• Entry type: Person
  • Entry ID: AWE0593

Bowe, Ethel Jessie

  • OBE, RRC, ARRC
(1906 – 1961)
  • Born 27 May 1906, Maldon, Victoria, Australia
  • Died 13 October 1961, Repatriation General Hospital Heidelberg, Victoria, Australia
  • Occupation Matron, Nurse, Servicewoman

Events

  • 1960

    Gave the eighth annual oration for the New South Wales College of Nursing

  • 2040 - 2042

    Served in the Middle East

  • 1931

    Joined the Australian Army Nursing Service Reserve

  • 2041

    Appointed temporary matron

  • 2041

    Appointed matron

  • 2043

    Appointed deputy Matron-in-Chief

  • 2045

    Awarded Associate Royal Red Cross

  • 2045

    Appointed Principal Matron

  • 2045

    Based on Morotai Island in the South West Pacific

  • 1948

    Awarded the United States of America’s Bronze Star for her services

  • 1946

    Appointed matron of the 115 Military (Repatriation General) Hospital, Heidelberg

  • 2047 - 2048

    Appointed principal matron, Southern Command

  • 1930

    Completed midwifery training at the Queen Victoria Hospital, Melbourne

  • 1931 - 1935

    Sister on staff at the Royal Melbourne Hospital

  • 1936 - 1939

    Sister tutor at the Perth Hospital, Western Australia

  • 2039

    Appointed Sister in the Australian Army Nursing Service

  • 2040

    Called up for service with the Australian Imperial Force

  • 2040

    Posted senior sister of the 2/2 Australian General Hospital (AGH)

  • 2040

    Served in England

  • 1927 - 1929

    Nursing training at the Royal Melbourne Hospital

  • 1950

    Matron of the Austin Hospital, Heidelberg

  • 2051

    Rejoined Australian Military Forces

  • 2052

    Appointed matron-in-chief and granted the rank of honorary colonel

  • 1953

    Awarded a Florence Nightingale medal

  • 2055

    Awarded the Red Cross Medal

  • 2060

    Appointed Officer to the Order of the British Empire

  • 1957

    Appointed honorary nursing sister to Queen Elizabeth II

Published resources

  • Edited Book
    • Who's Who in Australia 1950, Alexander, Joseph A, 1950
  • Book
    • From blue to khaki: The enlisted voluntary aids and others who became members of the Australian Army Medical Women's Service and served from 19421-1951, Mount-Batten, Betty J, 1995
    • Guns and brooches : Australian Army Nursing from the Boer War to the Gulf War, Bassett, Jan, 1992
    • Australian women at war, Adam-Smith, Patsy, 1984
  • Resource Section
  • Resource

Related entries


  • Related Organisations
    • Australian Army Nursing Service (AANS) (1902 - 1948)
    • Royal Australian Army Nursing Corps (RAANC) (1948 - )