Lorna Rattray

Lorna Aylmer Rattray (10 January 1875 – 23 October 1915) was a New Zealand nurse who served in the First World War and died when the SS Marquette was torpedoed and sunk in 1915.

Early life Rattray was born in Dunedin. After qualifying, Rattray nursed in Christchurch.

First World War In July 1915, Rattray enlisted in the New Zealand Army Nursing Service and left Wellington on board the SS Maheno. The ship sailed to Port Said, Egypt, and the contingent of nurses worked in a stationary hospital there. In October 1915 she was on board the SS Marquette when it was torpedoed by a German submarine and sunk. The torpedo struck the Marquette on its starboard side at 9.15am. The ship was sunk within fifteen minutes, resulting in the deaths of Rattray and others aboard.

Recognition Two years after her death, the Otago Nurses' Association created the New Zealand Nurses' Memorial Fund in memorial to Rattray and fellow Otago Marquette victim, Mary Rae. She is also remembered in the Five Sisters window at York Minster r in York, England.

There is a commemorative plaque to Rattray in St. Matthew's Church, Dunedin.