The death of Nellie Spindler on 21 August 1917 marked a rare occurrence at the Lijssenthoek Military Cemetery, where she remains the sole woman interred among more than 10,000 men. A staff nurse who served near the front lines in Belgium, she succumbed to injuries sustained during a bombardment of a casualty clearing station near Brandhoek.
Early Life and Nursing Credentials
Born in 1891 to Elizabeth Snowdon and George Kealey Spindler in Wakefield, she began her medical path at the City Fever Hospital in 1911. Her formal training took place at the Leeds Township Infirmary between 1912 and 1915. To qualify for the Queen Alexandra's Imperial Military Nursing Service, candidates required a three-year training certification and a minimum age of 25. Spindler, aged 24 when she applied in October 1915, recorded her birth year as 1889 on her paperwork to meet eligibility standards.
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Upon joining the military nursing service, she spent time at the Whittington Military Hospital in Lichfield from November 1915 until April 1917. Following her clearance for overseas duty, she moved to France in May 1917, serving at No. 2 General Hospital in Le Havre. By July 1917, she transferred to No. 44 Casualty Clearing Station in Brandhoek, Belgium. This facility operated near railway sidings and ammunition dumps, placing it within reach of long-range artillery.
Incident and Interment
On 21 August 1917, an explosion struck the station at 11:00 am, fatally wounding Spindler. She died 20 minutes later while attended by Sister Minnie Wood. Her funeral was attended by high-ranking personnel, including General Hubert Gough and the Surgeon General. Her grave, inscribed with the words A noble type of good heroic womanhood, is situated at Lijssenthoek Military Cemetery. Her name is also preserved on the memorial screens at the York Minster Five Sisters window.
Fast facts
- Born: 1891, Wakefield
- Died: 21 August 1917
- Training: Leeds Township Infirmary
- Service: Queen Alexandra's Imperial Military Nursing Service
- Burial location: Lijssenthoek Military Cemetery
- Commemoration: Nellie Spindler Drive, Wakefield
Questions readers ask
Why was there a discrepancy in her recorded birth year?
Spindler listed her birth year as 1889 on her application to the nursing service, likely to meet the mandatory requirement that applicants be at least 25 years old.
Where is she buried?
She is buried at the Lijssenthoek Military Cemetery in Belgium, where she is noted as the only woman among more than 10,000 men.
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