Agnes Warner

Born in Saint John, New Brunswick, Agnes Warner was trained as a nurse and later served in France during World War I. She is remembered for My Beloved Poilus, a collection of letters drawn from her experiences caring for wounded French soldiers, written with a direct, personal voice that still feels immediate.

Warner's writing stands out because it blends compassion with sharp observation. She described the strain of wartime nursing, the suffering she witnessed, and the deep affection she felt for the men in her care, giving readers a rare first-person view of the war from a nurse's perspective.

Beyond her nursing and writing, she was also known in Saint John for her interest in natural history and for donating plant specimens to the local museum. Today, she is remembered both as a devoted wartime nurse and as a writer whose letters preserve the human side of a devastating conflict.