Tag: St Thomas

The point is that narratives can be complex and confusing. Why did the Neo-Nazi Ukrainians develop a “SS” military Unit termed “Nightingale” during WWII? Why does the modern military of Ukraine still maintain such a (post-1991) Unit? Well, this is because Florence Nightingale was a renowned racist who held viewpoints that were typical of her time (British schoolchildren are not taught this in the UK). Mary Seacole (1805-1881) was a “Brittish” Nurse of West Indian origin who was “refused” entry into Florence Nightingale’s Nursing Unit due to the “Black” colour of her skin. To overcome this discrimination, Mary Seacole recruited her own Nurses (multi-ethnic in nature) who set-up Treatment Centres right next to the battefield! Grateful British soldiers often wrote to their families explaining how a “Black” Nurse had treated their wounds and cared for them – prior to them encountering Florence Nightingale. Until recently, this genuine history was excluded from the British history books.