Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Matron
Queen Alexandra's Imperial Military Nursing Service

Born 26 March 1870 in Melbourne, Vic.
Daughter of Richard CASHIN and Catherine nee MEHAN
Of Dowling Street, Moore Park, Sydney, NSW
Educated at Ladies Private College, Sydney, NSW
Trained at St. Vincents Hospital 1898 - 1901
Enlisted 24 July 1915
Admitted Hospital El Wosca Alexandria 06 October 1915
Discharged 02 November 1915
Struck off Strength in Alexandria 15 February 1916
Joind for duty in 27 General Hospital Cairo 20 February 1916
Joined ship 'Gloucester Castle' for duty having been transferred from shore 25 June 1916
Transferred to Military Hospital Lichfield 03 May 1917
'Miss A E Cashin, QAIMNSR, late Matron at the Military Hospital, Lichfield, Staffordshire, ahs been known to me only for the past month, but during that period I have formed a very high opinion of her capabilites as a Matron. She is painstaking, punctual and reliable. She takes a keen interest in the Nursing Staff, the General Service Staff, the Laboure Staff, and also in the patients under her charge, and does everything possible in her power to ensure their comfort. She has a sound knowledge of her work and also of the various duties, administrative and otherwise, connected with the post of Matron, and I consider she has performed these duties in a very praiseworthy manner.'
Resigned on completion of contract 25 July 1919
​Served 4 years and 1 day
Returned to Australia 18 October 1919 per 'Morea' in second class passage of £48.0.0.
Resided 645 Dowling Street, Moore Park, Sydney in 1920
Did not marry
Died 04 November 1939 in Marrickville, NSW
Buried Woronora Memorial Park Roman Catholic Monumental Section 1 0332

"I have the honour to ask if there is any hope of my receiving an assistance in being able to get back to my home in Sydney, Australia. I did hope to be able to arrange to get home about October or November, but after applying to every Shipping Agent that sends boats that way, I received the same reply, that all ships are under Government control, and advise me to apply through official channels, because they cannot take private passengers.
I should have returned home in September 1914, but when I felt that I could be of some little use to my King and Country, I set all personal matters aside, and have served from the very beginning in helping care for our wounded. Now I am compelled to ask for help to get home, as my father, who is no longer a young man (he is just on 80) keeps agitating for my return. I therefore feel it my duty to make every effort to get back. (Personally I would prefer to wait another year and go back in comfort). I have served a year in France, one year in Egypt, one year on the seas, and the remainder on Home Service. I am helpless in the matter, unless something can be done to assist me. Its all such a new experience in life, not to be able to arrange for oneself. I shall be deeply grateful if my Passage home can be arrange. Will you please forward this application to the D.D.M.S. Northern Command. I have not a soul this side of the water and I do so want to get back.'

Matron A E Cashin, one of the trainees of St. Vincent's Hospital, has been on active service since the first month of the war, and she heads the list of that noble institution's roll of honour. Recently, she had conferred upon her by the Kin the further distinction of a Bar, added to her Royal Red Cross. She is the first Australian nurse to be thus honoured. Matron Cashin, who is in charge of the Military Hospital Whittington Barracks, Lichfield, which contains 400 beds, has been urged by the War Office authorities not to abandon her post until the hospital is reduced to normal or demobilised - further practical testimony to the great value of the services she has rendered in the war. Matron Cashin hopes to leave for Australia about next September.

The Catholic Press (NSW)
Thursday 15 May 1919 page 22

Matron Cashin who was rescued from the Gloucester Castle when it was torpedoed. Miss Cashin is a daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Cashin of Dowling Street, Moore Park. She trained at St. Vincent's Hospital, and went to England some years ago. At the outbreak of war she offered her services, which were accepted by both the British and French Red Cross.

Sunday Times (Sydney) Sunday 27 May 1917 page 17

Matron Cashin, Who Has Won the Highest War Distinction.

Matron Cashin, who holds the foremost place on the roll of honour of St. Vincent's Hospital, was over-seas matron of the hospital ship Gloucester Castle when it was torpedoed in the English Channel. Matron Cashin is a daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Cashin, of Moore Park, Sydney, and was trained at St. Vincent's Hospital, Sydney. Her career since then has been a distinguished one. In England, at the outbreak of war, Nurse Cashin at once offered her services, and for the first three months was in charge of the General Hospital at Calais. At the end of that time having joined the Army Reserve, she was given charge of a large surgical ward in the General Hospital at Ras-el-din, and while there received her appointment to the hospital ship. Matron Cashin has three times been mentioned in despatches, once receiving special mention from Sir Archibald Murray, Commander-in-Chief of the Egyptian Expeditionary Forces, and has lately been awarded the gold medal of the Royal Red Cross, First Class. This is the highest distinction that can be conferred on a woman.

Freemans Journal Thursday 09 August 1917 page 22

MUCH HONORED AUSTRALIAN NURSE
Matron Alice Cashin, Who Has Been Three Times Decorated,
Tells Some of Her Experiences
Nurse Alice E. Cashin, now matron of the military hospital at Whittington
Barracks, LichfIeld, has had an interesting career since the war broke out.
Nurse Cashin is an Australian, and was in London in the Summer of 1914. As
soon as war was declared she volunteered for service and was sent to France in charge of the 4th Unit for the British Red Cross with 33 English nurses under her control.
France and Belgium
Nurse Cashin writes of these early days : 'At first we were stationed not far from the front. They told us we were
15 miles, but we seemed nearer, for the sound of the guns was terrifying, day and night. Things then seemed to be in a state of chaos.
On a Trooper.
After four months I was moved, and went to nurse the Belgians. I was with them for seven months, and was then
transferred into the reserve and went to Egypt on a trooper. We had 1500 Tommies on board, and we were blessed, for we had many narrow escapes. There is something, however, very stimulating in the thought of danger, and it is not so dreadful as it seems. Our men on this ship were nearly all from Whitechapel, and they behaved splendidly. The ship was so packed that we were all more or less thrown together. If you closed your eyes of an evening you could fancy yourself back in the streets of London, for the men imitated street-criers and street organs and all sorts of familiar London sounds, usually finishing up with a song about home. Poor boys, most of them fell on Gallipoli. 'At the end of my year in Egypt I was appointed matron of the Gloucester Castle, and you know her fate.'
Being Decorated.
Nurse Cashin has several decorations to her credit. At the end of her first year's service she received the Royal
Red Cross, first class, and later the King presented her with the bar to this. The Star of Mons is another honor conferred upon 'this Australian nurse. Writing, of the actual presentation by his Majesty, Nurse Cashin says:
"I nearly forgot to tell you about my presentation. It was a great day, the day I went to Buckingham Palace. I
was shown into a beautiful room. Then a gentleman in civilian clothing came and put a hook on my cape. Then the Lord Chamberlain came and said put a on my cape the Lord Chamberlain came and said Ladies, the King will enter the room in front ot you. You will all rise and go one by one into the room. You will see his Majesty on your left; you are not to walk up to his Majesty. You must walk up to me. You will see me standing in the middle of the room. Then turn, face the King, bow, and walk forward. His Majesty will decorate you, and shake hands with you. You then bow again, take one step to the rear, and branch off to the right.'
'I felt a soldier for once in my life.
Then we all went to Marlborough House to see Queen Alexandra, for she is our president, and all who are decorated by the' King receive a command to go to the Queen Mother after the decoration.
She was very sweet, but I thought her very foreign in her mariner. She gave me a beautiful picture of herself and a book on Red Cross work.'

Barrier Miner Saturday 18 January 1919 page 10

Alice Cashin Nurse Memorial

In an unmarked grave at WMP rests a heroine of WWI, registered nurse Alice Cashin, the first Australian to be awarded a Royal Red Cross plus the bar to that medal for her incredible bravery during WWI.
The NSW Nurses and Midwives’ Association (NSWNMA) officially dedicated and unveiled the Alice Cashin Nurse Memorial on the 11th October 2016, which celebrates the qualities and values displayed by this extraordinary Australian nurse and in honour of all nurses and midwives.
Alice trained as a registered nurse at St Vincent’s Hospital in Sydney and later moved to England to pursue her career. When WWI broke out, she signed up with the British Red Cross and in July 1915, joined the Queen Alexandra Imperial Military Nursing Service Reserve (QAIMNSR).

Her first posting with the QAIMNSR was in Egypt and for her work and bravery there, Alice was awarded the Royal Red Cross 1st Class Medal. On 30th March 1917, Alice was Matron on the hospital ship HMHS Gloucester Castle, which was torpedoed without warning in the English Channel. Alice defied the Captain’s orders and refused to leave the sinking ship until all her 399 injured men and 33 nurses were safely on lifeboats. She left on the last lifeboat.
For her ‘example of coolness and devotion to duty, and rendering invaluable service’ on that terrible and cruel night, Alice was the first Australian to receive the Bar to her Red Cross Medal.
Alice’s training set her up to cope in the most trying and challenging circumstances – whether it was close to the front in France, in charge of a large surgical unit in Egypt, or on the seas or managing a large military hospital. She showed the qualities that all nurses and midwives aspire to: professionalism, courage and devotion to duty. This memorial honours all nurses and midwives who share the values of Alice Cashin.
From 7th May 1917 Matron Cashin had charge of the 400-bed military hospital at Whittingham Barracks, Lichfield, England. On leaving in July 1919 she was showered with daisies gathered by “her boys”. She returned to Australia in the Morea on 18th October 1919.
Daisies, in memory of the send-off given by “her boys” at the English hospital, are planted on her grave, as our send off to her, with thanks, and in memory from a grateful nation. Lest we forget.

http://www.woronoramemorialpark.com.au/memorialisation-unique-memorials/alice-cashin-nurse-memorial