Thread: Anzac Day, a tribute to Women in the service

Approximately 65,000 women enlisted in the seven women's services between 1941 and 1946. They joined the Women's Royal Australian Naval Service [WRANS] the Womans Auxiliary Australian Air Force [WAAAF] , the Royal Australian Air Force Nursing Service [RAAFNS] the Australian Womans Army Service [AWAS] the Voluntary Aid Detachment , which became the Australian Army Medical Womens Service [AAMWS] , the Australian Army Nursing Service [AANS] , and the Royal Australian Navy Nursing Service [RANNS] Others who were too young to join the regular services, who were working in essential or manpowered positions , or who had young children , joined the Auxiliary services. These services included the Australian Woman's Land Army, [ AWLA], Womens Australian National Services, [WANS], the Woman's Air Training Corp [ WATC], the Red Cross, and numerous other voluntary organisations.

Now one of their stories:

Sister Margaret Anderson

In the days before the surrender of Singapore, many European civilians were directed to leave by ship to seek safety in the south. Many soldiers separated from their units also escaped, some acting without orders.The refugees included Army nurses and civilian men, women and children.Some managed to reach safety in Australia or India, many others were captured in the Netherlands East Indies.
On 12 Feb., 1942, the Empire Star sailed from Singapore carrying over 2,000 evacuees, including civilians and 59 Australian Army Nurses,and physiotherapists. The next day, Japanese bombers attacked the ship. Sisters Margaret Anderson and Veronica Torney dragged wounded men to shelter during the attacks. Unlike the unfortunate Sisters aboard the Vyner Brooke [ which was sunk off Sumatra, and after making it to shore, the surving Nurses were captured by the Japanese, and made to walk into the surf, and massacred. All except for one who though wounded, made it to shore, and lived to tell the tale.] the Empire Star reached safety, . For their courage, Sister Anderson was awarded the George Medal, and Sister Torney was made a Member Of The British Empire[ MBE] bOB

LEST WE FORGET

Originally Posted by UncleHo

Oops! my error I was thinking of Sister Vivian Bullwinkel who was the suvivor of the "Vyner Brooke"


cheers

Yes, Sister Bullwinkle not only struggled ashore wounded, but tended to the wounds of an English soldier she came across, and was captured again , went to a prisoner of war camp, and survived WW2.