Minnie Cowan of Denman (left) with a friend in the Botanic Gardens Sydney before their departure on active service.
Photo: Courtesy Newcastle Museum

Connection with the Hunter Valley – Sister Minnie Cowan was born in Muswellbrook and trained at Maitland Hospital.  Her family’s property was ‘Heilbron’ at Giant’s Creek, Denman.  She is named on Muswellbrook Citizens’ Memorial.

Training and experience – Minnie graduated Maitland Hospital 1913 and worked there as senior sister before enlisting in 1917.

Service – Australian Army Nursing Service (AANS)

Service location – Salonika and UK

Medals – British War Medal and Victory Medal

Before returning to Australia Minnie was granted leave to study obstetrics at Rotunda Lying In Hospital in Dublin – hence the greeting on the postcard shown below.

Photo of Minnie Cowan with the greeting, “Irish love Minn”
Photo: Courtesy Newcastle Museum

References:

National Archives of Australia B2455 COWAN M A

Nominal Roll of the First AIF Australian War Memorial (AWM) AWM133, 11-085

Embarkation Roll of the First AIF AWM Nurses (July 1915 – November 1918)

Sydney Morning Herald, 25 June 1913, p.10, retrieved from Trove 1 September 2011

Newcastle Museum collection – 1996/1 & 1996/2

Esme Meehand, Maitland Hospital – The Way We Were, Largs, the author, 1996, pp.8, 53, 67

Do you know more?

© Christine Bramble 2013