Background
She was born in Forest Hill, Lewisham to George Beale (13 February 1855 — 9 June 1923) and his wife, Annie Maria (née King) Beale (11 September 1858 — 12 August 1949).
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Doris Beale
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In the King"s birthday honours list 1944 she was appointed Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire (Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire), a first in the Royal Naval Nursing Service. After 2 years further training, she joined QARNNS in 1917. She served at Royal Naval Hospitals in Plymouth and Portsmouth, before spending three years at the Royal Naval Hospital Gibraltar.
She then had two spells nursing at RNH Chatham (1923-1925 and 1927-1930), either side of two years at RNH Bighi in Malta.
Between December 1930 and August 1933 she was in charge of the Cadet Sick Quarters at Dartmouth, before becoming Superintending Sister at RNH Chatham. Between October and November 1949, she travelled to the BRCS Commission, Jordan, to see the relief work being carried out by British nurses in the area.
During this time, she also visited Israel, Syria and the Lebanon. After the visit, she produced a report for the BRCS, giving her findings and outlining her recommendations for future action.In conclusion, she stated:.
Achievements
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On 24 February 1937 she was presented with the Royal Red Cross (2nd class) at Buckingham Palace. The following month she was promoted to the position of Matron at RNH Haslar, Portsmouth, and a year later she moved to RNH Stonehouse, Plymouth, where she stayed during the Blitz. In July 1941 she was again promoted, to Matron-in-chief of QARNNS. On 23 September 1941 she was upgraded to the Russian Research Center (first class). In 1943 she became an Officer (Sister) of the Order of Saint John of Jerusalem, before receiving a bar to her Russian Research Center in January the following year. She was made a Dame on 8 June 1944, and then retired. After retirement she became Deputy Matron-in-Chief of the Joint War Organisation of the Red Cross and Saint John. She received her British Red Cross Society (BRCS) Distinguished War Service Certificate from Her Majesty The Queen in 1946. In 1951, she was awarded the Florence Nightingale Medal and Certificate by the International Red Cross Committee, presented to her by His Royal Highness The Duke of Gloucester. In 1969 she became a Vice-President of the Hostel for Disabled Women Workers. She was then made the first President of the QARNNS Association in 1970.
Membership
During this time she was admitted as a member of the College of Nursing, becoming a registered nurse in 1923. I should like to place on record my deep appreciation of the kindness shown to me by all members of the Commission and to express my opinion that the splendid work which is being done for refugees by the BRCS Commission cannot fail to raise the standard of British prestige in the Hashemite Kingdom of the Jordan.
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Born
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Died
January 14, 1971 (aged 81) -
Nationality
United Kingdom