Louisa Bicknell

Louisa Annie Bicknell (1879 - 25 June 1915) was an Australian civilian and military nurse who died while serving in World War I.[1]

Early life

Bicknell was born in Abbotsford, Victoria, Australia in 1879, the seventh of twelve children of Eliza and John Bicknell.[2] She initially learnt dressmaking, but later decided to train as a nurse. She trained at Mooroopna Hospital and worked at the Women’s Hospital.[2]

Career

Bicknell opened her own private hospital at Bairnsdale and nursed there for eight years.[2] In April 1915 she enlisted in the Australian Army Nursing Service and embarked for Egypt on the Kyarra. She was stationed at Heliopolis, Cairo at the No.1 Australian General Hospital.[3]

Death

Bicknell sustained a scratch on her hand while nursing wounded soldiers, and developed pyaemia, a type of infection.[2][4] She was ill for about six days, and died on 25 June 1915.[1][2] Before she died, it was reported that she said "How hard it is to die with so little accomplished, but I would go through it all again to help."[4]

Bicknell is buried in the Cairo War Memorial Cemetery.[5] She is remembered on the Bairnsdale Shire honour roll and on a memorial to overseas nurses who died in World War I at the Elizabeth Garrett Anderson Hospital in London.[2]

References

  1. 1 2 "First death of an Australian nurse | Queensland's World War 1 Centenary". blogs.slq.qld.gov.au. Retrieved 2016-09-24.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Their Duty Done". Retrieved 24 September 2016.
  3. ↑ "Bi". Australian Nurses in World War 1. Retrieved 2016-09-24.
  4. 1 2 Shepherd, Sarah (2015-11-24). "Staff Nurse Louisa Bicknell 'As brave as any fighting soldier'". Soldiering In Egypt. Retrieved 2016-09-24.
  5. ↑ "Roll of Honour: Louisa Annie Bicknell | Australian War Memorial". www.awm.gov.au. Retrieved 2016-09-24.
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