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In Love and War: Nursing Heroes
In the aftermath of the Battle of Britain, airmen filled a small town where pioneering plastic surgeon Archibald McIndoe established revolutionary surgical and therapeutic treatments.For the child Liz Byrski, growing up in East Grinstead, the burnt faces of these airmen filled her nightmares. In her late 60s, Liz returned to make peace with her memories and to speak not only with the survivors-known as the Guinea Pig Club-but with the nurses who played a vital and unorthodox role in their treatment, sometimes at a significant personal cost."
- GenresNonfictionHistorical
216 pages, Paperback
First published May 1, 2015
11 people are currently reading
281 people want to read
About the author
Liz Byrski
30 books198 followersLiz Byrski is a writer and broadcaster with more than 40 years experience in the British and Australian media. She is the author of eleven non-fiction books and five novels, and her work has been published in national and international newspapers and magazines.
In the nineties Liz was a broadcaster and executive producer with ABC Radio in Perth and later an advisor to a minister in the Western Australian State Government; she now lectures in Professional and Creative Writing at Curtin University of Technology in Perth, and has PhD in writing with a focus on feminist popular fiction.
Liz was born in London and spent most of her childhood in Sussex. As an only child she spent a lot of time alone, much of it buried in books. She began her working life as a secretary and later moved into journalism working as a reporter on a local newspaper until she took up freelance writing when her children were born. Before moving to Western Australia she also worked as an appeals organiser for Oxfam.
After moving to Perth with her family in 1981 she once again established a freelance career writing for Australian publications including The Australian, Homes and Living, Cosmopolitan and Weekend News.
Liz lives between Perth and Fremantle and in addition to enjoying the company of family and friends, she spends most of her time reading, writing and walking. She has two adult sons and twin grandsons.
In the nineties Liz was a broadcaster and executive producer with ABC Radio in Perth and later an advisor to a minister in the Western Australian State Government; she now lectures in Professional and Creative Writing at Curtin University of Technology in Perth, and has PhD in writing with a focus on feminist popular fiction.
Liz was born in London and spent most of her childhood in Sussex. As an only child she spent a lot of time alone, much of it buried in books. She began her working life as a secretary and later moved into journalism working as a reporter on a local newspaper until she took up freelance writing when her children were born. Before moving to Western Australia she also worked as an appeals organiser for Oxfam.
After moving to Perth with her family in 1981 she once again established a freelance career writing for Australian publications including The Australian, Homes and Living, Cosmopolitan and Weekend News.
Liz lives between Perth and Fremantle and in addition to enjoying the company of family and friends, she spends most of her time reading, writing and walking. She has two adult sons and twin grandsons.
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Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews
June 14, 2015
I received this book through Goodreads’ First Reads programme, thank you to Fremantle Press for the copy. It’s a book that I probably wouldn’t have bought, but borrowed from the library. I have an interest in the day to day life during World War II (as my blog readers would have guessed) and I was looking forward to it. Like many other people, I’ve heard of the Guinea Pig club. To be a member, you had to be burned and treated by Archibald McIndoe, pioneering plastic surgeon. These men (and a few women) had horrific burned that made their features grotesque to many. However, McIndoe not only helped to bring function back into burned areas but made the area around his hospital a safe haven for the Guinea Pigs. How did he do this? By enlisting the help of the townspeople to treat them as they were exactly the same as everyone else and having an easy going, jovial and naughty at times feeling in the ward.
This is where Liz Bryski’s personal link to the Guinea Pigs comes in. As a child, she remembers being terrified by the Guinea Pigs. Many years later, she returns to her hometown to speak with not only the Guinea Pigs, but those who looked after them – the nurses. She interviews both groups and encounters a range of emotions and thoughts relating back to that time. She also attends what is likely to be the last reunion of the Guinea Pigs. Some of the Guinea Pigs have remained heavily involved with the club, supporting each over in emotional times and also in getting a job. Others have distanced themselves (one gentleman was worried that he may have been shunned for being gay). For the nurses, the gamut of emotions is even wider. The men were encouraged to flirt with the nurses and a little time in the broom cupboard was not frowned upon. How did these women feel? Some didn’t mind. Some felt it was part of the war duty. Some felt distinctly uncomfortable.
Byrski’s interviews and history of the Guinea Pigs is interspersed with her own history and personal reflections. I wasn’t prepared for this on reading the blurb – I thought this was more of a straightforward history. I found just as I was getting interested in the story, it would move back to Byrski’s own memories. I felt that the last chapters, where Byrski talks about her own troubles in getting the book written and becoming ill detracted from the focus of the book. However, I got incredibly frustrated on page 204 by a factual error where Byrski states she contracted the ‘Legionella virus’. Legionella is not a virus, it’s a class of Gram-negative bacteria. Byrski also states she ‘probably acquired it on the flight to London’ which is quite unlikely given that Legionella tends to thrive in stagnant water (think cooling towers). Also, the most common way of contracting Legionella in Western Australia (where Byrski resides) is through potting mix, soil and compost (Legionella longbeachae). After this, I wasn’t too sure who or what to believe.
I wish I could say I enjoyed this more, but I didn’t. The history parts were interesting, but due to the errors at the end, the book just didn’t work for me.
http://samstillreading.wordpress.com
This is where Liz Bryski’s personal link to the Guinea Pigs comes in. As a child, she remembers being terrified by the Guinea Pigs. Many years later, she returns to her hometown to speak with not only the Guinea Pigs, but those who looked after them – the nurses. She interviews both groups and encounters a range of emotions and thoughts relating back to that time. She also attends what is likely to be the last reunion of the Guinea Pigs. Some of the Guinea Pigs have remained heavily involved with the club, supporting each over in emotional times and also in getting a job. Others have distanced themselves (one gentleman was worried that he may have been shunned for being gay). For the nurses, the gamut of emotions is even wider. The men were encouraged to flirt with the nurses and a little time in the broom cupboard was not frowned upon. How did these women feel? Some didn’t mind. Some felt it was part of the war duty. Some felt distinctly uncomfortable.
Byrski’s interviews and history of the Guinea Pigs is interspersed with her own history and personal reflections. I wasn’t prepared for this on reading the blurb – I thought this was more of a straightforward history. I found just as I was getting interested in the story, it would move back to Byrski’s own memories. I felt that the last chapters, where Byrski talks about her own troubles in getting the book written and becoming ill detracted from the focus of the book. However, I got incredibly frustrated on page 204 by a factual error where Byrski states she contracted the ‘Legionella virus’. Legionella is not a virus, it’s a class of Gram-negative bacteria. Byrski also states she ‘probably acquired it on the flight to London’ which is quite unlikely given that Legionella tends to thrive in stagnant water (think cooling towers). Also, the most common way of contracting Legionella in Western Australia (where Byrski resides) is through potting mix, soil and compost (Legionella longbeachae). After this, I wasn’t too sure who or what to believe.
I wish I could say I enjoyed this more, but I didn’t. The history parts were interesting, but due to the errors at the end, the book just didn’t work for me.
http://samstillreading.wordpress.com
April 4, 2021
“In Love and War is a remarkable and moving story: the survival and quality of life we can achieve today for burns patients is in part due to the energy and sheer hard work of Archibald McIndoe and his team of specialists and nurses”. Professor Fiona Wood AM.
Liz Byrski is an author highly regarded for her works of fiction including Gang of Four, Belly Dancing for Beginners, Family Secrets and my personal favourite Last Chance Café. Her memoir Remember Me is excellent reading, full of life and love.
Now in her latest book, a work of non-fiction, Professor Byrski tells a story unfamiliar to most of us, about heroes, the man who tried to make them whole, the village who welcomed them and the women who nursed them. At the same time, she takes a journey into her own childhood and we learn more about the woman behind the books.
Surgeon Archibald McIndoe was on his way to making a fortune out of women’s vanity, as one of the few surgeons involved in the new area of Plastic Surgery when World War II intervened. Instead, he used his talent to start a burns rehabilitation and reconstruction unit at Queen Victoria Hospital in East Grinstead, West Sussex. Air Force pilots and their crew suffered horrendous burns and disfigurement when their planes were shot from under them, or crashed on landing.
McIndoe’s work was truly pioneering, there were no textbooks, no accumulated wisdom for him and his team to follow. Many of the practices in treating burns, in fact, were doing huge harm, it was his passion to develop better ways. Reading how he constructed a nose, where one no longer existed, is truly inspirational. I recommend you read some edited extracts from the book, complete with amazing photos, published in the Good Weekend magazine in the Sydney Morning Herald and the Age, link http://bit.ly/1cVYfiA
For baby Liz, these men were the stuff of nightmares; she even has a memory of fainting and falling down the stairs when her father brought one into their home. She really wished someone would tell these men to stay away from her town. But Archie McIndoe had other ideas; he encouraged the people of East Grinstead to accept these men, make them welcome in the town, invite them to social functions and into their homes.
As a mature woman, Liz returned to East Grinstead to not only find out more about The Guinea Pig Club, but to face her fears. She didn’t just want to re-tell the stories from her research, she wanted to meet The Guinea Pigs and particularly the women who nursed them. Despite the difficulty of finding nurses and men, the most difficult part for Liz became writing the story.
The subtitle of the book refers to the issue of the way the nurses were treated by the men and the doctors, particularly Mr. McIndoe. One nurse identified as Gladys stated, “Boundaries: that was the word I wanted – boundaries. Mr. McIndoe dissolved them all, that was the problem, and so some women were coerced into things they didn’t want to do. But it was probably what saved those young men’s lives, made them want to live.” Liz Byrski highlights the nursing conditions, whilst at the same time, giving a well-balanced overview of all opinions. Her feminist feathers are ruffled, but that doesn’t stop her putting the nurses’ stories into the context of their work and the time.
I’ve been privileged this year to read some great books. In Love and War: Nursing Heroes by Liz Byrski, however, is not a great book … it is an outstanding book by an outstanding author who is equally at home with fiction and non-fiction.
My appreciation to the author and her publishers, Fremantle Press for providing my review copy. This review is published on Starts at 60 http://bit.ly/1GgxaBX.
Liz Byrski is an author highly regarded for her works of fiction including Gang of Four, Belly Dancing for Beginners, Family Secrets and my personal favourite Last Chance Café. Her memoir Remember Me is excellent reading, full of life and love.
Now in her latest book, a work of non-fiction, Professor Byrski tells a story unfamiliar to most of us, about heroes, the man who tried to make them whole, the village who welcomed them and the women who nursed them. At the same time, she takes a journey into her own childhood and we learn more about the woman behind the books.
Surgeon Archibald McIndoe was on his way to making a fortune out of women’s vanity, as one of the few surgeons involved in the new area of Plastic Surgery when World War II intervened. Instead, he used his talent to start a burns rehabilitation and reconstruction unit at Queen Victoria Hospital in East Grinstead, West Sussex. Air Force pilots and their crew suffered horrendous burns and disfigurement when their planes were shot from under them, or crashed on landing.
McIndoe’s work was truly pioneering, there were no textbooks, no accumulated wisdom for him and his team to follow. Many of the practices in treating burns, in fact, were doing huge harm, it was his passion to develop better ways. Reading how he constructed a nose, where one no longer existed, is truly inspirational. I recommend you read some edited extracts from the book, complete with amazing photos, published in the Good Weekend magazine in the Sydney Morning Herald and the Age, link http://bit.ly/1cVYfiA
For baby Liz, these men were the stuff of nightmares; she even has a memory of fainting and falling down the stairs when her father brought one into their home. She really wished someone would tell these men to stay away from her town. But Archie McIndoe had other ideas; he encouraged the people of East Grinstead to accept these men, make them welcome in the town, invite them to social functions and into their homes.
As a mature woman, Liz returned to East Grinstead to not only find out more about The Guinea Pig Club, but to face her fears. She didn’t just want to re-tell the stories from her research, she wanted to meet The Guinea Pigs and particularly the women who nursed them. Despite the difficulty of finding nurses and men, the most difficult part for Liz became writing the story.
The subtitle of the book refers to the issue of the way the nurses were treated by the men and the doctors, particularly Mr. McIndoe. One nurse identified as Gladys stated, “Boundaries: that was the word I wanted – boundaries. Mr. McIndoe dissolved them all, that was the problem, and so some women were coerced into things they didn’t want to do. But it was probably what saved those young men’s lives, made them want to live.” Liz Byrski highlights the nursing conditions, whilst at the same time, giving a well-balanced overview of all opinions. Her feminist feathers are ruffled, but that doesn’t stop her putting the nurses’ stories into the context of their work and the time.
I’ve been privileged this year to read some great books. In Love and War: Nursing Heroes by Liz Byrski, however, is not a great book … it is an outstanding book by an outstanding author who is equally at home with fiction and non-fiction.
My appreciation to the author and her publishers, Fremantle Press for providing my review copy. This review is published on Starts at 60 http://bit.ly/1GgxaBX.
July 15, 2015
I was a bit disappointed in this book. I think the main problem is that it was researched and written too long after the Second WW. The people involved - the nurses and the airmen they nursed - were in their 80s and 90s and many had died. Therefore the book turned out to be more about the author than about the airmen and nurses. I would have liked to hear, not just that "some of the nurses and airmen married" but accounts of those actual relationships. I would also have liked some photos of Macindoe, the innovative plastic surgeon, the nurses and even some of the patients. Maybe there are photos in the hard copy of the book, but none in the e-book. An interesting story that could have been much more.
April 17, 2015
I devoured this book immediately after attending a local Readers and Writers Festival, which the author of In Love and War: Nursing Heroes, Liz Byrski opened. Her author talk was utterly captivating, so too is this work of non fiction. In Love and War has been a work in progress since 2007 and for Liz most of her life. She eloquently brings the history to life of the town of East Grinstead in the country of Sussex, England. The book details the work of brilliant surgeon Archibald McIndoe, who worked endlessly to rebuild returned soldiers hands, feet and faces damaged by war. She also tells the stories of the women who worked behind the scenes to help rehabilitate these men’s lives, the dedicated nurses of McIndoe’s Queen Victoria Hospital. Byrski also draws the reader’s attention to the duties that were required of these nurses, that went well beyond nursing requirements at the time. Most importantly, this is the story of the men themselves of Queen Victoria Hospital’s Ward III, the survivors or also known as the Guinea Pigs. Finally, this book is also author Liz Byrski’s labour of love, chronically her own personal journey in making peace with the men whose faces haunted her childhood and adult years. In Love and War is an incredibly moving piece of non fiction about the aftermath of the Second World War. It is a story that should be told and I cannot recommend it enough. Thank you to Liz Bryski for her dedicated research into bringing to the people and this chapter of history alive for the reader.
June 10, 2017
An interesting non- fiction account from a nurse and her work in WWII.
I had never read about the "Guinea Pig Club" and the work of Dr McIndoe who was a pioneer in treating burns victims so I found that side fascinating.
I think it might have been better more detailed had it not been written so long afterwards, but I liked it and would read other work from this author.
I received a free copy in exchange for an honest review.
I had never read about the "Guinea Pig Club" and the work of Dr McIndoe who was a pioneer in treating burns victims so I found that side fascinating.
I think it might have been better more detailed had it not been written so long afterwards, but I liked it and would read other work from this author.
I received a free copy in exchange for an honest review.
September 2, 2016
WWII related books are not easy, not like they are difficult no, they are just different. I liked this one, dunno if I will re-read it, but I will keep it in my personal library for now.
June 14, 2017
This book offered insight to the courage and resiliance of the badly burned airmen of the second world war as well as the dedication of the nurses who cared for them. Protected by the townsfolk of East Grinstead, Archibald McIndoe performed ground breaking surgeries to repair these damaged men known as the Guinea Pigs. He also instilled in the locals the need for these men to be accepted and not shunned as well as being included in normal activities to facilitate in the healing process. So protective was he of his boys and accepting of their behaviour, that the impact this had on some of the nurses was extremely confronting. This book reveals the undaunting spirit of the men and the comraderie during their rehabilition that enabled them to maintain some normalcy after the war. The nurses were able to overlook the confronting injuries and perform duties often under difficult circumstances. Some were drawn to the pioneering surgeries while some were shocked by the free reign given the patients and liberties were frequently taken. These challanges were met by the immense dedication of the nursing and medical staff. A good read.
May 4, 2015
This book was quite fascinating. It was not exactly the read I thought I was starting off with. I thought I would be reading solely about the 'Guinea Pigs'. The burnt airmen from the war and about Sir Archibald McIndoe the amazing plastic surgeon and his new founded techniques to aid these airmen both from their physical wounds and from mental wounds. It was very interesting to hear about their time in the hospital and some of the pioneering work that McIndoe did, especially his role in shaping a whole towns opinions and attitudes towards these airmen. The book took a huge slant, which was unexpected and still fascinating about the role the nurses played in this. The often difficult role of caring for these injured heroes and the uncomfortable social and sexual position this left some of the nurses in. The supposed viewpoint of McIndoe towards the nurses situation was also very interesting.
The book really was fascinating. At times the author, Liz Byrski dipped into her own childhood memories of these times, providing yet another viewpoint. I did however find it hard to connect some of the authors adults view and life situations to the relevance of the book. It would also have been nice to have included some photos in this book.
A good read. I received the book for free through Goodreads First Reads.
The book really was fascinating. At times the author, Liz Byrski dipped into her own childhood memories of these times, providing yet another viewpoint. I did however find it hard to connect some of the authors adults view and life situations to the relevance of the book. It would also have been nice to have included some photos in this book.
A good read. I received the book for free through Goodreads First Reads.
June 29, 2017
I borrowed this book from my local library after listening to an interview which Liz did with Richard Fidler on ABC.
I also had a confronting experience with a very badly burnt little boy when I was 5 years old and it was an experience, similar to Liz's, which shaped my life.
I did not know what to think of this book, yes it was interesting and yes it was factual but, I am still none the wiser about the rationale as to why this was the correct way to treat these men.
I feel for the nurses and feel for the Guinea Pigs and what they all suffered through 'for the war', and if anything, this book makes me want to read more about Dr McIndoe and his ethics into treating burns victims.
Dr McIndoe was certainly a pioneer but at what cost to the people involved in caring for his patients?
Much love, Heidi xo
I also had a confronting experience with a very badly burnt little boy when I was 5 years old and it was an experience, similar to Liz's, which shaped my life.
I did not know what to think of this book, yes it was interesting and yes it was factual but, I am still none the wiser about the rationale as to why this was the correct way to treat these men.
I feel for the nurses and feel for the Guinea Pigs and what they all suffered through 'for the war', and if anything, this book makes me want to read more about Dr McIndoe and his ethics into treating burns victims.
Dr McIndoe was certainly a pioneer but at what cost to the people involved in caring for his patients?
Much love, Heidi xo
August 27, 2015
I had read Liz Bryski before (Gang of Four)and looked forward to hearing that I had received a copy of this in the authors give away as a first read.
To be honest I did not really enjoy this book, which is a shame as I enjoy reading about war times in London and the UK.
In my opinion as it was stacked with history, comments and facts during this time, I felt that it read more like a bullet point form rather than a story.
It was interesting to read about the "Guinea Pig Club", which I had never heard of before but due to the time release of the book unfortunately many of the victims or people associated had died. Which is a shame as I would have enjoyed listening to their stories.
To be honest I did not really enjoy this book, which is a shame as I enjoy reading about war times in London and the UK.
In my opinion as it was stacked with history, comments and facts during this time, I felt that it read more like a bullet point form rather than a story.
It was interesting to read about the "Guinea Pig Club", which I had never heard of before but due to the time release of the book unfortunately many of the victims or people associated had died. Which is a shame as I would have enjoyed listening to their stories.
April 28, 2015
This fascinating non-fiction book is filled with illuminating and poignant revelations which are handled with astute deftness by author Liz Byrski. Byrski has managed through meticulous research to give an even-handed account of Sir Archibald McIndoe —the world famous, pioneering plastic surgeon who worked tirelessly and in very difficult circumstances to not only restore the burnt faces, hands and bodies of servicemen, but also went a long way to restoring their sense of self. Byrski’s focus in the book though is more directed on the unsung heroes, the nurses, whose steadfast contribution was an invaluable part of Mc Inodoe’s success. I loved this book and would recommend it to anyone.
August 3, 2015
Picked this book because I enjoy her works but this felt too bitty and with her own fears clouding it and her personal resolution at the end doesn't answer the questions she has posed. Story of bullying
November 7, 2015
Really interesting field of research. Enjoyed the book. I think more revision was needed as it seemed to jump around a lot between personal reminiscence of childhood , interviews, personal response, historical detail. Really interesting subject matter that kept me reading.
August 26, 2015
Loved it. Especially the author revealing her feelings about returning to England and confronting her demons
January 4, 2017
Simply wonderful and researched to a tee.
Fabulous to see Liz at the Perth Writers' Festival 2016.
Fabulous to see Liz at the Perth Writers' Festival 2016.
July 29, 2020
In the aftermath of the Battle of Britain, chronically burned airmen were sent to a hospital in a small Sussex town. There Archibald McIndoe rebuilt the faces, hands and bodies of flyers with revolutionary surgical and therapeutic treatments. For Liz Byrski, growing up in the town postwar, the faces of the burned airmen became the stuff of her nightmares. In her late 60s, Liz returned to the town to make peace with her memories and to speak with the survivors-known as the Guinea Pig Club-and with the nurses who played a vital and unorthodox role in their treatment, sometimes at a significant personal cost. At the outbreak of WWII, there were only 4 fully experienced plastic surgeons in Britain: Gillies, McIndoe, Rainsford Mowlem and TP Kilner. At the government's request, they were divided to head up 4 separate plastic surgery units to treat the expected influx of injured servicemen from all branches of the armed services. Sir Archibald moved to the Queen Victoria Hospital in East Grinstead, and founded a centre for plastic and jaw surgery, dealing with RAF casualties.Archibald thought the current burns treatment techniques of Tannic acid and jelly were inadequate.He devised new ways to treat burns like saline baths.McIndoe also developed strategies for rehabilitation and reintegration of burns survivors back into society. In 1941 the Guinea Pig Club was established.The formation of the club was a key part of rehabilitation, using camaraderie and the shared experiences of the men to help support each other during their lengthy and painful rehabilitation. For some club members their disfigured features were too much for their wives and girlfriends to cope with. But a number of them married the hospital's nurses who got used to seeing past their injuries. It wasn't easy for all the nurses stationed there as they had to be beautiful and compliant and deal with sexual advances from their patients and were highly encouraged to flirt, have sex and date them to make the men feel better. For the young and inexperienced nurses, they were horrified but their opposites thought nothing of it and did their bit.This is their story.
July 25, 2021
Liz Byrski revisits her hometown of East Grinstead in Sussex to confront the remembered demons of childhood - one man “had a huge misshapen lump instead of a nose, another has a hole where one of his eyes should be” “one turns back … a distorted gash of a grin in his crimson face”.
They were patients of the pioneering surgeon Archie McIndoe, who used revolutionary surgical and therapeutic treatments to rebuild the bodies of burnt airmen during World War II. McIndoe wanted to not only heal the men’s physical wounds but also restore their spirits. He persuaded the townspeople to interact and socialise with his patients – he hoped in this way the men would learn to deal with the way others judged them on their appearance.
This was a time of strict formality in hospitals; a starched uniform and a tidy bed were more important than the patient. McIndoe’s ‘Guinea Pigs’, on the other hand, were given a great deal of leeway within the hospital, going out to get drunk and many high jinks back on the ward.
This is where Byrski brings in the stories of the ‘Nursing Heroes’, the young nurses on the ward. McIndoe insisted they be good looking and encouraged flirting, to lift the spirits of the men and make them feel masculine. Often it went much further than flirting. Some nurses were accepting, even enthusiastic, and considered it their ‘war work’. Some were mature enough to cope with the men’s antics – one such said ‘some women were coerced into things they didn’t want to do. But it was probably what saved those young men’s lives, made them want to live.’ Other younger, less experienced girls were distinctly uncomfortable – one said that she couldn’t go home and tell her parents about it because she would be accused of ‘leading the men on’.
Was McIndoe a good man? How can you judge at this distance? He saved a good many lives and developed techniques that helped many other burns victims in the years after the war.
I enjoyed this book very much. It is a story within a story – the story of how Byrski came to write the book and the story of the survivors she was able to interview.
They were patients of the pioneering surgeon Archie McIndoe, who used revolutionary surgical and therapeutic treatments to rebuild the bodies of burnt airmen during World War II. McIndoe wanted to not only heal the men’s physical wounds but also restore their spirits. He persuaded the townspeople to interact and socialise with his patients – he hoped in this way the men would learn to deal with the way others judged them on their appearance.
This was a time of strict formality in hospitals; a starched uniform and a tidy bed were more important than the patient. McIndoe’s ‘Guinea Pigs’, on the other hand, were given a great deal of leeway within the hospital, going out to get drunk and many high jinks back on the ward.
This is where Byrski brings in the stories of the ‘Nursing Heroes’, the young nurses on the ward. McIndoe insisted they be good looking and encouraged flirting, to lift the spirits of the men and make them feel masculine. Often it went much further than flirting. Some nurses were accepting, even enthusiastic, and considered it their ‘war work’. Some were mature enough to cope with the men’s antics – one such said ‘some women were coerced into things they didn’t want to do. But it was probably what saved those young men’s lives, made them want to live.’ Other younger, less experienced girls were distinctly uncomfortable – one said that she couldn’t go home and tell her parents about it because she would be accused of ‘leading the men on’.
Was McIndoe a good man? How can you judge at this distance? He saved a good many lives and developed techniques that helped many other burns victims in the years after the war.
I enjoyed this book very much. It is a story within a story – the story of how Byrski came to write the book and the story of the survivors she was able to interview.
August 21, 2022
I borrowed this book from my local library, on the recommendation of a nursing colleague. I found it very interesting indeed!
To be honest, I had never heard of the Guinea Pigs and Dr McIndoe, but wow, what a fascinating account. I cannot even imagine what it must have been like to be very, very young and ending up with your face so disfigured or to be missing most of your fingers. What happens to you, even if you recover physically from it all? I really loved that Dr McIndoe was determined to stand up for these young men and give them the best start in their new lives that he could.
I didn't mind that the story of the Guinea Pigs was interspersed with accounts from the author's childhood and growing up; after all, her encountering the Guinea Pigs as a child in East Grinstead (and her reaction to them) was the starting point for this book.
What struck me though is that things have changed SO much since the war years, in terms of acceptable behaviour of men towards women and women just putting up with things because they needed to "do their bit" for the war. Interesting though that the account that the author shared of her early working life when she was 17 in 1961 and how she was expected to be available for an overnight stay with her work colleagues in exchange for a bit of extra cash from clients.....things hadn't changed much when I was 17 years old in 1981, in my first full-time job, when my 50-something year old married boss pushed me up against a wall in the office and tried to kiss and grope me. I did pretty much what the author did: I left my job, didn't tell anyone what happened and got on with my life. I also didn't think that anyone would believe me or would think that I had done something to encourage this kind of behaviour. Sad that during the war years, then 1961 and then in 1981, the stories were still all the same. I am very glad that my daughter would never, ever put up with anything like this!!
An interesting story, and I am glad that the author got to interview such an interesting bunch of people. I would have loved to have seen some photos though.
4 stars from me.
To be honest, I had never heard of the Guinea Pigs and Dr McIndoe, but wow, what a fascinating account. I cannot even imagine what it must have been like to be very, very young and ending up with your face so disfigured or to be missing most of your fingers. What happens to you, even if you recover physically from it all? I really loved that Dr McIndoe was determined to stand up for these young men and give them the best start in their new lives that he could.
I didn't mind that the story of the Guinea Pigs was interspersed with accounts from the author's childhood and growing up; after all, her encountering the Guinea Pigs as a child in East Grinstead (and her reaction to them) was the starting point for this book.
What struck me though is that things have changed SO much since the war years, in terms of acceptable behaviour of men towards women and women just putting up with things because they needed to "do their bit" for the war. Interesting though that the account that the author shared of her early working life when she was 17 in 1961 and how she was expected to be available for an overnight stay with her work colleagues in exchange for a bit of extra cash from clients.....things hadn't changed much when I was 17 years old in 1981, in my first full-time job, when my 50-something year old married boss pushed me up against a wall in the office and tried to kiss and grope me. I did pretty much what the author did: I left my job, didn't tell anyone what happened and got on with my life. I also didn't think that anyone would believe me or would think that I had done something to encourage this kind of behaviour. Sad that during the war years, then 1961 and then in 1981, the stories were still all the same. I am very glad that my daughter would never, ever put up with anything like this!!
An interesting story, and I am glad that the author got to interview such an interesting bunch of people. I would have loved to have seen some photos though.
4 stars from me.
March 25, 2019
A mix of personal reminiscence, in person interviews, and primary printed sources, this is an interesting history of one town, one hospital, one surgeon. It is also a feminist interrogation of a setting where women were asked to subsume themselves for the rehabilitation of severely wounded soldiers.
While I usually enjoy the personal touch in this kind of history -- the story of how the writer did the research, as it were -- this one grated. And I can't point at anything in particular, although I suspect that the last two pages/last chapter 'Resolution' sums up why the rest of the book feels off. The author herself is conflicted about the story that she is telling, the sections of her personal and communal history that she is choosing to show. And I felt voyeuristic, like she didn't really want to be telling it.
On a personal note -- the author and I have the same home town, and there is enough overlap in our social circles that the acknowledgements at the end had me joyfully shouting 'oh, of course this was them'.
While I usually enjoy the personal touch in this kind of history -- the story of how the writer did the research, as it were -- this one grated. And I can't point at anything in particular, although I suspect that the last two pages/last chapter 'Resolution' sums up why the rest of the book feels off. The author herself is conflicted about the story that she is telling, the sections of her personal and communal history that she is choosing to show. And I felt voyeuristic, like she didn't really want to be telling it.
On a personal note -- the author and I have the same home town, and there is enough overlap in our social circles that the acknowledgements at the end had me joyfully shouting 'oh, of course this was them'.
July 21, 2017
I received my copy of In Love and War: Nursing Heroes from a Goodreads' giveaway. I found the book extremely interesting. I knew nothing of the guinea pigs, McIndoe and his work. Although McIndoe's work was amazing he himself was not a nice person. His dedication was to be applauded but his treatment of women and the nurses in particular was appalling. The fact that the nurses were coerced into inappropriate behaviour in the name of doing their war duty highlights the lengths men go to to dominate women.
Does the end result justify the means? I think not. Was McIndoe a saint or a fallen angel? I really felt for those nurses who had to endure this against their wishes and continue nursing as if nothing had happened. I wished that there were more nurses willing to give their side of the story. Yet again war means the men are glorified and the women subjugated/abused.
Does the end result justify the means? I think not. Was McIndoe a saint or a fallen angel? I really felt for those nurses who had to endure this against their wishes and continue nursing as if nothing had happened. I wished that there were more nurses willing to give their side of the story. Yet again war means the men are glorified and the women subjugated/abused.
June 3, 2021
Informative and well-written.
I learnt a lot and felt that many points of view about Ward III were put forward creating a balanced view of the times there.
It wold be a different story today for the nurses, one would hope!
I learnt a lot and felt that many points of view about Ward III were put forward creating a balanced view of the times there.
It wold be a different story today for the nurses, one would hope!
September 22, 2025
This was an interesting insight into a favourite author.
A very personal story.
A very personal story.
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