General News
2 May, 2026
Margaret May Mann
VETERAN VOICES: Margaret May Mann was born in Lillimur, near Kaniva on 5 March 1884.
Margaret was daughter of John Smith Mann and Mary Ann nee Yelland of 8 Hill Street, Parkside, SA.
She was living in Searings Hill Street Parkside, South Australia.
Margaret was 31 years of age.
After graduation from the Adelaide Hospital in 1912.
Her occupation prior to enlisting was nurse at Adelaide Hospital for 3 years and a private nursing home for 2 1/2 years.
Margaret’s Certificates of efficiency in medical and surgical nursing recorded as second class. She was in charge of a single ward for 3 months
Her titles were ATNA, Royal British Nurses Association, RBNA, Kings College London.
Margaret May Mann enlisted on 12 August 1915, Her examination on the 12 July 1915.
Concluded she had sound health and was capable of doing hard work and undergoing fatigue.
Her examination showed she was free of hernia’s, varicose veins, haemorrhoids, anaemia, severe dyspepsia, or other women’s disorders.
Margaret was to be a Staff Nurse in Australian Army Nursing Service (AANS) Serving in Egypt, England, France.
Margaret May Mann embarked on 26 August 1915 per “Morea” to serve in France.
She disembarked at Suez to serve at 10th Australian General Hospital (AGH).
She was to join 1st Australian General Hospital (AGH) Heliopolis Cairo.
Margaret was taken on strength as Sister to 2nd Australian General Hospital, Wimereux on 22 September 1915 to serve as a reinforcement Sister AANS.
On 20 March 1916 Margaret signed her AIF Attestation Paper in Cairo, Egypt. She was a Sister.
On 25 March 1916 She reported today from duty elsewhere.
Margaret proceeded to No1 CH Heliopolis.
Margaret embarked “Braemar Castle” proceeding to Alexandria to Join the British Commonwealth Forces (BEF) on 26 March 1916.
She was detached from 2 AGH and proceeded to Etaples for duty Marseilles on 13 June 1916.
Margaret reattached to 2nd AGH from Etaples on 13 July 1916.
No.2 Australian General Hospital – Abbeville & Wimereux
No.2 AGH arrived at Marseille from Egypt on the Braemar Castle on 1st April 1916 with a nursing staff of 115.
Upon arrival they took over the local hospital at Moussot, where they were stationed and ready to treat soldiers with infectious diseases that had been identified on the inspections at sea following the soldier’s embarkation from Egypt.
The main body of the medical staff left on 29th June for Wimereux near Boulogne leaving a section to carry on at the hospital until 18th August 1916.
The first contingent arrived 1st July 1916 (first day of the Somme offensive) on the site of partly completed 5th British Convalescent Depot on the road between Wimereux and Boulogne, which at the time was the most important base port of the BEF and on the direct route of casualties from the Ypres Salient to the channel port.
The tented hospital was ready for patients the next day, and in due course would be supplemented by 17 huts.
As with No.1 AGH, the severe winter of 1916-1917 caused hardships for both the medical staff and the patients.
Water pipes would frequently freeze and there was a shortage of coal.
The first major influx of patients occurred in April 1917 with the British and Canadian offensive at Vimy Ridge.
Given its close proximity to the port of Boulogne and associated railway lines, the hospital was frequently bombed.
The hospital at Wimereux, which came to specialize in fractures, closed on 7th February 1919, with instruction to return to Australia in March.
Three soldiers from the 22nd Battalion are buried in the Boulogne Eastern Cemetery.
Illness and discharge
On 27 February 1917 she was sent to hospital sick with an inflamed larynx Margaret rejoined her unit on 6 March 1917.
She was posted for duty to 3rd AGH France on 7 October 1917.
The 3rd Australian General Hospital (3AGH) served in France during World War I, primarily at Abbeville from June 1917 to April 1919.
Initially, it was located in tents and huts, admitting patients, including those who had been gassed, for brief treatment before transferring them elsewhere.
During the German offensive in 1918, 3AGH temporarily functioned as a Casualty Clearing Station, receiving wounded directly from the battlefield.
Margaret fractured her left ankle when attached to 3rd AGH on 4 January 1918.
On 5 January 1918, she was sent to 2nd auxiliary hospital and then transferred to England on 16 January 1918.
She was admitted to 12th Hospital, Southwell Gardens England on 17 January 1918.
When well enough Margaret was again attached to 2nd AAH Abbeville, France on for duty.
She was transferred to 2nd Auxiliary Hospital, again for her ankle injury.
On 20- 23 January 1918 Margaret embarked for England for return to Australia per Braemar Castle on her service record.
On her Australian army nursing service record it has her leaving on 14 October 1918 per “Wyreema” and invalided.
She disembarked ex Wyreema for duty at Quarantine Station on 21 December 1918.
Her record states she had treatment for a Potts Fracture.
She had boarded on 23 May 1918, 5 June 1918, 19 June 1918 and 23 August for duty “Wyreema from Cape Town on account of Armistice.
This record states she had reported for duty at 15 AGH on 26 August 1918 straight from “Wyreema” on account that the hospital was short staffed.
Margaret returned to Australia on 26 /12/1918.
She was reappointed to No 15 AGH on 29 April 1919. On 25 May 1919 as a Sister in the Australian Army Nursing Service (AANS) she was discharged AIF 4 Military District (4MD) (TPE) owing to cessation of hostilities.
Margaret’s medals included 1914/15 Star (No.2342), British War Medal (B.W.M.No.5205), Victory Medal (V.M.No.5159) 20 AUG 1915. She received a gold medal as member of RBNA Volunteers.
Margaret was a Matron at Minda Home Incorporated 1929 - 1932
Margaret died at Daw Park, South Australia, 30 March 1971, aged 87
Margaret is buried at Mitcham General Cemetery, South Australia
Section M, Plot 27 North (old section). Cremated 31.03.1971 in Centennial Park and interred with her parents on 02.04.1971.
There is a large headstone on Section M, Plot 27 (next to her plot) and confirmed her parents’ names are on the headstone.
Margaret's name maybe on this headstone.
Margaret May Mann is commemorated on Gawler Council Gawler Men Who Answered the Call WW1 Roll of Honor, Keswick South Australian Army Nurses Roll of Honor, Unley Museum Honour Board, Unley Town Hall WW1 Honour Board.
With thanks: Sally Bertram, RSL Military History Library.
Contact Sally at sj.bertram@hotmail.com or call 0409 351 940.