Margaret Anderson was born in 1871 at Smeaton, Victoria. She received her Certificate of Nursing after three years training at the Ballarat Base Hospital. In June 1910, she joined the AANS as a trained nurse and relocated to Perth, Western Australia, living with her sister, Sarah, who was also a nurse. Margaret was appointed to the AIF on November 21st, 1914, aged 40 years and on December 14th, 1914, she embarked from Fremantle, Western Australia with the 1st Australian General Hospital. Over the next two years, Margaret served as Head Sister and Matron with this unit in France and Egypt. On December 28th, 1917, she was awarded with the Royal Red Cross 1st class 'As Night Supervisor and Assistant Matron has been of exceptional value to the Nursing Section of the No.1 Australian General Hospital.' In May 1918, Margaret left England and returned to Australia on board Field Marshall. She was discharged from nursing duty with the AIF on June 5th, 1918, and was appointed Acting Principal Matron 5th Military District on June 14th, 1918. Just a week prior, a large crowd had assembled at Numurkah, Victoria '...to welcome Sister Maggie Anderson, the first nurse to arrive in the district from abroad. Sister Anderson was accompanied by her brother Private Will Anderson'. Margaret never married and died in South Yarra, Victoria on February 8th, 1967. She is remembered at the Springvale Botanical Cemetery.