That seems to be the case with Matron Ida Greaves, one of the most prominent, but still largely unknown, Hunter heroes of World War I.

Newcastle born and bred, Matron Ida Mary Greaves (1875-1954) was a remarkable woman by all accounts, and yet her story has been neglected.

Greaves is not a household name in the Hunter, probably because her life was lived in the shadows of the so-called Great War of 1914-18. She didn't seek publicity, she wasn't outrageous, didn't write a book or have a publicist like the much better-known British war hero T.E. Lawrence (of Arabia) who seemed to be forever "backing into the limelight", as one biographer aptly put it.

But now, in the lead-up to International Women's Day on March 8, Matron Greaves finally has a dedicated biographer. For the past seven years, Hunter writer Christine Bramble has been exploring the life of someone who, it's claimed, was one of the longest-serving Australians in WWI.

Matron Greaves served as a military nurse on WWI's Western Front for four years, seven months and seven days, sometimes under enemy fire. She was also one of the first two Australian women to receive the coveted military nursing award from the Royal Red Cross for her devoted services to the wounded and incapacitated. She was, in fact, one of the first Australian nurses to care for casualties in WWI France.

Even more extraordinary, she wasn't a member of the official Australian Military Forces (or AIF), at least not at first. She was a volunteer who happened to be among a number of Australians living in England who offered to "help out" the then King and British Empire when WWI broke out in 1914.

Of these volunteers, Matron Greaves may well be the most decorated of all the Australian nurses involved in the long and brutal conflict. Of the three major medals awarded to her (besides her Royal Red Cross - RRC - first class decoration) there's a 1914 Star that is apparently very rare with only about 123 awarded to Australians, including a small number for Matron Greaves' unit, the AVH. This is not to be confused though, I gather, with the 1914-5 Star being much more common.

Author Christine Bramble, a former history teacher and museum education officer, said she wanted to write about the life of fellow Novocastrian Matron Ida Greaves after learning that she was in one of the first hospitals to go into the French war zone in 1914.

Matron Greaves' hospital, the Australian Voluntary Hospital (AVH), was established by Lady Dudley, who had spent time in Australia before WWI as the wife of the Governor-General.

Australians living in London then donated money and their services.

The AVH's commanding officer was also from Newcastle, Lt Colonel William L'estrange Eames, a South African War veteran and a medical officer once at Newcastle Hospital.

Bramble has called her biography Matron Ida Greaves - a 'right daughter of Australia' after spending many years earlier compiling information on up to 80 nurses who served during WWI. She released a book on it called Sisters of the Valley in 2011, and in 2013 revamped her work online to gather more information.

Not having read her latest book, Weekender asked author Bramble for a preview of her 190-page, 65,000-word book to be launched next Friday.

Christine Bramble said Matron Greaves was the grand-daughter of a convict and graduated from Newcastle Hospital in 1904. She then nursed in Australia until 1910 when she went to work in England.

At the outbreak of war in August 1914, Ida immediately volunteered for service with the AVH. The hospital was the first unit of any of Britain's dominions to report for war duty, arriving in France in August 29, 1914.

"Ida served in France and Belgium until March 1919, learning how to manage casualties of trench warfare, helping to save many lives," Bramble said.

"She nursed patients from all three Battles of Ypres and the Battle of the Somme, at times enduring aerial bombing and retreating under enemy fire.

"Ida was mentioned in dispatches, not once, but three times, and was later awarded the Royal Red Cross (RRC) for exceptional service in military nursing. She and a Sydney nurse were the first two Australians to be decorated with the RRC, receiving the award at Buckingham Palace from King George V.

"Ida returned to Newcastle in September 1919. She then ran a hospital in the East End before moving up to Church Street, The Hill, to a hospital called Iluka, later converted into a private hospital (in the 1950s) operated by Bill Bowmore. Matron Ida died in Chatswood, Sydney, in 1954.

"But I could find no obituary. She was very modest and never a self-promoter," the author said.

But Ida must have been haunted by many long, painful memories of WWI.

"She wrote once about fierce artillery bombardments and retreating under fire in 1918, of ghastly times, like at the 2nd Battle of Ypres when gas was used for the first time," Bramble said.

"It was a complete shock, and the nurses had to deal with traumatised, crying soldiers."

But writing a biography needs lots of help, and Bramble fortunately found this with a descendant of Ida Greaves who contacted her in 2013.

"I was told there was 'stuff' in a Victorian garage which might interest me. Then later I went to Broadmeadow station to meet great-nephew Peter Greaves returning north and he briefly stepped out of the train carriage, handed me a briefcase and then continued on his way," Bramble said.

"The brief case contained a treasure trove of over 300 photos in three albums and documents, and I was on my way to turning Ida's story into a book.

"It was a huge leap of faith from the family to a complete stranger, although I'd had previous contact by phone and emails to see if I was trustworthy.

"But, as a relative told me: 'Things never get done if you don't trust people'."

Matron Ida Greaves - 'a right daughter of Australia' ($32) will be launched by the Member for Newcastle, Sharon Claydon, at Newcastle Library in Laman Street, on Friday, March 5, at 3pm.

Bookings are essential.

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