BIRT, Mary Trevenen
| Service Numbers: | Staff Nurse, Sister |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 5 February 1916, 13th Australian General Hospital, Enoggera, Brisbane City, Qld. |
| Last Rank: | Sister |
| Last Unit: | Australian Army Nursing Service (WW1) |
| Born: | Kercoonda, South East, SA, 10 October 1878 |
| Home Town: | Brisbane, Brisbane, Queensland |
| Schooling: | Not yet discovered |
| Occupation: | Nurse |
| Died: | Brisbane, Qld., 28 January 1945, aged 66 years, cause of death not yet discovered |
| Cemetery: |
Mount Thompson Memorial Gardens & Crematorium, Queensland AIF Memorial Wall, Columbarium 4. |
| Memorials: | Queensland Australian Army Nursing Service Roll of Honour, St Peters Heroes of the Great War Honour Roll, Windorah District Roll of Honour, Windorah Rock of Remembrance |
World War 1 Service
| 5 Feb 1916: | Enlisted Australian Army Nursing Service (WW1), Staff Nurse, Staff Nurse, Australian Army Nursing Service (WW1), 13th Australian General Hospital, Enoggera, Brisbane City, Qld. | |
|---|---|---|
| 5 Feb 1916: | Involvement Australian Army Nursing Service (WW1), Staff Nurse, Australian Army Nursing Service (WW1), Involvement - from, 05/02/1916, to, 27/12/1916, at the 13th Australian General Hospital, Enoggera, Brisbane, Qld. (NAA, Pg-1) Service Record of Staff Nurse: Mary Trevenan BIRT. | |
| 29 Dec 1916: | Involvement Australian Army Nursing Service (WW1), --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '23' embarkation_place: Sydney embarkation_ship: HMAT Themistocles embarkation_ship_number: A32 public_note: '' | |
| 29 Dec 1916: | Embarked Australian Army Nursing Service (WW1), HMAT Themistocles, Sydney | |
| 20 Mar 1919: | Promoted Australian Army Nursing Service (WW1), Sister, Australian Army Nursing Service (WW1) | |
| 19 Jul 1919: | Discharged Australian Army Nursing Service (WW1), Sister, Sister, Australian Army Nursing Service (WW1), Discharged: 1st Medical District, Brisbane, Qld. |
A War Nurse
Nurse Birt, writing to her mother, Mrs. P. H. Birt, Lillimur, says:— "How the time slips by when the days are full-we have been in France four months! I do dread the the sight of that cold weather. We are not having any really hot weather- it just warms up for a couple of days, and then, we have a beastly cold change. This week, on 11th July, we had great excitement. Queen Mary called on us when I say us, I mean the No. 1 Australian General Hospital, etc. All the Australians from here were invited over to see her. Of course, we all put on our clean caps, aprons, etc., just out of the bandbox style. All the sisters were lined up in two rows, and Queen Mary stepped out of her motor car on the tick of 11.30 a.m. (the time arranged for her arrival), and walked up between the sisters after shaking hands with the matrons and O.C. As Queen Mary went along (followed by half a dozen officers) she bowed as she went, and as she passed we bobbed. The Duke of Connaught was with her, and also the Prince of Wales. The latter looks just a dear little boy, is very small, but looks healthy. He was pleasant and natural, and wore the uniform of a staff captain. The queen was most beautifully gowned and hatted. Her hair is going grey, and is not now the lovely golden hair it was when she visited Australia. She went into two huts where the most acute cases were, and briefly spoke to the wounded men. Her manner appeared somewhat abrupt, but I suppose the poor woman is bored to death. She visited the sisters' quarters, and said they were beautiful, then walked back to her motor car and left while the soldiers cheered her and the little heir. The Prince stood up in the motor to see something-a pretty sister, the M.0. said and his stately mother pulled him down by the coat. Three of us one afternoon went out to the boys' camp. There we saw the whole unit again, and two of our friends accompanied us into town where we had dinner. 'They said it was just "bonza" to chat with someone they knew. Australians are like the Scotch-very clannish. They talk about our soldiers being undisciplined, but one thing I always feel proud of them for is they never forget to salute a sister, even if they don't know her. The English sisters think it just lovely, as the Tommies never salute them. We are told we are leaving here on the 16th. All Australian sisters are being gathered up and sent to Australian hospitals.
The Horsham Times Friday 28 September 1917 page 2
Submitted 14 February 2016 by Faithe Jones
Biography
Daughter of Peter Howard BIRT and Sarah nee DENBY
Of Lillimur, Vic
Sister of Mrs H M Powell, Milo Farm Kaniva, Vic
Duty at 13th AGH at Enoggera Queensland till 22 December 1916
Sister Birt enlisted for active duty in WW2 at Chelmer AIF Convalescent Hospital
Qualified teacher in Qld.
A War Nurse
Nurse Birt, writing to her mother, Mrs. P. H. Birt, Lillimur, says:— "How the time slips by when the days are full-we have been in France four months! I do dread the the sight of that cold weather. We are not having any really hot weather- it just warms up for a couple of days, and then, we have a beastly cold change. This week, on 11th July, we had great excitement. Queen Mary called on us when I say us, I mean the No. 1 Australian General Hospital, etc. All the Australians from here were invited over to see her. Of course, we all put on our clean caps, aprons, etc., just out of the bandbox style. All the sisters were lined up in two rows, and Queen Mary stepped out of her motor car on the tick of 11.30 a.m. (the time arranged for her arrival), and walked up between the sisters after shaking hands with the matrons and O.C. As Queen Mary went along (followed by half a dozen officers) she bowed as she went, and as she passed we bobbed. The Duke of Connaught was with her, and also the Prince of Wales. The latter looks just a dear little boy, is very small, but looks healthy. He was pleasant and natural, and wore the uniform of a staff captain. The queen was most beautifully gowned and hatted. Her hair is going grey, and is not now the lovely golden hair it was when she visited Australia. She went into two huts where the most acute cases were, and briefly spoke to the wounded men. Her manner appeared somewhat abrupt, but I suppose the poor woman is bored to death. She visited the sisters' quarters, and said they were beautiful, then walked back to her motor car and left while the soldiers cheered her and the little heir. The Prince stood up in the motor to see something-a pretty sister, the M.0. said and his stately mother pulled him down by the coat. Three of us one afternoon went out to the boys' camp. There we saw the whole unit again, and two of our friends accompanied us into town where we had dinner. 'They said it was just "bonza" to chat with someone they knew. Australians are like the Scotch-very clannish. They talk about our soldiers being undisciplined, but one thing I always feel proud of them for is they never forget to salute a sister, even if they don't know her. The English sisters think it just lovely, as the Tommies never salute them. We are told we are leaving here on the 16th. All Australian sisters are being gathered up and sent to Australian hospitals.
The Horsham Times Friday 28 September 1917 page 2
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