GRAVE SITE BRONZE PLATE,… SUGGESTION TO UPGRADE CLEMENTINA MARSHALL URUNGA CEMETERY NSW GRAVE
suggested size 400mm x400mm BRONZE PLATE
CLEMENTINA MARSHALL
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 the War zone fields of 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 7months 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 in 1915, 1916 & 1917 & then was presented The Royal Red Cross 2nd class medal at Buckingham Palace London, by King George V on the 17th March 1917.
Clementina then saved lives of ANZAC soldiers in the French Western Front war zone & fields.
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 other Sydney hospitals & 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 Marshall, 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 on the 101 year of ANZAC commemorations. WWW . CLEMENTINAHAYMARSHALL . COM