AWM41 975 - [Nurses Narratives] Principal Matron Ellen Julia Gould - Part 1

AWM 41

[*AWM 41*]

AUSTRALIAN WAR MEMORIAL

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P/MATRON E.J. GOULD.

A.W.M.

LIBRARY

Class No. 373.2

Cat. 17/6/60

[975]

The Official War Histories of the 

Commonwealth Government (Dr. C. E. W. Bean), after his study of the 

collection of private war records preserved in the Australian 

War Memorial Library, wrote :-

"The private diaries in this collection furnish some of its most 

valuable historical records, but like all private memoirs which were 

not compiled with any historical purpose, they should not be 

regarded as first-hand evidence except where it is certain that they 

are so. The diarist is almost always sincere in his desire to record 

accurately, but he is subject to no obligation or inducement to 

indicate whether he is recording his own observation or incidents 

told him by friends or heard at third or fourth hand heard at the mess table.  

Thus, in some of the diaries in this collection, scenes described with 

vivid detail, and without any warning that they are told at second 

or third hand have been found to be completely inaccurate in 

important details. A certain number have been written up 

or reviewed long after the events, though doubtless usually from notes 

made at the time. In most cases the student must rely on his 

experience and on internal evidence to guide him in judging what is 

and what is not likely to be historically accurate."

 

[*(Copy made 5/7/33)*]                                                

Miss Ellen Gould 
Nursing Chaplin       
"Ghezireh"

Port Hacking Road,

Miranda.

29^th June 1933.

Dear Colonel Butter,

With these answers to your questions, I am 

sending along by registered post, one of my greatest treasures, 

a book of the Boer War. Between pages 32.33 you will 

find a group of Nursing Service, New South Wales Sisters 

known as New South Wales Army Nursing Service Reserve, 

formed in February 1899. This group includes five who 

were attached to our Unit for Journey.

You here see the original uniform as described in my answer 

to No. 1. question.

On our return from the Boer War, August 1902, we were 

very soon merged into the A.A.N.S. and very little 

Alteration was made in the uniforms until the war began.

The Lady Superintendent became a Principal Matron (Gould.)

There were two Matrons. (Julia Bligh Johnston and Miles Walker.)

Sisters and Staff Nurses made up the rest of the staff.

I am of course, speaking only of New South Wales N^o 2 District.

Until the Great War began, we remained on the Peace Basis
(26.efficients every May-June) and a number of Reserve 

Sisters gradually brought up the numbers. If I can be of
any further assistance please say so. Time has treated me well
thank you. With kind regards

Yours faithfully

Ellen Gould.

 

(Typed 5/7/333) MD

1.  Did you have a special uniform in the pre-Federation days in

the New South Wales Nursing Service formed by yourself and

General Williams. If so what was its nature : and was it derived

from the British?

Answer Yes. Early in 1899 (Feb:) A Lady Superintendent a

Matron and twenty-three Sisters were sworn in.  This swearing

in brought us under the Queens Regulations and was never

changed for our Unit. Later Staffs however, were not sworn in 

Merely filled in forms.

The question of Uniform was settled by our Medical Officers,

General (then Colonel) Williams and L^t Col. Vandeleur Kelly, 

who obtained a red cape from the War office as a pattern,

also the regulation cap (Muslin hem stitched square)

The dress was of dark grey serge (Made in Australia) with,

in addition to the red cape, a three quarter length cape of same

and a bonnet for outdoor wear. The plain trimming was of

brown as worn by the A.M.C. Working uniform was of 

grey zephyr. washing capes (scarlet) and the muslin square

capes. These capes were made for us at the Army tailors.

Before the matter was finally settled, I was called to go with the

Colonel to see General French and he approved of the

arrangements to be made for that Uniform. 

When the Boer War broke out , later in the year, we had to add 

serviceable rain coats. All buttons used were as worn by the 

Military forces in N.S.W. Other travelling gear was also provided.

Only two travelling trunks and and strapped rugs & bedding allowed,

2.  Was the N.S.W. Nursing Service framed on the lines of the

British Army Nursing Service (as it was then called)

Answer. It was and any alterations necessary were made by the

General after consultation.

3. When  the Australian Army Nursing Service was formed,

did you go to Melbourne to assist in its formation.

Answer  No; I received a circular Memo, asking views about

certain points.

4.  Did you expect to have precedence over non-service Nurses

in the case of War.

Answer  Precedence was given to those who, on the date of war

were efficient, ie. had that year (army year) received 

the Military instruction and had been examined by the

Medical Officer for efficiency.

Any others who were on the  reserve of Military efficients came

after them, in order of Seniority and if there were more needed

the fully qualified A.T.N.A. Nurses were taken on. That

secured precedence for those who knew most of the particular

form of Nursing required.

5.  You mention in your memorandum that the Matron in

Chief in France (Miss Maude M^cCarthy) was trained at the

Coast Hospital, Sydney. Do you know if she went through

her full course there? "Who's Who" only records her as trained

No 5 cont.  at the London Hospital.

Answer In those far away days before the Boer War Nurses trained

a shorter time. But it was found that three and more years

would be needed for Australia, as so often a doctor could

not come such distances (60. or 70. Miles) more than once

and Nurses had to be trained to take and carry out orders,

wholesale, instead of the daily detailed order. Some of us

saw, that the longer time would be insisted on soon and 

stayed on for our practical training in our several hospitals

Miss Maude M^cCarthy, I was told "Trained at the Coast 

Hospital Sydney before she left Australia "and continued Nursing

in England. She joined the Imperial Nursing Service (these

were called "The Regulars" and were always very carefully

chosen. She must have shown special administrative

ability to hold the position she had during the Great War.

6   Re Uniform A.A.N.S. also A.I.F.

Answer This question is answered in detail in No 1.

75/8 64
[*E.I Gould
I.A.W.M.
4364/34/6.
0/362*]

New South Wales.

Assistance asked in connection with the collection  

of Historical Material for A.A.N.S. A.I.F
ADMINISTRATIVE HEADQUARTERS

AUSTRALIAN IMPERIAL FORCES

12 AUG 19-10 A.M.    

WAR RECORDS REGISTRY

4364/34/6

  ______________________

1.  Organisation of A.A.N.S. before outbreak of war. 1914.

In February 1899. Colonel Williams (afterwards Surgeon

General) asked me to help form a Nursing Service in

connection with his Army Medical Corps services.

In May of same year when the various branches were

receiving the training necessary before becoming Militarily

efficient, the little band of 26. Nurses were sworn

in. One Lady Superintendent, one Matron and twenty

four Sisters. Colonel Rolte  and Colonel Vandeleur

Kelly succeeded in convincing us that only in the

Army would you find a Nursing field where everything

ran on "greased wheels" from the firing line, back

through the various collecting stations, stationary

Hospitals and Base Hospital. More greased still

the Army Service Corps.

Our place in this magic organisation was clearly

defined and twenty years after, the Australian Army

Sister still reaps the benefit of those de preliminary

instructions for the Nursing spirit of the New

South Wales section (of which alone I can speak

with authority) has always kept in time with

the rest of the Corp and worked wonderfully

harmoniously not only with the Medical, but

also with the Orderlies and others.

On 1900 (January) twelve of these efficient Nursing

Sisters, not one of whom had had less than seven years

reverse side of previous page

 

65

experience left Australia with the Second Contingent.

to the Boer War. On the "Moravian" we had crowded 

quarters, but messed in the saloon comfortably. We 

arrived at Cape Town on the day Kimberley was relieved

(Feb 19.1900) Twenty four hours after, 4 Sisters who had

been attached for voyage, were left to help at N^o 1. British

General Hospital. After a few days the rest disembarked

at East London where three more Sisters were left in

charge of Sister Bessie Pocock and the remainder commenced

duty at a Stationary Hospital at Sterkstroom near

Stormberg. Here we nursed those sick and wounded from

General Gatacre's Division around Stormberg. They 

were mostly Irish troops and bonny loveable personalities

they were too. Here we met our first

Australian soldier who passed on. He was only with us

five days and during that time only noticed some roses

brought by a kindly clergyman from Queenstown. With

one of these in his hand he remarked that similar ones

grew at his home in St. Marys near Parramatta.

Under his pillow we found a little prayer book which

later I had the pleasure or returning to the donor, his

special Friend at home. Thirty one graves mark our

short stay of three months, after which the army having

got beyond Cronstadt in the Orange River Colony,

we left Sterkstroom and passing Bloemfontein full of

dead and dying at the time, went on to Cronstadt.

Here we nursed in connection with No 3. British General

at a large Dutch Church and were quartered in an old

corn store at night where rats scampered over us.

We boarded with a family who were not too loyal

66

but they did their best for our creature comforts.  One tin

of condensed  milk had to do nine of us for one month
but who cared?

Three months later, we were transferred to N^o6 General

British Hospital in Johannesburg.

Colonel Wood at N^o3 General wanted me to remain

and take over an Officers' Hospital with one other Sister

but we were only five now, so decided not to separate.

Our reception at N^o6 was curious.

On handing in my Papers to the PMO he groaned

"My God, Australian Sisters, What shall we do."

On my asking the reason, he said, they did require

help, but he understood we could not work with

the R AME Sisters.

Upon my assuring him that we not only could

but would with pleasure, he sent for the Superintendent

Miss Oram was, to my mind then exceptional

and she has never come off that pedestal. (As

Matron in Chief in Egypt in 1915 she only proved further,

that a women can drop all smallnesses and

treat even Australian Nurses as professional

equals.) This was a tent hospital with 1200 beds

and we worked in the General Division with 500.

beds. Major Osborne asked me one day if we

had many more nurses like these in Australia

and I told him of our standard not only in the

Army but for "general use". We stayed 18. months

here and never once felt we were not wanted,

for there were only 35 Sisters for the 1200. 14 hours

duty was the minimum. No one grumbled.