WATERHOUSE, Kathleen Lucy
| Service Number: | Nurse |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 26 October 1917, Keswick, South Australia |
| Last Rank: | Staff Nurse |
| Last Unit: | Australian Army Nursing Service (WW1) |
| Born: | Clare, South Australia. Australia, 27 October 1891 |
| Home Town: | Adelaide, South Australia |
| Schooling: | Not yet discovered |
| Occupation: | Nursing Sister |
| Died: | Natural Causes , Walkerville, South Australia, 25 January 1987, aged 95 years |
| Cemetery: |
St George's Church of England Cemetery, Magill, S.A. |
| Memorials: | Beltana & District WW1 Roll of Honor, Keswick South Australian Army Nurses Roll of Honor |
World War 1 Service
| 26 Oct 1917: | Enlisted Australian Army Nursing Service (WW1), Keswick, South Australia | |
|---|---|---|
| 7 Mar 1918: |
Involvement
Australian Army Nursing Service (WW1), Staff Nurse, Nurse, Australian Army Nursing Service (WW1), --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '23' embarkation_place: Melbourne embarkation_ship: SS Ormonde embarkation_ship_number: '' public_note: '' |
|
| 7 Mar 1918: | Embarked Australian Army Nursing Service (WW1), Staff Nurse, Nurse, Australian Army Nursing Service (WW1), SS Ormonde, Melbourne | |
| 25 Jan 1920: | Discharged Australian Army Nursing Service (WW1), Staff Nurse, Served in India |
Help us honour Kathleen Lucy Waterhouse's service by contributing information, stories, and images so that they can be preserved for future generations.
Add my storyBiography contributed by Faithe Jones
Kathleen had two brothers serving overseas and wanted to join them, but had to complete her nursing training first. She completed this at the Adelaide Children's Hospital in 1917 and enlisted 30/10/17.
On 27/2/18 she was appointed staff nurse and on 07/03/18 embarked on 'Ormonde' disembarking in Bombay, India on 26/03/18. She was posted to Colaba War Hospital, Bombay. On 1/06/18 she was transferred to the 18th British War Hospital, Charial for duty and promoted to Sister 6/11/19. On 9/11/19 Kathleen embarked for Australia via Singapore on 'Kashgar' disembarking Fremantle WA on 21/12/19.
Her termination of appointment is dated 25/01/1920.
As she nursed in India, Kath did not feel confortable saying that she nursed in the Great War, as she never 'saw action'. She did go on to have a very distinguished nursing career however, working in many places such as Broken Hill, the Queen Victoira Hospital (Adelaide) where she completed her Midwifery and the RDNS in Tailem Bend, where she had sole responsibility for delivering babies over quite a large geographical area. In 1923 she travelled to America with a friend where they nursed for 2.5 years. She returned to Australia in 1926 and was the first Matron at the new Onkaparinga & District Hospital in Woodside. In 1930 she was invited to apply for the position of Deputy Matron of the Adelaide Children's Hospital, a position she held until 1945 when she was appointed Matron. Kath held this position until she retired in 1952.
Throughout her nursing life she saw many changes and worked tirelessly to improve both the standards of nursing and the benefits to nurses. She was a foundation member of the College of Nursing, an examiner for the SA Nurses Board and President of the Australian Trained Nurses Association Council in SA. She was also a Life Member of the Royal British Nurses Association.
Kathleen was awarded an M.B.E. in 1952 for her services to nursing and was the only Matron of the Adelaide Children's Hospital to ever receive this honour while still in office.
Kath never married, although was engaged to a Doctor during the War who was killed in action.
She lived with her sister Lucy in retirement, firstly at Bridgewater, then Belair and finally at an Elderley Citizens Home in Walkerville where she died aged 95.
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