Annie Murray facts for kids

Annie Cargill Knight (born Murray; 10 April 1906 – 4 November 1996) was a brave Scottish nurse. She played an important role during the Spanish Civil War (1936-1939). Annie was one of eight children from a farming family. After finishing her nursing training, she became involved with the Communist Party. She was one of the first British people to volunteer in Spain. She went to help the side of the Spanish Republican Government during the war.

Annie Knight's Life Story

Annie Cargill Murray was born in Aberdeen in 1906. She grew up in rural Perthshire with her seven brothers and sisters. Her brothers George and Tom also helped in the Spanish Civil War. Tom even received a special award for his efforts.

Becoming a Nurse

Annie trained to be a nurse at the Edinburgh Royal Infirmary in 1936. While she was there, she joined other nurses in protesting. They wanted better pay and working conditions.

Volunteering in Spain

As soon as her training ended, Annie joined the Communist Party. She then quickly went to Spain to help. Her brothers George and Tom followed her later. George served for two years and was injured. Tom served for about six months. They were among 500 Scottish volunteers. These volunteers believed in the Spanish Republican Government. They traveled to Spain to fight against Fascism.

Witnessing War's Impact

Before Annie left Barcelona, she saw something terrible. She found many children who had lost their hands. Enemy planes had dropped bombs shaped like chocolate bars. Children picked them up, thinking they were candy, and the bombs exploded. Annie and the doctors she worked with were very sad.

During the Second World War, Annie was in charge of an air-raid station. This was part of London's Civil Defence.

Annie later said that the Spanish Civil War was the most important event in her life. She never regretted going. She felt it was "terrible" when the side she supported lost. In 1982, she spoke at a memorial event in Edinburgh. This event honored those who died in the Spanish Civil War. Her two brothers were also there.

Later Life

Annie married Frank Knight in 1948. In 1964, she retired and moved to Dunfermline, Scotland. She and her husband both passed away in 1996. Annie's letters from the war are now kept at the National Library of Scotland. A curator there noted how brave Annie and other volunteers were. Many had never left their hometowns before going to Spain.

Memorial to Scottish international brigade volunteers in the Spanish Civil War in Princes Street Gardens, Edinburgh

In 1986, Annie spoke again at the dedication of the Scottish memorial. This memorial honored the international brigade volunteers in Edinburgh.

Annie Knight's Nursing Work

After becoming a nurse in Edinburgh, Annie went to Spain. She volunteered with the British Medical Aid Committee. Her job was to help care for the International Brigades. These were volunteers from many countries who fought for the Spanish Republic.

Helping on the Front Lines

Annie was one of the first British volunteers to arrive in Spain in September 1936. She first worked in a small hospital in Huete. Most of the staff there were local and not fully trained. Later, she moved to Barcelona. There, she worked in operating rooms with Spanish doctors for about two and a half years.

Annie saw many serious injuries. Most of her patients were volunteers from the International Brigades or Spanish Republic soldiers. But she also treated prisoners of war. These included soldiers from North Africa, sometimes called 'Moors'. Once, she even treated a Fascist soldier, despite other patients' protests. She told her brother Tom about one patient whose leg was badly hurt. He held tightly to a package. When nurses finally got him to let go, they found it was old German money. This showed how Franco's side exploited these mercenary soldiers.

Annie found that the Spanish doctors and equipment were very good. She helped arrange for more medical supplies to be sent from London. These supplies came through the British Medical Aid Committee.

Life in Spain

Annie found the Spanish people were kind to the volunteers. However, the local villages had very simple housing. Food and coffee were also limited and not very good. She did get to go home for visits during the war. She also received letters. At one point, she had a break near the sea, where Spanish people looked after the nurses.

Returning Home

When Franco's troops entered Barcelona in 1939, Annie left. She traveled with patients who were too injured to stay. She treated them briefly in France before heading to London. She worked at Dulwich Hospital. Later, she worked for the Civil Defence in London. After that, she worked in a nursery in Stepney. Finally, she worked near Mount Pleasant.