Occupation: nurse

Rank: Sister

Force: AANS

Elsie Cook trained at the Royal Prince Alfred Hospital (Melbourne) and had been nursing in Egypt since the beginning of the war with the Australian Army Nursing Service. Elsie Cook returned to Australia with her husband, Sydney Cook who was repatriated with a serious head wound. When he rejoined his unit with the Australian Imperial Force, in France, Elsie joined the Australian Red Cross Bluebirds as she had been demobilised from the Australian Army Nursing Service when it was discovered she had married before enlistment. Having first hand knowledge of the great need for nurses near the fighting, Elsie Cook was determined to continue her profession as near to her husband as possible.

'On further inquiry it is learned that the above named Sister was married when mobilised, and took her maiden name 'Elsie Sheppard' she was mobilised in Tasmania, but embarked 2nd Military District in the 'Kyara' 24/11/14. Returned ex 'Demosthenes' 22/4/16 and finalised 2nd M.D. 6/5/16. Mobilised for Home Service 6/5/16, 2nd M.D. and placed on strenght of No 4 A G H she resigned on 29/6/16, to accept service with the Red Cross Society.'

The Land (Sydney) Friday 10 November 1916 page 12

A romantic meeting of a war bride with her husband is recorded in the case of Mrs. Sydney Cook, daughter-in-law of the leader of the Federal Opposition. She was Nurse Sheppard, of the Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, Sydney, before she married Lieut. Cook, a few days prior to his leaving for the front. She took up her work again as a war-nurse, and while on duty in an Alexandria hospital, she heard a voice faintly calling, "Elsie, Elsie."

She turned and saw her wounded husband.

Queensland Figaro Saturday 17 July 1915 page 5

Following war's end, Elsie and Syd moved to Perth with Syd's job. They had one son before returning to Sydney, where Elsie opened an antiques shop, naming it Grafton Galleries, after the place she had been to celebrate the end of war.

The groove in Syd's scalp left by the bullet at Lone Pine was always a source of fascination for their grandchildren. Their son Peter, who also served in the army, became a well-respected antiques expert.

Both Elsie and Syd died in 1972.

Medals Awarded:

• In a letter written in 1945 inquiring about her missing medals Elsie states "I was awarded the Medaille de Reconnaisance by the French authorities, about 1917, details and confirmation of which I have in My “livret” – equivalent of a Soldier’s Pay book in our Services.”
• 1914–15 Star
• British War Medal
• Victory Medal

Documents:

• Military Personnel File

Sources:

• Introduction to The Bluebirds: Twenty Australian Nurses who served in France for the French Army during WWI
• Australian Nurses in World War 1
• Anzac Girls: The couple who went to war
• The Anzac Girls: How did they adjust to life back in Australia following World War I?

• Reference: Ancestry Genealogy - SmartCopy: Feb 11 2017, 14:31:27 UTC