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War Memorial
Australia

aka Ada Florence Kate

Daughter of George Payne HODGE and Elizabeth nee RIDLEY Of Union Bank, King William Street, Adelaide, SA
Educated Adelaide High School she trained at the Wakefield Street Adelaide 1902 until 1906 and resigned in 1907.  Katee was in charge of hospital Semaphore 1907 - 1913 then travelled to London where she did slum work for 3 months November 1913 to Feb 1914

In 1913 she took C.M.B. with honours degree at Queen Charlotte's Hospital, London.

After this whe worked at Pelwood Hospital for Wounded Soldiers for medical and surgical cases August 1914 - July 1915.

Enlisting with the QAIMNSR 19 August 1915, her war services extended from 06 August 1914 to 1920 as a sister in Q.A.I.M.N.S.R., France, Belgium and Germany and Navy Charge and C.C.S. Nurses' Home, South France.

Katie became a nurse in 1915, part of Queen Alexandra’s Imperial Nursing Service, and after serving on a Hospital Ship, joined 49 Casualty Clearing Station at Contay, a village north of Amiens on the Somme. 

Received R.R.C. (First Class) in 1917.

Sister Katie Payne Hodge, an Australian, was awarded the honour ‘Royal Red Cross’ in January 1918 
For ‘showing exceptional devotion or competency in performance of nursing duties with the Army in the field, or in Naval and Military or Air Force hospitals or in an Auxiliary War hospital over a continuous or long period or who has performed some exceptional acts of bravery or devotion to the post of duty' 

Katee was demobilized on 17 January 1920 and was residing at 44 Clifton Street, Malvern, SA in 1920
She was made an honorary treasurer P.H.W.S. Nurses Association, 1935-1938.
Katee remained single all her life and died 14 October 1957 at The Home for Incurables, Fullarton, SA
Cause of death Coronary Occlusion (2 days) Cerebral Thrombosis (5 years) and Arteriosclerosis (years).  Aged 82 years

Katie became a nurse in 1915, part of Queen Alexandra’s Imperial Nursing Service, and after serving on a Hospital Ship, joined 49 Casualty Clearing Station at Contay, a village north of Amiens on the Somme. Although records are not clear, she may have continued serving after the war, tending long term wounded patients until 1924.

Many South Australians in the State will be interested to know that Sister Katie Payne Hodge, R.R.C sister of Mrs. V. K. Jones, of Mount street. Perth, returned to Australia by the s-s. Indarra, which arrived at Fremantle on Saturday last. Nurse Hodge was in England when war was declared, having just completed a two years' course of special training in which she gained first-class honours; and although the passage was booked for her return to Australia she immediately offered her services to the Imperial Government and was detailed for duty within a few horns of the commencement of hostilities. She was first sent to Woodhall Spa, in Lincolnshire Pettwood  the beautiful country mansion of Capt. and MrS. (now Sir Archibald and Lady) Weigall (the Governor-elect of South Australia) having been offered to the Imperial Government as a hospital.  After a considerable term of duty under ideal conditions Sister Hodge was transferred to a hospital ship carrying wounded from Gallipoli to Lemnos where the conditions were the reverse of those at Pettwood. From the hospital ship she saw service in many of the war zones in France, where in 1917 she was awarded the Royal Red Cross (first class) for commendable devotion to duty in the care of wounded soldiers during the bombing of a British hospital by enemy aeroplanes.  Sister Hodge's war service has been so continuous that it was only quite recently after being invalided back to England from Germany, that the distinction was conferred upon her at Buckingham Palace. After the armistice she served with the army of occupation in Germany, and was demobilised in February last. Sister Hodge returned to Australia as the guest of Sir Archibald and Lady Weigall.

The West Australian Tuesday 08 June 1920 page 8

HUNDREDS OF MILES OF BANDAGES

Busy Workers 
Quiet City Room Where Band of Women Does Invaluable Job

In a quiet room high above the city on Wednesday, while the Tobruk men were marching through the streets, sat Sister H. Payne Hodge and some of her 80 helpers at the Red Cross Surgical Dressings Department. While the crowds cheered in the streets, the only sound in that room was the creaking of the bandage machines operated by willing workers. Sister Payne Hodge has been in control of the department since its inception two years ago yesterday.

DURING that period 11 units have been completed, each  unit comprising the necessary dressings — bandages, triangulars, gauze, swabs, towels, etc. — for 600 beds. This means equipment for 6,600 beds. The bandages alone have numbered over 100,000, and each one is six yards long. The materials are all new, and are supplied by the Red Cross Society, while many country branches have sent in material and completed dressings to assist the department.  How much has been accomplished is realised only when a survey is made of just a short period.  For instance, from July to September the following were sent to the Red Cross store: — 5,517 roller bandages. 3,212 triangular bandages, 288 T-shaped bandages, 280 ''many tailed'' bandages (all beautifully sewn at the sides to pre-vent the material tearing), 120,328 swabs of gauze. 552 finger stalls. 716 muslin bandages for plaster of paris. and hundreds of masks, eye bandages, or other dressings. In addition 669 bundles of old linen were collected — and Sister Payne Hodge wishes they were double the number. 'In fact,' she laughed, 'we are positively screaming for clean old linen. Perhaps some kindly housewives will hear us and take the trouble to look some out for us. Civil 
Defence Work 
In the past two months additional work has been undertaken by Sister Payne Hodge with voluntary assistance from her 80 workers, to provide dressings, etc. for Civil Defence. This means providing bandages, dressings, swabs, bags, pillow slips, operating stockings, screen covers, dressing gowns, bed gowns, and numerous other articles.  Already several units have been completed and deposited in Government stores ready for any emergency.  When the last war broke out Sister Payne Hodge was doing slum work in London. 'I loved the work, particularly the old women, and it is from my association with them that I feel I know the spirit of England.'' she said this week.  Sister Payne Hodge not only knows the spirit of England, but the spirit of the army and navy. She joined up with the Queen Alexandra Nursing Service, and was in a hospital ship at Gallipoli.  Awarded R.R.C. Later she served in France and Belgium, and after the armistice was with the Army of Occupation in Germany. Her war service extended from 1914 to 1920 and she received recognition from King George V. at Buckingham Palace when she was awarded the Royal Red Cross. ''The German women hated us being on their soil,' she said, 'and on one occasion when we had a puncture, they came and spat at us. It was a most unpleasant experience. 'In Cologne, where we lived in one of the finest buildings, all the furnishings, such as the curtains and the upholstering on the chairs were made of paper — the Germans were so short of materials. One wonders how they are managing in this war.' Sister Payne Hodge has all the simplicity of those who have talked with beggars and kings. After her investiture she was entertained at morning tea at St.James' Palace by Queen Alexandra. 'Her rooms were decorated with roses, while the flowers at Buckingham Palace were all chrysanthemums.' she said. 'At that time Queen Alexandra was a little old lady. 'Sister Payne Hodge also had afternoon tea with the Prince of Wales, now the Duke of Windsor, when he stayed with Sir Archibald and Lady Weigall at Government House in Adelaide.