René Mary Shadbolt (26 April 1903–16 August 1977) was a notable New Zealand civilian and military nurse, and hospital matron. She was born in

Duvauchelle Duvauchelle Bay ( mi, Kaitouna) is a small town situated at the head of Akaroa Harbour on Banks Peninsula in New Zealand. State Highway 75 passes through the town. The Onawe Peninsula separates Duvauchelle bay from Barry's Bay. Duvauchelle is ...

Banks Peninsula Banks Peninsula is a peninsula of volcanic origin on the east coast of the South Island of New Zealand. It has an area of approximately and encompasses two large harbours and many smaller bays and coves. The South Island's largest cit ...

, New Zealand in 1903, and died in Henderson in 1977. She was one of three nurses from New Zealand in the Spanish Civil War, and married Willi Remmel a German anti-fascist volunteer in Spain in 1938. She was a nurse at a military convalescent hospital in World War II, and then from 1949 to 1967 was matron of the Hokianga Hospital in Rawene, Northland. In the

1969 Queen's Birthday Honours The 1969 Queen's Birthday Honours were appointments to orders and decorations of the Commonwealth realms to reward and highlight citizens' good works, on the occasion of the official birthday of Queen Elizabeth II. They were announced in supplem ...

, she was appointed a Member of the Order of the British Empire, in recognition of her services. She remarried (briefly) to George MacLennan in 1944. A nursing scholarship for trainee nurses from the Hokianga area, the ''Rene Mary MacLennan Scholarship'', was established in her memory. In the suburb of

Blockhouse Bay Blockhouse Bay is a residential suburb in the south west of Auckland, in New Zealand's North Island. It is sited on the northern coast of the Manukau Harbour, and is also close to the administrative boundary that existed between Auckland Cit ...

, Auckland, there is a park called Sister Rene Shadbolt Park, named in her honou

References

1903 births 1977 deaths Female wartime nurses New Zealand nurses New Zealand military personnel New Zealand people of the Spanish Civil War People from Banks Peninsula New Zealand public servants New Zealand Members of the Order of the British Empire Women in war in Spain People from the Hokianga Women in war 1900–1945 Women in World War II Women in war in Oceania New Zealand women nurses New Zealand people of World War II {{NewZealand-med-bio-stub