Clare Deacon | |
|---|---|
 Clare Deacon circa 1915 | |
| Born | 13 March 1891 |
| Died | 7 August 1952 |
| Nationality | Australian |
| Occupation | |
| Spouse | James McGregor |
| Honours | MM |
Sister Clare DeaconMM (13 March 1891—7 August 1952) was anAustralian nurse who was among the first women to receive theMilitary Medal for bravery during theFirst World War.
Deacon was born on 13 March 1891 inPipers River, Tasmania as one of five children to Mrs. and Mr. William Deacon.[1][2] She and her youngest sister Henrietta were raised by her aunt Mrs. Bird and uncle Mr. Samuel Bird inBurnie, Tasmania.[1][2]
Deacon trained as a nurse inHobart and passed the general examination in 1912.[3][4]
Deacon was enlisted in theAustralian Imperial Force as a nurse with theAustralian Army Nursing Service on 29 November 1914.[4] She was among the first group of Australian nurses to leave for service on theKyarra.[1][2] Her first military experience was in Egypt where she remained for 12 months, serving at Mena Camp during theGallipoli campaign. In 1915, Deacon was promoted to Sister and relocated to England where she served in hospitals inWandsworth,Denmark Hill andDartford. She then travelled toFrance in March 1916 and was temporarily stationed at the Australian Casualty Clearing Station nearArmentières.[4][5]
Deacon was present during a bombing of the 2nd Australian casualty clearing station in Messines on the night of 22 July 1917.[6] It was reported that during the enemy air raid, despite being off-duty at the time, Deacon refused to leave and continued to treat patients.[7] She protected the soldiers in part by evacuating them from the burning buildings and using the enamel hospital bowls to cover their heads.[2][8]
A few weeks after the air raid, Sister Deacon and three other Australian nurses (SistersDorothy Cawood andAlice Ross-King, and nurse M. J. Derrer) received letters informing them that they had been awarded theMilitary Medal for valour. It was reported that the nurses believed this to be a joke at first because, at that point, no Military Medals had been awarded to women. They realised the awards for "conspicuous bravery at the front" were genuine after receiving official notification and an unofficial presentation fromSir William Birdwood.[5][9] Deacon received the award fromKing George V during her leave inEngland in 1917.[1] She was the firstTasmanian woman to receive the Military Medal, the only Tasmanian nursing sister to have received this medal at the time, and the firstAustralian Red Cross nurse to be decorated byKing George V.[10] The Military Medal was the greatest honour for bravery that could be received by a woman. It was more common for army nurses to receive theRoyal Red Cross, as the Military Medal was only awarded to those who displayed bravery under fire.[1][5]
Deacon returned to Tasmania in 1918 on theTSSKanowna and received praise and recognition back home for her service. In April 1918, she was guest of honour at the Mayor's Court-room inHobart Town Hall along with 21 soldiers, where she was presented with a silver brooch.[3][8][11]
Along with the Military Medal, Deacon also received theBritish War Medal, the1914–15 Star, and theVictory Medal.[2]
Deacon was discharged from the Australian Imperial Force in Tasmania in March 1919.[12] After the war, she worked in military hospitals in Tasmania until her marriage to James McGregor. She then lived inQueensland andNew South Wales for the rest of her life.[3][13]
Deacon died ofmeningitis on 7 August 1952 inCrows Nest, New South Wales, a few weeks after visiting her relatives on theNorth-West coast.[4][1]
Deacon was posthumously inducted into theTasmanian Honour Roll of Women in September 2006. In March 2021, on the 102nd anniversary of her discharge, a memorial frame of her medals was hung in the Medals Room of theArmy Museum of Tasmania along with a biography.[14] Deacon is listed in theDictionary of Biography of notable Australians.[2]
Deacon Close, in the Canberra suburb ofChisholm, is named in her honour.[15]
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