Jessie Clifton

Jessie Christina Clifton, (23 April 1876 – 1 October 1959) was a nursing sister who served with the Australian Imperial Force during the First World War, becoming Matron in charge of the Western Australian Nursing Transport system.

History
Clifton was born in Australind, Bunbury, Western Australia, twin eldest daughter of Marshall Waller G. Clifton (1849–1904) and Louisa Clifton (c. 1849–1927). She was a member of the colonizing Clifton family of Western Australia, being a granddaughter of Marshall Waller Clifton (1787–1861). Clifton qualified as nursing sister after three years' training at Kalgoorlie Government Hospital, and on occasion filled the acting positions of matron and superintendent of nursing at the hospital. On 21 July 1915 she applied for a position with the Australian Army Nursing Service.

Clifton arrived at No. 1 Australian General Hospital in Alexandria, Egypt, in August 1915. In November she began nursing wounded men from the Gallipoli campaign on the hospital ship Kanowna to No. 8 Australian General Hospital in Fremantle, where she served until December 1916, then left for England aboard hospital ship Berrima. She accompanied wounded soldiers from No. 2 Australian Auxiliary Hospital, Southall, to Fremantle by hospital ship Ayrshire, arriving July 1917. She returned to England from Sydney by hospital ship Orontes, arriving in August 1918 to No. 2 Australian Auxiliary Hospital, Southall, where she was promoted to matron. She returned to Australia aboard the hospital ship Arawa and was discharged from service in December 1918.

Personal
On 18 June 1926, Clifton was involved in the death of a motor-cyclist. She was driving a single-seat motor car north along Stirling Street, turning right into Brewer Street, when a Harley-Davidson motor cycle, ridden by 28 year-old Richard Edwin Outtrim, travelling south towards the city, clipped the rear of the vehicle and was thrown to the ground, fracturing his skull. He died the same day.

Clifton was engaged to Frank Oliver Osborne, who died on 7 July 1925, and she never married.

Recognition
Clifton was appointed a Member of the Order of the British Empire in the 1950 King's Birthday Honours, in recognition of her "service to the WA Returned Nurses Trust Fund".