BENNETT, Alma Louisa
| Service Numbers: | Not yet discovered |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | Not yet discovered |
| Last Rank: | Not yet discovered |
| Last Unit: | Australian Army Nursing Service (WW1) |
| Born: | Beechworth, Vic., 1877 |
| Home Town: | Not yet discovered |
| Schooling: | Not yet discovered |
| Occupation: | Nurse |
| Died: | East Melbourne, Vic., 7 September 1922, cause of death not yet discovered |
| Cemetery: | Not yet discovered |
| Memorials: | Beechworth Shire WW1 Honour Roll, Everton Public Hall Roll of Honor, Upper Everton School WW1 Pictorial Honour Roll, Wangaratta Everton St. Hilda's Church Roll of Honour |
World War 1 Service
| 22 Aug 1916: | Involvement Australian Army Nursing Service (WW1), --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '23' embarkation_place: Melbourne embarkation_ship: RMS Mooltan embarkation_ship_number: '' public_note: '' | |
|---|---|---|
| 22 Aug 1916: | Embarked Australian Army Nursing Service (WW1), RMS Mooltan, Melbourne | |
| 16 Nov 1918: | Honoured Royal Red Cross (1st Class) |
Obituary
After two weeks' illness the death occurred on Thursday of Miss Alma Louisa Bennett, at St. Ives Private hospital, East Melbourne. The cause was an internal trouble, for which she underwent an operation. The late Miss Bennett was well known in the Everton district, where she was born, being a daughter of the late Mr.and Mrs. Geo. Bennett, of that place. She lived there until 17 years ago, when, with her parents, she removed to Melbourne,and after their deaths she trained in the Melbourne Hospital for the nursing profession. She qualified, and when war broke out offered her services to the Defence Department. They were accepted,and she went to England and then to India, where she was made matron of a military hospital. She displayed exceptional ability for the position, and her record of successful work was such that the department awarded her the distinction of Royal Red Cross. In 1919 she returned to Australia, and took up private nursing.
Albury Banner and Wodonga Express Friday 15 September 1922 page 27
Submitted 14 February 2016 by Faithe Jones
Biography
Born 1877 at Beechworth, Vic.
Daughter of George BENNETT and Mary nee SLOCOMBE
Sister of Alfred George BENNETT
Of 'Highfield', Everton, Vic.
Enlisted 06 July 1915
Aged 38 years
Embarked 22 August 1916 per 'Mooltan' from Melbourne
Disembarked Bombay
Served in India and England
Returned to Australia 05 February 1920 per 'Themistocles'
Appointment terminated 30 May 1920
Died 07 September 1922 at East Melbourne, Vic.
Buried Tarrawingee Cemetery, Vic.
Awarded Royal Red Cross (1st Class)
Date of Commonwealth of Australia Gazette: 14 March 1919
Location in Commonwealth of Australia Gazette: Page 422, position 13
Date of London Gazette: 16 November 1918
Location in London Gazette: Page 13565, position 1
Nursing Sister Alma Louisa BENNETT (1890-1922) who trained at Melbourne General Hospital. She moved to Western Australia and continued nursing until the advent of World War 1. She immediately sought to enlist but was not granted her request until 1916 and was eventually sent for nursing duties in India. Her arrival coincided with the first convey of wounded after the fall of Kut in Mesopotamia. She was immediately given charge of a ward at Victoria Hospital. The following year she was appointed Matron of the hospital ship "Herefordshire" which transported sick and wounded soldiers from the mouth of the Tigris River to Bombay. Her next appointment was to the 34th Welsh Hospital at Deolali 150 miles from Bombay. The hospital was huge and she took charge as Matron. After 17 months at Deolali BENNETT was awarded the Royal Red Cross Medal First Class one of the highest distinctions in the British Nursing Service. When peace was declared she travelled to England where she continued to nurse in an Army Hospital. During her stay she was invited to Buckingham Palace where she was presented with Red Cross Medal by King George V. BENNETT returned to Victoria and was invited to join the nursing staff at Melbourne's Epworth Hospital with prospects of becoming Matron. Ill health intervened and she died in September 1922.
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