Ellen ‘Nellie’ Alicia Keane (Sister) born in Ballarat, trained as a nurse at the Ballarat Base Hospital before enlisting in the Australian Army Nursing Service at the age of 31, on December 4th 1916. On December 26th she embarked aboard the Mooltan and sailed to Bombay. She served at hospitals in India, treating mostly British soldiers, until September 1918. With the end of the war in sight, she was transferred to the Hospital Ship Madras which operated between Hong Kong and Vladivostok. She returned to Australia aboard the Benalla, disembarked at Melbourne on November 25th 1919 and her AANS appointment was terminated on February 21st 1920.

Lucas’s Staffs Appreciation of Brave Men, the original Avenue register, records her name as Nellie A. Keane.