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,

Banks Peninsula Banks Peninsula () is a rocky peninsula on the east coast of the South Island of New Zealand that was formed by two now-extinct volcanoes. It has an area of approximately . It includes two large deep-water harbours — Lyttelton Harbour a ...

, New Zealand in 1903, and died in Henderson in 1977. She was one of three nurses from New Zealand in the

Spanish Civil War The Spanish Civil War () was a military conflict fought from 1936 to 1939 between the Republican faction (Spanish Civil War), Republicans and the Nationalist faction (Spanish Civil War), Nationalists. Republicans were loyal to the Left-wing p ...

, 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 World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

, and then from 1949 to 1967 was matron of the Hokianga Hospital in Rawene, Northland. In the 1969 Queen's Birthday Honours, she was appointed a

Member of the Order of the British Empire The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is a British order of chivalry, rewarding valuable service in a wide range of useful activities. It comprises five classes of awards across both civil and military divisions, the most senior two o ...

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

References

1903 births 1977 deaths Female wartime nurses New Zealand nurses New Zealand military nurses 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