Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

FOR WOMEN WAR WORKERS.
RETURN OF AUSTRALIAN SISTER.

Among the passengers who arrived by the Hobsons Bay were Dr. and Mrs. Donald Clark. Dr. Clark, who rendered meritorious service during the war, was after the armistice appointed medical officer to the reconstruction camps at Salonika. Mrs. Clark will be better remembered as Sister Jessie M. Baxter, who is a trainee of the Coast Hospital. She served for four and a half years at the war. She was first in Egypt, and later in France always on the frontier at the receiving stations. She also did transport duty to England, and for a few months was at Southall Hospital. Sister Baxter was twice mentioned In despatches and was awarded the R.R.C. She then came to Sydney on transport duty, and after her return was on duty at the Randwick Military Hospital. Later, when 300 nurses were sent to Salónica in charge of Matron McHardle White, Sister Baxter went with them. They arrived at Salónica a few days before the big fire, when the soldiers had to use force to get the women to leave their homes and go to the camp provided by the British for their care and comfort.

Dr. and Mrs. Clark were in Salónica whenthe big influx of refugees took place. This experience was eventful, for thousands came, starving and destitute, and the maternal mortality was particularly high. Dr. Clark established a hospital at Hooven Keny; he got help, clothing, and medicine from friends in England. There were 8000 refugees in this hospital alone, and Mrs. Clark was the only trained woman there. For this good work Dr. and Mrs. Clark each received a letter of appreciation from the acting Consul-General,in which be stated that the principal Acting Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs had notified him that Lord Curzon had learnt of their work, and appreciated the great personal risk, and self sacrifice which it had entailed, and had expressed his appreciation of it. During the recent revolutions in Greece Dr. Clark's house was in the direct line of fire. His gardener was shot, but recovered from his injuries. Dr. and Mrs. Clark Intend making their home in Sydney.

The Sydney Morning Herald Friday 4 March 1927 page 4

The war was responsible for taking many Australian men and women to far-away parts of the globe, and among those who continued to find their life work in distant places is Mrs. Clarke, wife of Dr. Clarke, wbo holds an Imperial appointment at Salonica. As Sister Jessie Baxter, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. R. Baxter, Glebe Point, she served with the Australian nursing division during the period of the war, and was awarded the Royal Red Cross. For the last year Dr. and Mrs. Clarke, have been at Salónica, where they are doing a noble work among the stricken refugees. The sufferings of the wretched men and women and the worrying time that those in attendançe are experiencing may be judged from recent communications from Mrs. Clarke, who at the time of writing was the only trained nurse in the camp of between 7000 and 8000. "The refugees," she writes, "arrive in boat loads, unclothed, unled, unwashed, and ill. Every third woman is an expectant mother, and the babies are born in any little corner the poor wretched things can find. . Numbers have died from starvation and exposure. There are families of young children among them without father or mother, struggling along, frightened and dazed." The English colony, she goes on to say, has collected a lot of money, and the Americans have assisted in the same way. The British and American Red Cross have also given wonderful help. Dr. Clarke was the only medical man at the camp, and there were very few helpers. The refugees are housed in old British camps, but the huts are in a bad condition, and the people are lying on the bare floors without coverings. Some of the other camps are in a much worse condition. Mrs. Clarke states that it is extremly difficult to get the authorities to do anything In the way of sanitation, "and," she continues, "one cannot picture or attempt to describe the filth of thousands of people huddled together, crawling with vermin, no water supply, and no proper lavatories".

Sydney Morning Herald Saturday 20 January 1923 page 9

Sister J.M. Baxter, who recently returned from the front, where she was mentioned in despatches, is a daughter of Mr. and Mrs. R. Baxter, of Glebe Point, Sydney. She received her training at the Coast Hospital.
Sister Baxter, with a number of Sydney nurses left in April 1915 for Egypt. She was attached to the Luna Park Hospital in Heliopolis where the patients were mostly Australian boys. A fortnight after her arrival the landing at Gallipoli took place, when the doctors and nurses had such a strenuous and anxious time.

At that time the nurses wore the grey frock, short red cape and bonnet, and they were very pleased when the order came for a change of uniform to the grey coat and skirt and felt hat, which they now wear. In April 1916, sister Baxter left Egypt for Marseilles. The Australians' first impression of France was gained under happy circumstances, for, to use her own words, 'everything was in blossom, and it was a gorgeous train journey to Paris.' The nurses stayed for a few days in Rouen where the Australian Hospital is stationed, and from whence 50 of their own unit were distributed in English hospitals.

Sunday Times (Sydney) Sunday 20 May 1917 page 17