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She wouldn’t have liked it today but she would understand the reasoning behind it.” “She didn’t like the ceremonies, she didn’t like the patriarchal views of nursing and the titles, the fuss. “It’s not just about Vivian, it’s about every nurse, every female, every service member and remembering them forever,” Lieutenant Commander Russell said. Lieutenant Commander Anthony Russell, who was proud to be present for the unveiling, said it was a tribute to all nurses.

Putting herself in Lieutenant Colonel Bullwinkel’s shoes, Col Bushby said the nurses maintained composure and dignity in staying together, which are the defining principles members of the corps live by. She said Lieutenant Colonel Bullwinkel’s story had been known to her for many years.

“It’s not glamorous, but I think the people that do it know the history and stories, have commitment to service, and are the ones we want leading the corps moving forward.”Ĭolonel Bushby followed her father into Army service, joining as a nurse. One of them, Colonel Toni Bushby, said the ceremony evoked many emotions: “Pride, sorrow at the young lives lost, and hope because their sacrifice actually inspired people to continue to do what we do,” Colonel Bushby said. To pay homage to them, 22 nurses attended the unveiling. Twenty-two steel discs surround her feet to represent the lives lost on that day in February 1942. In recognition of her courage and military service, a three-metre-tall bronze sculpture of her was unveiled outside Poppy’s Café to symbolise the service and sacrifice of Australia’s military nurses. Hiding for 12 days with an injured British soldier who later died, she decided the best option was to surrender to the Japanese, after which she spent more than three years in captivity.Īfter discharging in 1947, Lieutenant Colonel Bullwinkel became director of nursing at Melbourne’s Fairfield Hospital and devoted the rest of her life to the profession and her fallen colleagues. It was the bronze face of Lieutenant Colonel Vivian Bullwinkel, sole survivor of the 1942 Bangka Island Massacre where 22 nurses were gunned down by Imperial Japanese forces after their ship sunk while evacuating Singapore.Īfter a round passed through her body, she laid in the water among her dead comrades until it was safe to make it back to the empty beach. As the sun rose above the Australian War Memorial on August 2, its light touched the face of the first sculpture of a woman to be erected there.

Star wars imperial navy officer lieutenant