23. The truck drivers were not the first Australians to serve in France, although they were the first units of the AIF. An Australian Volunteer Hospital had been formed in England in August 1914 from Australian expatriates. All medical practitioners in the unit were Australians and although women were not allowed to serve as doctors, Australian nurses were gratefully accepted. The unit left for France in August 1914 and from October was based at Wimereux, where the 2nd General Hospital joined it in June 1916. In July 1916, the Australian Volunteer Hospital was absorbed into the British Army. See Ray, Pam, "A Photographic Record of an Australian Nursing Sister", Journal of the Australian War Memorial No. 18, July 1991, pp. 63-65