Bertha Grace Nurse

Bertha Grace Nurse was a civilian and military nurse during World War I with the New Zealand Army Nursing Service Corps and the Samoan Expeditionary Forces in 1914.

Early life and education Nurse was born in Southland in 1871, to mother Alice Louisa Price and father William Hugh Nurse. She completed her nurse training in 1904 in Wellington, and was the first New Zealand nurse to enlist in the Expeditionary Force.

Nursing career Nurse joined the New Zealand Army Nursing Service Corps on 10 August 1914 and quickly was selected for the contingent of six New Zealand nurses to be stationed at Apia Hospital as part of the New Zealand Samoan Expeditionary Forces. Nurse sailed alongside Louise Alexa McNie and Vida MacLean on board the Monowai.

Nurse remained in Samoa until March 1915, returning to New Zealand to then leave to serve in Egypt on board the SS Rotorua, in April 1915. She became matron of Pont de Koubbeh Hospital, taking over Matron Michel. She also had a brother, Charles Edward Nurse (9 July 1869 – 10 June 1945), who served in the South African War, World War I and as a home guard during World War II.

Nurse died at the Nurse Maude Convalescent Home in Christchurch, 20 December 1960 at age 89.