Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Florence May WHITE was the daughter of Thomas WHITE & Ann Amelia JARRETT and was born on the 19th of May 1881 in Norwood, SA.

Her father was born on the 26th of April 1855 in Norwood, SA and was the son of George WHITE & Elizabeth EDWARDS, of Kent Town, SA.

Her mother was born in 1849 in Adelaide and was the daughter of Charles Edward JARRETT & Susannah JULL.

Thomas & Ann were married on the 1st of January 1878 at the residence of Ann’s mother, Mrs Jarrett, Norwood, SA.

Florence was the second child born into this family of 5 children, 2 boys & 3 girls.

Florence’s Siblings;

(1) Elsie Annie WHITE (20.11.1878-22.07.1953) married Eric John Stanley TURNER (16.06.1877-09.08.1942) on 07.07.1910.

Children; John Eric (13.05.1912-17.05.1912), Erica Ruth (29.05.1914-?), Frank (22.01.1918-01.02.1997)

(2) George WHITE

(3) Harold Jarrett WHITE (09.03.1884-13.11.1957)

(4) Ethel Eva WHITE (18.08.1885-18.09.1967) married Clifford Harry OCKENDEN (24.03.1886-18.08.1960) on 06.04.1910.

Children; Garth Palmer (23.04.1911-18.12.1995), Tasma Florence RUDD (29.04.1914-15.08.1998), Robert Hartley (18.04.1919-2010),

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Her father was a baker and the White family lived at 11 Kent Terrace, Kent Town. Her father also had a Grocery store in Rundle Street, Kent Town.

He was also the councilor for Kent ward, Norwood in 1892 and then Mayor of Norwood.

Florence was only 5 years old when her mother died on the 10th of April 1887 at their home and they buried her in Payneham Cemetery.

Florence and her siblings attended the Norwood Public School.

Her father then married Mary Ann CARVOSSO nee BESLEY on the 17th of March 1891.

Mary Ann was the daughter of Robert BESLEY & Mary Ann GRIST and was born on the 28th of July 1857 in Echunga, SA.

Mary Ann was previously married to Phillip John Richards CARVOSSO on the 16th of October 1884 and they had a son, Franels Phillip, before they divorced.

Father died on the 20th of December 1901

After her schooling Florence began her nurse training at the Adelaide Hospital and after 3 years she received her Certificate and became a member of the Royal British Nurses Association.

On the 11th of June 1915 Florence completed her questionnaire for enrolment into the Australian Army Nursing Service (AANS).

At the age of 34, Florence enlisted into the Australian Military Force, Australian Army Nursing Service (AANS) on the 3rd of August 1915 in Keswick and was posted to the 7th Australian General Hospital at Keswick. She was then transferred into the AIF, Australian Army Nursing Service (AANS) on the 5th of November 1915 as part of the reinforcements for the 2nd Australian General Hospital as Staff Nurse.

Florence embarked from Melbourne on board HMAT A67 Orsova on the 12th of November 1915, disembarking in Egypt on the 9th of December and was posted to the 2nd Australian General Hospital at Ghezireh Palace.

In March 1916 the hospital was ordered to close and to follow the 1st ANZAC Corps and the 2nd Division to France and establish themselves at Wimereux near Boulogne.

In February 1917 Florence proceeded back to England and was posted to Lord Derby War Hospital in Warrington, on the 21st. Six months later she was posted to the 2nd Australian Auxiliary Hospital in Southall, on the 8th of August.

But after just 1 week she was posted to the 3rd Australian Auxiliary Hospital in Dartford.

Florence proceeded back to France on the 20th of December and was posted to the 2nd Australian General Hospital.

On the 5th of July 1918 she was granted 2 weeks leave to England and from her leave she was attached to the 1st Australian General Hospital in Harefield.

She was only here for a few weeks and then embarked fro Australia, on duty, on board SS City of Karachi on the 24th of August, disembarking in Melbourne on the 24th of October 1918.

Florence was transferred to Adelaide the following day by train and on arrival the train was greeted at the station by the Mitcham Camp Band.

Florence had suffered from frost bite to both her little toes when she was in France and at the time it was recommended to her to have them both amputated as they were contracted and distorted and caused her pain and difficulty walking.

On the 29th of November she was admitted into the 7th Australian General Hospital, Keswick and had these toes removed.

Florence was discharged from the AIF on the 19th of February 1919 but remained in charge of a ward at the 7th Australian General Hospital and also studied and gained her midwifery certificate at the Queen’s Home Women’s Hospital.

In July 1922 she had gained a position as Matron of the Renmark District Hospital and was an honorary member of the Renmark Returned Sailors and Soldiers Imperial League of Australia (RSSILA).

Florence resigned from her position as Matron on the 2nd of September 1924.

Florence married Sydney John DRIDAN on the 31st of March 1925 at the residence of her sister, Mrs Ockenden, Ailsa Street, Fullarton Estate.

Sydney was the son of Josiah John Miles Banthan DRIDAN & Alice GILLETT and was born on the 14th of March 1872 in Adelaide, SA.

Sydney had previously been married to Eliza Gundry JAMES on the 14th of March 1899 in Marden. They had a son; Julian Randal DRIDAN in 1901 before Eliza died from a ruptured blood vessel on the 30th of May 1903.

Sydney was employed in the office of the Railways Commission.

They made their home in Renmark and Florence identified herself with a number of local interests including the Girl Guide movement.

In January 1926 Florence was admitted into the Renmark Hospital seriously ill and an operation was per formed, and a second one was found necessary on Monday the 25th of January.

Florence appeared to rally, but unsatisfactory symptoms developed early on Tuesday morning and despite the efforts of the medical officers, the matron and the staff of the hospital Florence died at 4am on the 26th of January 1926.

In the evening an impressive memorial service was conducted for Florence by the Rev. D. B. Dickson in the local Methodist Church, where the coffin was taken before its conveyance to Adelaide for interment in the Payneham Cemetery.

A guard of honour of Renmark Girl Guides stood at the salute as the pall-bearers entered the church.

Numerous floral tributes were placed with the coffin in the church, and a special memorial wreath from the local R.S.A. sub-branch accompanied Florence to Adelaide where it was placed on her grave.

Florence’s funeral took place on Wednesday the 27th at the Payneham Cemetery in the presence of a large concourse including representatives of the Returned Soldiers Association, the Army Nurses' Sub-Branch, of the Royal British Nurses' Association, the 'staff of Keswick Hospital, and similar bodies.

Her coffin, draped with a Union Jack, was buried beneath a mass of beautiful wreaths and floral tributes. These were from various organisations including many from Renmark. 

The service was conducted by the Rev. Brian Wibborley.

Florence was buried in the Church Trust Section, Path 51, Plot 47, with her parents.

Military service:

On the 11th of June 1915 Florence completed her questionnaire for enrolment into the Australian Army Nursing Service (AANS).

At the age of 34, Florence enlisted into the Australian Military Force, Australian Army Nursing Service (AANS) on the 3rd of August 1915 in Keswick and was posted to the 7th Australian General Hospital at Keswick.

Florence was transferred into the AIF, Australian Army Nursing Service (AANS) on the 5th of November 1915 as part of the reinforcements for the 2nd Australian General Hospital as Staff Nurse.

Florence embarked from Melbourne on board HMAT A67 Orsova on the 12th of November 1915, disembarking in Egypt on the 9th of December and was posted to the 2nd Australian General Hospital at Ghezireh Palace.

In March 1916 the hospital was ordered to close and to follow the 1st ANZAC Corps and the 2nd Division to France.

In April 1916 the 2nd Australian General Hospital was transferred to France aboard the Braemar Castle and after a brief period as an isolation hospital at Moussot near Marseilles screening for infectious cases from Egypt, it established itself at Wimereux near Boulogne, arriving on the 30th of June 1916, the eve of the advance on the Somme.

They took over the partly completed facility left by the departure of the 5th British Convalescent Hospital, and accepted their first patients on the 2nd of July. Initially patients were accommodated in tents, but later 17 huts and one line of tents were provided. Although hospitals alongside treated Australian wounded, they seldom received the Australian casualties, but received them from other Commonwealth nations.

In February 1917 Florence proceeded back to England and was posted to Lord Derby War Hospital in Warrington, on the 21st.

Six months later she was posted to the 2nd Australian Auxiliary Hospital in Southall, on the 8th of August.

But after just 1 week she was posted to the 3rd Australian Auxiliary Hospital in Dartford.

Florence proceeded back to France on the 20th of December and was posted to the 2nd Australian General Hospital.

On the 5th of July 1918 she was granted 2 weeks leave to England and from her leave she was attached to the 1st Australian General Hospital in Harefield.

She was only here for a few weeks and then embarked fro Australia, on duty, on board SS City of Karachi on the 24th of August, disembarking in Melbourne on the 24th of October 1918.

Florence was transferred to Adelaide the following day by train and on arrival the train was greeted at the station by the Mitcham Camp Band.

Florence had suffered from frost bite to both her little toes when she was in France and at the time it was recommended to her to have them both amputated as they were contracted and distorted and caused her pain and difficulty walking.

On the 29th of November she was admitted into the 7th Australian General Hospital, Keswick and had these toes removed.

Florence was discharged from the AIF on the 19th of February 1919.