Margaret Macdonald

Fresh in tone, impeccable scholarship and compelling analytical narrative - breaks new ground in women's history

"As a pioneer in her field who helped pave the way for women to participate in the Canadian military, Margaret Macdonald's story is one worth reading." Canadian Military HistoryDuring an era of separate spheres for men and women, Margaret Macdonald used her nurse's training to gain access to the military and a life of work, travel, and adventure. In 1906, she was one of the first two nurses to receive a permanent appointment to the Canadian Army Medical Corps. She became matron-in-chief of Canada's overseas nursing service during World War I with the rank of major - the first such appointment for a woman in the British Empire. Macdonald also served as a nurse in the military during the Spanish-American and Boer Wars and in Panama during the construction of the canal.