Eleanor Savage GM (1912 - 1985)

Born 17 Oct 1912 in Quirindi, New South Wales, Australia

Ancestors

Died 25 Apr 1985 at age 72 in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia

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Biography

Sister Ellen Savage GM

Ellen Savage GM is Notable.

Eleanor 'Ellen' Savage was born on 17th October 1912 in Quirindi, on New South Wales' Liverpool Plains, Australia. 'Nelly', as she was known to her family, was the third and youngest daughter of Russian-born Henry Savage and New South Welsh-born Sarah Mulheron. ^[1] She attended Quirindi Convent school.

After completing her nursing training at Newcastle General Hospital (now Royal Newcastle Hospital) from 1929 to 1934 and been registered as a Nurse, Ellen studied obstetrics at the Crown Street Women's Hospital, Surry Hills, and mothercraft at Tresillian Mothercraft Training School, Petersham; both in Sydney's inner southern suburbs. She passed her midwifery examination in June 1936.

Ellen Savage GM is a Military Veteran.
Served in the Australian Army Nursing Service 1941-1946
113th Australian General Hospital; AHS Oranje; AHS Centaur

Ellen did not hesitate to seek a commission in the Australian Army Nursing Service (AANS) from the outset of the Second World War, achieving such on 24th May 1941 in Tamworth, New South Wales. She was appointed to the 113th Australian General Hospital (AGH), Concord, Sydney, but in the November transferred from the Militia to the Second Australian Imperial Force, so that she could serve overseas. ^[2] She was posted to the Australian Hospital Ship (AHS) Oranje, serving aboard in the Middle East. She was promoted to Sister on 25th May 1942 and Lieutenant in March 1943.

When the Sinking of AHS Centaur - Ship Tree was struck by torpedoes from a Japanese submarine on 12th May 1943 off the southern Queensland coast, (Ellen) Nurse Savage was badly injured. She was sucked down with the sinking ship and suffered fractured ribs, nose and palate, perforated ear drums and bruises. She hid these injuries from fellow survivors while she attended to the wounded and dying. She was the only nurse to survive the sinking. ^[3] On 22nd August 1944 she was awarded the George Medal (GM) for 'conspicuous gallantry in lifesaving after AHS Centaur attacked by submarine'. ^[4][5][6] Her final posting before resigning her commission on 8th March 1946 was aboard AHS Oranje, assisting with the repatriation home of wounded Australian servicemen and liberated prisoners-of-war. ^[2] For her five years of AANS service, Ellen was awarded the 1939-1945 Star and the ...

Pacific Star Attestation p.9

Ellen's George Medal was mailed to her at 736 Pacific Highway, Gordon (in Sydney's northern suburbs) on 26th August 1947; her humility precluded her from accepting a formal Government House presentation. ^[5]

In 1947 she won a Florence Nightingale Memorial Scholarship for postgraduate study in England, where she gained a diploma in nursing administration from the Royal College of Nursing. Her overseas studies also included observational tours of hospitals in England, Scandinavia, and Canada. ^[7]

Upon returning home, Ellen took every opportunities to support charity work, especially veteran related, for example, Legacy, or nursing related, and the Red Cross. She was actively involved in fund-raising that helped to establish Centaur House, Brisbane, an educational and social centre for nurses. In 1949 she was appointed a Supervisory Sister, part of the administrative staff, at Newcastle General Hospital. She resigned from the hospital in 1967, as Matron of the chest unit at Rankin Park.

Aged 72 years, unmarried, Ellen passed away outside Sydney Hospital after attending a re-union on 25th April – Anzac Day – 1985. ^[8]

On 7th April 1993, Australia Post issued a postage stamp in honour of Ellen Savage. ^[9]

Sources

1. ↑ New South Wales Birth Index #48461/1912
2. ↑ ^{2.0 2.1} Department of Veterans' Affairs nominal roll: NFX76584 (N270911, NX76584) Lieutenant Ellen Savage; accessed 21 Aug 2022
3. ↑ Australian War Memorial: Sister Ellen Savage; accessed 21 Aug 2022
4. ↑ Australian Honours: George Medal; accessed 21 Aug 2022
5. ↑ ^{5.0 5.1} Australian War Memorial honours and awards (recommendation): George Medal; accessed 21 Aug 2022
6. ↑ Australian War Memorial honours and awards: George Medal; accessed 21 Aug 2022
7. ↑ Catholic Weekly (Sydney, NSW : 1942 - 1954) Thu 23 Dec 1948 Page 1 Famous Nurse Returns Home; accessed 22 Aug 2022
8. ↑ New South Wales Death Index #11077/1985
9. ↑ Royal College of Nursing: Ellen Savage (1912-1985); accessed 22 Aug 2022

• Centaur (Hospital ship)