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The Americans at Frenchay Hospital...

Carol 'Pidge' Pulcifer

Red Cross worker who joined the 298th Hospital at Camp Robinson in Little Rock, Arkansas.

Arriving in Frenchay in 1942 after the blackout crossing of the Atlantic, she and other 'civilians' (dieticians, physio-therapist & Red Cross Workers) had been separated from the unit and sent to Litchfield, a mistake later rectified.

Pidge took her guitar around to the wards, playing and singing for the patients, providing a patients' Recreation Hall, a program for patients  and organising  the team of British Gray Ladies when they had been trained.

Father Kolig, Nurse Jensen, Lt Clark, Sgt Jeffers & Carol Pulcifer with her guitar at Frenchay

After serving at the 298th and indoctrinating Lois White, the new Recreation Worker, she was re-assigned as Chief Recreation worker at a large rehabilitation hospital near Coventry, England, thus missing the 298th's beach landing in Normandy, the stench of the Maritime hospital at Cherbourg and the buzz-bombs of Belgium. However, after her new assignment to Headquarters in Paris in December of '44, she was able to visit the 'home' unit near Liege, Belgium, for Lois and Mac's  wedding in April 1945.

After the war she became Recreation Supervisor in Oakland, California, were she continues to live today.

Pidge Pulcifer, after retirement, worked very actively with the United Nations Association and UNICEF. She now lives independently at Salemwoods Lutheran Retirement Home, with her two Chihuahuas, Gigi & Gypsy.

 

The above photograph and text were included in a type-written booklet entitled "Frenchay Revisited 1942-1992"; and produced in 1992 by Lois White Monroe, American Red Cross, 298th General Hospital.