WW1: enlisted as a nurse on 6 July 1915 aged 37 years; embarked for foreign service on 10.7.1915, unit on embarkation Hospital Ship Maheno; returned to NZ on HS Maheno on 1.1.1916; Reported for duty 9.2.1916; appointed sister 27.7.1916; Embarked NZHS Marama; discharged from HS Marama 2nd Charter, Port Chalmers 10.8.1917, 2nd charter for duty in New Zealand; discharged from staff Marama on arrival NZ; posted on duty at Rotorua12 from 17.9.1917; struck off NZEF from 28.2.1919. During war took leave without pay [2.2.1916-7.11.1916] to nurse her sister-in-law [in South Africa?], then went back;another period of LWOP 7.3.1917-7.9.1917] nursed at Rotorua Hospital through the flu epidemic.

HS Service: Middle East, Gallipoli - "saw many very sad cases ..from Gallipoli and the Dardanelles... often had to work 36 to 48 hours on end.

Medals: 1914-15 Star, British War Medal, Victory medal, Royal Red Cross (ARRC)

Service chevrons: 1 blue stripe

ARRC citation: Sister NZ Army Nursing Service, Military Hospital, Rotorua; London Gazette 6 August 1919, p10053

"In recognition of her nursing service under "The Red Cross Society" or "Order of St John of Jerusalem" rendered in connection with the War."

After returning home, with two other nurses, Evelyn Daisy Lever (qualified Auckland School of Nursing June 1905) and Bertha Emily Taylor (Qualified Auckland Hospital December 1909), opened up "Mt Pleasant" hospital in Wakefield Street, Auckland. Miss Taylor and Miss Cumming being the Head Nurses and Miss Lever, the Theatre Nurse. After a few years Sister Cumming had to go home to look after her mother who was ill, so this ended her nursing career. Sister Cumming was a dedicated nurse and died of a heart attack while living with her sister in Hamilton in 1949 [?]