Nurses who sacrificed their lives, endured wartime atrocities and served their nation are now permanently commemorated as the first statue of a woman is unveiled at the Australian War Memorial.
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Lieutenant Colonel Vivian Bullwinkel, a nurse and midwife who served during World War II, is the first woman to be immortalised in bronze at the memorial in Canberra.
She was initially rejected from the air force for having flat feet, but Lt Col Bullwinkel successfully joined the Australian Army Nursing Service in 1941, a few months before her 26th birthday.
She was deployed to Singapore and joined the 13th Australian General Hospital.
Within months of her deployment, Lt Col Bullwinkel was evacuated along with 65 other nurses because of Japanese troops advancing towards Singapore.
Lt Col Bullwinkel alone survived the Banka Island massacre by pretending to be dead after she was struck by a bullet and endured three and half years in captivity when she surrendered to Japanese forces.
After retiring from the army in 1947, she became director of nursing at Melbourne's Fairfield Hospital.
She devoted her life to the nursing profession and spent years honouring those killed on Banka Island, raising funds for a nurses' memorial and also served as the first woman on the Australian War Memorial council.
Lt Col Bullwinkel died on July 3, 2000, aged 84.
The bronze sculpture, crafted by Brisbane-based artist Dr Charles Robb, includes 22 inlaid stainless steel discs to reflect the women killed in the massacre.
Memorial director Matt Anderson said Lt Col Bullwinkel's name should be renowned in all households, as should the story of her inspirational life.
Australian College of Nursing chief executive Kylie Ward said it was inspiring generations of children would see a figure of a nurse and midwife at the national memorial.
"The sculpture will be a powerful and long-lasting symbol of nurses' selfless service to Australia and its citizens whether in war or in peace," she said.
Australian Associated Press
