BRONZE PLATE FOR CLEMENTINA HAY MARSHALL URUNGA NSW CEMETERY GRAVE SITE MEMORIAL PROPOSED 2016
In Honour of the skilled Nursing work of a SYDNEY HERO,
CLEMENTINA HAY MARSHALL
Born 22nd April 1879 in Dornoch north Scotland, travelled to Australia age 9, Passed away Urunga northern NSW in August 1968.
This plaque celebrates the ocean voyage in 1889 by Mrs. Margaret Marshall & her four young children, Clementina 9, Alexander 7, Elizabeth 5, & Robert 4, who left their home in Dornoch, North Scotland to board the Steam Sailing Ship S.S. Aberdeen in Southampton on 18th April 1889 & their safe arrival, via Cape Town & Melbourne, into Sydney harbour. Robert Wiseman Marshall, Margaret’s husband & the above children’s father, arrived some time later ( 1890 ). Imagine the frightening ocean voyage, insufficient Life boats, few could swim, No radio, No satellite navigation& a 13 week ocean voyage in a ship crammed with 63 passengers, crew, & animals.
The families of Clementina, acknowledge this wonderfully courageous, skilled WW1 Nurse who enrolled as a trainee in 1903 at Sydney Hospital, & enlisted into the AANS (Australian Army Nursing Service) in May 1914, before WW1 was announced, her enlisted nurse number was AANS #7.
Clementina was one of over 2000 Australian Nurses who gave Life saving Hospital care in WW1 & on the Hospital Ship Gascon, on the Mediterranean sea stationed 2kms off the Turkish Gallipoli beaches during 1915 to give care, administer theatre operations, & save the lives of Australian, New Zealand, British & French soldiers.
Clementina was on board Hospital Ship Gascon on the 25th of April 1915 & for 7 months thereafter during the attempt to capture Turkey, which ultimately failed, & cost about 20,000 young ANZAC lives.
Clementina then served as AANS nurse in English Hospitals Wandsworth, Harefield, London, in 1915, 1916 & 1917 & then was then presented with The Royal Red Cross 2nd class medal at Buckingham Palace London, by King George Vth. in March 1917.
Clementina then saved lives of ANZAC soldiers in the French Western Front war zone & field clearing stations & hospital at Wimereux,
On returning to Australia in 1920, Clementina worked as Head Operating Theatre Nurse at Sydney Hospital, & in 1921 worked as Matron from May to October 1921. During the 1920`s & 1930`s Clementina nursed in many Sydney hospitals, Prince Albert, North Head Quarantine & travelled the World.
During her lifelong devoted Nursing career, Clementina was the epitome of the newly emerging full time career Nurse, studying medicine in all the new sciences, working 12 hour shifts 6 days per week to care for patients lives showing kindness in peoples long dark suffering hours, & showing great spiritual encouragement for her fellow ANZACs. Clementina was invited every year from 1930`s to her passing in 1968 to drive in the Coffs Harbour RSL, & Urunga RSL Presidents motorcar to Lead the ANZAC day parade.
Her nursing skills & care are remembered, acknowledged by many old soldiers who cherished & revered Clementina as saving their lives during the 5 years of battle during WW1. Her Marshall family cherish her Loyalty to the newly formed ANZACs.
Max & Mavis, Ross, Brenda, Donald & Sonia, Alex, Emily Marshall, & all extended Marshall families are the beneficiaries of this Emigration Story & how fortunate are we, to be born & raise our children in,
“This Lucky Country“, “The Land Of Opportunity“. Dedicated 2016. WWW.CLEMENTINAHAYMARSHALL.COM
URUNGA CEMETERY IS LOCATED AT 110 HUNGRY HEAD ROAD URUNGA NSW 2455, FROM THE PACIFIC HIGHWAY AT URUNGA NSW, ( 5 HOURS DRIVE ALONG THE PACIFIC HWY. NORTH OF SYDNEY) AT URUNGA CROSS THE RAILWAY LINE TO THE EASTERN SIDE OF TOWN,THROUGH THE ROADS LEADING SOUTH TOWARDS THE COAST, HEAD SOUTH ALONG HUNGRY HEAD ROAD, TURN RIGHT INTO CEMETERY ROAD, FROM WHICH INTERSECTION IT IS 0.4KM TO THE CEMETERY ENTRANCE.. CLEMENTINA MARSHALL GRAVE SITE HAS A LARGE RED & WHITE TILED RED CROSS ON THE TOP, TOWARDS THE PRETTY COASTAL VIEW.