Captain (Matron) Cecil Margaretta MacDonald

Cecil Margaretta MacDonald, born 16 September 1902 at Athelstan, Quebec, trained at Huntingdon Academy, Macdonald College and Montreal General Hospital, qualifying as a graduate nurse. Before the war she worked for Montreal General Hospital for about nine years, specializing in operating-room nursing and serving as an assistant in charge. Appointed a Nursing Sister in the Royal Canadian Army Medical Corps on 5 June 1941, she served in Canada, the United Kingdom, the Central Mediterranean/Italy and Northwest Europe. She was promoted to Lieutenant and later served as Acting Captain (Matron), becoming substantive Captain (Matron) on 17 December 1944. Her decorations included Associate of the Royal Red Cross (2nd Class), the Canadian Volunteer Service Medal and Clasp, campaign stars and medals, and the Distinguished Service Medal of Greece. In 1945 Montreal General Hospital requested her early return to become Nurse-in-Charge of its Operating Rooms; she agreed to transfer to reserve status for that purpose. She was struck off strength on 27 August 1945 at Montreal South, Quebec, at her own request.

1902-09-16 — Born at Athelstan, Quebec.
1940-06-11 — Appointed Nursing Sister on the Reserve General List, Royal Canadian Army Medical Corps, at Montreal, Quebec — Montreal, Quebec — Reserve General List, RCAMC.
1941-05-30 — Medical examination found her fit for Category A; height 5 ft 8 in, weight 136 lb, chest 32-33 in — Montreal, Quebec.
1941-06-05 — Appointed to active service as Nursing Sister with No. 14 General Hospital, Royal Canadian Army Medical Corps, at Montreal, Quebec — Montreal, Quebec — No. 14 General Hospital, RCAMC.
1941-06-20 — Struck off strength Canadian Army in Canada for overseas service from Halifax, Nova Scotia — Halifax, Nova Scotia — No. 14 General Hospital, RCAMC.
1941-06-21 — Taken on strength Canadian Army Overseas and proceeded to the United Kingdom — United Kingdom — No. 14 Canadian General Hospital.
1941-07-05 to 1941-12-12 — Attached to Advanced Party, No. 14 Canadian General Hospital — United Kingdom — No. 14 Canadian General Hospital.
1942-03-09 to 1942-03-15 — Granted second privilege leave with warrant — United Kingdom — No. 14 Canadian General Hospital.
1942-05-03 to 1942-05-09 — Granted third privilege leave with warrant — United Kingdom — No. 14 Canadian General Hospital.
1942-08-07 to 1942-08-13 — Granted seven days privilege leave with warrant — United Kingdom — No. 14 Canadian General Hospital.
1942-12-08 to 1942-12-14 — Granted seven days privilege leave with money allowance — United Kingdom — No. 14 Canadian General Hospital.
1943-03-10 to 1943-03-16 — Granted seven days privilege leave; rank shown as Lieutenant from 10 March 1943 — United Kingdom — No. 14 Canadian General Hospital.
1943-06-22 — Admitted to No. 14 Canadian General Hospital and transferred to Harley General Hospital — United Kingdom — No. 14 Canadian General Hospital / Harley General Hospital.
1943-10-13 — Struck off strength Harley General Hospital for return to No. 14 Canadian General Hospital — United Kingdom — Harley General Hospital.
1943-10-14 — Taken on strength No. 14 Canadian General Hospital from Harley General Hospital — United Kingdom — No. 14 Canadian General Hospital.
1943-10-21 — Attached for duty to No. 3 Field Dressing Station, Royal Canadian Army Medical Corps — United Kingdom — No. 3 Field Dressing Station, RCAMC.
1943-10-26 — Struck off strength Canadian Army (United Kingdom) on embarkation for the Central Mediterranean — United Kingdom — Canadian Army Overseas.
1943-10-27 — Taken on strength Canadian Army in the Central Mediterranean — Central Mediterranean — Canadian Army.
1943-10-29 — Disembarked in Sicily — Sicily, Italy — Canadian Army, Central Mediterranean.
1944-05-14 — Struck off strength No. 14 Canadian General Hospital for No. 4 Canadian Casualty Clearing Station — Central Mediterranean — No. 14 Canadian General Hospital / No. 4 Canadian Casualty Clearing Station.
1944-05-15 — Taken on strength No. 4 Canadian Casualty Clearing Station and appointed Acting Captain (Acting Matron) — Central Mediterranean — No. 4 Canadian Casualty Clearing Station, RCAMC.
1944-08-19 — Appointed Associate of the Royal Red Cross, Second Class — No. 4 Canadian Casualty Clearing Station, RCAMC.
1944-09-25 — Admitted from No. 4 Canadian Casualty Clearing Station to No. 1 Canadian General Hospital with furuncle of the right ear / otitis externa — Italy — No. 1 Canadian General Hospital.
1944-10-16 — Transferred to No. 14 Canadian General Hospital for continued treatment of the right-ear furuncle / otitis externa — Italy — No. 14 Canadian General Hospital.
1944-10-25 — Relinquished acting rank of Captain (Acting Matron) while hospitalized — Italy — No. 14 Canadian General Hospital.
1944-10-26 — Discharged to duty after hospitalization and struck off the hospital holding list for return to No. 4 Canadian Casualty Clearing Station — Italy — No. 14 Canadian General Hospital / No. 4 Canadian Casualty Clearing Station.
1944-10-27 — Taken on strength No. 4 Canadian Casualty Clearing Station and reappointed Acting Captain (Acting Matron) — Italy — No. 4 Canadian Casualty Clearing Station, RCAMC.
1944-12-17 — Promoted Captain (Matron) — Italy — No. 4 Canadian Casualty Clearing Station, RCAMC.
1945-02-28 — Embarked from Italy with No. 4 Canadian Casualty Clearing Station — Italy — No. 4 Canadian Casualty Clearing Station, RCAMC.
1945-03-02 — Disembarked in France with No. 4 Canadian Casualty Clearing Station — France — No. 4 Canadian Casualty Clearing Station, RCAMC.
1945-05-07 — Granted seven days privilege leave with money allowance and proceeded on leave — Continental Europe — No. 4 Canadian Casualty Clearing Station, RCAMC.
1945-05-11 — Struck off strength to X-8 List while on leave — Continental Europe — X-8 List / No. 4 Canadian Casualty Clearing Station.
1945-05-12 — Taken on strength No. 4 Canadian Casualty Clearing Station from X-8 List — Continental Europe — No. 4 Canadian Casualty Clearing Station, RCAMC.
1945-05-14 — Returned from privilege leave — Continental Europe — No. 4 Canadian Casualty Clearing Station, RCAMC.
1945-05-28 — Signed willingness to return to Reserve status to become nurse in charge of the Operating Room at Montreal General Hospital — England — No. 13 Canadian General Hospital.
1945-06-01 — Orders stated she would return to Canada in the latter part of June for return to Reserve status and report to No. 4 District Depot after arrival — Ottawa / Canadian Army Overseas.
1945-07-07 — Overseas service terminated; returned to Canada for release to Reserve status — Canada / Canadian Army Overseas.
1945-07-08 — Taken on strength No. 4 District Depot after return from Canadian Army Overseas — Montreal South, Quebec — No. 4 District Depot.
1945-07-18 to 1945-08-16 — Granted disembarkation leave — Montreal, Quebec — No. 4 District Depot.
1945-08-20 — Medical Board recommended that she be retired from the Army for non-medical reasons; approved PULHEMS profile recorded — Montreal, Quebec — Medical Board.
1945-08-27 — Struck off strength Canadian Army Active at own request and reverted to Reserve status to resume civilian nursing — Montreal South, Quebec — No. 4 District Depot.
1948-01-21 — Family notified that she had received the Greek Distinguished Service Medal for distinguished services in the Allied cause — Ottawa, Ontario / Chateauguay Basin, Quebec.