Episode 026

SNO Sue Warner

Sue joined the Queen Alexandra’s Royal Naval Nursing Service (QARNNS) in 1977 and served for 25 years. QARNNS was fully affiliated with the Royal Navy from 1977, but was technically a separate service until March 2000, when it officially became part of the Royal Navy.

In this episode Sue talks about her inspiration in joining the QARNNS, and what it was like going through the process of becoming a nurse in the military. She was deployed to the Falkland Islands, to help as a nurse on the hospital ship SS Uganda, during the 1982 Falklands War.

Sue also shares what it was like when the QARNNS officially became part of the Royal Navy. She talks about her transition back to civilian life, and then volunteering to deploy to Afghanistan with her expertise as a nurse. Plus a career break to help with mental health, using Sports Recovery to rebuild, and also how she returned to help the NHS during COVID-19.