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A mission of mercy

Friday 25 April, 2008 12:01am

IT wouldn't have mattered to the sick, injured and dying Diggers she nursed in bloody war zones that Ada Alice Morehead did not have a medal she would have been a sister of mercy to them nevertheless.

Born on June 9, 1887, to John and Annie Morehead of Ferndale, Luddenham, Moorehead is believed to have completed her nursing training at Nepean Cottage Hospital.

The date of her enlistment is unknown.

However, she left Australia on July 23, 1915, possibly on board the Orsova.

On October 28, 1915, staff nurse Morehead began duty at the 2000-bed Norfolk War Hospital, Norwich, England, a former lunatic asylum requisitioned by the military.

On December 1, 1915, Morehead went to the 4th London General Hospital, Denmark Hill, London, which catered for military and civilian patients.

She was transferred to No. 3 Australian General Hospital at Brighton, England, on November 2, 1916, before being detached from duty with No. 1 Australian Auxiliary Hospital in March 1917.

In January 1918 Morehead was posted for duty with the 5th Stationary Hospital in France and No. 1 Australian General Hospital in April 1918, and promoted to sister that December.

On December 28, 1918, she disembarked at Southampton bound for Sutton Veny and was granted leave for non-military employment in England between March and July 1919.

However, that leave was cancelled and a medical board found that Sister Morehead was debilitated and had suffered influenza and coughing for three months.

On June 4, 1919, she embarked as a member of the nursing staff on the Bremen bound for Australia, arriving on July 28, 1919.

After WWI Sister Morehead applied for the 1914-1915 Star but was ruled ineligible for the medal because she had not served in a war zone during that time.

She married James McKay at Burwood in 1931 and they lived at Parramatta and Mosman.

Ada Morehead died at Colombo on July 7, 1951, and is buried at Rookwood Cemetery with James.

Sources: Australian Honours List from the Australian War Memorial World War 1 Nominal Roll, interviews by Matron Kellett and the Nepean Times as well as Penrith Library via the "Memories of war" tab on the history section of the Penrith Council website.

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