The Australian Wartime Nurse Who Shielded The Wounded Under Enemy Fire

The Australian Wartime Nurse Who Shielded The Wounded Under Enemy Fire

Today I am going to tell you about Margaret Irene Anderson. When we think of war, we think about the thousands of brave soldiers, but the nurses were also faced with terrifying dangers.

Margaret Irene Anderson was born on the 11th of December 1915 in Malvern, Victoria, Australia. In 1940 she qualified as a nurse at the Austin Hospital in Heidelberg and soon joined the Australian Army Nursing Service.

In November 1941, Margaret sailed from Melbourne to Singapore aboard the SS Zealandia. She and fellow nurse Vera Torney were sent to the 13th General Hospital at Tampoi. At first, explosions in the distance were mistaken for military exercises, but it soon became clear that the war had arrived. Casualties poured in day and night, and the nurses worked exhausting hours surrounded by fear.

By February 1942, Singapore was collapsing under Japanese attack. Margaret became one of 133 Australian nurses evacuated on board the Empire Star alongside thousands of other military personnel and civilians. On the 12th of February, Japanese aircraft attacked the ship. Fires broke out and people were killed and wounded.

Margaret and Vera continued nursing below deck in spite of the danger. When wounded men were brought up into the open air, enemy aircraft machine-gunned the ship. In that moment, both nurses reportedly threw themselves over injured soldiers to shield them while the vessel manoeuvred to escape. The fear they must have felt, but they still chose to protect others over their own safelty.

For this remarkable bravery, Margaret received the George Medal. She continued serving on hospital ships until 1945, eventually holding the rank of lieutenant. After the war she married and sadly passed away in 1995 at the age of 79.

It makes you wonder just how many acts of courage have remained overshadowed?