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    SISTER MAY HENNESSY

    Mar 23, 2020 5 minutes
    By Lauren Morris

    May Hennessy was born in 1894 in Castlemaine and grew up in nearby Bendigo. Daughter of James and Helen Hennessy, May was the eldest of six children, with three younger sisters – one of which died in infancy – and two younger brothers, who would both go on to fight in World War II. May went to Longlea State School where some of her cousins also attended. A number of her cousins would also volunteer for service in World War I, with four losing their lives.

    At the age of 19, May began her training as a nurse at Gippsland Hospital, Sale. Why she went all the way to Sale for her training when Bendigo and Melbourne both had nurse training hospitals is unknown. Maybe this was her trying to seek some adventure. During her training,

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