Australian Royalty: Genealogy of the colony of NSW

Margaret Augusta de Mestre, 1916–1942 (aged 25 years)

de Mestre, Margaret Augusta (1916-1942)
Name
Margaret Augusta /de Mestre/
Given names
Margaret Augusta
Surname prefix
de
Surname
Mestre
Birth
November 16, 1916 46 26
Bellingen, Mid North Coast, New South Wales, Australia
Source: Correspondence
Citation details: Wiseman, May. Letter posted to Marion Purnell and dated 25 Oct 2015
Military
World War II
between 1940 and 1942 (0 after death)
Text:

DE MESTRE, Margaret Augusta
Sister Margaret Augusta De Mestre (NFX70211) was born in Kalang via Bellingen, New South Wales, on 16 November 1915 to James Augustus and Alice Isobel De Mestre (nee Morey). Her parents owned and operated a dairy farm and she was the first of six children, four girls and two boys.
Sister De Mestre trained at the Royal Prince Alfred Hospital in Sydney in 1935. Her Aunt Sarah Melanie De Mestre had also trained at Royal Prince Alfred Hospital and served in World War I. In 1940 Sister De Mestre enlisted in the Australian Army Nursing Corp with other nurses from the hospital and sailed twice to the Middle East on the 2/1 Hospital Ship, HMAHS Manunda. While the ship was being reconditioned in 1941, she served at the 113 Australian General Hospital at Concord. She rejoined HMAHS Manunda in January 1942.
HMAHS Manunda was anchored in Darwin Harbour near the merchant ship Zealandia and the oil tanker British Motorist when it was first hit by shrapnel and then a bomb during the first Japanese air attack on Darwin, 19 February 1942. Twelve members of the crew and hospital staff were killed, including Sister De Mestre, and forty-seven others were wounded. The medical and nursing staff quarters were destroyed, B and C decks were severely damaged and fires started on board. Despite the chaos, Manunda continued to treat incoming wounded and staff manned the life-boats rescuing injured men from the sea.
Sister De Mestre died of shrapnel wounds received to her back and abdomen. She was twenty-six and the first Australian Imperial Force nurse to be killed in action on Australian soil.
Compiled with assistance from May Wiseman (niece).
Death
February 19, 1942 (aged 25 years)
Darwin, Northern Territory, Australia
Source: Correspondence
Citation details: Wiseman, May. Letter posted to Marion Purnell and dated 25 Oct 2015
Text:

Margaret Augusta De Mestre
P01081.005
Service Number: NFX70211
Rank: Sister
Unit: 2/1 Hospital Ship Darwin AANS
Service: Australian Army
Conflict / Operation: Second World War, 1939-1945
Conflict eligibility date: Second World War, 1939-1947
Date of death: 19 February 1942
Place of death: Australia
Cause of death: Killed in action
Cemetery or memorial details: Northern Territory Memorial, Adelaide River, Northern Territory, Australia
Source: AWM147 Roll of Honour cards, 1939-1945 War, 2nd AIF (Australian Imperial Force) and CMF (Citizen Military Force)
Family with parents
father
Birth: 1870 46 24 — Shoalhaven, South Coast and Illawarra, New South Wales, Australia
Death: August 29, 1957 — Bellingen, Mid North Coast, New South Wales, Australia
Burial: Bellingen, Mid North Coast, New South Wales, Australia
Ancestors Compact tree Descendants Family book Fan chart Hourglass chart Interactive tree Pedigree Pedigree map Relationships Family with spouse Alice Isabel Morey Margaret Augusta de Mestre Andre Cotterell de Mestre Evelyn Isobel de Mestre Alice Morey de Mestre
James Augustus de Mestre
1870–1957
Birth: 1870 46 24 — Shoalhaven, South Coast and Illawarra, New South Wales, Australia
Death: August 29, 1957 — Bellingen, Mid North Coast, New South Wales, Australia
mother
Birth: 1890 43 38 — Armidale, Northern Tablelands, New South Wales, Australia
Death: September 6, 1984 — Bellingen, Mid North Coast, New South Wales, Australia
Burial: Bellingen, Mid North Coast, New South Wales, Australia
Ancestors Compact tree Descendants Family book Fan chart Hourglass chart Interactive tree Pedigree Pedigree map Relationships Family with spouse James Augustus de Mestre Margaret Augusta de Mestre Andre Cotterell de Mestre Evelyn Isobel de Mestre Alice Morey de Mestre
Alice Isabel Morey
1890–1984
Birth: 1890 43 38 — Armidale, Northern Tablelands, New South Wales, Australia
Death: September 6, 1984 — Bellingen, Mid North Coast, New South Wales, Australia
herself
de Mestre, Margaret Augusta (1916-1942)
Birth: November 16, 1916 46 26 — Bellingen, Mid North Coast, New South Wales, Australia
Military: World War II — between 1940 and 1942
Death: February 19, 1942 — Darwin, Northern Territory, Australia
Ancestors Compact tree Descendants Family book Fan chart Hourglass chart Interactive tree Pedigree Pedigree map Relationships
Margaret Augusta de Mestre
1916–1942
Birth: November 16, 1916 46 26 — Bellingen, Mid North Coast, New South Wales, Australia
Death: February 19, 1942 — Darwin, Northern Territory, Australia
15 months
younger brother
Birth: February 16, 1918 48 28 — Armidale, Northern Tablelands, New South Wales, Australia
Death: July 17, 1983 — Coffs Harbour, Mid North Coast, New South Wales, Australia
Burial: Fernmount, Mid North Coast, New South Wales, Australia
Ancestors Compact tree Descendants Family book Fan chart Hourglass chart Interactive tree Pedigree Pedigree map Relationships
Andre Cotterell de Mestre
1918–1983
Birth: February 16, 1918 48 28 — Armidale, Northern Tablelands, New South Wales, Australia
Death: July 17, 1983 — Coffs Harbour, Mid North Coast, New South Wales, Australia
2 years
younger sister
Birth: May 12, 1920 50 30 — Bellingen, Mid North Coast, New South Wales, Australia
Death: March 17, 1976 — Bellingen, Mid North Coast, New South Wales, Australia
Burial: Bellingen, Mid North Coast, New South Wales, Australia
Ancestors Compact tree Descendants Family book Fan chart Hourglass chart Interactive tree Pedigree Pedigree map Relationships
Evelyn Isobel de Mestre
1920–1976
Birth: May 12, 1920 50 30 — Bellingen, Mid North Coast, New South Wales, Australia
Death: March 17, 1976 — Bellingen, Mid North Coast, New South Wales, Australia
younger sister
Private
–
younger sister
Birth: August 6, 1926 56 36 — Bellingen, Mid North Coast, New South Wales, Australia
Marriage: August 10, 1944 — Bellingen, Mid North Coast, New South Wales, Australia
Death: January 18, 1975 — Concord, Greater Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
Burial: Rookwood, Greater Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
Ancestors Compact tree Descendants Family book Fan chart Hourglass chart Interactive tree Pedigree Pedigree map Relationships Family with spouse John Simpson
Alice Morey de Mestre
1926–1975
Birth: August 6, 1926 56 36 — Bellingen, Mid North Coast, New South Wales, Australia
Death: January 18, 1975 — Concord, Greater Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
younger brother
Private
–
Birth
Source: Correspondence
Citation details: Wiseman, May. Letter posted to Marion Purnell and dated 25 Oct 2015
Military
Text:

DE MESTRE, Margaret Augusta
Sister Margaret Augusta De Mestre (NFX70211) was born in Kalang via Bellingen, New South Wales, on 16 November 1915 to James Augustus and Alice Isobel De Mestre (nee Morey). Her parents owned and operated a dairy farm and she was the first of six children, four girls and two boys.
Sister De Mestre trained at the Royal Prince Alfred Hospital in Sydney in 1935. Her Aunt Sarah Melanie De Mestre had also trained at Royal Prince Alfred Hospital and served in World War I. In 1940 Sister De Mestre enlisted in the Australian Army Nursing Corp with other nurses from the hospital and sailed twice to the Middle East on the 2/1 Hospital Ship, HMAHS Manunda. While the ship was being reconditioned in 1941, she served at the 113 Australian General Hospital at Concord. She rejoined HMAHS Manunda in January 1942.
HMAHS Manunda was anchored in Darwin Harbour near the merchant ship Zealandia and the oil tanker British Motorist when it was first hit by shrapnel and then a bomb during the first Japanese air attack on Darwin, 19 February 1942. Twelve members of the crew and hospital staff were killed, including Sister De Mestre, and forty-seven others were wounded. The medical and nursing staff quarters were destroyed, B and C decks were severely damaged and fires started on board. Despite the chaos, Manunda continued to treat incoming wounded and staff manned the life-boats rescuing injured men from the sea.
Sister De Mestre died of shrapnel wounds received to her back and abdomen. She was twenty-six and the first Australian Imperial Force nurse to be killed in action on Australian soil.
Compiled with assistance from May Wiseman (niece).
Death
Source: Correspondence
Citation details: Wiseman, May. Letter posted to Marion Purnell and dated 25 Oct 2015
Text:

Margaret Augusta De Mestre
P01081.005
Service Number: NFX70211
Rank: Sister
Unit: 2/1 Hospital Ship Darwin AANS
Service: Australian Army
Conflict / Operation: Second World War, 1939-1945
Conflict eligibility date: Second World War, 1939-1947
Date of death: 19 February 1942
Place of death: Australia
Cause of death: Killed in action
Cemetery or memorial details: Northern Territory Memorial, Adelaide River, Northern Territory, Australia
Source: AWM147 Roll of Honour cards, 1939-1945 War, 2nd AIF (Australian Imperial Force) and CMF (Citizen Military Force)
Media object
de Mestre, Margaret Augusta (1916-1942)
de Mestre, Margaret Augusta (1916-1942)