Julia Higgins looks after NHS buildings on the Wirral and was the first female WO1 in the Royal Engineers Reserve. She talks about the people she lost.

Julia Higgins, a Buildings Manager at Wirral Community Health and Care NHS Foundation Trust, has served in the Army Reserve since 2003 and became the first female Warrant Officer Class 1 in the Royal Engineers Reserve. Ahead of Remembrance Day on Wednesday 11 November, she has spoken about the friends and colleagues she lost, the wounded soldiers she looked after and why she wants people to stop and think this week.

In more than 23 years with the Royal Engineers she has served in Canada, Belize, Cyprus, Germany and Poland. Her two hardest tours were in Afghanistan, supporting the Royal Welsh and Royal Irish Regiments as a Casualty Coordinator, looking after wounded soldiers and their families.

“One of the things I’m most proud of is the support I was able to give to wounded soldiers and their families during some of the hardest times of their lives,” she said. “Being able to help, even in a small way, was a real privilege and something I’ll always carry with me.”

Julia Higgins in camouflage uniform and helmet cover standing in front of a grassy stepped stone ruin in Belize
Julia Higgins in uniform while serving with the Royal Engineers in Belize. Photo: supplied by Wirral University Teaching Hospital NHS Foundation Trust

The first woman to reach WO1 in the Engineers Reserve

Besides reaching WO1, the trust says she served as the most senior soldier within a regiment.

“The Royal Engineers has traditionally been a male-dominated environment, so reaching that position means a lot to me,” she said. “But it’s never just been about the rank. It’s about showing that women can succeed at every level, including in roles that are physically and mentally demanding.”

She still serves, now as a Sergeant Major Instructor, organising and running the training that prepares soldiers for operations.

Julia Higgins in military dress uniform with medals and a sword, standing beside her husband on a lawn in front of a red sandstone castle
Julia Higgins in dress uniform with her husband, who served 24 years as a Regular Royal Engineer. Photo: supplied by Wirral University Teaching Hospital NHS Foundation Trust

Back on the Wirral, running hospital buildings

Her day job is with the Capital Projects and Estates team, looking after the safety, maintenance and running of healthcare buildings used by patients, visitors and staff. She came back to the NHS after five years on military deployments and says the Army shaped the way she leads and works with colleagues.

“Although they’re very different organisations, there are a lot of similarities. Both are about people, teamwork and providing a service to others,” she said.

“You need to be adaptable, work well under pressure and be able to rely on the people around you. Whether you’re in uniform or working in the NHS, you can’t do everything on your own. It’s about everyone pulling together and doing their bit.”

Seven NHS Estates team members standing in a row in a glass-walled hospital foyer, Julia Higgins second from right
Julia Higgins, second from right, with colleagues from the trust's Estates team. Photo: supplied by Wirral University Teaching Hospital NHS Foundation Trust

She is a member of the trust’s Armed Forces Network, which supports colleagues who are serving personnel, reservists or veterans, or who have family in the forces.

“Remembrance has become much more personal”

“Having experienced the realities of military operations and lost people I knew and served alongside, Remembrance has become much more personal over the years,” she said.

“It’s not just about remembering those who died, but also those who came home with life-changing injuries and the families whose lives were changed forever.”

Janelle Holmes, Chief Executive of Wirral Community Health and Care NHS Foundation Trust, said: “Julia’s story is a powerful example of the dedication, courage and resilience shown by those who serve in our Armed Forces. Her achievements throughout more than two decades of military service are truly inspiring, and the skills and values she has developed continue to make a difference within the NHS.”

She added: “Across our NHS organisations, we are proud to recognise and support our Armed Forces community, and I would encourage colleagues and members of the public to take a moment to remember those who lost their lives, as well as those whose lives have been changed by conflict.”

Julia Higgins in a hi-vis vest with her hand on a large brown shipping container loaded on a lorry trailer in a car park
Julia Higgins beside a large delivery vehicle during her work with the trust's Estates team. Photo: supplied by Wirral University Teaching Hospital NHS Foundation Trust

What it means for you

Remembrance Day falls on Wednesday 11 November. Julia’s request is a simple one.

“For me, Remembrance is about people. Behind every name on a memorial or every poppy worn is someone who had a life, a family, friends and a story,” she said.

“I’d just ask people to take a moment to think about those who never came home, the families they left behind and those who continue to live with the effects of conflict. We owe it to them to remember.”

Our list of Remembrance services across the Wirral has times and places, and West Kirby’s Grange Hill memorial now has new lighting at night.