S/Nrs. Mary Gorman

Daughter of John & Catherine GORMAN, of Arno, Kapua, Waimate, Timaru. One of the ten NZ nurses who died when the Marquette was torpedoed and sank in October 1915. Trained at Waimate Hospital, then was a sister in the Wellington Public Hospital. Strong swimmer who jumped into the sea to save her non-swimmer friend, Catherine FOX; both were not seen again. Source: South Canterbury Museum.

Mary Gorman was the daughter of John and Catherine Gorman, of Arno, Waimate, Timaru.She was one of the New Zealand nurses who died when the Marquette was torpedoed and sank in October 1915. Marama then transfer to Moldavia for Suez. Ship name "Marama" from The Evening Post, May 23, 1915 listing the nurses and officers on the passenger list. Transfer to Moldavia. The Marquette was a British Merchant ship of 7,057 tons. It sank when a torpedo launched from a submarine hit it 36 miles south of Salonica Bay. Twenty nine crew and 182 troops were lost. Ten of those who died were New Zealand nurses who had been working at No.1 New Zealand Stationary Hospital in Port Said in October 1915 when they were ordered to prepare to go to Lemnos. The hospital was to be set up there to care for casualties being brought back from the Dardanelles. The Transport Ship Marquette took on board officers and men of the New Zealand Medical Corps, 36 New Zealand Army Nursing Staff, 610 officers and men of 29th Divisional Ammunition Column , 541 mules and some ammunition in mid October sailed for Salonika. The French torpedo destroyer Tirailleur joined the convoy on 22 October which gave credence to the idea that there was a real danger of being attacked by German submarines in the Mediterranean. The torpedo destroyer left the convoy that night and at 9.15 am on 23 October the Marquette was hit by a torpedo on the starboard side and began to list. Within about 15 minutes she sank. Nurses lost their lives in the evacuation as lifeboats tipped over as they were lowered into the sea, some boats falling on others, with some being left on the ship and going down with her. Source: Cenotaph.

Sources

1. Cenotaph: https://www.aucklandmuseum.com/war-memorial/online-cenotaph/record/...
2. New Zealand and World War One Roll of Honour: http://freepages.rootsweb.com/~sooty/genealogy/nzefrohG.html / Ref 9.4.2021
3. South Canterbury Museum: https://museum.timaru.govt.nz/explore/scroll/profile?id=1485