Ethel Maud Thomas, ARRC

Occupation: nurse

Rank: Sister

Service Number: 22/54

Force: AANS

FAMILY

Ethel was born in Sydenham Christchurch 30 April 1882 to George David Dement and Mary Ellen (nee Hill).

PRE-WAR

Ethel won a scholarship to attend Nelson College for Girls starting in February 1897. In 1907 she started her training at Wellington Hospital passing her state exams as a Registered Nurse by 1910.

1915

On 1 April Ethel left Wellington bound for Sydney on the ship "Ulimaroa". She travelled as an enlisted nurse (service number 22/54). On 13 April after completing attestation formalities as an Australian nurse she embarked as part of the Australian Nursing Division, one of 12 New Zealand nurses who answered a call for volunteers from Australia. They were headed for Egypt and established the 1st Australian General Hospital in a Presidential Palace at Heliopolis. Amongst the wounded she tended was her brother William George Dement.

1916

On 13 April she was detached from No.1 AGH for duty with British Hospitals at Le Treport near Rouen in France.

1917

She continued to serve on the Western Front.

1918

On 7 April she was ‘mentioned in dispatches’ by Sir Douglas Haig for conspicuous service on the Western Front.

1919

On 19 July she was presented the Royal Red Cross 2nd Class by His Majesty the King in London.

POST-WAR

Ethel remained in London for about 6 months training in massage (the new practice of physiotherapy) before returning to Nelson via Australia. She married William Thomas in September 1925 at the age of 43. Her husband was a teacher, first in Taumarunui then for many years in Levin. William died in 1946 and Ethel remained in Levin untill her death in 1955.

Documents:

• AU Military Personnel File
• NZ Military Personnel File Links:
• Cenotaph Record
• Australian Nurses in World War 1

• Reference: Ancestry Genealogy - SmartCopy: Feb 11 2017, 2:18:34 UTC