Sister Bessie Lowrey in the outdoor uniform of the Australian Army Nursing Service, c1916-1919
Photo: Courtesy Newcastle Museum
Connection to the Hunter Valley – Sister Bessie Lowrey was born in Clarencetown. Her father was a dairy farmer in the Stroud area. Bessie was matron of Wallsend Hospital before enlisting and returned to that position after the War.
She is named on the Wallsend Citizens’ Memorial and, like her sisters, on the Stroud Memorial Grandstand and the honour roll of St John’s Anglican Church Stroud. Her sisters Olivia and Hazel also nursed overseas during the War. A fourth sister, Joyce, signed up for the AANS late in the War but was not called on for overseas service.
Service – Australian Army Nursing Service (AANS)
Service location – India
Medals – British War Medal (women who served in India only were not eligible for the Victory Medal).
Framed photo of Matron Lowrey, possibly from her days as matron of Wallsend Hospital. Quambi Museum, Stroud.
Photo: Courtesy Ed Tonks 2013
References:
National Archives of Australia B2455 LOWREY BESSIE
Embarkation Roll of the First AIF Australian War Memorial (AWM) AWM Nurses (July 1915 – November 1918)
Dungog Chronicle, 23 January 1917
Newcastle Morning Herald, 2 June 1919
Australasian Nurses’ Journal, Vol XIV No 9 September 1916 & No 11 November 1916
Do you know more?
© Christine Bramble 2013
