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Daughter of William and Jane Dewar, of 2 Prince Street, Germiston. Born Lanarkshire, Scotland. Dewar and her family emigrated from Scotland and settled in Germiston. Her father was a civil engineer and she trained as a nurse. She left the comfort of her home in Germiston in 1914 to minister to the needs of the injured and dying soldiers. Dewar sailed for England to volunteer for duty soon after the outbreak of hostilities and joined the Scottish Women's Hospital Services. Her first posting was to Royaumont, north of Paris, close to the front line. The hospital had been set up in a big and ancient chateau with open passageway and many rooms and outbuildings. During these times antibiotics were not available and death from infection was common. Despite these challenges doctors and nurses performed heroically. Dewar was recognised as a brilliant and dependable nurse whose calmness under stress set an example to all those around her. |
