Asheville – Her historical marker is located at Haywood Street at Vanderbilt Place in Asheville and reads, “ANNE PENLAND 1885-1976 – Nurse anesthetist. Her WWI service influenced British medical corps to train female anesthetists, 1918. Home was here.”
Anne Penland, a dedicated and compassionate nurse from Asheville, North Carolina, left an indelible mark on the history of healthcare and nursing during World War I. Those who drive past her marker probably don’t realize the extent to which she helped pioneer the healthcare field. Born in Asheville in 1882, Penland’s life journey would lead her to the battlefields of Europe, where her unwavering commitment to healing and caring for wounded soldiers earned her the admiration of all who knew her.
Born into a prominent Asheville family, Penland’s early life was marked by a strong sense of community and a desire to serve others. Penland graduated from the nursing program at Presbyterian Hospital in 1912 and completed advanced training in anesthesiology.
When World War I erupted in 1914, Penland felt a deep calling to serve her country. In 1917, she volunteered with the American Red Cross to provide critical nursing care on the frontlines of Europe. Shortly after declaring war, “in 1917, Penland joined other medical professionals at Presbyterian in forming Base Hospital No. 2 and traveled overseas to support the Allied war effort as the unit’s nurse anesthetist.
Upon her arrival in England, Base Hospital No. 2 was attached to the British Expeditionary Force and sent to France.” Her service began in France, where she joined Base Hospital 45, a mobile field hospital that moved to be as close to the frontlines as possible.
At the time, the British didn’t allow women to serve as anesthetists, “but Penland’s expertise, poise, and ability to manage patients much larger than herself impressed British medical officers. Reassured by Penland’s performance, the British consulting surgeons recommended to the leadership of the Royal Army Medical Corps the establishment of an anesthesiology training course for female nurses. Such a move, they argued, would free up male medical professionals for other work, alleviating the shortage of medical officers and rendering hospital staff much more efficient.”
“Anne Penland faced the immense challenges of working in an environment marked by constant danger, chaos, and suffering. She displayed immense bravery and dedication in providing vital medical care to wounded soldiers. Her compassion, skill, and unwavering commitment to her patients earned her the respect and gratitude of those she cared for,” said a sketch of her life on the historical marker website.
During World War I, Anne Penland also faced the devastating Spanish Influenza pandemic. Her tireless efforts to treat and care for the afflicted were nothing short of heroic. She was often on the frontlines of both the war and the pandemic, demonstrating extraordinary resilience.
Her impact on the decision of the British to allow women is evidenced by a letter from Col. Herbert Bruce of the Royal Army Medical Corps: “The suitability of nurses for this important work was made evident to the authorities by the practical demonstration of efficiency in the administration of anesthetics shown by you and some other American nurses in C.S.S.’s (casualty clearing stations) and base hospitals in France.”
Anne Penland’s contributions to the war effort were acknowledged with numerous awards and honors, including the French Croix de Guerre and the Distinguished Service Cross from the United States government. Her legacy lives on in the annals of nursing history and the hearts of those who knew of her impact.
After the war, Anne Penland returned to Asheville, where she continued to serve her community as a public health nurse, advocating for the well-being of children and mothers. Her dedication to healthcare and her community remained undiminished.
Anne Penland passed away in 1976, leaving behind a legacy of selflessness, courage, and devotion to those in need. Her life serves as an inspiring testament to the impact that one person can make in the world when driven by a deep commitment to the well-being of others. Penland will forever be remembered as Asheville’s devoted World War I nurse and a symbol of unwavering service to humanity.
After her death, her survivors donated her diary, newspaper clippings about her service, and letters to her parents to the archives at Columbia University. Proud of her American heritage, she was a member of the Edward Buncombe Chapter in North Carolina Daughters of the American Revolution.
She wrote in her diary while near Flanders Fields: “It is a glorious thing to give one’s life for one’s country, but how unutterably sad; such numbers of lives being sacrificed in a strange land with no loved ones there. What grief and agony to those waiting at home!” Her body was laid to rest at Riverside Cemetery with other famous Ashevillians.