Curio

State Library of New South Wales

Nora Kathleen Fletcher

Carbon photoprint

Presented by Judith Paszek, 1968

PXB 353


‘Faith, hope, charity’

Nora Fletcher was an experienced nurse, working in Europe when war was declared in 1914. She was 34 years old when she joined the British Red Cross in September 1914 and worked as Principal Matron in France and Belgium. Highly regarded by her colleagues, she received several awards for her services including the Royal Red Cross in 1915 and Commander of the Order of the British Empire in 1920.


Matron Fletcher received the Honorary Serving Sister of the Order of St. John of Jerusalem in August 1916 for her services in Belgium and France. 


Matron Nora Fletcher was awarded Commander of the British Empire, receiving her honours in March 1920, as announced in The Times, (London), Civilian War Honours, March 31, 1920.


Nora Fletcher was amongst the first group of Red Cross nurses to arrive in France at the beginning of the war and the last to leave. She left France on 6 November 1919, taking with her the last of the Red Cross nurses to be on duty in France. Her work in France lasted five years and one month.


‘Miss Nora Fletcher, of Sydney, who was matron-in-chief of the British Red Cross in France and Belgium, has added C.B.E. to her other orders and decorations, and must now have every honour it is possible for a nurse to win, including the Royal Red Cross, the Order of St. John of Jerusalem, the Belgian Order of Elizabeth, the  French Order of Gratitude, the 1914 Star, 'and the various war medals.'

SOCIETY & FASHION, (1920, June 5), The Australasian, (Melbourne, Vic.), p. 32 


Nora’s collection of photographs, papers and medals were donated to the Library in 1968 by her brother and sister.


In November 1921, Fletcher was awarded the French honour, the Medaille de la Reconnaisance in recognition of her devoted services in the work of the French Red Cross.


Instituted in 1883, the Royal Red Cross (RRC) was the first example of an Order exclusively for women. Men became eligible only in 1976. 

This medal was awarded to nurses who had; 'shown exceptional devotion or competency in performance of nursing duties with the Army in the field, or in Naval and Military or Air Force hospitals or in an Auxiliary War hospital over a continuous or long period or who has performed some exceptional act of bravery or devotion to the post of duty'.

Australian women and Imperial honours, http://www.womenaustralia.info/exhib/honours/rrc.html


A small article was published in some Australian newspapers announcing the award bestowed on Matron Fletcher;

HONOR TO AUSTRALIAN NURSES

At an investiture at BuckinghamPalace his Majesty decorated NursesIda Greaves and Nora Fletcher, bothof Australia, with the Royal Red Cross,the highest distinction that can be accorded to women. He pinned the decorations on their breasts personally,saying. "I am so very pleased with you.” Nurse Fletcher said, "It was a simple, pretty ceremony. The King looked very tired."  

"HONOR TO AUSTRALIAN NURSES." Barrier Miner (Broken Hill, NSW), 24 July 1915, page 7