Sister Rachael PRATT MM

PRATT, Rachael

Service Numbers: Sister, Nurse
Enlisted: 10 May 1915, Melbourne, Victoria
Last Rank: Sister
Last Unit: Australian Army Nursing Service (WW1)
Born: Mumbannar, Victoria, Australia, 18 July 1874
Home Town: Mumbannar, Glenelg, Victoria
Schooling: Mumbannar State School, Victoria, Australia
Occupation: Nurse
Died: Natural causes, Heidelberg, Victoria, Australia, 23 March 1954, aged 79 years
Cemetery: Springvale Botanical Cemetery, Melbourne
Cremated
Memorials: Ballarat Base Hospital Sisters who served King & Country
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World War 1 Service

10 May 1915: Enlisted Australian Army Nursing Service (WW1), Sister, Sister, Australian Army Nursing Service (WW1), Melbourne, Victoria
18 May 1915: Involvement Australian Army Nursing Service (WW1), Nursing Sister, 3rd Australian General Hospital - WW1,

--- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '23' embarkation_place: Melbourne embarkation_ship: RMS Mooltan embarkation_ship_number: '' public_note: ''

18 May 1915: Embarked Australian Army Nursing Service (WW1), Nursing Sister, 3rd Australian General Hospital - WW1, RMS Mooltan, Melbourne
24 Jun 1916: Honoured Royal Red Cross (2nd Class), Associate of the Royal Red Cross (ARRC) for service in Egypt with the Australian Army Nursing Service.
13 Apr 1919: Discharged Australian Army Nursing Service (WW1), Sister, Nurse, Australian Army Nursing Service (WW1)

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Biography contributed by John Edwards

"...Sister Rachael Pratt MM, of Carlton, Vic. Sister Pratt nursed at the Women's Hospital, Melbourne, before enlisting on 10 May 1915 in the Australian Army Nursing Service, Australian Imperial Force, as a staff nurse. On 18 May 1915 she embarked for London on RMS Mooltan. Staff Nurse Pratt went to Lemnos in August 1915 with the 3rd Australian General Hospital (3AGH). Staff Nurse Pratt continued to serve with 3AGH when it was transferred to Abbassia, Egypt, following the Gallipoli campaign, where she remained until 25 September 1916. Staff Nurse Pratt then served with the 1st Australian General Hospital in England, before joining the 1st Australian Casualty Clearing Station (1ACCS) at Bailleul, France. On the night of 3-4 July 1917, enemy aircraft attacked 1ACCS, where Staff Nurse Pratt was on duty and attending a patient. A bomb exploded near the tent, wounding Staff Nurse Pratt, who continued to attend her patient with a level of coolness and bravery that was said to set a conspicuous example to the patients and others. She was later admitted to hospital and underwent surgery on her wounded right shoulder and lung. The following day, Staff Nurse Pratt was promoted to the rank of Sister; she was awarded her Military Medal for "bravery in the field" on 19 October 1917, one of seven nurses to receive this award during the First World War. After recuperating in England, Sister Pratt served with the 2nd Australian Convalescent Depot at Weymouth and then the 1st and 2nd Australian Auxiliary Hospitals. Sister Pratt returned to Australia on 24 August 1918.." - SOURCE (www.awm.gov.au)

Miss Rachel Pratt, who won the Military Medal in France in World War I, died at the Heidelberg Repatriation Hospital on March 23. She was an aunt of Mr. Ward Pratt, of Murribannar. Miss Pratt was born at Murmbannar. She trained as a nurse at Ballarat and  served with, the Royal Australian Army Nursing Service during World War I. She was wounded at a field hospital in France and was awarded the Military Medal following that action. With her sister, she conducted St. Margaret's Hospital at Wattletree Road,  Malvern, Victoria, until the Coronation of King George VI, for which she went to London. Since then she has lived in retirement.

Border Watch Thursday 01 April 1954 page 10

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