Edith Mary Rudd RRC (née Lewis; 14 February 1882 – 7 May 1967) was a New Zealand civilian and military nurse. She served in both World War I and World War II, and received the Florence Nightingale Medal from the Red Cross in 1961. ^{[1] [2]}

Rudd was born in Northampton, England, the daughter of George Llewellyn Lewis and Mary Hunter née Littlejohn. ^[3] She trained as a nurse at Whanganui Hospital in the North Island of New Zealand. ^[3]

Rudd worked as a nurse at Rostrevor Hospital in Gisborne, in the North Island of New Zealand, until 1915, when she enlisted with the New Zealand Army Nursing Service. ^{[3] [4]} In December that year she sailed from Wellington on the ship SS Marama. ^[5] She served in Egypt until 1918, nursing soldiers injured on the Western Front. ^[5] On returning to New Zealand, Rudd continued nursing and from 1921 to 1941 she was Matron of Wairau Hospital in Blenheim. ^[1] She also became involved with the New Zealand Red Cross, joining the Marlborough branch in 1925. ^[1]

Rudd served as a nurse again in World War II, as Matron of the New Zealand Hospital Ship Maunganui from 1941 to 1945. ^[6] Rudd and the Maunganui sailed from Wellington to Suez in April 1941 with a group of 20 New Zealand nurses. ^[5] She became known as the "Momma of the Black Dressing Gown" as she wore a black silk dressing gown to make her night rounds during blackout conditions on board the ship. ^[6] By the end of Rudd's service, in 1945, the ship had carried more than 5,600 patients. ^[5] Rudd spent some time in 1945 and 1946 nursing at Trentham Military Hospital in Wellington on her return to New Zealand. ^[3]

In 1952, Rudd became president of the Marlborough branch of the Red Cross. ^[1] In 1963, she published her memoirs, titled Joy in the Caring. ^[7]

In the 1944 King's Birthday Honours, Rudd received the highest military nursing award, the Royal Red Cross (First Class). In 1953, she received the Queen Elizabeth II Coronation Medal. ^[1] In 1961, she was presented with the Florence Nightingale Medal by the Red Cross. ^[5]

In 2013, Rudd's Florence Nightingale Medal was loaned to the Marlborough RSA for display in its rooms. ^[1]

In 1927, Rudd was engaged to a Mr Nees, chairman of Wairau Hospital. ^[8] Rudd married William George Rudd in 1946. ^[5]

Edith Rudd died in Blenheim on 7 February 1967 and is buried at Omaka Cemetery. ^[3]