Nurses' Memorial Service

Kai Tiaki : the journal of the nurses of New Zealand, Volume XII, Issue 4, 1 October 1919, Page 155

Nurses' Memorial Service

It was suggested by the Dunedin branch of the N.Z.T.N.A. to hold a memorial service for those New Zealand nurses who had lost their lives during the war, and also those nurses who had died during bhe epidemic m November, 1918. The branches m Wellington, Auckland, and Christchurch were communicated with and the suggestion was received with sympathy. Circulars were sent to the hospitals m different towns with the result that all over the Dominion on the first Sunday after the anniveisary of the date on which the torpedoing of the " Marquette "■ — October 23rd, 1915, when ten nurses wero killed and drowned— solemn special service was held m the cathedrals ard principal churches. In Auckland, unfortunately, owing to the absence of Bishop Averill, who specially desired to be presonb, the service had to be postponed to the following Sunday, November 2nd. The military nurses attended m uniform, and m many places the nurses from the hospitals also attended m their indoor uniforms, thus showing their respect for their sisters who had gone before. In other places the nurses did not wear uniform, and thus were not so identified with the special service.

The services were solemn and inspiring, and special hymns were selected appropriate to the occasion, and sermons preached by chaplains who had been on army service. Appended is th'e account of the service at Dunedin, where uhe idea first originated.

The following account is taken from the Dunedin 1 Evening Star ' of Oct. 28th.

On Sunday afternoon, m St. Paul's Cathedral, was held a memorial service for bhe fallen nurses, whose devotion and valour, equally with the devotion and valour of our fighting men, have given the Dominion her best title to honoui. The service included all the New Zealand nurses who fell or active service during the war ■ — the victims of the desperate fight with the influenza epidemic m New Zealand, as well as those who died with our Expeditionary Force on foreign service.

The form of service was modelled closely upon that impressive ceremony m St. Paul's, London, four years ago, when a nation publicly mourned Nurse Cavell,

The date also coincided within a few days with the anniversary of the torpedoing of the " Maiquette," m which disaster it was that most of the fatal casualties to New Zealand nurses occurred. Among those m privileged places m the cathedral were a number of nurses who went down on her and survived the ordeal of eight hours' immersion and exposure under which so many succumbed.

Io was the largest assemblage the new cathedral had held, and one thoroughly representative of all denominations m the community. The centre seating was reserved for those entitled to privileged place, and the remainder of the building was quickly filled m the half-hour before the service began. Hundreds were standing m aisles and transepts, and many failed to gain entry at all.

In places of prominence and privilege were Colonel M' Donald (0.0. 01 ago District, representing foi the occasion the Governor-General). Lady Allen (repiesenting Sir James Allen, Minister of Defence), Miss Holford (president of the Trained Nurses' Association), Dr. H. Lindo Ferr guson (president of the New Zealand Nurses 5 Memorial Fund), Miss Tombe, R.R.C. (late matron of Walton-on-Thames Hospital), Miss Williamson, R. R. C, who was head of the New Zealand nurses during the Boer War), Dr. Falconer (Medical Superintendent, Dunedin Hospital), Miss Myles (matron of Dunedin Hospital), some thirty returned army nurses and sisters and nurses frcm the public and piivate hospitals, the staff officers of the Dunedin military district, many returned soldiers from the Convalescent Home, the Mayor (Mr. W. Begg), and a number of councillors, representatives of the Ofcago branch of the British Medical Association (including returned medical officers), Hospital Board representatives, the executives of the St. John Ambulance Association and ihe Rod Cross, a squad of Girl Scouts, many V.A.D.'s, Sir George and Lady Fenwiek, and many other prominent citizens and relatives of the deceased.

The service was preceded by a programme of memorial music from the Band of the Fourth Regiment, directed by Lieu-

tenant George. While the aisles and nave filled, the band played with rare beauty and sensibility the following selections : "Andante*' (Batiste), "There is a Green Hill" (Gounod), Handel's "Largo m G/' and the Judex from " Mors cfc Vita" (Gounod).

After a moment's pause the organist (Mr. Heywood) commenced the processional hymn, " 0 God, Our Help m Ages Past," and the choir and ecclesiastical procession appeared.

Canon E. R. Nevill conducted the service, the Rev. C. J. Bush-King, C.F., read the lesson, the address was given by the Rev. D. Dutton, C.F., who was chaplain of the New Zealand Coniingent m the Boer War, and chaplain of the hospital ships " Maheno " and " Mara ma " from 1915-17.

The Primate (Bishop Nevill) came to .{/he chancel steps escorted by his chaplain (the Rev. V. G. Bryan King), and before pronouncing the Benediction delivered the following address :«— -" Before closing this service I desire to express the gratification which I feel m having been able to offer the use of this building for so worthy a purpose as the one m which we have been engaged to-day— to recommend to the loving care of our Redeemer the souls of those noble-heaited and self-sacrificing women who, m the war or m the devastating epidemic which visited our land, surrendered their lives io this holy cause. Such an occasion overleaps the bounds of denominational distinctions. The call to work was national, humanitarian. The services rendered were to all m need. The chaplains and the medical men are here to-day to bear witness by bheir presence to the unstinted universality of the loving care bestowed by the nurses upon all who required their aid. I have therefore gladly opened the cathedral doors m recognition of this catholic service, and have welcomed the Rev. Captain-chaplain Dutton, whose name is honoured by us, to give expression to iihe feeling of reverential respect and homage to the memory of the departed, which are shared alike by all ; and may all m our several vocations have grace to follow their examples of faithfulness and devotion."

The Rev. Mr. Dutton said thai; they met to pay tribute of reverent respect to

the memory of their nursing sisters who had lost their 1 lives at the war. They, like Nurse Cavell, had not been afraid of suffering or death m their great work of mercy. Happily, the death roll of then nurses had not been so long as might have been expected, considering the risks they had to face on sea and land' — fourteen out of upwards of 600 who had gone on war service. Still, the rollTiad been too long. There was not one of their departed sisters who did not leave behind many sorrowing hearts. They were glad to believe that " With feet immortal they go to some high end, we m the end shall know." To the torpedoing of the " Marquette " nearly all their losses among the nurses Mere due. That sad event) had sent a wave of sorrow through the Dominion, and their hearts had been tilled with a great pity as they thought of those surviving sisters facing death for long, weary hours m the sea before they were rescued.* Most of them were his personal friends. They were with him on the " Maheno," from Wellington to Egypt. The torpedoing of the hospital ships accounted for a large number of the fatalities among the nurses. In some cases the sisters might have been saved, and the helpless, wounded men urged them to seek safety for themselves, but that was not the way of the nurse. "Patients first" was the rule. As a typical case, the hespital ship " Gloucester Castle " was torpedoed m the English Channel. All the wounded had been safely removed from the sinking ship, but five doctors, nine nuises, and thirty-eight medical orderlies were drowned. It was always " patients first ' : or! sea or land. It was recognised that no men served their country more devotedly than tho officers and men of the Medical Corps, while the nursing sisters raised a high standard of the most unselfish devotion to duty. The speaker turned to the work of the nurses m the Dominion when the scourge of influenza followed hard on the heels of victory. They were not likely, he said, to forget the splendid rally to the side of the doctors of the Red Cross, St. John Ambulance, and other helpers. The value of their services could never be over-estimated. Now, however, it was the work of the trained nurses that was m view. They had toiled unsparingly at their exhausting tasks, while the

fatal casualties among them had been more than double those of the nurses who had gone to the war. This reminded them that their trained nurses were always on active service righting against disease and death. They owed them a deep debt of gratitude. The doctors and nurses who had fallen m that awful campaign gave their lives that the} 7 might live. How should they best honour the memory of their sisters who had died for them ? When Miss Cavell died many memorials of her were projected, but, as Lord Burnham said, the monument most m keeping with what she would have desired was that erected m London, the " Edith Cavell Homes of- Rest for Nurses." We would like to see some such homes provided m some of our beautiful country places. But at present the Trained Nurses' Association had another memorial project under way- — the creation of a capital fund which, with the Government subsidy, would enable the Association to grant a modest pension to nurses who were past work, and to render some assistance to those nurses who, through sickness or other causes needed change and rest. This was an object that commended itself to all of them. He felt confident that the appeal for help to place this memorial upon an adequate and sound financial basis would not fail of a generous response from the public of this City and province. In conclusion, the speaker said : ' Sisters, yours is a great profession, but it is more than a profession —it is a high and holy calling. Your symbol links you up with that first Red Cuoss — the Cross of Calvary, dyed red with redeeming blood. In your vocation you are m line with our Lord, who came to this earth to heal and save. May you ever have the inspiration of His presence m your work, also the hearty sympathy of a grateful people."

The band, which had been silent since the service began, now recommenced the dirge of Handel, wrapping the whole cathedral m the folds of sorrow. As the last pulsating note died, from the west door of the cathedral Sergeant Harrison (N.Z. Artillery) sounded the Last Post, and then, advancing slowly to the chancel steps, to the accompaniment of a roll of muffled drums, blew the " Reveille." While the big assemblage was slowly leaving the band played fchat solemn funeral march of Beethoven which is one of the supreme expressions of human grief.

x — cr Many returned soldiers participated m the services.

In Wellington their Excellencies the Governor-General and Lady Liverpool, attended, and General Sir Alfred Robin, Brigadier-General M'Gavin, and other officers. The Matron-in-Chief and Deputy Matron-in-Chief, Matron of Trcntham Hospital and Sisters, Sistci Willis. At the close of the service the Dead March was played on the organ by Colonel FyrTe. and the Last Post was sounded.

In Christchurch a most impressive Service was held, m the Cathedral and a very large number of military and civil Nursus attencU d.

And for the Dead of Death to Thee I trust it : for indeed I know that he Who through his life's appointed days Has stood rot idle m *he maiket-place, He dies not, no ! there is no death for him, No death, but only change Be\'ond this earthly range New life, new work, with servant seraphim 0 Lord of Service ! Lord of Life ! G 'ant me that guerdon m the other life - New service there-that with my latest breath Be my one prayer, O living Lord of Death! —Dean Sttjbbs,