{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}} {{short description|British Army nurse (1911-2005)}} {{Infobox military person | name = Sheila Greaves | image = Italy - Fifth Army Nurses in the Anzio Bridgehead, NA 12400.jpg | image_size = | alt = | caption = Greaves photographed at Anzio, March 1944 | birth_name = Sheila Margaret Greaves | birth_date = {{birth date|1911|1|1|df=y}} | birth_place = Leicester, Leicestershire, England | death_date = {{Death date and age|2005|3|30|1911|1|1|df=yes}} | death_place = Tayport, Fife, Scotland | burial_place = | allegiance = United Kingdom | branch = Queen Alexandra's Imperial Military Nursing Service | service_years = 1938–1948 | rank = Sister | service_number = 206174 | unit = | commands = | battles = Second World War | awards = George Medal | alma_mater = Guy's Hospital | spouse = {{marriage|Humphrey Fox|1948|1995|end=d.}} | relations = | other_work = }} '''Sheila Margaret Fox''', {{postnominals|country=GBR|size=100|GM}} ({{nee}} '''Greaves'''; 1 January 1911 – 30 March 2005)<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.thetimes.com/tto/archive/article/1911-01-05/1/1.html |title=Births |work=The Times |date=5 January 1911 |page=1 |issue=39474 |url-access=subscription}}</ref><ref>{{citation |title=Sheila Margaret Fox |date=30 March 2005 |work=Civil Deaths & Burials |publisher=Scotland's People}}</ref> was a British army nurse and recipient of the George Medal during the Second World War.
==Early life== Sheila Greaves was born in Leicester, England, on New Year's Day 1911, the second daughter of the Reverend Arthur Greaves and Blanche Greaves ({{nee|Meadows}}).<ref name="Lincolnshire Echo 03061948">{{cite news |url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000332/19480603/064/0003 |title=Daughter of Bishop married |work=Lincolnshire Echo |date=3 June 1948 |page=3 |issue=16164 |url-access=subscription |via=British Newspaper Archive}}</ref> Between 1932 and 1936 she was a probationary nurse at Guy's Hospital, London, qualifying as a state registered nurse in June 1936.<ref>{{cite book |title=The Register of Nurses |publisher=General Nursing Council for England and Wales |volume=1 |year=1938 |page=1048}}</ref>
==Military career== Greaves enlisted in the Queen Alexandra's Imperial Military Nursing Service (QAIMNS) and was made a provisional staff nurse in January 1938.<ref>{{London Gazette |issue=34474 |date=18 January 1938 |page=366}}</ref> Promotion to sister came in 1943.<ref>{{London Gazette |issue=36026 |date=21 May 1943 |page=2316 |supp=y}}</ref> left|thumb|The tented complex of medical units at Anzio including No. 15 Casualty Clearing Station, of which Greaves was a member
Having served in France in 1939–1940, Greaves served in Syria and the Middle East between 1941 and 1943 before the Sicilian and Italian campaigns in 1943.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000687/19450324/276/0008 |title=G.M. for Daughter of Bishop of Grimsby |work=Yorkshire Post |date=24 March 1945 |page=8 |issue=30453 |url-access=subscription |via=British Newspaper Archive}}</ref> In 1944 Greaves was a nursing sister at No. 15 Casualty Clearing Station (CCS) in the Anzio bridgehead in Italy.<ref>{{cite book |title=Twentieth Century Women of Courage |last=Escott |first=Beryl E. |date=1999 |pages=50–51 |isbn=978-0750918923 |publisher=Sutton}}</ref> The two casualty clearing stations (Nos. 2 and 15) and other medical facilities were within range of enemy artillery and air attacks.<ref>{{cite book |editor-last=Moloney |editor-first=Brigadier C.J.C. |series=History of the Second World War |title=The Mediterranean and Middle East Volume V |page=758 |date=1973}}</ref> On 14 March the reception camp {{convert|200|yd|m|0}} away from the CCS came under air attack. Greaves immediately ran to the reception camp to treat the wounded while the air attacks continued. Her actions were noticed by senior officers and a recommendation for the award of the George Medal was made.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.thetimes.com/tto/archive/page/1945-03-24/2.html |title=George Cross for dead corporal |work=The Times |date=24 March 1945 |page=2 |issue=50100 |url-access=subscription}}</ref> The recommendation noted that:{{quote|Her prompt action undoubtedly saved very considerable suffering and hastened the evacuation of the wounded to the Casualty Clearing Station. Sister Greaves was an inspiration to all and undoubtedly risked her life to bring immediate relief to the wounded rather than wait until they were brought to the Casualty Clearing Station.<ref>{{cite book |title=Non-combatant gallantry awards: 1 Feb-13 Dec 1945 |page=141 |series=War Office and Ministry of Defence: Military Secretary's Department: Recommendations for Honours and Awards for Gallant and Distinguished Service (Army) |publisher=War Office |date=1945}}</ref>}} The recommendation was approved and news of the award of the George Medal was published in the ''London Gazette'' on 23 March 1945.<ref>{{London Gazette |issue=36995 |supp=y |date=23 March 1945 |page=1573}}</ref>
After the war, Greaves continued to serve in the QAIRNS until she resigned in 1948, shortly after her marriage to Major Humphrey Fox of the Royal Artillery.<ref name="Lincolnshire Echo 03061948"/><ref>{{London Gazette |issue=38459 |supp=y |date=16 November 1948 |page=6067}}</ref>
==References== {{reflist}}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Greaves, Sheila Margaret}} Category:1911 births Category:2005 deaths Category:British Army personnel of World War II Category:Health professionals from Leicester Category:Queen Alexandra's Royal Army Nursing Corps officers Category:Recipients of the George Medal