Nora Kathleen Fletcher
{{Short description|Australian nurse (1880–1976)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2024}}
{{Use Australian English|date=December 2024}}
{{Infobox person
| honorific_prefix =
| name = Nora Kathleen Fletcher
| honorific_suffix = {{post-nominals|country=GBR|CBE|RRC|size=100%}}
| image = Nora Kathleen Fletcher, July 1915 (25305384850).jpg
| alt =
| caption =
| birth_name =
| birth_date = {{Birth date|1880|02|01|df=y}}
| birth_place = Woollahra, New South Wales, Australia
| baptised =
| death_date = {{Death date and age|1976|08|18|1880|02|01|df=y}}
| death_place = Torquay, Devon
| other_names = Paula Ian Alexander
| occupation = Nurse
| years_active =
| employer = British Red Cross
| known_for = Principal matron of the British Red Cross nurses in France and Belgium during World War I
| notable_works =
| parents = {{Unbulleted list | Ann Marian Fletcher | John Walter Fletcher}}
| relatives = {{Unbulleted list | Judith Fletcher (sister) | John Fletcher (brother)}}
}}
Nora Kathleen Fletcher (1 February 1880 - 18 August 1976), known in later life as Paula Ian Alexander, was a decorated Australian nurse, who led the British Red Cross nurses in France and Belgium as principal matron during World War I.
Early life
Fletcher was born on 1 February 1880 in the Sydney suburb of Woollahra.{{Cite web |title=Sydney, Australia, Anglican Parish Registers, 1814-2011 |url=https://www.ancestry.com.au/sharing/27555399?mark=7b22746f6b656e223a2255633755466e776d3146756b4e65463232512f385a674134633475553856766c4f69335a4b33436e7145633d222c22746f6b656e5f76657273696f6e223a225632227d |access-date=2024-12-10 |via=Ancestry.com |language=en-AU}}{{Cite web |title=Fletcher papers, 1914-1948 / Nora Kathleen Fletcher |url=https://collection.sl.nsw.gov.au/record/1bGd4ZPY |access-date=10 December 2024 |website=State Library of New South Wales}} Her parents were Ann Marian Fletcher née Clarke, an embroiderer who made the velvet bag to hold The Ashes urn, and John Walter Fletcher. Her brother, John Fletcher, became a politician in Queensland.{{Cite web |date=2017-03-27 |title=You Might Not Remember... J W Fletcher |url=https://www.sydneyuniversitycricket.com.au/current-news/2017/3/27/you-might-not-remember-j-w-fletcher |access-date=2024-12-14 |website=Sydney Uni Cricket |language=en-AU}} She was educated privately by a governess. When she was 20, she went to train to be a nurse at the St Kilda Hospital in Woolloomooloo.{{Cite web |title=Nora Kathleen Fletcher |url=https://www2.sl.nsw.gov.au/archive/curio/exhibit/1324/index053a.html?from_collection=2&page=10 |access-date=2024-12-22 |website=State Library of NSW: Curio |language=en}} She was appointed as a probationary nurse in the public service in 1902,{{Cite web |title=New South Wales, Australia, Public Service Lists, 1858-1960 |url=https://www.ancestry.com.au/sharing/27555678?mark=7b22746f6b656e223a22712b5368326d78534a787276797a686679502f4e684c48464d336b615959455438633069557959416b54773d222c22746f6b656e5f76657273696f6e223a225632227d |access-date=2024-12-10 |via=Ancestry.com |language=en-AU}} and graduated as a nurse in 1906 from the Coast Hospital (later known as Prince Henry Hospital) in Little Bay.
Career
Six years before World War I broke out, Fletcher moved to England. During this time, in her work as a nurse she travelled to places such as the French Riviera, Italy and Cairo. After war was declared, she joined the British Red Cross in September 1914.
Fletcher was one of the first of the British Red Cross nurses to arrive in France, and she was among the last to leave. She was based in Boulogne. She was promoted to matron, taking command of a unit. {{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article238780284 |title=SYDNEY WOMAN DECORATED |newspaper=The Daily Telegraph |issue=11460 |location=New South Wales, Australia |date=2 February 1916 |accessdate=11 December 2024 |page=6 |via=National Library of Australia}} She soon became the principal matron of all the British Red Cross personnel in France and Belgium hospitals, with up to 400 army sisters under her charge, organising the movement of all women workers who passed through France, Italy, Malta and Egypt.{{Citation| author1=Australian Red Cross Society. New South Wales Division | title=INTERSTATE VISITORS | journal=The N.S.W. Red Cross Record | year=1914 | issue=1, no.6 (June 1915) | location=Sydney | publisher=The Division | url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-104693969 | id=nla.obj-104693969 | access-date=13 December 2024 | via=Trove}} Praise for her work included:
"Miss Fletcher has an extensive knowledge of people and things; she is an excellent organiser, very energetic, tactful, direct and broad-minded, loyal to those whom she serves and is respected by her fellow workers and subordinates."
In 1915, in a ceremony at Buckingham Palace, King George V awarded Fletcher the Royal Red Cross (1st class) for her distinguished service in France.{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article84399828 |title=VICE REGAL |newspaper=Queensland Figaro |volume=XVII |location=Queensland, Australia |date=19 February 1916 |access-date=14 December 2024 |page=15 |via=National Library of Australia}}{{Cite web |title=Nora Fletcher |url=https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/R2091384 |access-date=2024-12-10 |website=Australian War Memorial |language=en}} In 1916, Fletcher was made a Honorary Serving Sister of the Order of St. John of Jerusalem. She was made a Commander of the Order of the British Empire in 1920. In November 1921, the French government awarded her the Medaille de la Reconnaisance francaise, or Medal of French Gratitude, for her work during the war.
Later life
In 1968, Fletcher's brother and sister donated her papers, photographs and medals to the State Library of New South Wales.
Fletcher, who was known as Paula Ian Alexander, spent her later life living in Torquay, Devon, England, and died there aged 96, in the Ardvar nursing home, on 18 August 1976.{{Cite news |date=20 August 1976 |title=Nursing heroine of first world war |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/860507504/?match=1&terms=%E2%80%9CNora%20Kathleen%20Fletcher%E2%80%9D |access-date=2024-12-10 |website=Herald Express |page=9 |language=en |via=Newspapers.com}}{{Cite news |date=19 August 1976 |title=Deaths |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/860507378/?match=1&terms=nora%20fletcher |access-date=2024-12-10 |work=Herald Express |page=2 |language=en |via=Newspapers.com}}
References
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Category:Australian emigrants to England
Category:Australian people of Irish descent
Category:Australian women of World War I
Category:Australian military nurses
Category:People from the Eastern Suburbs (Sydney)