Edith Cavell Army Nurses' Fund commemorative fan

Edith Cavell served as a nurse with the Red Cross in Belgium before and during World War One. On August 5 1915 she was arrested by the Germans on the charge of assisting allied troops to escape to Holland. After being held for nine weeks, Edith confessed and was brought to trial. She was sentenced to death by firing squad, along with her accomplice Philippe Baucq, and was executed on 12 October 1915.

The Edith Cavell Army Nurses' Fund was established under the auspices of the League of Loyal Women in South Australia in November 1915. It was inaugurated for the benefit of South Australian Army nurses, but also to serve as a memorial to Edith Cavell. The first appeal calling for donations was published in February 1916. A combined Army Nurses' Fund and Merchant Seamen's button day was held on 30 April 1917.

The first South Australian Army Nurses' Day was held at Adelaide Oval on October 27 1917. It was organised by the Commercial Travellers' and Warehousemen's Association (C.T. & W.A.). This event aimed to raise funds for army nurses serving with the Australian Imperial Force. The day was a success and became an annual event, with the Army Nurses' Fund ultimately raising £10,960 throughout the war.

There are number of items in the collection relating to this fundraising effort, including souvenir fans, a pin tray and several badges. The same nurse motif was used on a number of these items. They are all true ephemera, as they were made from poor quality materials and not designed to last.

It should be noted that while this fan also raised funds for South Australian Army nurses, it was sold six months prior to the C.T. & W.A. event.