Annie Moriah Sage CBE RRC (1895 - 1969)

Born 17 Aug 1895 in Somerville, Victoria (Australia)

Ancestors

Died 4 Apr 1969 at age 73 in Frankston, Victoria, Australia

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Biography

Colonel Annie Sage

Annie Sage CBE RRC is Notable.

Annie Sage CBE RRC was born in the Colony of Victoria (1851-1900)

Colonel Annie Moriah Sage CBE RRC FNM was born on 17th August 1895 in Somerville, Victoria (Australia). She was the fifth and youngest child of Edward Sage, a butcher, and his wife, Mary Murray, both Victorian born. ^[1] She was educated at Somerville State School. ^[2]

Annie was a nurse; known as a humane and gentle woman with a salty sense of humour

Annie trained at the Melbourne Hospital and studied midwifery at the Women's Hospital, Carlton. She was registered as a midwife in September 1924 and granted her nursing certificate in November 1926. After gaining a qualification in infant welfare from the Victorian Baby Health Centres Association (VBHCA), she obtained a diploma of public health from the Royal Sanitary Institute, London. In 1936 she became matron of the VBHCA's training school. ^[2]

Annie Sage CBE RRC is a Military Veteran.
Served in the Australian Army Nursing Service 1940-1952
2/2nd Australian General Hospital; Matron-in-Chief AIF Middle East; Matron-in-Charge AANS

On 1st January 1940, Annie was commissioned into the Australian Army Nursing Service (AANS) and appointed matron of the 2/2nd Australian General Hospital. The hospital embarked for the Middle East in April 1940. Annie served at Gaza Ridge, Palestine, and at Kantara, Egypt, before being appointed matron-in-chief AIF Middle East in May 1941. ^[2]

She was awarded the Royal Red Cross 1st Class (RRC) in 1942 for 'exceptional tact and administrative ability'. ^[3] She returned to Australia in May 1942 and was promoted to deputy matron-in-chief at Land Headquarters, Melbourne. ^[2] On 4th February 1943, Annie was appointed matron-in-chief of the AANS, a position she held with honour. ^[4] In this role 'Sammy', as Annie was known, organised the AANS for duty in the South-West Pacific Area and oversaw the training scheme for the Australian Army Medical Women's Service.

For her war service, she was awarded the Florence Nightingale medal in 1947 by the International Red Cross.

Annie was appointed Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in 1951. ^[5] She retired from the Army on 17th August 1952.

Annie continued to serve her community the rest of her life, including:

• member of the Royal Victorian College of Nursing; making a very important contribution to postgraduate nursing education.
• member of the Nurses Board of Victoria.
• member of the Florence Nightingale Memorial Committee of Australia.
• member of the Centaur War Nurses Memorial Fund.
• founding president (1949-50), treasurer (1950-52) and an honorary fellow (1967) of the College of Nursing, Australia; she helped to establish its War Nurses Memorial Centre in St Kilda Road, Melbourne.
• honorary colonel of the Royal Australian Army Nursing Corps in 1957-62.

In 1956, Annie became a partner in a grocery shop at Somerville which traded as Sage & Lewis.

Annie was 166cm (5' 5½") tall, with blue eyes, fair hair, plain features and a dignified bearing.

She passed away, aged 73 years, on 4th April 1969 at her home at Mount Eliza, Victoria. ^[6] Part of her estate, sworn for probate at $73,643, was bequeathed to her six nieces and three nephews, to whom she was known as 'Aunty Fam'.

In 1969 the College of Nursing established the Annie M Sage Memorial Scholarship, which provides $10,000 for postgraduate research studies in nursing at an Australian university.

Sources

1. ↑ Victoria Birth Index #20984/1895
2. ↑ ^{2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3} McCarthy, Janice. 'Sage, Annie Moriah (1895–1969)', Australian Dictionary of Biography, National Centre of Biography, Australian National University, published first in hardcopy 2002, accessed online 3 Mar 2020
3. ↑ Australian War Memorial honours and awards: VX361 Matron in Charge Annie Moriah Sage; accessed 3 Mar 2020
4. ↑ Australian War Memorial: VX361 Matron in Charge Annie Moriah Sage; accessed 3 Mar 2020
5. ↑ Australian War Memorial honours and awards: VX361 Matron in Charge Annie Moriah Sage; accessed 3 Mar 2020
6. ↑ Victoria Death Index #13380/1969