[Nursing contribution to the celebration of 50 years since the epic war 1940-41]

The Hellenic National Graduate Nurses Association presents the participation of the Greek nurses to the titanic effort of the nation to confront -for six months- two great military -then enemy- forces, of Italy and Germany, with inconceivable bravery and heroism, on the occasion of the fiftieth anniversary from the glorious period of the recent history of our country. The atmosphere and the spirit of enthusiasm and dedication is described, as well as the faith, the bravery and the self abnegation with which the Greek soldiers fought in the Albanian mountains and the Greek nurses in their own battle field, in the health care Army establishments for the treatment and relief of the brave wounded and sick warriors. Statistical data are given, concerning the numbers of graduate and volunteer nurses, who were mobilized at that time by the Army, under the flag and the responsibility of the Hellenic Red Cross, with the guidance and the co-ordination of a great Greek nurse, the late Athena Messolora, a leading figure of history of nursing in Greece. The ten, graduate and volunteer, Red Cross nurses who offered the highest sacrifice of their life for our country during this war are mentioned. Reference is also made to the recognition and appreciative acknowledgements for the great contribution, the devoted services and the sacrifices the Greek nurses rendered to their country, by the Army, the Academy of Athens, the Hellenic Red Cross and the International Committee of Red Cross as well as the Greek society. This article, the speeches of Mrs. M. Eleftheriou and Mrs. Chr. Koletti and also the selected reports of graduate and volunteer nurses, on their war experiences, which follow, are offered by the Association to the younger generations of nurses and to those who will come after them, as a greatly indebted obligation. At the same time all this material is presented, as a tribute of deep gratitude, to those heroic nurses who wrote with their generous hearts and their heroic lives a glorious page in the history of nursing of our country.