Kirton, Dora Patty

Staff Nurse Dora Patty Kirton - Australian Army Nursing Service

Dora Patty Kirton was born in Essex England on the 31st May 1884 to Richard and Mary Kirton. She had five siblings, Edith (1879), Meta (1880), Gervase (1880), Eva (1886) and Alec (1893).

The family then moved to Western Australia where Alec was born in Bunbury in 1893. The family soon moved to Fremantle where Richard Kirton worked as a chemist. The family lived in Hill Street East Fremantle. It appears Richard had his shop in High Street and lived with Mary in Hill Street East Fremantle.

Dora was living with her parents and brother in Hill Street East Fremantle when war was declared. She was a Staff Nurse working for the last three and a half years at the Fremantle Public Hospital.

In 1915 she enlisted for the Australian Army Nursing Service. She was passed as fit for service by medical examiner.

On the 11th August 1915 Dora boarded the transport ship RMS Orontes in Fremantle Harbour and the ship set sail for Egypt. Upon arrival in Egypt it appears that Dora was put on the Hospital ships nursing staff. She travelled between Suez and Australia treating the soldiers who had been wounded at Gallipoli.

When she returned to Egypt she had the opportunity to meet her brother Alec who had been serving with the 11th Battalion on Gallipoli. He had been doing well and had been promoted to the rank of Company Quarter Master Sergeant. They had a photo taken to record their meeting.

Unfortunately not long after their meeting Alec was mortally wounded when a bomb prematurely exploded in training. He would be buried in Cairo War Memorial Cemetery.

On the 19th March 1916 Dora was assigned to the staff of the 1st Australian General Hospital. It was currently in Egypt but it would soon be headed to England. 

While in England she was detached for duty at other hospitals at Harefield and Netley. She seemed to be at No.1 Australian Auxiliary Hospital at Harefield for much of 1917.

In November 1917 she was transferred for duty to France with No.25 General Hospital and she served with this hospital till 25th August 1918. The 25th was a British military hospital located at Hardelot-Plage, France.

 Dora was then transferred for duty with the 57th Casualty Clearing Station. These CCS's were often much closer to the frontline than the hospitals. They received casualties from the Field Ambulances and then gave medical treatment before the wounded soldiers were sent on to the hospitals.

On the 22nd September 1918 she returned to the 25th General Hospital and was still here when the armistice was announced. 

Dora fell ill suffering from influenza and was sent to hospital on the 30th November 1918. Fortunately she soon recovered and after a few more weeks at a rest camp returned to duty on the 2nd January 1919. Dora remained with the 25th General Hospital until the 26th February 1919 when she returned to England.

As there were many soldiers and nurses waiting to go back to Australia and not many transport ships available, the Australian Army authorities offered a chance for non military employment. Dora took up this opportunity and in April 1919 began studying at the British School of Cookery in Regent Street London. 

Dora was at this cookery school until the 23rd June 1919. She was then returned to the AANS and went to No.3 Australian Auxiliary Hospital at Dartford England.

Dora returned to Australia on the 29th November 1919 and was discharged from the Australian Army Nursing Service on the 21st June 1920.

After returning to WA she took up residence in South Perth but later moved to New South Wales.

In 1921 in NSW she married returned soldier Cyril Alcorn from the 30th Battalion. Cyril had been badly wounded in October 1918 and it's possible that they met in hospital in England. They lived the rest of their lives in NSW.

Dora died in NSW in 1965 aged 81.