Three fascinating conferences on the roles of women during the First World War to celebrate International Women’s Day
We sometimes overlook the crucial roles of women during the First World War. At Te Arawhata, we aim to shine a light on these brave and important players in the War’s story. To mark International Women’s Day 2025, the museum held a conference about the Women of the War at the Le Quesnoy Town Hall.
More than 70 attendees were treated to three fascinating presentations from our brilliant speakers. First, Madelyne Rémy, a Masters student and guide at the Carrière Wellington Tunnels of Arras, presented on the engagement of the New Zealand during World War One, whether as nurses abroad or in industry back on the Home Front. Madelyne shared how the New Zealand nurses became known as angels, the Commonwealth soldiers sometimes considering themselves lucky to have been wounded just in order to receive the care of these incredible healers.
Next up was Te Arawhata’s own Blandine Demailly, who presented the trials and tribulations of Ettie Rout, a New Zealander famous (or perhaps infamous) for her work in preventing sexually transmitted infections amongst the Allied troops. Rout, an unsung hero in New Zealand, was honoured with the Medal of French Gratitude here in France for her efforts. Once called “the wickedest woman in Britain”, Rout’s dedication to treatment based on the medical, not the moral, paved the way for a better understanding of sexual health.
Finally, Grégory Chermeux, local historian and major contributor to the Te Arawhata exhibition, spoke about a local movement led by several local women during Le Quesnoy’s First World War occupation. Greg drew back the curtain on several episodes of incredible bravery, including that of Alice Favier, a young nurse who helped 14 British soldiers escape from the Le Quesnoy hospital in 1914. Alice’s story was uncovered during Greg’s research and was therefore not well known before 2023, 109 years after her bravery.
This was the first of several conferences to be offered by Te Arawhata this year. A massive thank you to our wonderful speakers Madelyne, Blandine and Grégory, and our partners at the Cercle Historique and the Town Hall, without whom we could not have hosted such a fabulous event. Stay tuned for future updates.