It was only recently that I discovered my good friends father's cousin was one of the nurses massacred on Bangka Island. Minnie Hodgson was from Western Australia, she was 33 when she was murdered.
Another good book, although fiction but based on this story is The War Nurses by Anthea Hodgson.
To date I don't have any women that I am personally related too who served in the war.
It makes me very sad to think of those nurses massacred. I think Ellenor Calnan had the better death in the water, as sad as that sounds. I haven’t read that book, but will see if I can get it as I have other war nurses in the family. Thanks for letter me know.
It's sickening to read what happened and to think that Vivienne wasn't allowed to speak to anyone about it until many years later. Her uniform with the bullet hole in it is in the AWM in Canberra. That really puts a shiver up your spine.
I have been helping an elderly volunteer at our Family History Society document the local women who served in war. We began with World War II nurses but it has expanded to include all local women who served in all wars. We have four folders now. Although no local nurses were on the HMS Vyner Brooke, we have newspaper articles and photos of all the women as it was a such an important story of Australian women in war. Lest we forget.
This makes for a horrifying read but it is so important to remember that it wasn't just men who served in dangerous places and endured atrocities. This post definitely reminds us of that. Thanks @Jennifer Jones
It was only recently that I discovered my good friends father's cousin was one of the nurses massacred on Bangka Island. Minnie Hodgson was from Western Australia, she was 33 when she was murdered.
Another good book, although fiction but based on this story is The War Nurses by Anthea Hodgson.
To date I don't have any women that I am personally related too who served in the war.
It makes me very sad to think of those nurses massacred. I think Ellenor Calnan had the better death in the water, as sad as that sounds. I haven’t read that book, but will see if I can get it as I have other war nurses in the family. Thanks for letter me know.
It's sickening to read what happened and to think that Vivienne wasn't allowed to speak to anyone about it until many years later. Her uniform with the bullet hole in it is in the AWM in Canberra. That really puts a shiver up your spine.
And I should add that Culcairn, where Ellenor was from, became well known during the latest Australian Idol series by a young singer Iilysh.
I did not know that!
I have been helping an elderly volunteer at our Family History Society document the local women who served in war. We began with World War II nurses but it has expanded to include all local women who served in all wars. We have four folders now. Although no local nurses were on the HMS Vyner Brooke, we have newspaper articles and photos of all the women as it was a such an important story of Australian women in war. Lest we forget.
Such brutal treatment of our brave women. Lest we forget.
Putting On Radji Beach on my growing TBR list.
This makes for a horrifying read but it is so important to remember that it wasn't just men who served in dangerous places and endured atrocities. This post definitely reminds us of that. Thanks @Jennifer Jones