Hello List and Linda There is a lovely photograph of Nurse Cocking on P 26 of the Yarram Hospital History 'Splendid Isolation a history of the Yarram and District Health Service' by Peter Stone, published a year or so back by the hospital. Nurse Cocking, it says, came to the area as the second Madalya bush nurse, and was there in 1915, though officially appointed on April 15 1915. She later became Mrs Williams, and she only died in 1972. She must have done her war service after 1915. Anyone with access to the Yarram papers might find a record of her embarkation or return. They were often written up, or letters from them published in the papers by friends or family. The Bush Nursing movement was established in the early years of the 20th century, to meet the needs of people living in very isolated circumstances, not able to easily access doctors care, as doctors tended to be based in towns and settlements. The Bush Nurse worked in isolation, under very difficult and primitive conditions often. She would be provided with accomodation by the community who employed her, and with transport, often a horse, later sometimes, if the terrain permitted, a bicycle. She would deal with births, sickness and accidents, and often became part of the community she served, playing the piano at social functions and so on. South Gippsland was so remote and difficult that by 1913, it had 5 of the 12 bush nursing centres located there. Others were at Dargo, some settlements in East Gippsland, later at Heyfield, and at places in the Ottways such as Beech Forrest. They were very resourceful women!! I would be interested, too, on any more information about Nurse Cocking, as I gather up what I can on local war nurses (WW1) Ann Synan __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Talk to your friends online with Yahoo! Messenger. http://im.yahoo.com