Marjorie Clare Roche (21 January 1896—8 June 1982) was an Australian nurse and army officer, active in the

Red Cross The International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement is a Humanitarianism, humanitarian movement with approximately 97 million Volunteering, volunteers, members and staff worldwide. It was founded to protect human life and health, to ensure re ...

. Born in

Gympie Gympie ( ) is a city and a Suburbs and localities (Australia), locality in the Gympie Region, Queensland, Australia. In the Wide Bay-Burnett District, Gympie is about north of the state capital, Brisbane. The city lies on the Mary River (Queen ...

Queensland ) , nickname = Sunshine State , image_map = Queensland in Australia.svg , map_caption = Location of Queensland in Australia , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name = Australia , established_title = Before federation , established_ ...

, she became a member of the local

Voluntary Aid Detachment The Voluntary Aid Detachment (VAD) was a voluntary unit of civilians providing nursing care for military personnel in the United Kingdom and various other countries in the British Empire. The most important periods of operation for these units we ...

(VAD) in 1914, serving as a secretary and working at a number of convalescent hospitals til 1921. She was demobilised and retired in 1947, having been given "the commandant-in-chief's card for outstanding service". Roche enlisted in the

Australian Army Nursing Service The Australian Army Nursing Service (AANS) was an Australian Army Reserve unit which provided a pool of trained civilian nurses who had volunteered for military service during wartime. The AANS was formed in 1902 by amalgamating the nursing servic ...

on 17 September 1941 as a junior clerk, and was promoted to acting-sergeant in September 1942. By 21 October 1942 Roche was appointed assistant-controller (quartermaster) of VADs, Northern Command. She was also a member of the National Council of Women and the War Widows Guild of Queensland, represented the State division on the Florence Nightingale Committee of Australia and the Queensland Bush Nursing Association and was a life member of the AAMWS Association. Roche enjoyed hand weaving, tapestry and dressmaking in her free time.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Roche, Marjorie 1896 births 1982 deaths Red Cross personnel People from Gympie