Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Lieutenant Mary Catherine Mules
Service No: SX 26197
Date of Birth: 29th April 1918
Place of Birth: Gayndah, Qld
Enlisted: 6th October 1942
Locality of Enlistment: Kalangadoo, SA
Place of Enlistment: Alice Springs
Next of Kin: Mr Francis Mules
Date of Discharge: 20th September 1946
Posting at Discharge: 109 Australian General Hospital
Additional Service CMF: S 38473

Mary Catherine Mules first registered with Nurses Board of South Australia on the 5th of August 1940 as a Registered Nurse (Badge Number 3682).
Mary was called up for hell time duty for the Australian Army Nursing Service with the rank of Sister Group 2 on the 28th of July 1942 and transferred to 109 Australian General Hospital, Alice Springs.
In less than 2 months Sister Mary Mules volunteered for and transferred to the Australian Infantry Forces (A.I.F), was issued a new service number (changed to Sister Group 1) then was commissioned with the rank of Lieutenant.
Lieutenant Mary Mules served 1516 days of active service within Australia serving at many General Military Hospitals including 105 Australian General Hospital, 106 Australian General Hospital, 109 Australian General Hospital, 2/2 Australian General Hospital and the 128 Australian General Hospital, these hospitals were located in South Australia, the Northern Territory, Victoria and Queensland.
Military records show that Lieutenant Mary Mules was to be discharged on the 12th of January 1946, however her commanding officer at the time (105 Australian Military Hospital) classed Lieutenant Mary Mules services as essential and was to be retained until the 30th of June 1946. A further three months was needed, and Lieutenant Mary Mules was discharged on the 30th of September 1946, completing an outstanding contribution to the Australian Infantry Forces during World War II.
After the war Mary Mules returned to Kalangadoo where she played an integral part in the lives of the mothers and babies of the area; being a fully qualified nurse she often assisted when Clinic Sisters were unavailable for duty at the Mothers & Babies Health Association. Her work for the branch was highly valued so much so that after her death in 1973, the members saw fit to name their room “The Sister Mary Mules Memorial Clinic”. It was declared opened by her brother Frank, on April 22nd, 1974.
Kalangadoo Remembers would like to acknowledge that some of the information used in today’s service in memory of Mary Mules was obtained from the book ‘Big Trees in Water’ written by Reg Chuck 1991.