Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Constance Dalmorton Stuart-Sanders was born on the 22nd July 1890 in North Adelaide, South Australia and trained as a nurse at the Royal Adelaide Hospital for 3 years. She lived at American Beach, Kangaroo Island, South Australia when she enlisted as a Staff Nurse on the 20th April 1917.

When war broke out in 1914, the Australian Government raised the first Australian Imperial Force for overseas service. The nurses to staff the medical units, which formed an integral part of the AIF, were recruited from the Australian Army Nursing Service Reserve and from the civil nursing profession.

More than 3,000 Australian civilian nurses volunteered for active service. While enabling direct participation in the war effort, nursing also provided opportunities for independence and travel, sometimes with the hope of being closer to loved ones serving overseas.

Nurses served wherever Australian troops were sent, and numerous other countries besides these. Some also served in British hospitals in various theatres of war including Burma, India, The Persian Gulf, Egypt, Greece, Italy, France, Belgium and England.

The record of service for these sisters is a brilliant one, and one which set a very high standard for all who were to follow.

The workloads and consequent stress these nurses endured, during the First World War, included a 1,000 bed hospital, in Cairo, completely under tentage, without any floor covering that was staffed by 1 Matron, 15 Sisters and 30 Staff Nurses with male medical orderlies from the Australian Army Medical Corps. In 1917, the hospital had to be extended to 2,000 beds during a “heavy rush.”

Compare this to the Royal Melbourne Hospital in 1990... 700 beds and a staff of 670 nurses, excluding administration and education.

Acting under such adverse conditions, these ladies proved themselves to be of awesome dedication, courage and spirit, and truly professional.

It was said …'Your qualifications as a nurse must include - Gentleness, Cleanliness, Truthfulness, Observation, Order, Courage and Coolness, Tact'

“I pledge myself loyally to serve my King and Country and to maintain the honour and efficiency of the Australian Army Nursing Service. I will do all in my power to alleviate the suffering of the sick and wounded, sparing no effort to bring them comfort of body and peace of mind. I will work in unity and comradeship with my fellow nurses. I will be ready to give assistance to those in need of my help, and will abstain from any action which may bring sorrow and suffering to others. At all times I will endeavour to uphold the highest traditions of Womanhood and of the Profession of which I am Part.”


Constance embarked with the unit Nurses (July 1915 - Nov 19-18) from Adelaide, South Australia on board a royal mail steamer RMS Khiva on the 31st of May 1917 and served in Bombay, India where conditions were awful. She was probably based at Deolali which was a British Army camp 150 miles north-east of Bombay.

Between 1916 and 1919 more than 500 AANS nurses served in British hospitals in India, where their patients included hundreds of Turkish prisoners of war and wounded British troops. The nurses found the tropical monsoonal climate debilitating.

“English nurses could not stand the heat and cholera … that is why they have sent Australians.” Sister Jessie Tomlins

Constance married Leonard Collins William Fradd on the 10th October 1918 in St Thomas Cathedral, Bombay, India. Captain Leonard Fradd, 6th South Lancashire Regiment, was attached to the 4th Reforms Battalion, in Bangalore India. Constance resigned on the 12th October 1918 due to marriage.


For the next 45 years Constance is found in shipping records travelling by sea to London, England and Durban, South Africa right up until aged 64 where she was recorded as having lived in Kadina, South Australia. It is not known whether any children were issued from this marriage.

Constance died on the 26th November 1972 aged 82 years and is buried in the North Road Anglican Cemetery, St Kilda, Melbourne, Victoria.