What do you think?
Rate this book
De Vergeten Verpleegster
The true story of a Belgian-Congolese nurse who helped take care of wounded soldiers during the Battle of the Bulge in WWII, during which she nearly lost her own life.
Her heroic acts were mentioned in the book "Band of Brothers", but to this day no one really knew who she was.
An exciting documentary, based on historical facts.
Her heroic acts were mentioned in the book "Band of Brothers", but to this day no one really knew who she was.
An exciting documentary, based on historical facts.
264 pages, Paperback
First published October 7, 2011
10 people are currently reading
128 people want to read
About the author
Martin King
103 books16 followersEmmy Award winning British Military Historian/Author/ Lecturer who's had the honor of reintroducing many US, British and German veterans to the WWII battlefields where they fought. He lives in Belgium near Antwerp where he spends his most of his time visiting European battlefields.
His voluntary work tracing individual histories has been a labor of love for almost 30 years. He speaks, and has a working knowledge of German Italian Dutch and French. Frequently in demand as a public speaker he has lectured at many British and US colleges, universities and military bases throughout the world. The History Channel hired Martin as a Historical Consultant on their series "Cities of the Underworld". In 2007 he began a new assignment working as a Historical consultant/writer on the hit series 'Greatest Tank Battles', currently the most watched military documentary in the US. Shortly thereafter he accepted an invitation to work as a Presenter/Historical Consultant on the series 'Narrow Escapes' with Bafta Award winning documentary makers WMR.
He is a frequent visitor to the prestigious West Point Military Academy. Widely regarded as a leading authority on European Military History, General Graham Hollands referred to him as the "Greatest living expert on the Battle of the Bulge". Steven Ambrose called him "Our expert in the Ardennes". Fellow writer and notable historian Professor Carlton Joyce said "He really is the best on the Ardennes". His campaigning work for World War Two veterans recently came to attention of some leading military personnel at the Pentagon who cordially invited him to present his latest work there. Awarded 'SERVICES TO EDUCATION' certificates by the USAF and NATO. In 2015 his documentary feature 'Searching for Augusta' received no less than 7 EMMY AWARDS for 'BEST HISTORICAL DOCUMENTARY'. In 2017 his book 'THe Fighting 30th Division - They called them Roosevelt's SS' was nominated in the USA for the 'Prestigious writer Award'. He's also an Honorary Citizen and chosen Cultural Ambassador
His voluntary work tracing individual histories has been a labor of love for almost 30 years. He speaks, and has a working knowledge of German Italian Dutch and French. Frequently in demand as a public speaker he has lectured at many British and US colleges, universities and military bases throughout the world. The History Channel hired Martin as a Historical Consultant on their series "Cities of the Underworld". In 2007 he began a new assignment working as a Historical consultant/writer on the hit series 'Greatest Tank Battles', currently the most watched military documentary in the US. Shortly thereafter he accepted an invitation to work as a Presenter/Historical Consultant on the series 'Narrow Escapes' with Bafta Award winning documentary makers WMR.
He is a frequent visitor to the prestigious West Point Military Academy. Widely regarded as a leading authority on European Military History, General Graham Hollands referred to him as the "Greatest living expert on the Battle of the Bulge". Steven Ambrose called him "Our expert in the Ardennes". Fellow writer and notable historian Professor Carlton Joyce said "He really is the best on the Ardennes". His campaigning work for World War Two veterans recently came to attention of some leading military personnel at the Pentagon who cordially invited him to present his latest work there. Awarded 'SERVICES TO EDUCATION' certificates by the USAF and NATO. In 2015 his documentary feature 'Searching for Augusta' received no less than 7 EMMY AWARDS for 'BEST HISTORICAL DOCUMENTARY'. In 2017 his book 'THe Fighting 30th Division - They called them Roosevelt's SS' was nominated in the USA for the 'Prestigious writer Award'. He's also an Honorary Citizen and chosen Cultural Ambassador
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
February 8, 2019
Augusta Chiwy “The Angel of Bastogne” was a Congo-born, black Belgian nurse during the Battle of Bulge during WWII. She was made reference to in Stephen Ambrose’s “Band of Brothers” under the name “Anna”. This book tells the true story of the unsung hero, whose compassion and courage helped save countless American soldiers even when it was written into regulations that black nurses couldn’t treat white soldiers. The soldiers where given an option to let Augusta treat them or die.
November 13, 2025
4 ⭐️
🎧 (Narrator: Roger Clark; 5/5 🎤)
Themes/tropes: WWII, combat nursing, post-war trauma/PTSD, BIPOC, Racial Inequities
This was a story about the second nurse at Bastogne who helped to treat and care for US soldiers, but was mostly forgotten about until much later in her life. This nurse’s name is Augusta.
If you’ve ever watched Band of Brothers, specifically the episode about Bastogne, you meet the nurse at the aide station who helped Doc to get supplies to the men of the 101st but tragically died in a bombing of the aide station. That was based on a real nurse named Renee, but also in the episode is a black nurse and when Doc Rowe asks about her, Renee tells him she’s from the Congo. That nurse was real and her name was Augusta Chiwy and she was a Belgian Congolese immigrant. Augusta was home with her father when the battle of the bulge started and a doctor in the U.S. military named Jack finds her and asks her to help him care for the wounded. Augusta does volunteer and saves many lives, but is never recognized by Belgium or the U.S. The author of this book hunted down Augusta and then got the U.S. and others to recognize her efforts during the war and award her with rightful medals of honor for her service. This book follows her story and that of the author’s work surrounding Augusta.
Great read and so glad to have recovered this piece of history that could have otherwise been lost. As a nurse and a WWII history lover, Augusta’s story touched my heart.
🎧 (Narrator: Roger Clark; 5/5 🎤)
Themes/tropes: WWII, combat nursing, post-war trauma/PTSD, BIPOC, Racial Inequities
This was a story about the second nurse at Bastogne who helped to treat and care for US soldiers, but was mostly forgotten about until much later in her life. This nurse’s name is Augusta.
If you’ve ever watched Band of Brothers, specifically the episode about Bastogne, you meet the nurse at the aide station who helped Doc to get supplies to the men of the 101st but tragically died in a bombing of the aide station. That was based on a real nurse named Renee, but also in the episode is a black nurse and when Doc Rowe asks about her, Renee tells him she’s from the Congo. That nurse was real and her name was Augusta Chiwy and she was a Belgian Congolese immigrant. Augusta was home with her father when the battle of the bulge started and a doctor in the U.S. military named Jack finds her and asks her to help him care for the wounded. Augusta does volunteer and saves many lives, but is never recognized by Belgium or the U.S. The author of this book hunted down Augusta and then got the U.S. and others to recognize her efforts during the war and award her with rightful medals of honor for her service. This book follows her story and that of the author’s work surrounding Augusta.
Great read and so glad to have recovered this piece of history that could have otherwise been lost. As a nurse and a WWII history lover, Augusta’s story touched my heart.
May 8, 2020
Augusta is a hero. The author has done a lot of research to bring us her story. Unfortunately his prose is numbing. So 5 stars for Augusta and 1 for Mr. King
June 11, 2023
A riveting true account of interracial love, personal sacrifice, and selfless service. The details that Band of Brothers refused to touch.
March 30, 2025
DNF, p25
October 6, 2021
Augusta Chiwy is a hero we should all know by name. I’m so glad to have learned her story.
March 6, 2024
Extraordinario relato que nos muestra la intensa búsqueda y recopilación de datos de parte del autor de una enfermera afro descendiente que sirvió durante la Batalla de Bastogne (1944) eclipsada por la figura de otra enfermera belga llamada El Ángel de Bastogne.
El ángel olvidado fue redescubierto y finalmente se le rendieron los honores merecidos.
El ángel olvidado fue redescubierto y finalmente se le rendieron los honores merecidos.
June 8, 2013
as a nurse myself i found this a truly amazing book. it made me feel respect for nurses and doctors during wartime then and now...
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews