WW1; Mother Anzac and other WW1 nurses

MOTHER ANZAC.

She drank her scotch straight, ("scotch is for drinking, not bathing in" she would say), she did her talking the same way, played poker to beat the boys and ran ballroom functions in Brisbane that were attended by the high and mighty.

She grew up in gold mining towns, was widowed in 1891 with 3 little kids to raise but in the great flood of 1893 she climbed into a boat and went to rescue stranded families.

She did a tour of duty with the AIF after enlisting at age 57 (she 'forgot' 10 years of her age on her papers) and she signed up for another.

She worked with the Maoris in NZ after she contracted diabetes, was buried with full Maori tribal honours and along the way she revolutionised the AIF attitude to massage (now called physiotherapy).

They called her Mother ANZAC but who was she ?

She was Staff Nurse Esther Barnett. She enlisted on August 18, 1915 when the terrible cost of Gallipoli was starting to be realised. Born 1857, she was 57 when she enlisted but she 'forgot' a few years. 3 days after enlisting the qualified masseuse who had worked in London hospitals, was on her way. She and the other 17 male and female practitioners of the art of medical massage were on their way to Egypt. They worked on up to 40 cases per day in a field that was only just starting to be recognised by military authorities. Many patients, particularly shell shocked ones in total or near total paralysis responded well and quickly. Shell shock was likened by many to fear or cowardice but is now recognised as PTSD. She came home in 1917 and worked with the Matron at the 6th Australian General Hospital but duty called and she returned overseas in June of 1918. Illness stopped her getting there and she disembarked in Wellington NZ. After release from hospital she worked amongst the Maori tribes until her death in 1921.

	Sydney, NSW. c. 1915-08. Studio portrait of Sister Elsie Rose Grant, Australian Army Nursing Service (AANS). At the time of her enlistment in 1915 she was hospital matron at Emerald, QLD. She served with the 1st Australian Stationary Hospital at East Mudros on Lemnos Island, Greece. Note the heavy overcoat she is wearing, the AANS badge on her right arm and the silver "Rising Sun" (AIF) badge on her collar. (Donor: A. Brooks)
	France. c. 1916. A portrait of Dorothy Ellena Duffy, one of a group of twenty civilian nurses who volunteered to work for the Red Cross in France during World War 1. They were known as 'Bluebirds' because of their distinctive blue uniforms (not seen here). Duffy is seen wearing the uniform worn by the nurses while in France. On her left sleeve is the contingent's badge. At her neck is an unidentified medal, probably her graduation medal. (Donor: N. Crossing)
	Beziers, France. c. 1916. A group portrait taken in an operating theatre. Seen are a group of nurses and a French officer. Left, is sister Dorothy Ellena Duffy. Duffy and the other nurses were part of a group of twenty civilian trained nurses, from New South Wales, who volunteered to serve in France for the Australian Red Cross during World War 1. They were known as 'Bluebirds' because of their distinctive blue uniforms. (Donor: N. Crossing)
	Egypt. Australian nurses on leave take a camel ride in front of the Sphinx and the pyramids.
	Indian Ocean. 1916. Group portrait of the 'Bluebirds, a group of twenty civilian trained nurses, from New South Wales, who volunteered to serve in France for the Australian Red Cross during World War 1. The nurses are aboard the Hospital Ship Kanowna, bound for England. Nineteen of the twenty 'Bluebirds' are seen. The Matron, Miss Grey, is in the centre looking down, Sister Dorothy Ellena Duffy is to her left, the French teacher is sitting in front holding a book. (Donor: N. Crossing)
	Palavas-les-Flots, France. c. 1916-09. Some of the medical and nursing staff in the courtyard of the building, formerly the Grand Hotel, housing the infectious diseases hospital, near Montpellier on the Gulf of Lyons. Left to right: Sisters Hilda Loxton and Minnie Hough, Australian nurses employed here by the London Committee of the French Red Cross 1917-08 to 1917-12; Matron Bullock (English); the French medical superintendent; English voluntary aides Miss Bullock and Mrs Ritchie. Loxton and Hough were among a group of twenty trained nurses who volunteered in Australia in 1916 for service in France. (Donor H. Loxton)
	HORTIACH, GREECE. 1917. Australian nurses in the Salonica Campaign - washing day at No 60 British General Hospital. A number of AIF nurses served in British Hospitals throughout the campaign.
	Lemnos Island, Greece. C. 1915-11. Sister Alice m. Prichard, no. 3 Australian general hospital (3AGH), outside a hut used as nurses' quarters at West Mudros. She is dressed for winter, in puttees, boots, a man's greatcoat and a balaclava. (donor Australian Red Cross Society)
	Australian Army Nurses in Sydney before leaving for Active Service abroad. (Donated Mr G. Henderson) ("SYDNEY MAIL" photo)
	The interior of a hospital on the western front circa 1917
	ETAPLES, FRANCE. The effect of German bombs dropped on a British Red Cross hospital which resulted in the death of several patients and nurses.
	Driver H. Dalziel VC, 15th Battalion AIF, and Sister E. Mosey RRC, possibly after their award ceremony. Dalziel was awarded the VC following his actions attacking and capturing a German machine gun post at Hamel Wood on 4 July 1918, where he continued to fight and supply the Lewis gun team in his company, despite being wounded twice.
	Trois Arbres, France. 1917-06-17. Sister Mary Jane Derrer MM, of the 2nd Australian Casualty Clearing Station, near Steenwerck. She was one of seven Australian nurses awarded the Military Medal. Original album held in AWM archive store) (donor D. Mellor)
	Melbourne, Vic. 1937-04-24. Studio portrait of Matron Ida O'Dwyer (1880-1960), Australian Army Nursing Service (AANS), wearing her service medals. After enlisting on 21 November 1914 she served in Egypt, England (where she was in charge of the Nurses' Hospital in London), and in France (where she was the Head Sister of No. 3 Australian Casualty Clearing Station). She was matron of the Caulfield Military Hospital from 1920 to her retirement in 1938. (Original housed in AWM Archive Store) (Donor M. Resch)
	Group portrait of nurses of the 2nd Australian General Hospital (2AGH), outside their quarters. Back row, left to right: Sister E. Crabb; Head Sister J. Crosby-White; Sister B. Todhunter; Staff Nurse (S/N) D. Birks; Sister K. Fegan; Sister L. Walter; Sister K. Byrne; Sister N. Lehman; Sister K. Foreman; Sister C. Blake; Sister E. Cuzens; Sister G. Echlin; Sister C. Hodgson; Sister E. Forsyth; Sister E. Ferrier; Sister F. G. Walpole. Middle row: Sister L. Coomer; Sister E. Gallin; Sister M. Newill; Sister J. M. Crosby; Sister R. Peterson; S/N M. Thomas; Sister A. J. Camac; Mrs Hammond, Australian Branch, British Red Cross; Sister J. Slack; Sister E. B. Taylor; Sister Gertrude Julia deVis; Sister A. E. Jackson; Sister Amy Louise Nagel; Sister N. Smallwood; Sister M. Fisher; Sister A. S. Stewart. Front row (sitting): Sister M. Hayes; Sister K. Rees; S/N Paterson; Sister R. Watt; Sister A. M. Tamkin; Sister M. Bett; Matron E. Gray; Sister A. P. Smith; S/N O. L. Thomas; Sister L. Stewart; Sister H. Weatherhead; Sister G. Dorsch; Sister O. M. Walker; Sister E. J. Margarey.
	Adelaide, SA, 1917-06-12. Large group portrait of approximately 300 nurses of the Australian Army Nursing Service (AANS) gathered on the steps of the old Exhibition Building, prior to their departure for war service in Europe. The nurse in the grey uniform sitting 6th from left in the front row is Matron Ethelda Runnals ("Ethel") Uren. (Original print housed in P run in AWM Archive Store) (Donor E. Uren)
	Harefield, London. C. 1918. Some of the Voluntary Aid Detachment (VAD) nurses with three patients at No 1 Australian Auxiliary Hospital.
	Rheims (Marne), France. The front of a monument erected to the memory of nurses of France and Allied countries who lost their lives in the performance of their duties during World War I. (Donor Australian Red Cross Society, Melbourne)