Dr
NORA – heroine of Aldeburgh
“SNOOKS” who accompanied Dr
Robin & Dr Nora on their house visits.
If
you mention Dr Nora to anyone over the age of 50 in Aldeburgh and
surrounding towns, you will probably get the response “She
delivered me”. Indeed she did deliver many babies for many years
and she also delivered both my brother and myself. She was famous
for working in the community for all her life and “retirement”
was not in her vocabulary.
I
remember her as a diminutive lady, grey hair plaited and wound around
her head, as a child she always appeared old to me. I always thought
she was a little ferocious especially when I tried to avoid the
regular tetanus injections both my brother and I had to endure as
children living on a farm in the 1960's. Upon reflection I now
understand why she wasn't tolerant of cowardice! However, there is
so much more to tell. I was speaking to an elderly lady a few months
ago who informed me that during WW2 Dr Nora accompanied the lifeboat
crew in Aldeburgh to help those who been injured. My father, agreed
but until I found a newspaper article – printed in Australian
newspaper I didn't realise quite how fearless and brave she actually
was.
Before
I lead you to the story of Dr. Nora Acheson's war time work I will
provide a little background information. Nora Cheney was born in
Fotheringhay, Northampton in 1901, daughter of farmer John Cheney and
his wife, Gertrude. She qualified as a doctor in London in 1924 and
married Patrick M Acheson later that year in the Camberwell district,
London. We know Partick as Dr Robin. After being in practice in
Acton, London they both moved to Aldeburgh in 1931 where they served
the patients for the remainder of their lives.
Just
the service to the local townspeople in itself is of such great
merit, but what I can relate with thanks to the Australian National
Library for their digitised newspapers is just remarkable.
December
1940, “Small slender Dr Nora Acheson of Aldeburgh, Suffolk in
oilskins and sou’wester went out with the local lifeboat when it
was reported that some of the crew of the 2500 ton steamer Geraldus
had been seen clinging to wreckage. Usually her husband goes out on
the boat, but he was on a case. It is the first time that a woman
has gone out on a British lifeboat on a service call. After five
hours of being buffeted by driving rain and wind she stepped ashore
laughing “Oh well, it's all in a days work. Sick! No thanks, I
loved it” The Geraldus was mined. All 26 of the crew were picked
up by a warship”
February
1945 “There is one doctor who does not believe in the Weaker Sex
Theory” That is Dr Nora Acheson of Aldeburgh, Suffolkshire (sic),
who during this war has:
Ploughed
through mine-infested waters with lifeboatmen seeking fallen
Aircraft.
Tended
in darkness at sea injured men from torpedoed ships (now she is
annoyed because the Royal National Lifeboat Institute has banned such
trips).
When
there was a minefield explosion, crawled with the aid of a ladder
across the minefield to the crater in the centre, where she bandaged
the injured soldiers and injected morphia. She refused to permit
soldiers who had escaped to collect the remains of the killed,
exclaiming “You can't do that, they were your friends”, and
collected the remains herself.
When
bombs wrecked a hospital (Aldeburgh
Hospital, originally located in the High Street) and
killed 14 children, she attended all casualties, supervised the
transfer of patients, and supervised the opening of a new hospital.
She told her husband, who is in the Royal Medical Corps. “No, I
don't want a medal, but I would like one of those battle dresses”
It is interesting to note, that
whilst Dr Nora may have been banned from attending the sick on the
Lifeboat, this didn't stop her as I have read of her setting off in a
motor boat to help a pilot who had baled out 3 miles south of
Orfordness in heavy seas. Quite a journey from Aldeburgh!
I can only wonder with
amazement that this little Lady doctor, who used to call and see our
family when sick, drink tea in our kitchen, was such an incredible
person. How privileged I feel.