Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Lucy Sylvester KILDEA was the daughter of James KILDEA & Elizabeth Mary CASEY and was born on the 25th of December 1884 in Caltowie, SA.

Her father was born in 1833 in Woodford, County Galway, Ireland and was the son of James KILDEA & Margaret MCDERMOTT.

Her mother was born in 1841 in Kilworth Camp, Cork, Ireland and was the daughter of John CASEY & Bridget HENNESSY.

John & Elizabeth were married on the 31st of July 1862 in St Johns Catholic Church, Kapunda, SA.

Lucy was the ninth child born into this family of 10 children, 3 boys & 7 girls.

Lucy’s Siblings;

(1) Ellen Agnes KILDEA (10.11.1864 – 31.01.1928) Never married

(2) Mary Margaret KILDEA (21.08.1866 – 28.10.1898). She married John HIGGINS on 16.02.1898. Mary died 6 days after the birth of her daughter.

Children; Elizabeth (22.10.1898 – 01.03.1898).

(3) James Francis KILDEA (22.06.1868 – 21.01.1927). He married Kathleen GRIFFIN on 28.04.1910.

Children; Mary Thelma BEESON (27.11.1911 - ?), Elizabeth Ellen DUTTON (22.07.1913 – 22.04.2014), James Thomas (06.07.1914 – 03.05.1915)

(4) Elizabeth Florence KILDEA (25.07.1870 - 27.06.1936). She married Michael Francis LEAHY on 08.02.1893.

Children; Warren John (24.11.1893 – 20.08.1953), Marcellus Ambrose (16.01.1895 – 18.06.1927), Elizabeth Mary ALLEN (23.05.1896 – 17.12.1974), Francis Sylvester (08.02.1898 – 13.04.1976), Cyril Michael (30.07.1899 – 02.10.1961), Margaret Eileen CASE (04.07.1901 – 18.04.1994), Dorothy FOX (28.11.1902 – 09.12.1998), James Dennis (17.01.1906 – 29.08.1995), Catherine Ellen DUFFY (17.06.1908 – 30.12.2007), William Thomas (08.12.1910 – 17.08.1997)

(5) Bridget Winifred KILDEA (Aug 1871 – 29.10.1942). She married Domonic Joseph BLUNSDEN on 29.07.1896.

Children; Catherine Elizabeth JONES (09.06.1897 – 06.05.1957), Thomas John (24.11.1898 – 21.08.1967), James Dominic (09.02.1900 – 22.09.1903), Vincent (17.07.1909 – 18.05.1974), Mary Evelyn CROSSMAN (10.04.1903 – 14.09.1969), William Dominic (30.12.1909 – 20.11.1994), Dominic Aloysius (14.06.1908 – 13.10.1953), John Joseph (23.02.1910 – 28.07.1966).

(6) John Joseph KILDEA (27.09.1874 – 06.11.1942). He married Rose Ann ERWIN on 15.06.1910.

No Children

(7) Esther KILDEA (19.02.1877 – 11.08.1932). She married James NOONAN on 06.04.1904.

Children; Esther Claire CARREN (1906 – 27.12.1981), James William (30.11.1909 – 14.09.1976)    

(8) Josephine Gertrude KILDEA (29.05.1879 – 21.04.1938). She married Michael John NOONAN on 12.06.1910.

Children; Norah ROLLINSON (1911 – 1975), John (1913 – 1985), Peter (1922 – 12.11.1998)

(9) William Patrick KILDEA (1885 – 10.04.1942). He married Catherine May MARTIN in 1910.

Children; Kathleen May HIDES (1910 - ?)                 

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After her parents had married they moved to Caltowie and her father was a farmer and sheep grazier and a councilor for the Caltowie township.

Lucy was only 14 months old when her father died on the 1st of February 1886 at their home in Caltowie. His funeral was one of the largest seen in the North with a cortege of 80 traps (carts) and approximately 580 at his gravesite at the Caltowie Cemetery.

Lucy and her siblings attended the Sisters of St Joseph Convent School, next to the St Kilians Catholic Church. They had to walk about a mile to school.

Lucy became quite a skilled pianist.

Her mother always lent their property for the St Patrick’s Day Catholic Picnic.

Her sister Elizabeth married Michael Francis LEAHY on the 8th of February 1893 in St Kilians Catholic Church, Caltowie and Lucy was the flower girl.

Bridget then married Domonic Joseph BLUNSDEN on the 29th of July 1896 in the same little church and again, Lucy was the flower girl.

Her sister Mary married John HIGGINS on the 16th of February 1898.

In late October Mary returned home to her mother to give birth to her first child. Little Elizabeth was born on the 22nd of October, but sadly, Mary died 6 days after the birth of her daughter. Mary was buried in the Caltowie Cemetery in the same plot as her father.

Little Elizabeth remained with the KILDEA family, but unfortunately she died 5 months later and was buried with her mother.

In 1901 Lucy was appointed Monitor of the Caltowie School by the Education Department.

In February 1910 her mother sold the farm and purchased a home at 34 Smith Terrace, Glenelg.

A surprise party visited their home and made presentations to Lucy and her mother. Lucy received a silver backed brush and comb from the residents of Caltowie.

Lucy finally became a bridesmaid when her brother John married Rose Ann ERWIN on the 15th of June 1910 in St James’s Church, Jamestown.

In February 1911 Lucy purchased the business known as the “Victorian College of Music with the head office at Woodman’s Music Warehouse at 33 Rundle Street, Adelaide.

She advertised that she guaranteed to teach a person of any age to play the piano in 6 weeks. She also opened branches of this college in Unley, Knightsbridge, Moonta, Kadina, Wallaroo, Petersburg & Jamestown.

In February 1913 she went for a holiday to New Zealand with her sister Esther and brother in-law James NOONAN.

The following year Lucy turned her attention towards nursing and was sent to train in the Pt Pirie Hospital for 3 years. She successfully completed her training and was promoted to Charge Nurse.

Lucy resigned her position in the Pt Pirie Hospital in November 1916 as she had gained a position with the District Trained Nursing Society.

On the 12th of January 1917 Lucy completed her questionnaire for enrolment into the Australian Army Nursing Service (AANS).

She was called into the Keswick Military Hospital at the end of May.

Prior to her leaving Pt Pirie a large number of her friends met at the residence of Captain Broun to bid her farewell and to make a presentation to her in recognition of the valuable services she had rendered to the town.

At the age of 34, Lucy enlisted into the Australian Military Force, Australian Army Nursing Service (AANS) on the 4th of June 1917 in Keswick and was posted to the 7th Australian General Hospital at Keswick.

Lucy was transferred into the AIF, Australian Army Nursing Service (AANS) on the 4th of September 1917 as Staff Nurse.

Lucy embarked from Melbourne on the board HMAT Runic on the 13th of September 1917, disembarking in Durban on the 7th of October, awaiting transportation to Bombay.

She then embarked on HT Caronia on the 3rd of November, disembarking in Seuz on the 3rd of December and was detached for duty at the 17th General Hospital in Alexandria.

She then served in Salonika until she became very unwell suffering from Dysentery & Influenza and was invalided back to Australia.

Lucy embarked for Egypt on the 3rd of February 1919, disembarking 4 days later and was admitted to the 14th Australian General Hospital in Abbassia, where she remained awaiting her embarkation.

Lucy embarked for Australia on board HT Kildonian Castle, on the 1st of April 1919, disembarking in Adelaide on the 7th of May.

Lucy was discharged, medically unfit, from the AIF on the 28th of June 1919.

On the 14th of June 1919 Lucy returned to Pt Pirie by the evening train, for a holiday and to reacquaint with her friends. She was met by the ANZAC Hospital committee and presented with a bouquet of wattle blossoms. The residence held a welcome home social for her in the Institute and she was presented with a bouquet of roses and a maidenhair fern.

The following week Lucy returned to Caltowie where another welcome home was held for her in the local Institute.

Lucy embarked from Sydney on board the Naldera, disembarking in London on the 25th of July 1920.

She married Captain Colin Scott Moncrief FINLAYSON on the 6th of August 1920 in Saint Catherine's Church, Horsetain, Birmingham, England.

Colin was the son of Francis & Alice FINLAYSON and was born on the 11th of December 1890 in Norwood, London.

He had enlisted into the 6th Royal Hampshire Regiment on the 19th of August 1914 (1989), but had previously served with them since 1908. He had served on home service for 57 days before proceeding to India on the 9th of October, where he remained until the 1st of October 1915.

He was discharged in consequence of being appointed to the Indian Army.

In 1922 they were living at 23 Mayfield Road, Morley, Birmingham, England and Colin was a bank cashier

They welcomed their only child; James Francis in 1922.

They embarked for Australia on board the SS Beltana on the 28th of February 1924 and lived with Lucy’s mother and sister at Nile Street, Glenelg. 

Lucy’s mother died on the 15th of June 1926 and they buried her in the Caltowie Cemetery with her husband.

They then moved to Perth and lived at 18 Irwin Street, Perth, WA for a few years before moving back to Adelaide and purchased a home at 15 Park Terrace, Eastwood.

On the 2nd of August 1937 Lucy opened a Convalescent Rest Home at their home.

With the outbreak of WW2 Colin enlisted into the AMF on the 25th of July 1940 and posted to the 3rd Training Battalion. He was discharged from the CMF on the 16th of May 1943 and enlisted into the VDC the following day.

He was allotted the service number S86194 and posted to the 10th Battalion Volunteer Defence Corps with the rank of Warrant Officer 2.

He was discharged on the 12th of March 1946.

Her husband died on the 8th of June 1956 and Lucy buried him in the Centennial Park Cemetery; Derrick Gardens, Path 3, Plot 24.

Lucy died on the 29th of March 1966 in Warwick Hospital, North Unley, SA.
She died of a Coronary Occlusion (1 day), Generalised Arteriosclerosis (15 years), Crush Fracture of Lumbar Vertebra (2 months) and Generalised Osteoporosis.

Lucy’s Children;

(1) James Francis FINLAYSON (08.12.1922-1986). He married Patricia Ann DAVIS on 21.03.1947 in St Ignatius Church, Norwood, SA.

They divorced 17.11.1953 it Townsville, QLD.

Military Service;

On the 12th of January 1917 Lucy completed her questionnaire for enrolment into the Australian Army Nursing Service (AANS).

At the age of 34, Lucy enlisted into the Australian Military Force, Australian Army Nursing Service (AANS) on the 4th of June 1917 in Keswick and was posted to the 7th Australian General Hospital at Keswick.

Lucy was transferred into the AIF, Australian Army Nursing Service (AANS) on the 4th of September 1917 as Staff Nurse.

Lucy embarked from Melbourne on the board HMAT Runic on the 13th of September 1917, disembarking in Durban on the 7th of October, awaiting transportation to Bombay.

She then embarked on HT Caronia on the 3rd of November, disembarking in Seuz on the 3rd of December and was detached for duty at the 17th General Hospital in Alexandria.

On the 22nd of June 1918 she was transferred to the 31st General Hospital in Abbassia.

Lucy embarked for Salonika on board RMS Kashgar on the 21st of October, disembarking on the 25th of October and was attached for duty at the 42nd General Hospital, a tent hospital at Kalamaria.

She had arrived in the winter and condition here were exceedingly severe.

The wind known as the “Vardar” wind, being almost a blizzard and there were heavy falls of snow, and very low temperatures at night.

The extreme temperatures caused drugs, ink and hot water bottles to regularly freeze in the morning. The wintry conditions were a danger to the nurses as some fainted, while others were affected with carbon monoxide poisoning as fuel was almost impossible to obtain and the only means of heating came from charcoal burnt in braziers. 

Water raced through wards & reached halfway up bedsteads and haversacks, boots, socks and pants would float down the road.

The nurse’s lanterns would blow out and leave them in the dark.

They didn’t have the correct weather attire and were wearing men’s pyjama pants and shirts, putties and gum boots, with their dresses tucked around their waists.

They were over their ankles in mud, dragging one foot out then the other foot & standing on one leg in grim peril or sitting down hastily.

It was no surprise in these conditions that Lucy suffered from Dysentery & Influenza and was admitted to the 43rd General Hospital on the 4th of November.

She spent nearly 3 weeks in hospital before being discharged and transferred to the Red Cross Convalescent Home on the 23rd.

After recovering here for 2 weeks she was discharged to duty on the 7th of December at the 42nd General Hospital.

On the 19th of December she was transferred to the 50th General Hospital, which was also located at Kalamaria.

Three weeks later, on the 11th of January 1919 Lucy was admitted to the 43rd General Hospital suffering from a condition that was not yet defined.

On the 20th of January the Medical Board held a meeting at the 43rd General Hospital and found that Lucy was suffering from Debility caused by post Influenza.

She was found unfit for duty and recommended she be invalided back to Australia.

Lucy embarked for Egypt on the 3rd of February 1919, disembarking 4 days later and was admitted to the 14th Australian General Hospital in Abbassia, where she remained awaiting her embarkation.

Lucy embarked for Australia on board HT Kildonian Castle, on the 1st of April 1919, disembarking in Adelaide on the 7th of May.

Lucy was discharged, medically unfit, from the AIF on the 28th of June 1919.