Remembering nurse Augusta Chiwy who passed away Aug 23, 2015. Augusta risked her life many times in many ways during the Battle of the Bulge when she worked in the U.S 10th Armored Division aid station in Bastogne.
She was featured in the #BandofBrothers episode Bastogne
1/

Augusta Marie Chiwy was born June 6, 1921, in the Belgian Congo to a Belgian father & a Burundian mother. Her father worked there as a veterinarian & they returned to Bastogne when she was 9.
In 1940, she left home to train and work as a nurse
2/

In Dec, 1944, Augusta travelled home to Bastogne see her family for Christmas. When the German offensive began on the 16th, she worked with her uncle, a doctor, to treat civilian & military casualties.
3/

On Dec 21 she volunteered at the 10th Armored Division aid station, along with Renée Lemaire, when the 326th Medical Company was overrun by the Germans & there was a dire need for medical personnel.
4/

At just 5ft tall, wearing an American uniform when her clothes became too bloodstained, she would head out to the front line to collect wounded to bring back to the aid stn. By wearing the uniform, if she had been caught by the enemy, she risked being executed or taken POW.
5/

Captain Dr John Prior, who ran the aid stn, said "Augusta was always in the thick of the splinting, dressing & haemorrhage control. The presence of these two girls was a morale factor of the highest order"
She assisted daily in surgeries & amputations needed to be performed
6/

"What I did was normal" Augusta said "I would have done it for anyone. We are all children of God"
On Christmas Eve, Dr Prior & some of the staff went to the adjacent building to toast the holiday when a German bomber dropped a 500lb shell that landed next door
7/

"A bottle of champagne was opened" Augusta recalled "A glass was passed around. We heard something coming screaming towards us. And then a big bang. All of the windows were blown out" Augusta was blown through the wall but thankfully survived, sadly Renée (pic) was killed
8/

After the bombing Augusta worked with Dr Prior & continued to provide medical care until mid Jan '45, when Prior's unit left Bastogne.
After the war she remained a nurse, specialising in spinal cases.
She married Jacques Cornet and raised a family
9/

In June 2011, she was made a Knight of the Order of the Belgian Crown & in Dec, 2011, was awarded the Civilian Award for Humanitarian Service by the U.S Army.
Augusta was portrayed by Rebecca Okot as Nurse Anna in Band of Brothers.
A true heroine

10/10