DE MESTRE, Sarah Melanie
| Service Number: | N/A |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 26 April 1915, Sydney |
| Last Rank: | Sister |
| Last Unit: | 3rd Australian General Hospital - WW1 |
| Born: | Shoalhaven. New South Wales, Australia, 8 February 1877 |
| Home Town: | Sydney, City of Sydney, New South Wales |
| Schooling: | Not yet discovered |
| Occupation: | Nurse |
| Died: | Natural causes, Strathfield, New South Wales, Australia, 23 April 1961, aged 84 years |
| Cemetery: |
Rookwood Cemetery & Crematorium Cremated |
| Memorials: | Nowra Soldiers Memorial |
World War 1 Service
| 26 Apr 1915: | Enlisted Australian Army Nursing Service (WW1), Sister, N/A, 3rd Australian General Hospital - WW1, Sydney | |
|---|---|---|
| 15 May 1915: | Involvement 3rd Australian General Hospital - WW1, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '23' embarkation_place: Sydney embarkation_ship: RMS Mooltan embarkation_ship_number: '' public_note: '' | |
| 15 May 1915: | Embarked 3rd Australian General Hospital - WW1, RMS Mooltan, Sydney | |
| 3 Jun 1918: | Honoured Royal Red Cross (2nd Class) | |
| 16 Jun 1919: | Embarked Australian Army Nursing Service (WW1), 3rd Australian General Hospital - WW1, HT Ormonde, London as nursing staff for return to Australia - arriving Sydney 4 August 1919. | |
| 3 Oct 1919: | Discharged Australian Army Nursing Service (WW1), 3rd Australian General Hospital - WW1 |
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Add my storyBiography contributed by Michael Silver
Sarah Melanie de Mestre was born on February 8, 1877 in the Shoalhaven, the fifth child and elder daughter of Andre de Mestre and his wife August Ann Noyes.
She was educated locally and in 1894 was employed at Miss Liggins’ College for Girls at North Sydney, as a teacher. After five years in this position she resigned and started her nursing career at Prince Alfred Hospital on February 10, 1901. Sarah graduated on March 3, 1903 and gained her Dispensary and Midwifery Certificates in January 1906.
She was Sister of the surgical admission ward at Royal Prince Alfred before leaving in November 1912 to become Matron of the Armidale Hospital.
She returned to the Royal Prince Alfred in May 1914 as a relieving Sister, but in the following August after the outbreak of the war, she was selected by the Dean of the Medical School at Sydney University, in conjunction with the Matron of the Royal Prince Alfred Hospital as Matron in the first Hospital Ship 'Grantala' which was preparing to succour the sick and wounded sailors of the Australia Naval and Military Expeditionary Force and later those of the Empire in general.
After returning briefly to Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, she enlisted in the Australian Army Nursing Service (AANS) in late April 1915 as a Nursing Sister.
Sister de Mestre embarked with AANS reinforcements on RMS Mooltan on 15 May 1915. After arriving in Egypt she was quickly sent to Lemnos and served at the hospital caring for Gallipoli wounded. Sarah returned to Egypt in January 1916 working in Abassia, Cairo and Alexandria prior to being sent to England in July 1916 and being posted to 3rd Australian General Hospital at Brighton. In April 1917 she went to the 2nd Stationary Hospital in France and in July 1917 was attached to the 46th Casualty Clearing Station.
Sarah returned to England in 1918 and on 4 June 1918 received her Royal Red Cross award from the King at Buckingham Palace, for her service in France and Belgium. She returned to Australia in the 'Ormonde' in June 1919, arriving home in August and being discharged from the AIF on 3rd October 1919 having served in every theatre of the Great War conflict.
Following discharge, Sarah returned to Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, but after a period of illness in 1929 resigned and went on to run her own nursing home in Chatswood.
Her niece Margaret de Mestre, who also trained as a nurse at Royal Prince Alfred, was killed in WWII when the hospital ship Manundra was bombed in Darwin Harbour.
Sister Sarah Melanie de Mestre ARRC died at Strathfield on 23 April 1961 and was cremated at Rookwood Crematorium..
References:
http://www.illawarraremembers.com.au/node/2332
https://www.southcoastregister.com.au/story/5843548/shoalhaven-women-played-a-major-role-during-world-war-i/
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