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Tasmanian Nurse awarded the Military Medal

Clare Deacon
three nurses
Military medal

Enlisted: 13 November 1914
Embarked: 20 November 1914
Enlistment ended: 5 March 1919
Died: 1952

From an early age, Clare Deacon spoke of her ambition to become a nurse. She became a trainee nurse at the Royal Hobart Hospital and when World War One was declared, Clare was one of the first nurses to offer her services. She embarked for Egypt on the Kyarra with the first contingent. Clare nursed many of the wounded from Gallipoli through the hot summer in scorching temperatures. At the time, temperatures reached 117F and nurses were required to wear ankle-length uniforms.

In 1915, Clare was promoted to Sister and relocated to England before being sent to France to join the 2nd Australian General Hospital. On the night of 22 July 1917, while Clare was serving with the 2nd Australian Casualty Clearing Station at Trois Arbres near Armentieres, an air raid warning was sounded. Rather than taking shelter in the bunkers, Clare, who was off duty at the time, and two other nurses ran into the hospital to rescue patients. They risked their lives by evacuating them from the burning building while the station was being bombed.

Later in England, Clare was awarded the Military Medal which was personally pinned on by King George V. Clare was the only Tasmanian woman to receive this medal.