More than 60 years after key parts of her wartime story were lost from view, one of New Zealand’s pioneering military nurses is set to be honoured again, this time with the full recognition she earned.
On Saturday, a restored headstone for Sister Ethel Maude Thomas (nee Dement) was unveiled at Levin’s Old Cemetery. It has been corrected to include her honours that were previously omitted.
The work has been led by the New Zealand Remembrance Army, alongside the Levin Returned Services Association and Horowhenua College – a fitting partnership given Dement’s deep ties to the school’s community in later years.
“The addition corrects decades of omission and brings her First World War service back into the light,” says New Zealand Remembrance Army volunteer Linda Fletcher.
“Sister Ethel Dement was among the small group of New Zealand nurses who chose to serve when war broke out in 1914 before we even had an official Army Nursing Service.”
“In 1915, she travelled via Australia to Egypt, where she worked at the vast Heliopolis Palace Hospital in Cairo, treating the wounded from Gallipoli,” Linda said.
Among them was her own brother, injured during the brutal fighting at Chunuk Bair.
She later served on the Western Front in France, where her work earned her a Mention in Despatches and the Associate Royal Red Cross – one of the highest honours awarded to military nurses.
But despite those achievements, neither honour appeared on her headstone.
“For more than 60 years since her death, an important part of one New Zealand nurse’s wartime story has been missing. This restoration ensures Sister Ethel Dement is finally recognised for the extraordinary care she gave to wounded soldiers and the service she gave to her country.”
“While thousands of New Zealand soldiers are remembered for their service, the contributions of military nurses have at times been overlooked. This project is a small but meaningful step in addressing that gap,” says Linda.
For Horowhenua College, the project is more than an act of remembrance, it’s a reconnection with its own history.
After returning from the war, Ethel married William Thomas, a wounded soldier who would go on to become the Horowhenua College’s first principal when it opened in 1940. Together, they became well-known and respected figures in Levin.
The college’s Principal, Grant Congdon said the restoration has struck a chord with students and staff alike.
“It’s powerful to see our students engaging with local history through an act of remembrance, bringing these stories back to life for a new generation.”
“This project also adds a meaningful new chapter to Horowhenua College’s history, reaffirming our long-standing connection to those who shaped it from its very beginning.”
“Sister Ethel Dement’s story is deeply connected to William Thomas, our first principal, who is an important part of our college’s identity. Horowhenua College’s crest and motto Essayez (“to strive” or “to try”) were designed by William Thomas, inspired by a symbol he saw in a ruined French church during World War I, reflecting his enduring belief in courage, effort, and resilience.”
“Many generations have since passed through our school and community, learning the story of our crest and embodying its motto,” says Grant.
Linda said that “after more than 60 years, it’s right that Sister Ethel’s and William Thomas’s service is recognised. We’re proud to support this act of remembrance.
For the New Zealand Remembrance Army, projects like this are about closing that gap one headstone, one story at a time.
On Saturday afternoon, as the new inscription was revealed, Sister Ethel Maude Dement’s story will once again be told in full, not just as a name on a grave, but as a life of service that reached from Wellington to Cairo, from Gallipoli to the Western Front, and back again to a small but enduring community in Levin.
Lest we forget.