Collection related to the service of Mrs Reginald Arthur Packham [AKA Sister Gertrude May Skyring]

Accession Number A03296
Collection type Photograph
Object type Black & white - Glass original half plate negative
Maker Unknown
Date made c October 1917
Conflict First World War, 1914-1918
Copyright

Item copyright: Copyright expired - public domain

Public Domain Mark This item is in the Public Domain

Description

Portrait of Staff Nurse Gertrude May Skyring, Australian Army Nursing Service (AANS) and 7302 Private Frank Herbert Skyring who were brother and sister. Gertrude resigned her position at the Gladstone Hospital, Bundaberg, to enlist. She worked at the hospital at Rouen and returned to Australia in July 1919. Her brother Frank served initiallly with the 23rd Battalion, later with the 8th Battalion. He was amongst 1,752 others who survived when the troopship Ballarat was torpedoed and sunk off The Lizard on the 25 April 1917. He was wounded twice during his service and returned to Australia in 1919.