- Entry type: Resource
- Entry ID: AWH000846
Group portrait of Australian Army Nursing Service (AANS) nurses, who were former prisoners of war (POWs), ob board the hospital ship Manunda on its arrival in Australia
- Repository Australian War Memorial, Research Centre
- Reference P01701.003
- Date Range 18-Oct-45 - 18-Oct-45
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Description
Group portrait of Australian Army Nursing Service (AANS) nurses, who were former prisoners of war (POWs), on board the hospital ship Manunda on its arrival in Australia. Most of the group were staff members of the 2/10th and 2/13th Australian General Hospital (2/10AGH and 2/13AGH) and the 2/4th Casualty Clearing Station (2/4CCS). Known to be in the photograph are: Christien ‘Chris’ Oxley, Jean ‘Jennie’ Greer, Beryl ‘Woodie’ Woodbridge, Florence ‘Trot’ Trotter, Eileen ‘Shortie’ Short, Jessie Blanch, Valerie Smith, Violet McElnea, Betty ‘Jeff’ Jeffrey, Nesta James, Pat Blake, Janet P ‘Pat’ Gunther, Jess Doyle, Cecilia E M ‘Del’ Delforce, Iole Harper, Sylvia Muir, Joyce ‘Tweedie’ Tweddell, V Haig, Wilma Oram, Jean Ashton, Jessie Simons, Ada C ‘Mickey’ Syer and Veronica R Clancy. The woman in the centre wearing the dress uniform and hat is Colonel Annie M Sage, Matron-in-Chief of the AANS. The woman in the foreground, standing behind the two seated nurses on the right, is Captain E Mavis Hannah (later Allgrove) and the tall woman third from the right holding flowers is Sister Vivian Bullwinkel (later Statham). A number of the nurses are holding bouquets of flowers that have been sent by their families. Many of these nurses became prisoners of war (POWs) when they were captured by the Japanese after the fall of Singapore in February 1942. Bullwinkel was the sole survivor of the massacre of 21 nurses on Radji Beach, Banka Island, on 16 February 1942.
- Formats Photograph
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