Nurses Narratives Head Sister Emma Argyle Cuthbert
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PERSONAL RECORDS AWM 41 5/71
WAR OF 1914-18
AWM 4 1
AUSTRALIAN ARCHIVES
ACCESS STATUS
OPEN
MISS E.A. CUTHBERT, A.R.R.C.
Australian Army Nursing Service.
D.R.L. NO 1622 (3rd S.)
A.W.M LIBRARY
[[Clssn.?]] No. 373
[[Cald.?]] 28.7.52
V.B.
[957]
Headquarters,
Australian Imperial Force,
Att'd HEADQUARTERS,
FIFTH ARMY,
B.E.F., FRANCE.
2nd January, 1919.
Dear Miss Cuthbert,
I am very pleased to see that your good
work has been recognized by the award to you of
the Royal Red Cross, and send you my heartiest
congratulations on this distinction.
With my kind regards and good wishes for
the New Year.
Yours sincerely,
W R Birdwood.,
REPLY COMMUNICATIONS SHOULD BE ADDRESSED TO THE COMMANDANT.
TO
Head Sister, A.R. CUTHBERT,
A.R.R.C.
A.A.N.S.
ADMINISTRATIVE HEADQUARTERS
AUSTRALIAN IMPERIAL FORCE,
130, HORSEFERRY ROAD,
LONDON, S.W. I.
IN REPLY QUOTE
M. 2nd. January, 1919.
TELEPHONES: VICTORIA 8860 (10 LINES). CABLE & TEL. ADDRESS: "ADMINAUST LONDON."
EAC/DKH.
Dear Miss Cuthbert,
I wish to congratulate you upon the honour
that has been conferred upon you.
I am very pleased your valuable work in the
service has received this recognition.
Yours faithfully,
E. A. Conyers.
Matron-in-Chief,
A.A.N.S., A.I.F.
AUSTRALIAN IMPERIAL FORCE
To:-
Sister E. A. Cuthbert,
A.A.N.S.,
2nd. Aust. Aux. Hosp.
Southall.
Administrative Headquarters,
130 Horseferry Rd.
London. S.W .1.
February 25th, 1919
INVESTITURE.
With reference to your recent application for Investiture, you
are advised that your name has been submitted to the War Office for
inclusion in the ceremony which takes place on MARCH 1st. 1919.
Should your name be accepted, you will receive telegraphic advice
direct, from the Lord Chamberlain, relative to time, place, dress, etc.
Please advise these Headquarters immediately of any change of
address occurring between now and MARCH 1st. 1919.
[[RH Braithwaite?]]
[[??]] Lieut. Colonel.
A.A.G.
Any [[other?]] communication on this subject should be addressed to -
The Secretary,
War Office,
Whitehall,
S.W.1,
and the following number quoted.
Telephone: CALL "WAR OFFICE."
(No exchange number necessary.)
0137/3071 (C.2.)
War Office
Whitehall
S.W.1.
26th February 1919.
Madam,
I am directed to inform you that Her
Majesty Queen Alexandra has expressed a wish that all
ladies who attend an investiture at Buckingham Palace
to receive the decoration of the Royal Red Cross should
afterwards proceed to Marlborough House to see her
Majesty.
I am accordingly to request that you will
attend at Marlborough House at 12 noon on 1st March,
on your return from Buckingham Palace.
I am,
Madam,
Your obedient Servant,
Sister E. A. Cuthbert.
C. or B.
Recd. from
By
Charges to pay
s. d.
POST OFFICE TELEGRAPHS.
This form must accompany any inquiry respecting this Telegram.
No of Telegram 53
Sent 4-40 M
To
By 1
Office Stamp
Southall *26 FE 19
Prefix
Handed in at 2.20
Office of Origin and Service Instructions
OHMS Buckingham Palace
Words 37
Received here at 4.21
Sister Emma Cuthbert no2 AA76 Southall...
Your attendance is required at Buckingh...
Palace on Saturday next the 1st March
at 10.30 o/clock am. Indoor uniforms
with gloves please telegraph acknowledge[[ment?]]
Lord Chamberlain
London
At the outbreak of the 1914-18 war, I was a member of the Australian Army Nursing Service, having been appointed a member at its inauguration in 1902.
5th Dec 1914 I sailed with the 1st Australian General Hospital.,
Doctors, nurses, orderlies, in The Hospital Ship "KyaRRa"
24th Jan 1915 Arrived Cairo, we opened Hospital at Heliopolis
27th Jan 1915 I was chosen as one of 20 nurses to open Hosp. at Port Said,
as attack on Suez expected.
14th Feb 1915 We all returned to Cairo to our No 1 A.G.H
28th April 1915 Received first wounded from Gallipoli, then on, Hosp. v busy.
11th August 1915 Went on Transport to Australia, 900 sick & wounded.
3 week's leave.
2nd October 1915. Was given charge, same boat, leaving with 1,500 Reinforcements
2nd November 1915 Arrived Suez. then to Cairo
29th March 1916 No.1 A.G.H closed down, Hosp. unit left -
5th April 1916 Arrived Marseilles, here British officer is our
Commanding Officer. Confined for 3 days. Destination
Rouen, but only for small Hosp. 50 nurse’s Remaining
Nurses to be divided into units of ten & sixteen & lent
to British Hospitals. I was given charge of 16 nurses glad
of the opportunity of nursing in B.H. and studying
their methods.
10th April 1916 All Left Marseilles, Special train,
12th April 1916. Arrived Rouen, billeted in B Hosp for night.
13th April 1916 I & 16 nurses left Rouen
14th April 1916 Arrived Le' Trėport 3 AM
15th April 1916 Started duty Officers Ward Surgical, No 3. British
Gen. Hosp. 2 Canadian and another British Hosp.
in area. are perched on Top of huge cliff.
10th June 1916 - One British and four of my Aust. Nurses & self,
orders to proceed to No 6 British Stationing Hosp.
11th June 1916 - Arrived Frevent; all billeted in different shops & homes.
Tiny town, Here we heard the big guns for the first time
Aeroplanes circling overhead continuously. This was
the first Rec. Hosp. behind ARRAS. Staff 1 Matron 12 Sisters.
Huts & tents, here numbers of German patients + PRISONERS.
It was all a very new experience to me.
25th August 1916 - My ward changed into Gassed Ward, and was filled with
"Drift Gas" patients, all patients spec. trained in gas warfare
were not allowed to be evacuated. An Officer was always coming in
& out from the Line, in case we got soft hearted & Evac some men
They had a Spec. han trainee Med. Officer, attached to Unit,-
so were soon taken from ward. A few were too bad to keep
so had to be Evac. It was a very terrible sight. To see
a badly gassed soldier - soon we too were
issued with gas masks -
** Sr. A Cuthbert
28 Davis Av.
Sth. Yarra. [[S.EI.?]]
31-5/52 Victoria
12th October 1916 On night - duty Officer's Ward, which was Convent 1/4
mile from Hospital. 2 Day Sisters, 1 Night we slept & lived at Main Hosp.
The Aust Sisters ourself were so happy with the British that
I often wrote to our Matron in Chief in London, asking her to leave
us with them, which she did until _____
28th Jan 1917 My movement order arrived, to report A.I.F. Headquarters London.
So after 8 months at No. 6 Stationery, left for London, there Matron
told me I was a Head Sister, & she wanted me to again join A.I.F.
to be attached, No. 3. A.G.H. at Brighton, Hospital going to France f
or final time in few weeks. After some time here, Canadians
took over Hosp. & patients, we were all billeted in London
for some time awaiting Trans. to France. I was anxious to get
to France, afraid something might happen & I may have to stay
in England, France was the one, place I knew and one
was so useful there.
27th April 1917 Unit left for France, on arrival British Transport Matron
informed us our Hosp. not quite ready, so we were lent out
to British Hospitals. I proceeded with others to Abbeville
to No. 2 B. Hosp. others to South African Hosp. beside
the British, Both situated in a field.
9th May 1917 I was called to start in No. 3. A.G.H. part of it was now ready.
7th Sept 1917 Left No. 3 A.G.H. Abbeville, to report No. 2 A.G. H. as Assistant Matron.
Wimereux, 2 British Hospitals and ours in different
fields side by side. Here we were bombed many times.
They were trying to get big Railway Bridge beside us.
This line, took our troops North.
Here I remained until the end of the War. Having
spent three years in France.
It was a great day, in Boulogne, the day the
war was over.
1st January 1919 Eleven sisters and myself all 1914 nurses got orders
through from A.I.F. Headquarters London to proceed
London, for transport home, to Australia.
9th March 1919 I was in charge of the Transport, & we left for
Australia.
749/24/1
31st May 1952
E.A. Cuthbert
28 Davis Avenue
South Yarra S.E.1
Victoria
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