HMAS Boonah and Woodman's Point

[Jim Strawbridge]

Continuing my quest for biographical information on WW1 serving female casualties I have found an Australian radio transcript of an interview with Ian Darroch, author of a book that I believe is called "Boonah - The Ship Of Death That Created An Uproar".

http://www.abc.net.au/stateline/wa/content/2005/s1352875.htm

A sad case of a ship laden with troops many of whom were suffering from Spanish 'flu and were being denied the opportunity to land. When they were they were placed to the Quarantine Station, Woodman's Point, Western Australia. Mention is made that four nurses died but for the life of me I can only work out the names of three - Ada Mildred Thompson, Doris Alice Ridgway and Rosa O'Kane (all Australian Army Nursing Service). If any one has the book I should be grateful if they would check and confirm the number of nurses who died at Quarantine Point and see if their names are given.

[Andrew P]

Hi Jim

I'll see if I can get that one through the library. I'll let you know how I go.

Regards

Andrew

[Andrew P]

Hi Jim

I’ve got the book and there were 4 nurses that died. 3 were military nurses and one was a civilian nurse.

Once it was known the extent of the influenza outbreak on Boonah the worst of the influenza patients were eventually taken to the quarantine station at Woodmans Point, which is about 10 km south of Fremantle. Volunteers from among the military nurses was asked for. These military nurses were brought from the SS Wyreema, then in port and No.8 Military Hospital in Fremantle.

Sister Rosa O’Kane, a volunteer from the SS Wyreema was the first nurse to die on the 21st of December 1918, Sister Ada Thompson on the 1st of January 1919. A few days later civilian nurse Hilda Williams died and was followed shortly after by Staff Sister Doris Ridgeway.

27 Australian & New Zealand soldiers also died at Woodmans point during this time

According to the book the passing of the nurses was deeply mourned, particularly as they had volunteered to nurse the afflicted soldiers.

The following poem which was in the book which was penned by a local poet, Andree Hayward in 1919 as a result of these deaths.

“There is a love that courts, nay welcomes, death

To save a friend therefrom. Few men I wis

May know as great; no man, the Scripture saith,

Greater than this.

But these – ah! These a holier burden bore.

In life’s first freshness or in girlhood’s bloom,

They trod the path that none retraces – for

They knew not whom.

It was enough that stricken soldiers reeled,

Where plague, like some fell beast, its victims tore. It

was enough humanity appealed;

They asked no more.

Soft hands might soothe the agony that galled

Where manhood fought for breath on stretchers rough

‘Neath flimsy, sun scorched canvas Duty called.

That was enough.

Unflinching and unfaltering, unafraid,

Counting the cost, yet careless of the price,

The suffering they succoured. Aye; and paid

In sacrifice!

Their deeds no medals or despatches tell,

They leave no fame to glow, no names to ring,

As on battlefields where heroes fell

For God and King!

And yet – and yet – it seems at least to me

The Honour Roll holds few more Lustrous there

Who faced their fate at grim Gallipoli,

Or Pozieres.

They sleep – where ne’er was battle’s strident stress

Or angry guns’ interminable roar.

They sleep. “Peace hath her victories no less

Renowned than war”

They fought a grislier foe than wings or walks,

A subtler than from ‘neath the water smites;

The scourge that stabs, the pestilence that stalks

Thro’ noons and nights.

With heroes, blood who all sublimely died

Flanders is consecrate and France anoint,

But we – we have a scrap of earth, beside,

With memories of heroines sanctified

In Woodman’s Point."

As an aside the Boonah was bought by the Germans in the 1920’s and was eventually sunk by the British in May 1940.

[Jim Strawbridge]

Thank you, Andrew. for providing this fourth name. I hope that the book proves an interesting read for you. If you find anything biographical about the four nurses please let me know. Pals of this forum (Vicki/Rockingham H.S. and Andrew) have actually managed to obtain photographs of the graves of the three military nurses. This not without some difficulty as there seems to have been exhumations, cremations and Lord knows what since they were originally buried. In addition the area is a bit "in the bush" so not easy to find. Out of interest the picture on the dust jacket is a memorial (possibly grave marker) for Rosa O'Kane.