The Australian Women's Register

Summary

President of the Women’s Services Sub-Branch of the RSL, Alice Penman served with the Australian Army during World War II. She served in the Middle East as a Voluntary Aid Detachment member and then in Far North Queensland. Penman later served with the Australian Army Medical Women’s Service (AAMWS) after the Government of the time decided to distinguish between military and non-military Voluntary Aids.

During the ‘Australia Remembers, 1945-1995’ celebrations Penman participated in a number of functions emphasizing the work carried out by the Voluntary Aid Detachment Red Cross members.

On 13 June 1993 she was awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia for service to veterans particularly through the Returned & Services League New South Wales and to the Friends of the Northcott Neurological Centre.

Events

• 1937

  Foundation member of the Bathurst Voluntary Aid Detachment (VAD)

• 1939

  An Army Camp established at Bathurst and VADs worked in canteens, sewed a garment a week for the Red Cross, sold buttons and worked in local and camp hospitals

• 1941

  Selected to join the Australian Infantry Force (AIF) for service overseas

• 1945

  War ended

• 1941 - 1943

  Served with the 2/6 Australian General Hospital at Gaza, Palestine

• 1943 - 1945

  Served in Atherton, North Queensland

• 1946

  Joined Women’s Services Sub-Branch RSL, and has served in a number of offices including being Women’s State Councillor on State Council for 2 years

• 1995

  President of the Women’s Services Sub-Branch RSL

• 1947

  Assistant Commandant at Haberfield VAD

• 1952

  Brown Owl of the 2nd Beecroft Brownies

• 1993

  Awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia

• 1995

  Organised, with the help of Girl Guides, a memorabilia display at St Ives Shopping Centre as part of the ‘Australia Remembers, 1945-1995’ celebrations

• 1962

  Family moved to Gilgandra, NSW. Joined the Red Cross and Country Women’s Association

• 1987

  Volunteer at the National Artillery Museum at North Fort. Has dressed two static models, one representing the Australian Women’s Army Service (AWAS), whose members served at the Fort during World War II and the other wearing a VAD uniform

• 1995

  Along with a number of other Voluntary Aids from World War II, Alice Penman spoke about her wartime experiences at a commemorative luncheon as part of the ‘Australia Remembers, 1945-1995’ celebrations