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War Memorial
Australia

Daughter of Daniel TREMLETT and Phoebe nee WREFORD
Next of kin Flora Elizabeth NIEASS
Of Edwardstown, SA

Returned to Australia 9 September 1917

Did not marry

ORDERLIES DOING FINE WORK NURSING SISTER'S APPEAL FOR THEIR RECOGNITION.

Mr. Arthur Glover, of Fremantle, has just received the following letter from Sister Lucy M. Tremlett, who is the nurse in charge of the Military Infectious Hospital at Choubrah, Cairo. The letter contains special appeal for hospital orderlies, and we commend it to the notice of ladles connected with Red Cross work. The letter goes on to say:— ''I am simply in charge, and by the time I do the rounds each day, manage a staff of 28 sisters, and from 30 to 35 orderlies, I have not much time to know the patients individually, excepting any one who may ask for me personally. Just at present we have from 260 to 270 men. I am getting all I want from the Red Cross, and a fair supply of cigarettes and tobacco once a fort-night, but am writing some of my friends who do Red Cross work to send me a box now and again, care of Red Cross, but addressed to me personally, to do what I like with it. For instance my orderlies are nice boys, and there are several W.A, boys among them. I like to be able to give them a couple of pairs of socks and a flannel shirt or two, or a handkerchief or two, or a packet of cigarettes, etc. There is so much red tape to be gone through when these little things come through the Quartermaster's stores. In plain English, have you any influence with the ladies round you? If so, could you induce them to send me a box of various things just for my staff? The Australians are sending all the nurses boxes of things for Christmas, but no one seems to think that our boys here are doing grand work with us in nursing the men, and we need them--everyone. No one has a right to say that the A.M.C. boys have cold feet. The men appreciate the work of these orderlies, for it is hard work, and plenty of drudgery. Many of my boys have been to the front, and come home wounded and sick. They then become orderlies, ready to learn, and do anything needed, for if a trained nursing orderly knows his work in the field hospitals where no sisters are allowed, what a blessing he is to his fellow men, for he can save them a lot of unnecessary pain, and probably some lives. Therefore, i think it worth while to train our orderlies the same as nurses, and treat them with due consideration, and by so doing we get the best work from them. Will you, as a thinking man, Just see what you can do?'
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The Daily News Perth Wednesday 01 December 1915 page 5

Lucy Martha TREMLETT was the daughter of Daniel TREMLETT & Phoebe WREFORD and was born on the 30th of January 1873 in the family cottage “Harley Dale Farm” in Shea-Oak Log, near Gawler, SA.

Her father was born on the 23rd of July 1827 in Crediton, Devon, England and was the son of John TREMLETT & Elizabeth HARRIS.

Her mother was born in January 1835 in Morchard Bishop, Devon, England and was the daughter Simon WREFORD & Mary Ann BENNETT.

Daniel & Phoebe were married on the 3rd of November 1856 in St Michael’s Parish Church, East Teignmouth, Devon, England.

Lucy was the seventh child born into this family of 8 children, 5 boys & 3 girls.

Lucy’s father had previously been married to Emma WREFORD on the 6th of March 1851 in Crediton, Devon and they had arrived in South Australian on board the King William on the 16th of July 1851.

They had a daughter; Mary Elizabeth, born on the 16th of December 1851, but sadly she died on the 16th of December 1852, aged exactly 1 year.

Emma then died on the 12th of March 1853 and Lucy’s father had then returned home to England the same month.

He then married Lucy’s mother, who was Emma’s sister.

They returned to South Australia and her father took out a Land Lease in May 1857 at Sheoak Log costing six hundred pounds for ninety six acres of good grain growing land.

They named their property “Harley Dale Farm”

Lucy was just 2 years old when her mother died during child birth on the 17th of August 1875.

Little Arthur went to live with their uncle, Mr Henry WREFORD in Prospect, but died as an infant, 3 weeks later on the 7th of September. They buried Arthur with his mother.

Her brother Daniel then died from Typhoid on the 6th of January 1884 at the residence of Mr P.H Ingerson of Collinsfield.

In 1902 Lucy began her 3 years of nurse training in the Adelaide Hospital and moved into the Adelaide Hospital nurses accommodation.

She gained her nursing certificate in April 1905 and then gained employment at the Women’s Hospital in Melbourne in April 1906, training in midwifery for 10 months.

On her return to South Australia she gained employment with the South Australian Branch of the Royal British Nurses Association, but resigned in March 1909 as she gained a position at the Kent Town Private Hospital.

But she then rejoined the Royal British Nurses Association in October 1910.

At the age of 37, Lucy joined the Australian Army Nursing Service; Australian Military Force, on the 16th of February 1910 in Keswick, SA.

In July she was appointed as a nursing sister, supernumerary to establishment, with the Light Horse Military School.

On the 21st of January 1914 she enlisted as a nursing sister into the AIF (AANS).

Lucy was to embark with the 1st volunteers and was to be attached to the 2nd Australian General Hospital.

Lucy embarked from Adelaide on Tuesday the 27th of November 1914 on board the hospital ship Kyarra. 

Already on board was No.1 General Hospital (Brisbane), No.2 General Hospital (Sydney), No.1 Clearing Hospital (Tasmania), No.1 Stationary Hospital (Adelaide).

They sailed to Perth and were joined on board by No.2 Stationary Hospital (Perth).

Christmas Day was spent passing the Cocos Islands and they sailed via Colombo where the Kyarra replenished her coal bunkers on the 27th of December.

Lucy disembarked in Alexandria in mid January 1915 and was posted to Mena House Hotel, and for six weeks she nursed soldiers of the 1st Australian Division camp, who were suffering from measles, in the isolation tents on the flats.

On the 29th of March 1915 Lucy wrote from the Egyptian Garrison Hospital, Pont de Koubbeh, Abbassia, Cairo:-

“Night duty, 12.30am. A quiet night and the pillar box says the mail closes at 10am.

So glad to hear news of Adelaide friends. How we do enjoy getting letters. Had a chat with our P.M.O. (Dr. Ramsay Smith) the other night. He is getting quite thin, and is overworked.

But still, these are trying times to everyone in a responsible position, and we all came away on the same errand. Since last writing you I have taken charge of the Surgical Division here,  seven wards, with an average of 110 patients with three orderlies. We have New Zealanders, Territorials, Cingalese and Australians and during the past week we had two

Egyptian soldiers and one Arab boy— the last three being accident cases.

This is the first night I have sat down to have a rest, but to-night every one is 'dince geteure' (Arabic for 'very good'), and I'm glad of it. I am continuing on night duty because I love it, and one gets in touch with 'the boys' more, and is able to help them a little. Some of these lads just love to have a chat, as they get very home sick sometimes. Soldiering isn't all it's cracked up to be, and until one gets acclimatized there are always bound to be more or less sickness, accidents, and so on.

We have an appendectomy, too, nearly every day, besides nearly everything else under the sun.

All our orderlies are R.A.M.C. boys, as well as our doctors, and one gets quite used to the Syrian doctors, too. They are highly educated men, with full diplomas. The Egyptian soldiers are fine men, and one gets quite used to being guarded all night.

My Egyptian orderlies are very good. Just show them once how to do things, and it's all right. They change every three hours through the night, and they watch me with the greatest interest giving salines and hypodermic injections. They are most grateful for what I do for their brother soldiers, and I get a most respectful 'Saidee' ('good day') from every soldier about the premises.

Our matron here is charming. The O.C. enquired last evening if I'd like to be recalled to work at the Palace, but I said 'No.' I was quite content to be a paying guest at the Palace and help along our New Zealand boys until perhaps their own nurses arrived.

Of course, we may be recalled to Mena anytime. It has been finally settled that

Miss Bell, Miss Knowles, and Miss Findley are to belong to No. 1, while Miss Gould,

Miss Graham and Miss White will belong to No. 2, but the latter are still at the Palace until things settle down. I know one or two English nurses now at Heliopolis, and have tea with them sometimes.

And then the visiting ladies ask the sisters in batches on their 'at home' days. Last week 10 of us went out to Gizeh, to a Mrs. Crawley's home to afternoon tea. She has a most glorious garden. Every thing grows here with water, and at present the roses, stocks, and so on are in full bloom”.

After the 1st Australian Division moved off, the tents were closed down and Lucy, with several other sisters, was posted to the 1st Australian General Hospital at Heliopolis and was transferred to her new accommodation at the Heliopolis Palace Hotel.

Lucy began to go backward and forward to the Egyptian Army Barracks at Abbassia (on the outskirts of Cairo) to work with the New Zealand Sisters.

For many months Lucy and the Australian sisters gave the New Zealand Sisters and their hospital a willing helping hand.

Lucy chose night duty and the motor ambulance would take her down at 8pm each evening and collect her at 8am. She had an average number of 100 to 120 patients in the surgical wards, with three Royal Army Medical Corps (RAMC) nursing orderlies, who were Lancashire Territorials, and made good orderlies under the Sister’s supervision.

On the 17th of April Lucy was recalled and asked to take charge of the infectious block, of the 3rd Australian Auxiliary Hospital, which was started with 120 beds in the skating rink of Luna Park, Heliopolis. The bed frames here were made from palm wood.

Within a fortnight the skating rink was wanted for other purposes by the 1st Auxiliary Hospital and Lucy and her Sisters were told to move on to the racecourse Casino, which they did.

They moved 106 patients, of whom 70 were stretcher cases, between 10 a.m. and 4.30pm, and settled down comfortably. They overlooked the racecourse where the Australian Light Horse regiments were camped.

They were based here from the end of April until the first week in July, when an examination of the Casino foundations by the engineers decided their fate.

The Casino was deemed in a dangerous condition and liable to fall upon them at any moment. They were moved without delay and moved between 8.30am and midday 56 patients and all their hospital belongings and settled at the Sports Club.

It was a rather convenient building, open air roof, wide balconies, tennis courts, golf course and a wealth of foliage and trees.

They were then told that the Sports Club was to become a 1,000 bed hospital.

The tennis courts were roofed in, beds prepared, the place stocked, etc.

Lucy and 3 other Sisters slept on the balcony, almost living in the open.

On the 17th of July 1915 Lucy wrote a letter to Mrs. W. R. Boucaut, of Kapunda, from the Sports Club, No. 3 Auxiliary Hospital, Heliopolis:-

“My experiences have been many and varied in Egypt, and by my address at present you will think I am leading a very gay life, but such is not the case. I started work at Mena House, and for six weeks when we came I first nursed measles in the isolation tents. But it was winter time, and the air was bracing. We did not mind so much trudging over the sand, and in spite of hard work we were happy. Several hundreds of men passed through our hands in that time, and with the exception of two deaths from double pneumonia we got them better and sent them on their way.

Then some of our men moved off, the tents were closed down, and I, with several other sisters, was sent along to Heliopolis Palace to live there with No. 1 Hospital and go backward and forward to the Abbassia Army Hospital to work with the New Zealanders. Only lately have New Zealand sisters arrived in Egypt, and for many months Australian sisters have given their hospital a willing helping hand. I chose night duty, and for six weeks I had a busy happy time.

The motor ambulance took us down at 8pm each evening and came for us again at 8 a.m. We had an average number of patients, 100 to 120 in the surgical wards, with three R.A.M.C. nursing orderlies, who were very willing, obedient Lancashire Territorials, and made good orderlies under a sister's supervision. The matron was an Imperial sister, and loved by us all, so that the N.Z. boys had a variety of people in charge of them.

I am very pleased to meet any of my N .Z. patients for a chat any time.

On the 17th of April 1915 I was recalled and asked to take charge of the infectious block, which we started with 120 beds in the skating rink of Luna Park, Heliopolis. In about a fortnight the skating rink was wanted for other purposes (is now No. 1 Auxiliary Hospital), and we were told to move on to the racecourse casino, which we did. We moved 106 patients, of whom 70 were stretcher cases, between 10 a.m. and 4.30p.m., and settled down comfortably. It had beautiful balconies, piazza, and roof garden - with a most glorious view, also overlooking the racecourse where our Light Horse regiments were camped.

We held sway there from the end of April until the first week in July, when an examination of the Casino foundations by the engineers decided our fate. The place was in a dangerous condition and liable to fall upon us at any moment.. Worse dangers than being killed or wounded under fire! The powers that be decided that the family move without delay, and we moved between 8.30am and midday 56 patients and all our hospital belongings and settled at the Sports Club.

It is a rather convenient building, open air roof, wide balconies, tennis courts, golf course and a wealth of foliage and trees. We settled.

Five days later the 'powers' said we must send 37 of our patients to another hospital. So we sent them, still keeping some ourselves.

Then word came this was to be a 1,000-bed hospital.

The tennis courts were roofed in, beds prepared, the place stocked, etc. The place is alive with native workmen of all descriptions. We four sisters sleep on the balconies, almost live in the open. The Egyptian nights are glorious and I love just lying awake for a while looking at the blue sky and the stars.

The days are hot— almost unbearably so—and when the ' Khamseen' season comes along every four or five weeks (lasting for three days) the nights are hot too and the fine sand drifts in everywhere, blown in by a strong hot wind. We are lucky to have water laid on everywhere, good water too ; in fact, all trees demand and must have water, as the whole of Heliopolis would be a desert without it.

I have three New Zealand sisters with me— Sisters Scott, Cooke, and Steele. They are Auckland sisters, happy dispositioned girls, keen on their work and glad to be of use anywhere, even it is only infectious work. At present we are all needed, and there is as much greatness in nursing a man with measles as a man after wounds received in action.

May I mention the satisfaction there is among us all when Red Cross boxes are opened. It is so nice to think we have plenty of clean linen, pyjamas, etc., to put our men into. You women at home are doing great work, and if you could only see the piles of linen we are using and need every day! it would do your heart good and encourage all of you in your good work.

The Y.M.C.A. have kindly given us several boxes of games for the infectious block; the Red Cross supply us with note paper and envelopes.

A Territorial officer (whom I had in hospital for six weeks with scarlet fever) kindly presented me with a good gramophone, the best in Cairo, last week, and our men have endless enjoyment out of it.

Have I told you a little of our life here now ?

Not much of the sad side, for sad side there is, and one feels it keenly at times, for many of our boys will never return from the Dardanelles, and many homes in Australia will be desolate.

Many thanks for good wishes. I am well, and hope to be able to go through the summer here. Was away in Alexandria for two days recently and had a good sea breeze from the

Mediterranean and felt much better for it, too. There is a Nurses Convalescent Home there at which the Australian Government is giving all nurses a week's rest free of expense.

I still have my week to look for ward to".

On the 1st of December 1915 Lucy wrote a letter to Mr. Arthur Glover, of Fremantle – letter already on additional Biography.

Lucy and the 3rd Australian Auxiliary Hospital then relocated to a civil hospital in Choubra and Lucy was now in charge of this infectious disease hospital.

On the 6th of February 1916 she was detained for duty at the 4th Australian Auxiliary Hospital in Abbassia.

Lucy embarked for Australia from Seuz on the 11th of April 1916 as nursing staff on board the hospital ship HMA Runic, disembarking in Melbourne on the 14th of May.

She was then discharged on the 6th of June 1916 as her service was no longer required.

However Lucy then embarked from Melbourne, from Seuz on board the HMAT Karoola on the 19th of August 1916 with the 14th Australian General Hospital, possibly as a volunteer and then re enlisted as an acting Sister, on the 9th of September 1916, whilst at sea.

She disembarked at Suez on the 19th of September and they where informed that they were to relieve the 3rd Australian General Hospital at Abbassia.  

They arrived by train at Abbassia and the hospital opened on the 23rd September. They could accommodate 1100 to 1200 patients and more if needed.  

She remained here until the 21st of November when she embarked, with nursing duties, from Seuz for Australia on board HMAT Ayrshire, disembarking in Melbourne on the 30th of December 1916.

Lucy was then transferred back to Adelaide and welcomed on the wharf by the Red Cross Officials and as soon as her leave was granted she was motored to Cavell House for much deserved rest until she was required to return to duty.

In March 1917 the Army Nurses Club held a reception at the Lady Colton Hall to welcome home Lucy and 16 other South Australian nurses.

In the first week of May 1917 an enjoyable afternoon was arranged by Miss. J. G. Kelly, superintendent of the Edith Cavell Army Nurses Club, to say farewell to Lucy and Sisters L. Creasy, E. French, E. M. Whyte, A. Nelson, V. W. Beck. H. B. Conigrave, M. A. Bennett and E. Alleyn, who are off for the front via Melbourne.

Lucy re embarked from Melbourne on the 12th of May 1917 on board HMAT Benalla, disembarking in Plymouth on the 19th of July.

Lucy was detained for duty at the Croydon War Hospital on the 7th of August.

The following month, on the 10th of September, Lucy embarked from England for Australia on board HMAT Ulysses. She was a staff nurse on Imperial Hospital duty.

Lucy disembarked in Adelaide on the 9th of November and was discharged from the AIF on the 23rd of November 1917.

In February 1918 Lucy was appointed Matron of the Hutchinson Hospital in Gawler and then twelve months later, in February 1919 when the Spanish Influenza broke out Lucy opened the Isolation Hospital in the Exhibition Building and was in charge through the arduous time until June 1919.

She then moved to outback NSW for a time to continue nursing and then in 1925 she purchased a home at 406 Unley Road, Unley.

She sold her home in 1938 and moved in with her sister Emma at 62 Mitchell Street, Goodwood Park.

By 1940 she had gained a position as Matron of the Henley Junior Red Cross Home, at 255 Seaview Road, Henley Beach. This was a convalescent and holiday Home for children undergoing treatment at the Adelaide Children's Hospital. Run by the Red Cross, it accommodated up to 20 children and Lucy lived on the premises.

A few years later she relocated to the Renmark District Hospital and then to the Church of England Grammar School in Morpeth Road, Maitland East, NSW as their nurse.

She was there for 18 months and then returned to South Australia and then retired from nursing at the age of 75.

Her sister Emma had moved 54 Thomas Street, Unley and was renting a room off of Rudolph Henry GRAEFE, a blacksmith.

Emma died in her bed at these premises on the 7th of January 1949 and Lucy buried her in the family plot in the Willaston Cemetery.

By 1954 Lucy was a patient at the home for Incurables at Fullarton.

Lucy died on the 12th of June 1956 in the home for Incurables at Fullarton and was buried in the Willaston Cemetery; 45 B 1, in the Tremlett Family Plot.

The Lucy Tremlett Anzac Medal is awarded in the Barossa Light & Gawler Netball Association for the ANZAC Day Netball Game, and sponsored by the Gawler R.S.L.