Daphne Rowena Commons

Born 1882 - Died 1968

Service number: WWI 22/20 AWMM
Also known as: Rowna AWMM
Armed force / branch: Army AWMM
Last rank: Inter War
War: World War I, 1914-1918 AWMM

Daphne Rowena Commons — Nurses New Zealand General Hospital Cairo. Identification of nurses in photograph from scrapbook re. Cora B. Roberton (nee Anderson) [Box 9]: Detail of Daphne Commons. Mackrell, Brent. Papers. Auckland War Memorial Museum Library. MS-2003-107. Image has no known copyright restrictions. No Known Copyright Restrictions

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Biographical information

Duaghter of Catherine Sarah Commons and William McKenzie Commons

Returned to New Zealand on the Corinthic

Served 3 years 303 days

Serial Number originally 22/11 and published on the on Nominal Roll, later changed to 22/20 and published on Archives New Zealand. Name misspelt on the Service record and Nominal Roll as Rowna

Attended Auckland University College (now the University of Auckland).
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Daphne Commons - 1882-1968

Daphne, the eldest of seven children born to William McKenzie Commons and Catherine Sarah nee Rigby, was born in 1882. Her brother Kenneth Wrigley Commons enlisted as number 12/63 and went away with the Auckland Infantry Battalion. He was killed in action at Gallipoli in 1915.

Daphne was one of 50 nurses who went away in April 1915 as part of the New Zealand Army. They left on the ship Rotorua bound for England. According to Kai Tiaka, (the magazine of the NZ Nurses Organisation started in 1905) she won a Medal in 1914 for the nurse with the highest marks graduating that year from Auckland Hospital.

Before the nurses left Auckland, an “At Home” was held at the home of Mrs Gill in Gillies Avenue. She was the President of the Auckland branch of the Trained Nurses Association. She presented each nurse with a hot water bag and a pen.

Daphne was mentioned in dispatches in 1916 for hospital work in Egypt. Her name, along with many others, was published in most of the larger daily papers in NZ. After serving in Cairo, she went to England in 1916 and worked at Brockenhurst Hospital. She returned to NZ in 1919 on the “Corinthic” and went to work in Rotorua. She recorded her war experiences in diaries which are available through National Library of NZ.
She died in Auckland in December 1968 aged 87. After a funeral in Purewa conducted by W H Tongue, her ashes were returned.

Above biography was transcribed, researched and written by Margaret Nash of Panmure Branch of NZSG
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Sources

External links: Births, Deaths and Marriages (New Zealand) Historical Records online
https://www.bdmhistoricalrecords.dia.govt.nz
Sources Used
Military personnel file
https://collections.archives.govt.nz/web/arena/search/#/entity/aims-archive/R21896476
Further Reference
New Zealand Military Nursing: New Zealand Army Nursing Service - Royal New Zealand Nursing Corps
http://web.archive.org/web/20220126041404/https://www.nzans.org/index.htm
Further Reference
Auckland University College Roll of Honour.
http://www.specialcollections.auckland.ac.nz/ww1-centenary/roll-of-honour/search?page=317
Further Reference
Auckland University College Roll of Honour. Daphen Commons Profile Page.
http://www.specialcollections.auckland.ac.nz/ww1-centenary/collegians-at-war/their-stories/daphne-commons
Further Reference
Online Cenotaph Feature
http://www.aucklandmuseum.com/war-memorial/online-cenotaph/features/daphne-commons
Further Reference
St David's Church - Khyber Pass Auckland
Roll of Honour.
http://www.saintdavidsfriends.org.nz/herita
Public - Helen - Researcher - 8 May 2015 - The History Of St David's Presbyterian Church 1864-1964
References: McDonald, W. (2013). Honours and Awards to the New Zealand Expeditionary Force in the Great War, 1914-1918. (3rd ed.). Hamilton, N.Z.: Richard Stowers.
New Zealand Military Nursing - A History of the R.N.Z.N.C. Boer War to Present Day
New Zealand Army Expeditionary Force. (1914-1919). Nominal Rolls of New Zealand Expeditionary Force, Volume I. Wellington, N.Z.: Govt. Printer.
Vol1: 142
Service Women Project: Sponsorship to research this record was kindly provided by the Auckland Returned Services Association, Returned Servicewomen's Branch; Marjorie Traill, Dorothy Grant, Daphne Shaw and Margaret Woollett.
A.U.C. roll of honour, 1914 - 1920. MSS & Archives E-2, Special Collections, University of Auckland Libraries and Learning Services.
Mackrell, B. (n.d.). Papers. Auckland War Memorial Museum. MS 2003/107.
McNabb, S. (2015). 100 years New Zealand military nursing : New Zealand Army nursing service : Royal New Zealand Nursing Corps, 1915-2015. Hawke's Bay, N.Z.: Sherayl McNabb.
Colin M. Gordon Album (1915-1918). Auckland War Memorial Museum - Tāmaki Paenga Hira PH-ALB-376.
Unknown, photographer (1915-1916). [Agnes (Peggy) Williams photograph album]. Auckland War Memorial Museum - Tāmaki Paenga Hira PH-2017-2-3.
Tolerton, J. (2017). Make her praises heard afar : New Zealand women overseas in World War One. Wellington, New Zealand : Booklovers Books.
Rogers, A. (2003). While You're Away: New Zealand Nurses at War 1899-1948. Auckland, N.Z.: Auckland University Press.

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Daphne Rowena Commons