“Where there are men fighting, there are always nurses” – Sister Florence Syer
Every November 11, we commemorate Remembrance day – a day where we remember all the Australians who died as a result of war.
Australians have taken part in many wars over the past century. Many of these wars were fought by soldiers, young men who put their lives to protect their home and their country. But there was also an important role played women at these wars – military nurses.
Just like the soldiers that fought, these nurses were far from home in an unfamiliar land where conditions were difficult and dangerous. But their job was different to the soldiers who were there to fight – nurses were there to save lives.
Most of these nurses were volunteers. They went everywhere they were needed, this included the Middle East, the Mediterranean, Britain, Asia, the Pacific, and Australia.
Many nurses lost their lives to illness, harsh conditions or at the hands of the enemy.
Remembrance Day isn’t just about soldiers who died, it’s also about the nurses to risked their lives to help save others. It’s about everyone who left for war and didn’t come back.
