Connection to the Hunter Valley – Although Sister Emily Taylor was born in the East End of London she and her family had emigrated to Australia.  She worked for a time at Newcastle Hospital and her residence when she enlisted was West Maitland.  Some of her letters to her mother, who lived in Charles St West Maitland, were published in the Maitland Mercury.

Training and experience – trained Sydney Children’s Hospital  and Sydney Hospital

Service – Australian  Army Nursing Service (AANS)

Service location – Emily spent part of her time on active service on the hospital ship  Dunluce Castle transporting casualties from Gallipoli, getting as close as any woman did to the fighting at ANZAC Cove. She was one of the nurses of No 3 Australian General Hospital who endured appalling conditions on the Greek island of Lemnos during 1915.  She also served in Egypt, UK and France.  In her own words …

Medals, awards and mentions – 1914-15 Star, British War Medal and Victory Medal

Do you know more?

References:

National Archives of Australia B2455 TAYLOR E B

Nominal Roll of the First AIF Australian War Memorial (AWM) AWM133, 51-060

Embarkation Roll of the First AIF AWM 3 Australian General Hospital and Reinforcements (May 1915 – April 1916)

Sydney Morning Herald, 5 January 1920, p.4, retrieved from Trove 10 August 2010; 10 January 1920, p.12, retrieved from Trove 5 August 2010

Maitland Mercury, 8 October 1915, p.2, 18 March 1916, p.9, 20 March 1916, p.3

Australasian Nurses’ Journal, Vol XIII No 6 June 1915, p.191, Vol XIV No 7 July 1916, p.235; Vol XX No 9 September 1922, p.368

Ben Champion, Newcastle Hospital Register 1817-1915, The author, 1950, p.340 & 375

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© Christine Bramble 2013