Mary McBeth
Born 16 Jul 1878 - Died 10 Apr 1968
- Service number
- WWI 22/36 AWMM
- Also known as
- Mary Eliza McBeth AWMM
- Armed force / branch
- Army AWMM
- Last rank
- Inter War Sister AWMM New Zealand Army Nursing Service AWMM
- War
- World War I, 1914-1918 AWMM
About
- Title
- —
- Forenames
- Mary AWMM
- Surname
- McBeth AWMM
- Ingoa
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- Also known as
- Mary Eliza McBeth AWMM
- Service number
- WWI 22/36 AWMM
- Gender
- Female AWMM
- Iwi / Hapū / Waka / Rohe
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- Religion
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Images
Documents
About birth
- Birth
- 16 Jul 1878 AWMM
- Date of birth
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- Place of birth
- Waitohi FlatPublic - simone - 1 December 2024 - Zooniverse - project Measuring the Anzacs - attestation of the NZ Expeditionary Force - Nursing Service
- Birth notes
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- Address before enlistment
- WW1 Pre 06 Apr 1915 AWMM Wellington, New Zealand AWMM
- Post war occupation
- Nurse/Civilian AWMM
Private Maternity Hospital 1920- AWMM - Next of kin
- WW1 David McBeth (father), Mapiu, Waitomo, New Zealand AWMM
- Relationship status
- Pre 08 Apr 1915 AWMM Single AWMM
Wars and conflicts
- War
- World War I, 1914-1918 AWMM
- Campaign
- 1914-1916 AWMM Egypt AWMM
- 1914-1919 AWMM Western Front AWMM
- Armed force / branch
- Army AWMM
- Service number
- WWI 22/36 AWMM
- Military service
- Promotions/ Postings/ Transfers
- —
Military decorations
- Medals and Awards
- Associate Royal Red Cross (ARRC) AWMM
London Gazette 4 June 1917, p5488 In recognition of her valuable nursing service with the Armies in the Field. AWMM - Mentioned in Despatches (MiD) AWMM
London Gazette 21 June 1916, p6184 In connection with administration in Egypt. AWMM
- Associate Royal Red Cross (ARRC) AWMM
Training and Enlistment
- Military training
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- Branch Trade Proficiency
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- Enlistment
- WW1 06 Apr 1915 AWMM Nurse AWMM
- Age on enlistment
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- Occupation before enlistment
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Embarkations
- Embarkation details
- WW1 08 Apr 1915-18 May 1915 AWMM
Rotorua 8 April 1915 AWMM Vessel was Rotorua AWMM Nurse AWMM New Zealand Army Nursing Service Corps AWMM New Zealand Expeditionary Force AWMM
Prisoner of war
- Capture details
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- Days interned
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- Liberation date
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- POW liberation details
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- Liberation Repatriation
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- POW serial number
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Medical history
- Medical notes
- Other, WWI AWMM
Nature of Injury: T.B. lung Percent of disability: 25 Source: New Zealand. Army (1920). List of the names of all ex-members of the New Zealand Expeditionary Force, suffering permanent disability from 20% to 100% AWMM
Last known rank
- Last rank
- Inter War 31 Mar 1920 AWMM Sister AWMM
New Zealand Army Nursing Service AWMM - Last rank
- —
Biographical information
- Mary McBeth (22/36) was one of the first nurses to serve overseas with the New Zealand Army Nursing Service during World War I. Born in Christchurch to David McBeth and Elizabeth Margaret McBeth (née Byrnes) on 16 July 1878, she trained at Wellington Hospital and was a registered nurse by 1910.
In April 1915, McBeth was among the first fifty New Zealand nurses to depart for active service, embarking on the SS Rotorua. She served initially in Egypt, nursing soldiers evacuated from Gallipoli, and was later posted to France with No. 1 New Zealand Stationary Hospital. Working close to the front line, she treated men suffering from severe wounds, infection, and gas exposure, often under extreme pressure and long hours.
In 1916, McBeth was Mentioned in Dispatches for her service, and in 1917 she was awarded the Associate Royal Red Cross in recognition of her skill and devotion to duty. In 1918, she was attached to Queen Mary’s Hospital, Sidcup, where she worked with pioneering surgeons treating complex facial and jaw injuries.
After returning to New Zealand in 1919, McBeth continued nursing, later training as a midwife retiring from nursing in 1929. She later moved to Australia and died in Sydney on 10 April 1968 (Profile written for “A Flight to Remember”, an Anzac Day 2026 initiative by Online Cenotaph and Air New Zealand).
Mary McBeth trained at Wellington Hospital (exam 1910)
Mental Hospital 1900 - 1907
Wellington Hospital 1912 - 1915
NZANS 1915 - 1920
Certificate in midwifery 1921
Serial Number is recorded as 22/27 on Nominal Roll, 22/36 on Archives New Zealand
Present address (as listed in New Zealand. Army (1920). List of the names of all ex-members of the New Zealand Expeditionary Force, suffering permanent disability from 20% to 100%): Palmerston North Public Hospital AWMM - Died 10 Apr 1968, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia, buried Matraville, Randwick City, New South Wales, AustraliaPublic - Terry - Other relative - 8 December 2018 - Australia and New Zealand, Find A Grave Index, 1800s-Current
- Mary McBeth (22/36) was one of the first nurses to serve overseas with the New Zealand Army Nursing Service during World War I. Born in Christchurch to David McBeth and Elizabeth Margaret McBeth (née Byrnes) on 16 July 1878, she trained at Wellington Hospital and was a registered nurse by 1910.
About death
- Death
- 10 Apr 1968 AWMM
- Date of death
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- Age at death
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- Place of death
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- Cause of death
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- Death notes
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- Cemetery
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- Cemetery name
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- Grave reference
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- Obituary
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- Memorial name
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- Memorial reference
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Memorial
- Memorial name
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Related objects
Sources
- External links
- Military personnel file
https://collections.archives.govt.nz/web/arena/search/#/entity/aims-archive/R10922459
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 - Downie, Heather. Mary McBeth. Auckland War Memorial Museum - Tāmaki Paenga Hira. First published: 16 April 2020
https://www.aucklandmuseum.com/war-memorial/online-cenotaph/features/mcbeth
Further Reference
- Military personnel file
- 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 Gazette
- New Zealand Army Expeditionary Force. (1914-1919). Nominal Rolls of New Zealand Expeditionary Force, Volume I. Wellington, N.Z.: Govt. Printer.
Vol1: 433 - 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.
- New Zealand. Army (1920). List of the names of all ex-members of the New Zealand Expeditionary Force, suffering permanent disability from 20% to 100%, compiled from returns supplied by the Commissioner of Pensions, in respect to: a) Permanent War Pensions, and from returns supplied by the Director-General of Medical Services, regarding: b) Discharged and undischarged hospital patients, assessed as suffering permanent disability, but not yet in receipt of a pension at date (28-4-20). New Zealand. Director-General of Medical Services. NZ Times Co. (Printer).
- Beattie, P.J. & Pomeroy, M. (2013-2020). Onward : portraits of the New Zealand Expeditionary Force (vols 1-5). Auckland, New Zealand: Fair Dinkum Publications
Vol. 3: Includes portrait - 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.
- Thomson, G.W. (1914-1918) G.W. Thomson photographs. Auckland War Memorial Museum - Tamaki Paenga Hira. PH-2003-1.
- Unknown, photographer (1915-1916). [Agnes (Peggy) Williams photograph album]. Auckland War Memorial Museum - Tāmaki Paenga Hira PH-2017-2-3.
- This record was part of “A Flight to Remember”, an Anzac Day 2026 commemorative partnership between Online Cenotaph and Air New Zealand, where service stories were shared onboard a dawn flight from Auckland to Sydney.
- 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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