Helena Kathleen ISDELL. Staff Nurse 22/130 NZANS. New Zealand No1 Stationary Hospital
Born 31 November 1888 at Stillwater, Westland, New Zealand to James and Josephine Margaret Isdell, nee McKeevey. It appears that her father has remarried as Helena gave her next of kin as Helena C of Preston Road Greymouth. The 25 October 1921 her war medals were sent to her “mother” Helena C Isdell at Guiness Street, Greymouth.
Trained as a nurse in Napier Hospital, Napier, New Zealand. 6 July 1915 Matron at Kumara Hospital, Kumara, West Coast, New Zealand.
Notes from her service record
Enlisted 6 July 1915 at Wellington, New Zealand aged 26 years. Her next of kin was given as Helena C Isdell, mother. It appears that her father remarried.
The 10 July 1915 she was posted to No1 N.Z. Hospital Ship Maheno at Wellington New Zealand. 19 July 1915 she embarked on active service from Wellington, on board the hospital ship bound for Port Said, Egypt, disembarking 18 August 1915 with a staff of seven medical officers and 86 other ranks. She joined a contingent of nurses working at No 1 Stationary Hospital. She and others of No 1 New Zealand Stationary Hospital embarked from Alexandria on a grey painted troop ship. SS Marquette the 19 October 1915 bound for Salonica. The ship was torpedoed by a German submarine U-35 which sank in the Aegean Sea, Gulf of Salonika 23 October 1915. She lost her life when a life boat being lowered into the Aegean Sea swung out of control into the nurses in their life boat killing and mortally wounding others, she was aged 37. no
She served 14 days in New Zealand. Egypt 91 days. Balkans 5 days.
New Zealand nurse who served in the First World War and died in the sinking of SS Marquette in 1915. Isdell was born in Greymouth, on the West Coast of New Zealand, on 30 November 1888.[2] Her parents were Josephine Margaret and James Isdell.[3] After completing her training, Isdell was the...
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An extract from the service record of Staff Nurse 175 Margaret Rogers, the other nurse whose body was recovered.
Extract from Cable dated 30 October 1915.
Two nurses taken from an overturned boat at Zagora. Gold watch marked Margaret Rogers together with badge 1366 NZANS from one body has been forwarded to the British Consul, Volo Badu. Buried at Zagora this morning 30 October 1915.
Commemorated on the Mikra Memorial, New Zealand.
Letter dated 1 February 1916 Re22/175 Nurse Margaret Rogers. to to P.E. Patrick Esq. P.O. Box 1527, Wellington.
“ I have now to advise having received a cablegram from Alexandria worded as follows.
Your telegram BR 138 Bodies of two nurses recovered from overturned boat a Zagora stop gold watch with inscription of Margaret Rogers together with badge N.Z.A.N.S. 1366 taken from one body stop there are no other means of identification stop sent effects to New Zealand December 24th per “Tofua” stop Bodies buried at Zagora October 30th , in the in south corner near
church stop no other bodies have been recovered”.
P.S. The other nurse was Helena Isdell
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Her brother Private 761027 Charles Creagh Isdell, 29th Canadian Infantry died of wounds aged 34 in 22 Causality Clearing Station, France. At rest in Bruay Communal Cemetery Extension, France.
