- Entry type: Person
- Entry ID: AWE0473
Christie, Joan Lora
(1918 – 2001)- Born 4 November, 1918, Dubbo New South Wales Australia
- Died 31 December, 2001, Dubbo New South Wales Australia
- Occupation Educator, Local government councillor, Servicewoman
Summary
Joan Christie was promoted to the rank of Major during the Second World War. In 1943 she worked in New Guinea supervising members of the Australian Army Medical Women’s Service.
Joan is acknowledged as the driving force behind the establishment of both the Orana Community TAFE College and the Dubbo campus of Charles Sturt University.
Details
Major Joan Christie was selected to act as an Assistant Commandant to go to the Middle East with a second draft of Voluntary Aids in 1941. The operation was cancelled due to Japanese military activity in the South West Pacific area.
Based at 113 Australian General Hospital as a Company Commander Joan Christie became a full-time Voluntary Aid in November 1941. She transferred to the Australian Army Medical Women’s Service ( A.A.M.W.S.) when it was formed in December 1942, and was promoted to the rank of Major on the 1st March 1943. That same month she was appointed Deputy to Lt Col. Kathleen Best who was, at the time, the Adjutant-General of the Women’s Services.
Having relinquished her command at 113 A.G.H. in March 1943, Major Christie went to New Guinea in charge of the first draft of A.A.M.W.S. in December 1943, and shortly after her arrival she was appointed Assistant Controller, South West Pacific Area. She was responsible for over 400 women in the Pacific region.
When she returned from New Guinea in 1944 Major Christie resumed her command at 113 A.G.H. In May 1946 she represented the A.A.M.W.S. as part of the Australian contingent in the Victory Pageant.
She married in 1947 and raised four children, along with having an active life in the local community, serving as a local councillor. She was a great supporter of adult education and the Technical and Further Education system.
Events
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1966 - 1980
Co-founder and Chairperson, Dubbo Educational Association
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1972 - 1972
Member, National Urban & Regional Development Authority | Cities Commission
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1968 - 1980
Inaugural Member, Council of Mitchell College of Advanced Education
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1971 - 1977
Alderman, Dubbo City Council
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1973 - 1974
Member, Open University Committee – Karmel Report
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1974 - 1980
Deputy Chair, Management Board, Orana Educational Association
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1975 - 1977
Member, Macquarie Regional Library Committee
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1975 - 1979
Member, Board of Continuing Education, University of New England
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1978 - 1983
Member, TAFE Council NSW
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1979 - 1983
Member, Board of Adult Education NSW
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1984 - 1984
‘Joan Flint Park’ (adjacent to Dubbo TAFE College) named by Dubbo City Council
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1989 - 1989
Awarded the Inaugural National TAFE Gold Medal | Mayoral Civic Reception, Dubbo
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1990 - 1990
Joan Flint Building’ – Opening at Orana Community College, Dubbo campus
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1994 - 1994
Awarded Doctorate of the University (honoris causa), Charles Sturt University
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2001 - 2001
Died in Dubbo
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1972 - 1979
Deputy Chairperson, Council of Mitchell College of Advanced Education
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1979 - 1979
Chairperson, Council of Mitchell College of Advanced Education
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1918 - 1918
Born to Wilfred and Beatrix Christie in Dubbo
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1934 - 1935
Captain of Coolabah House, Dubbo High School
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1935 - 1935
Captain and Dux of Dubbo High School
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1940 - 1940
Ladies Doubles Hardcourt Tennis Champion, NSW
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1939 - 1940
Co-founder and Commandant, Dubbo Voluntary Aid Detachment, No. 226
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1941 - 1942
Officer-in-Charge, Australian Army Medical Womens Service, 113 AGH
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1943 - 1943
Aide-de-Camp to Lady Zara Gowrie, wife of Govenor General of Australia
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1943 - 1943
Officer-In-Charge, AAMWS, New Guinea force
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1943 - 1943
Assistant Controller, AAMWS, South West Pacific Area
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1943 - 1943
Deputy Assistant Adjutant General, Women’s Service, Australian Army
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1944 - 1944
Officer-In-Charge, AAMWS 113 AGH Concord Repatriation Hospital
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1946 - 1946
Representative AAMWS Officer, London Victory March, June 1946
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1947 - 1947
Married Robert Ellice-Flint, St Andew’s Presbyterian Church Dubbo
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1947 - 2001
Mother of four boys – Gordon ’47-, Ken ’49-’52, Wilfred ’53-, David ’55-’79
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1965 - 1980
Member, Dubbo Technical and Further Education (TAFE) Committee
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1980 - 1983
Chairperson, Orana Community College Council
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1984 - 1984
Awarded Medal of the Order of Australia – for services to Education & Community
Published resources
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Resource Section
- CHRISTIE, JOAN LORA, Department of Veterans' Affairs, 2002, http://www.ww2roll.gov.au/script/veteran.asp?ServiceID=A&VeteranID=186379
- Edited Book
- Book
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Resource
- Trove: Christie, Joan Lora (1918-), http://nla.gov.au/nla.party-771098
Archival resources
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Australian War Memorial, Research Centre
- Honours and Awards - Recommendations for New Year Honours List 1946
- Lieutenant G. Mainwaring, war artist, painting Major Joan Christie, AWAS, on board HMAS Shropshire
- Swimming carnival
- Members of the Australian Victory Contingent on a visit to Berlin, in front of Frederick the Great's Palace, 'Sans Souci', Potsdam
- Members of the Australian Victory Contingent on a visit to Berlin
- Winners of the nurses and Australian Army Medical Women's Service (AAMWS) championships chat together after their victories
- Squadron Officer Doris Carter, Women's Auxiliary Australian Air Force; Squadron Leader P. Swan DFC; Flight Lieutenant J. Hooke DFC, RAAF, and Major Joan L. Christie of the Australian Army Medical Women's Service
- National Archives of Australia, National Office, Canberra
- National Archives of Australia, Melbourne Office