Clementina Marshall war diary, photograph album and badges, ca. 1879-1949

fonds

ca. 1879-1949

Textual Records, Medals, Badges

1001514

0.21 metres of textual material, 200 photographs, 1 print, 22 badges, (2 boxes, 1 album and 1 folder)

Clementina Marshall (1879-1968) trained as a nurse at Sydney Hospital. In May 1914 she enlisted in the Australian Army Nursing Service (AANS), one of over 2000 Australian Nurses who gave lifesaving hospital care during World War One on the war fields and hospital ships SS HMAT Argyllshire, HMAS Gascon, and HS Sicilia. She nursed throughout the war, serving in the Dardanelles, France and Belgium giving care, administering theatre operations and saving the lives of Australian, New Zealand, British and French soldiers.
In October 1914, Clementina left Sydney on the S.S. Argyllshire for Egypt, across the Indian Ocean and through the Suez Canal on the first convoy of Anzac soldiers. She first went on duty at Mena House, Cairo and then was sent to organise the hospital at Ismalia prior to the Turkish attack on the Suez Canal, before boarding the hospital ship Sicilia on the 21 March 1915.
On 23 April 1915, she boarded the HMAS Gascon, and later witnessed the landing at Anzac Cove. When the first batch of wounded came on board she was on duty in the operating theatre for 21 consecutive hours, for which she was mentioned in despatches. She continued to serve on the Gascon for 5 months while the ship conveyed the wounded from Gallipoli to Alexandria and Malta. She treated wounded soldiers at war hospitals in England including Harefield, Wandsworth and Australian General Hospital No. 2 & 3, followed by travels to Scotland and Wales, and duty in France and Belgium.
After the end of WW1, she was matron of four return ships from England to Australia to return wounded ANZAC soldiers to Australia on board HS Ormonde, Medic and Asconia, treating thousands of wounded soldiers. She served as a AANS nurse in English Hospitals in 1915, 1916 and 1917. On 23 February 1917 she was awarded the Royal Red Cross by his Majesty King George V. She returned to Australia in June 1918, and continued her nursing career at Randwick, Royal Prince Alfred & Concordia Hospitals until her retirement, ca. 1940.

References:
Library correspondence file
Compiled from the collection

From the Marshall family, by descent. Clementina Marshall was the vendor's great aunt.

Series 01
Clementina Marshall war diary, 17 October 1914 to 30 August 1917, with transcript compiled by Donald Marshall, 2015 and associated family papers, ca. 1879-1888.

Series 02
Clementina Marshall photograph album, ca. 1912-1949, relating to her war service, nursing career and family.

Series 03
Clementina Marshall badges and medals, ca. 1912-1931, mainly relating to her nursing and war service

This collection is arranged into three series.

Typescript transcript of diary available on file