All stories

She prefers the khaki uniform to the feminine mode of dress

Maud Butler

In December 1915, Miss Maud Butler, a waitress working in Sydney, cut her long brown hair, donned the woollen uniform of an Australian soldier, and walked down to the transport ships moored at... » read more

The angel of Durban

Ethel Campbell

Ethel Campbell was born in her mother’s homeland, Scotland, but raised in her father’s home, South Africa. He was a doctor, descended from a line of wealthy sugar planters and, like many of their... » read more

The last wattle you sent

Evelyn (Tev) Davies

Evelyn (Tev) Davies arrived on the island of Lemnos just as the August Offensive began on Gallipoli. She was part of the first contingent of nurses sent to staff No. 3 Australian General Hospital.... » read more

Aftermaths

Kathleen Skinner and James Agnew

After the First World War, around 15,000 European women, the vast majority British, married Australian soldiers. They boarded the troopships that carried these men to war and made a new home for... » read more

All that crying

Rigney Brothers

We don’t know why Rufus and Cyril Rigney, Ngarrindjeri men from the Port Macleay Mission, chose to join up. Perhaps it was the hope of something better than toiling on a farm; perhaps—as for many... » read more

Asleep in the deep

Gordon Corbould

Leading Seaman Gordon Corbould was the first and only son of Ernst and Alice Corbould of Epping, New South Wales. He served on the AE1, Australia’s first submarine, and took part in the capture of... » read more

I seem to dream of blood

Walter Dexter

Walter Dexter was one of twelve Army chaplains charged with the spiritual care of the First AIF. He watched the Gallipoli Landing, but was forbidden to go ashore with the men. He passed that day (and... » read more

Quite a decent type of man

Cornelius Danswan

It was late in the morning when Dr Benjafield, a medical officer assigned to the Repatriation Department in Sydney, finished his examination of Cornelius Danswan. In many ways that day’s appointment... » read more

The hands of our own men

Daisy Schoeffel

Daisy Pearse was a fourth generation Australian. She belonged to one of the oldest (white) families in Fremantle and achieved some acclaim as an Australian author. But Daisy married Alfred Schoeffel—... » read more

The man with half a face

Gordon Wallace

Gordon Wallace, a labourer from Warrnambool, enlisted in 1916. A shell tore his face to pieces in the third battle of Ieper. Private Wallace was evacuated from the Belgian battlefields to England. He... » read more

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