Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Daughter of Thomas Henry SAW and Eliza nee COOPER
Of York St. Albany, WA and latter Of Bow River, via Denmark, WA
Embarked for England 24 December 1915 from Fremantle, WA
Enlisted 10 February 1916 with Queen Alexandra's Imperial Military Nursing Service Reserve (QAIMNSR)
26 General Hospital 03 April 1916 Etaples, France
To England sick 04 October 1916
Instructed to join at the Royal Herbert Hospital, Woolwich 01 May 1917
Appointment terminated 17 March 1918
Left by ambulance train at Southall Station 16 December 1917 at 2.30pm
Fit to do light duty on Hospital Transport
Will require transport from Australia to England at the end of her six month's sick leave.
Will be fit to do duty in a Hospital Transport from Australia to England at the end of her six month's sick leave.
Returned to Australia 16 December 1917 per 'Kanowna'

DEATH OF A NURSE
LIFE GIVEN IN COUNTRY'S CAUSE

The announcement of the death of Nurse Saw, who gave her services to the nation in the recent war and paid the penalty with her life, will cause general and profound grief. So pathetic an occurrence has not touched the domestic life of the town amid all the horrors of the conflict. To the bereaved parents the full sympathy of the community will be extended. The sad event took place on Monday in Short street, and ensued on a lengthy illness, which began in England and was known to be serious when the young lady was invalided home to Australia at the beginning of last year. Belief from them a lady which afflicted the unfortunate young lady was sought in this State and in Victoria. All that love could suggest was done to help the sufferer, but the ease became hopeless, and the patient was brought back to spend her closing days in the town of her birth.

Nurse Saw—Nellie—was the second daughter of Mr. and Mrs. T. H. Saw, and was born in Albany 29 years ago. She entered the Perth Public Hospital as a probationer before the war, and when the storm burst was a qualified nurse. Towards the end of 1915 a request, came from the Imperial Government to Australia for nurses, and Miss Saw at once volunteered her services. She left the State in December of that year and after a brief period in English hospitals was sent to France. There she had six mouths of strenuous work while fighting was in progress on the Somme. At length her health gave way and she developed pneumonia. She was taken to England and made a slow recovery. The demand for nurses was great, and she resumed duty at the earliest opportunity, but was not strong enough to return to France. She attached herself to the Queen Aleaxadra Imperial Nursing Sisters Reserve, and rendered service in the mother country. In that way she did duty until invalided home to Australia, returning
to Fremantle in February, 1918. The period since was one of steadily failing health.

The funeral will take place this afternoon, the remains being interred in the Methodist cemetery with military
honors.

Albany Advertiser Wednesday 02 April 1919 page 3

Our Albany correspondent telegraphed last night that Nurse Nellie Saw, late of Queen Alexandra's Nursing Sister's Reserve, died on Monday, after a lengthy illness, and was buried with military honours yesterday afternoon. Nurse Saw. who was 29 years of age, was at the Perth Public Hospital when the war broke out. She responded to the Imperial call for nurses at the end of 1915 and had six months' strenuous work in France. Afterwards she was for two years in England, where she contract pneumonia and returning to duty before properly recovered, developed a lung trouble. She was invalided hack to Western Australia in February of last year.

West Australian Thursday 03 April 1919 page 4

THE LATE NELLIE SAW

With all reverence and solemnity, the remains of the late Nursing Sister Nellie Saw were interred in the Methodist cemetery on Wednesday afternoon. It was the first war funeral of domestic significance to the town to take place in Albany, and the public manifested interest in the sad proceedings to a marked degree. The deceased lady as a charge nurse ranked as a lieutenant, and complying with service orders her funeral was accorded military honors due to discharged officers of the A.I.F. The District Commandant was represented by Captain A. H. Jones, R.A.G.A. There was a large gathering outside the residence of the deceased's parents in Short street. Shortly after 3 o'clock the coffin swathed in the Union Jack, was brought from the house. It was then saluted by Chaplain Captain S. B. Fellows who escorted it to the hearse and placed on it the nursing veil and hood of the dead, and her badge as a member of Queen Alexandra 's Imperial Military Nursing Service Reserve. The R.A.G.A. furnished a coffin bearer party, under Master Gunner Hawkins, and the Albany Brass Band headed the solemn procession. Chaplain-Captain Fellows led the military contingent. The pallbearers were Lieut. E. S. Mutton S.D.N.O., Major P. H. Meeks, V.D., Captain A.H. Jones R.A.G.A, Lieutenant G.C. Everett, A.G.A., and Lieutenant S. Bruce, Senior Cadets. The turn out of returned soldiers was a most representative one, but, owing to so many members of the branch being employed on the boats in the harbor, was not so large as desired. Among the party were the secretary (Mr. J. J. Barnett), the treasurer (Mr. J. Wollett), and many wearing the tricolor ribbon representing the Gallipoli Star. The Navy and Senior Cadets each sent a large party. Mr. T. H. Saw (father) andMr. Clarence Saw (brother) were the chief mourners, and they were attended by Mr. A. H. Dickson and Mr. H. Currar.

The funeral cortege proceeded down Short-street to the Town Hall, and thence up York-street to the chanchery. Large numbers of people lined the streets and many more were at the graveside when the cemetery was reached. The remains were interred in the family plot, which is situated just within the main entrance. Chaplain-Captain Fellows performed the last offices of the dead, and delivered on address, in tins counsel of which he said:-" All Albany gathers round this open grave to-day in profound respect, in sincere sympathy, and in prayer. This is as it should be, as it is no ordinary occasion that binds us together; it is the first war funeral of our community. We come to pay 'loving and grateful tribute to our heroic dead, and to show our sympathy with the family that has been so sadly and solomly bereaved in the passing of Nursing Sister Saw. I would remind you that Nellie Saw was one of Albany's noblest daughters, and she belonged ho (the very flower of Australian womanhood. She was the living embodiment of our highest ideals of womanly purity, courage, sympathy and helpfulness. Her fine gifts of a quick brain. "and skilful hands, together with her winsome personality and fidelity to duty, made her an ideal nurse. We recall with gratitude and pride that Nurse Nellie Saw volunteered for the front . How quickly she seized the chance to offer herself when volunteers were called for! How radiantly happy she was at the prospect of following her sister Lily across the sea and sharing with her the sacred work of the Bed Cross sisterhood! What human lips could ever tell the full story of her gracious ministry of helpfulness and cheer to our stricken, suffering and dying soldiers in hospital and on the battlefield! Nellie Saw gave her best, she gave her all, she gave her life in order to comfort, to heal and to help our heroes at the front in the hour of their direst need. Thus she placed every soldier and every soldier's mother and wife and sister in her debt for ever. One special feature of Nurse Saw's work is, I think worthy of mention here. She was attached to the Imperial Army hospitals, where the strict discipline was -at times irksome to Australians, with their love of freedom and frolic. To the 'diggers' in each such circumstances she brought the welcome Australian atmosphere in which a free and happy expression of spirits was allowed. Nellie Saw has done her duty and her bit. She paid a terrible price in the suffering she so bravely endured but she paid it without a murmur. She has made the supreme sacrifice. 'Here is no cause for tears.' She has won her place of honour among the noble army of martyr's.

Albany Advertiser Saturday 05 April 1919 page 3

SAW.—On the 31st March, at Albany, W.A., Nellie Mabel, dearly loved second daughter of T. H. and E. Saw, after two years' active service (late of Queen Alexandra's Imperial Military Nursing Service Reserve), aged 29 years.