital,

Inspired by the diaries of Sara Wilsdon

dramatised by Karen Brown

The series which explores the 20th century through the diaries and correspondence of real people:

Amidst the celebrations of peace being declared, Sara tries to find a moment to tell Ray about her change of feelings for him.

Sara - Rebecca Callard

Ray - Jake Norton

Amelia - Verity-May Henry

Matron - Olwen May

Patient - James Nickerson

Research Consultant - Professor Alison Fell

Directed by Pauline Harris

20111111

Writing The Century -

The Camel Hospital,

Inspired by the diaries of Sara Wilsdon

dramatised by Karen Brown

The series which explores the 20th century through the diaries and correspondence of real people.

Torn between returning home to her family or staying with Ray in Egypt, Sara must make an agonising decision.

Sara - Rebecca Callard

Ray - Jake Norton

Amelia - Verity-May Henry

Matron...... Fionnuala Dorrity

Research Consultant - Professor Alison Fell

Directed by Pauline Harris

Sara is torn between returning home to her family or staying with Ray in Egypt.

Episodes

Episode	First Broadcast	Comments
01	20111107	Writing The Century - The Camel Hospital, Inspired by the diaries of Sara Wilsdon dramatised by Karen Brown The series which explores the 20th century through the diaries and correspondence of real people: Sara Wilson was a V.A.D (Voluntary Aid Detachment) nurse posted to Egypt in January 1918. The drama charts her journey through three different military hospitals,one of which is a canvas hospital in the desert, where she meets and marries the love of her life.Her diary spans a tour de force period in Sara's life, when this young woman from a sheltered background encounters death and love. Sara - Rebecca Callard Mary - Jessica Blake Matron ....... Jacqueline Redgewell Italian boy - Peter Singh American Officer - James Nickerson Research consultant - Professor Alison Fell Directed by Pauline Harris Sara was a VAD Nurse (Voluntary Aid Detachment) a unit which provided medical assistance in time of war. VADs like Sara were young women eager to 'do their duty'.. Sara at 24 years of age travels from 'Connaught Hospital' Aldershot to '31 General Hospital' Cairo with 22 other nurses. There she nurses the wounded and dying and sees the devastating effects of Typhus and Malaria on our troops. And yet she writes with good humour and energy, a fresh and vivid voice, taking a wondrous interest in the beauty of the landscape and the country's exotic atmos. Unfazed by danger she takes every opportunity to explore her surroundings. In Cairo Sara finds out that her brother Newton has been killed in action. She bears her grief quietly, continuing to do her duty and hiding it from the injured men in her care. In July 1918, Sara is transferred to a tented hospital in the desert in Kantara. There she meets and gradually falls in love with Ray Wilsdon. Her diary documents her growing affection for him, his transition from friend to fiancee. When the war ends in November Sara's devotion to duty continues. Her soldiers are still being killed, dying of their injuries and typhoid. She and Ray get engaged . In May 1919 orders come through that Sara must transfer to the 'Citadel Hospital' Cairo where there are localised uprisings. Sara asks to be be demobbed and is waiting to go home when Ray sends a wire asking her to marry him right away. Sara is faced with a difficult decision whether to go back home or stay with Ray in Egypt. Professor Alison Fell has published several articles and chapters on women and the First World War. She is the co-editor with Christine Hallett of Visions and Revisions: Studies on First World War Nursing (London: Routledge, 2012) and is currently writing a book entitled Back to the Front: Women as Veterans in Interwar France and Britain. She is also leading the Legacies of War 2014-2018 project at the University of Leeds, coordinating activities around the First World War Centenary - http://arts.leeds.ac.uk/legaciesofwar/. Dramatised diaries of VAD nurse Sara Wilsdon in Egypt during WWI.
02	20111108	Writing The Century - The Camel Hospital, Inspired by the diaries of Sara Wilsdon dramatised by Karen Brown The series which explores the 20th century through the diaries and correspondence of real people: in January 1918. After travelling thousands of miles from Aldershot to Abbasea the military hospital has only one patient so Sara and her friend Mary have time to sightsee. Soon, however, the is hospital is full and Sara has a sense of purpose until she receives tragic news regarding her brother. She meets Ray for the first time and hopes he wishes for nothing more than friendship. Sara - Rebecca Callard Mary - Jessica Blake Ray - Jake Norton Captain Theobald - James Nickerson Matron - Melissa Jane Sinden Amelia - Verity-May Henry Patient - Peter Singh Research Consultant - Professor Alison Fell Directed by Pauline Harris Professor Alison Fell has published several articles and chapters on women and the First World War. She is the co-editor with Christine Hallett of Visions and Revisions: Studies on First World War Nursing (London: Routledge, 2012) and is currently writing a book entitled Back to the Front: Women as Veterans in Interwar France and Britain. She is also leading the Legacies of War 2014-2018 project at the University of Leeds, coordinating activities around the First World War Centenary - http://arts.leeds.ac.uk/legaciesofwar/. Sara meets Ray for the first time and hopes he wishes for nothing more than friendship.
03	20111109	The Camel Hospital - Episode 3 Sara Wilson was a V.A.D (Voluntary Aid Detachment) nurse posted to Egypt in January 1918. Peace is declared in Egypt, but conflict erupts between Ray and Sara when he declares his love for her. Sara - Rebecca Callard Amelia - Verity-May Henry Ray - Jake Norton Matron - Olwen May Research Consultant - Professor Alison Fell Directed by Pauline Harris Professor Alison Fell has published several articles and chapters on women and the First World War. She is the co-editor with Christine Hallett of Visions and Revisions:. Peace is declared in Egypt. But conflict erupts between Ray and Sara.
04	20111110	Writing The Century - The Camel Hospital, Inspired by the diaries of Sara Wilsdon dramatised by Karen Brown The series which explores the 20th century through the diaries and correspondence of real people: Amidst the celebrations of peace being declared, Sara tries to find a moment to tell Ray about her change of feelings for him. Sara - Rebecca Callard Ray - Jake Norton Amelia - Verity-May Henry Matron - Olwen May Patient - James Nickerson Research Consultant - Professor Alison Fell Directed by Pauline Harris Professor Alison Fell has published several articles and chapters on women and the First World War. She is the co-editor with Christine Hallett of Visions and Revisions: Studies on First World War Nursing (London: Routledge, 2012) and is currently writing a book entitled Back to the Front: Women as Veterans in Interwar France and Britain. She is also leading the Legacies of War 2014-2018 project at the University of Leeds, coordinating activities around the First World War Centenary - http://arts.leeds.ac.uk/legaciesofwar/.
05	20111111	Writing The Century - The Camel Hospital, Inspired by the diaries of Sara Wilsdon dramatised by Karen Brown The series which explores the 20th century through the diaries and correspondence of real people. Torn between returning home to her family or staying with Ray in Egypt, Sara must make an agonising decision. Sara - Rebecca Callard Ray - Jake Norton Amelia - Verity-May Henry Matron...... Fionnuala Dorrity Research Consultant - Professor Alison Fell Directed by Pauline Harris Professor Alison Fell has published several articles and chapters on women and the First World War. She is the co-editor with Christine Hallett of Visions and Revisions: Studies on First World War Nursing (London: Routledge, 2012) and is currently writing a book entitled Back to the Front: Women as Veterans in Interwar France and Britain. She is also leading the Legacies of War 2014-2018 project at the University of Leeds, coordinating activities around the First World War Centenary - http://arts.leeds.ac.uk/legaciesofwar/. Sara is torn between returning home to her family or staying with Ray in Egypt.