Nurses
As far as is known, the Kiama District had 4 women nurses who served during WWI.
Each played a valueable and vital role as staff nurses in their allocated theatres of war.
Gathering information about these brave women is difficult to come by, but then that is the same for many people involved in World War I.
The names of the nurses, and their military records, mentioned here can be found on the Kiama Memorial Arch (at bottom of H-Z side of memorial arch.)
As for their backgrounds:
- 2 were born in Kiama
- 1 lived and worked in Kiama
- 1 happened to be here at the time of her recruitment.
Carrie Whittingham was born in 1872 at Gordon, Sydney.
She enlisted in Sydney aged 43 and was single at the time.
Carrie embarked from Sydney on the HMAT Orsova on 10 November 1915 as a trained Staff Nurse.
Her father was manager of Kiama's ANZ bank.
In 1910 she applied for a job as nurse at Kiama Cottage Hospital.
She was promoted to matron in 1910.
After which she volunteered for service in WW1.
Returned to Australia 20 May 1919.
Married Ivan Francis McCarthy in 1926.
Widowed 1938.
Died 20 March 1952 in Mosman, aged 82.
Kate Gallen was born in 1881 at Kiama.
Aged 30 when she enlisted on 24 July 1915, Kate embarked 31 July 1915 on the 'Orontes'.
She served her time in Egypt and France.
In April 1917 she suffered a severe bout of Rubella.
She resigned her appointment on 15 June 1917 to be married to Walter Harold Head.
This marriage ended in divorce in 1929.
She died 24 February 1940.
Mary MacAnene was born in Kiama in 1880.
For the years leading up to her enlistment, she was a nurse.
Mary enlisted on 19 June 1915 as a staff nurse and embarked on the 'Orsova' on 17 July 1915, aged 35.
She served her time in England.
She returned to to Australia 29 March 1918 on the 'Balmoral Castle'.
On the 23 December 1918 she was discharged as medically unfit.
Became the matron of Camden Hospital.
She died a spinster from the effects of war service 25 August 1924 aged 43 and was buried at Faulconbridge Cemetery.
Born Rita Ahern in 1894 at Inverell, NSW.
Up until enlistment Rita was a trained nurse.
It appears Rita was in Kiama at the time of enlistment, as her name is on the Kiama Memorial Arch.
However, she seems to have had no further contact in Kiama as no further information can be found as to why she was here.
Rita enlisted on 10 May 1917 at 25 years of age.
She embarked on the 9 June 1917 from Sydney on 'Mooltan'.
While serving in Egypt, she contracted malaria and returned to Australia on 22 January 1919 on the 'Leicestershire'.
Rita was medically discharged as unfit on 15 February 1919.
Married to Captain Justin McCarthy, R.A.M.C in early March 1919.
Shortly after Rita moved to Dubbo and other centres in the state to eventually settle in Goulburn.
She had 5 children:
- William
- June
- Robert
- Justin
- John.
She died in Goulburn 27 February 1942 aged 48 years.