In April 1915, Rae enlisted in the
New Zealand Army Nursing Service and left
Wellington on board the
SS Maheno in July that year. The ship sailed to
Suez,
Egypt, and the contingent of nurses worked in a stationary hospital at
Port Said. In October 1915 Rae was on board the SS
Marquette when it was torpedoed by a German submarine and sunk. The torpedo struck the
Marquette on its starboard side at 9.15am. The ship was sunk within fifteen minutes, resulting in the deaths of Rae and others aboard.
Recognition Two years after her death, the Otago Nurses' Association created the New Zealand Nurses' Memorial Fund in memorial to Rae and fellow Otago
Marquette victim,
Lorna Rattray. Donations from the medical community in Dunedin started the fund, which aimed to be a practical fund of "people helping people". Most grants are given to retired nurses who are struggling financially. She is also remembered in the
Five Sisters window at
York Minster in York, England. ==References==