Edith Rudd

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Edith Mary Rudd RRC (née Lewis; 14 February 1882 – 7 May 1967) was a New Zealand civilian and military nurse. She served in both World War I and World War II, and received the Florence Nightingale Medal from the Red Cross in 1961.[1][2]

Early life

Rudd was born in Northampton, England, the daughter of George Llewellyn Lewis and Mary Hunter née Littlejohn.[3] She trained as a nurse at Whanganui Hospital in the North Island of New Zealand.[3]

Career

Rudd worked as a nurse at Rostrevor Hospital in Gisborne, in the North Island of New Zealand, until 1915, when she enlisted with the New Zealand Army Nursing Service.[3][4] In December that year she sailed from Wellington on the ship SS Marama.[5] She served in Egypt until 1918, nursing soldiers injured on the Western Front.[5] On returning to New Zealand, Rudd continued nursing and from 1921 to 1941 she was Matron of Wairau Hospital in Blenheim.[1] She also became involved with the New Zealand Red Cross, joining the Marlborough branch in 1925.[1]

Rudd served as a nurse again in World War II, as Matron of the New Zealand Hospital Ship Maunganui from 1941 to 1945.[6] Rudd and the Maunganui sailed from Wellington to Suez in April 1941 with a group of 20 New Zealand nurses.[5] She became known as the "Momma of the Black Dressing Gown" as she wore a black silk dressing gown to make her night rounds during blackout conditions on board the ship.[6] By the end of Rudd's service, in 1945, the ship had carried more than 5,600 patients.[5] Rudd spent some time in 1945 and 1946 nursing at Trentham Military Hospital in Wellington on her return to New Zealand.[3]

In 1952, Rudd became president of the Marlborough branch of the Red Cross.[1] In 1963, she published her memoirs, titled Joy in the Caring.[7]

Honours

In the 1944 King's Birthday Honours, Rudd received the highest military nursing award, the Royal Red Cross (First Class). In 1953, she received the Queen Elizabeth II Coronation Medal.[1] In 1961, she was presented with the Florence Nightingale Medal by the Red Cross.[5]

In 2013, Rudd's Florence Nightingale Medal was loaned to the Marlborough RSA for display in its rooms.[1]

Personal life

In 1927, Rudd was engaged to a Mr Nees, chairman of Wairau Hospital.[8] Rudd married William George Rudd in 1946.[5]

Edith Rudd died in Blenheim on 7 February 1967 and is buried at Omaka Cemetery.[3]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f Duggan, Kat (7 August 2013). "Matron's medal on display at RSA". Stuff.co.nz. Retrieved 31 August 2016.
  2. ^ "International Aid Worker Programme | New Zealand Red Cross". www.redcross.org.nz. Retrieved 31 August 2016.
  3. ^ a b c d e "Edith Mary Lewis". Auckland War Memorial Museum. Retrieved 31 August 2016.
  4. ^ "Nurses at war". Gisborne Herald. 24 April 2016. Retrieved 31 August 2016.
  5. ^ a b c d e f "Matron E.M. Lewis, Wairau Hospital". WW1 Marlborough Sacrifice, The People. Marlborough Museums. Archived from the original on 11 September 2016. Retrieved 31 August 2016.
  6. ^ a b "Matron 'Momma' Lewis". National Army Museum Newsletter. June–July 2015. Retrieved 31 August 2016.
  7. ^ Rudd, Edith M. (1963). Joy in the Caring. Christchurch NZ: N. M. Peryer.
  8. ^ National Library of New Zealand. "Papers Past | Marriages and Engagements (Kai Tiaki : the journal of the nurses of New Zealand, 1927-04-01)". paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. Retrieved 31 August 2016.
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