Pioneer British Nurse. She received wide acclaim for her organization of nursing support during the Second Boer War and World War I. She received her education at Springfield College in Sydney, Australia and passed her nursing exam at the University of Sydney. In 1891 she travelled to England and began working as a nurse at London Hospital, Whitechapel and was promoted to sister and was Nursing Sister-in-Charge of the Sophia Women's Ward. At the outbreak of the Second Boer War, she was one of six sisters selected from London Hospital by Princess Alexandra (later Queen Alexandria) to go to South Africa as her own "military" nursing sisters with the British Army Nursing Service Reserve. She served with distinction throughout the 3-year conflict and was awarded the Queen's and the King's Medal and the Royal Red Cross. In 1902 she returned to England and became involved in the formation of Queen Alexandria's Imperial Military Nursing Service. In 1910 she was appointed principal matron of the British War Office, serving until to outbreak of World War I. In August 1914 she sailed with the British Expeditionary Force to France and was appointed its matron-in-chief, where she had overall responsibility for all nurses in the European Theater. For her dedication and unselfish efforts, she was awarded the French Legion of Honor, the Belgian Queen Elisabeth Medal, the Florence Nightingale Medal, and was made Dame Grand Cross of the Order of the British Empire. In 1920 she returned to England, and became the matron-in-chief of the Territorial Army Nursing Service until her retirement in 1925. She died at the age of 89.
Pioneer British Nurse. She received wide acclaim for her organization of nursing support during the Second Boer War and World War I. She received her education at Springfield College in Sydney, Australia and passed her nursing exam at the University of Sydney. In 1891 she travelled to England and began working as a nurse at London Hospital, Whitechapel and was promoted to sister and was Nursing Sister-in-Charge of the Sophia Women's Ward. At the outbreak of the Second Boer War, she was one of six sisters selected from London Hospital by Princess Alexandra (later Queen Alexandria) to go to South Africa as her own "military" nursing sisters with the British Army Nursing Service Reserve. She served with distinction throughout the 3-year conflict and was awarded the Queen's and the King's Medal and the Royal Red Cross. In 1902 she returned to England and became involved in the formation of Queen Alexandria's Imperial Military Nursing Service. In 1910 she was appointed principal matron of the British War Office, serving until to outbreak of World War I. In August 1914 she sailed with the British Expeditionary Force to France and was appointed its matron-in-chief, where she had overall responsibility for all nurses in the European Theater. For her dedication and unselfish efforts, she was awarded the French Legion of Honor, the Belgian Queen Elisabeth Medal, the Florence Nightingale Medal, and was made Dame Grand Cross of the Order of the British Empire. In 1920 she returned to England, and became the matron-in-chief of the Territorial Army Nursing Service until her retirement in 1925. She died at the age of 89.
Bio by: William Bjornstad
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