Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Daughter of Charles James and Lucy STAFFORD. 

Next of kin listed as (Aunt) Miss M Mackereth, 17 Florence Street, Goodwood, South Australia

Mary trained for three years at the Adelaide Hospital.  She embarked 20th May 1915 per 'Moultan' and served in Egypt, England and Bombay.  Returned to Australia 24th October 1917 per 'Benalla' on the nursing staff.

Much loved Sister. The staff of No. 17 Auxilliary Hospital Torrens Park, where she died, bought a plot of land in the church of England division of the Mitcham Cemetery,  it is proposed to errect a headstone in her memory.  Sister Standford's was the first Military Funeral accorded any nurse in this State.

Her remains where then transferred to the West Terrace AIF Cemetery.

OUR GARDEN OF MEMORY.'  An interesting aspect in connection with the Soldiers' Cemetery, which has been aptly termed 'Our garden of memory,' is the fact that the Cemetery Trust has been able to arrange for re-interments of the remains of members of the A.I.F. buried elsewhere into this cemetery. The first of these was the removal of the remains of Nurse Stafford from the Mitcham Cemetery, and arrangements are now complete for the transfer of the body of the late F. L. G. Tate, who is buried in the Renmark Cemetery. Mr. A. J. Roberts recently made a donation of £50 to the fund, and the Cemetery Trust will also benefit by the contributions made on Anzac Sunday. The burial ground is in splendid order, and attracts many visitors,who have expressed themselves as highly pleased with the tasteful simplicity and appropriateness of the headstones. It is fitting that the men who fought together in the World War should lie side by side in their last long resting place. 

 The Register Thursday 31 May 1923 page 6

Nurse Mary Florence Stafford returned from abroad after two and a half years of active service, and remained on home service at Keswick Hospital.  Later she was transferred to the military convalescent home at Torrens Park where through her administration she contracted an illness prevalent amongst soldiers returned from Egypt and died.

The Advertiser Wednesday 21 September 1938 page 8

Nurse Mary Florence Stafford returned from abroad after two and a half years of active service, and remained on home service at Keswick Hospital.  Later she was transferred to the military convalescent home at Torrens Park she died of Leukaemia whilst on duty.

The Register Thursday 31 May 1923 page 6

OUR GARDEN OF MEMORY.'  An interesting aspect in connection with the Soldiers' Cemetery, which has been aptly termed 'Our garden of memory,' is the fact that the Cemetery Trust has been able to arrange for re-interments of the remains of members of the A.I.F. buried elsewhere into this cemetery. The first of these was the removal of the remains of Nurse Stafford from the Mitcham Cemetery.