Sister Mary Lea (1912 - Sept 1943)

The Lymm Archive wishes to thank and acknowledge the additional research by Lt Col (Retired) Kieron Spires QVRM TD and which is recorded on the British Army Nurses website.

Mary Lea was born in Lymm in 1912 to Major and Lizzie Lea and was the Aunt of Ruth Lea (Baroness Lea of Lymm, CBE).

Born into a farming family, Mary Lea later trained at The Manchester Royal Infirmary (1931 - 1934) and also qualified as a midwife. She joined the Territorial Army Service Service (TANS) and was granted an emergency commission as a Sister on the 30th May 1941. 

The Hospital Ship Newfoundland

At some point between 1941 and 1943, Sister Mary Lea was posted to the Hospital Ship Newfounland.  The Newfoundland was a British Royal Mail ship requisitioned by the Royal Navy as a hospital ship.

Newfoundland spent the first part of World War II on her peacetime route, carrying wounded troops from the UK to Canada, and bringing the rehabiliated troops back home. 

After the allied invasion of Italy in September 1943, HMHS Newfoundland was assigned as the hospital ship of the Eight Army.

At 5:00 am on the 13th September while under the command of Captain John Eric Wilson, OBE, HMHS Newfoundland was hit by an air-launched anti-ship munition 40 nautical mile (74 km) offshore of Salerno.

The story of the sinking of the Newfoundland can be located on the HMHS Newfoundland page

Sister Mary Lea was 1 of 6 British Nurses killed outright and an inscription in her memory can be found on her family grave in St Mary's Church Lymm.