Australian Service Nurses National Memorial

War Memorials in Australia

Place: Campbell, Australian Capital Territory, 2612
District: Southern Tablelands (ACT)
Orientation: Suburb of Canberra
Location: Anzac Parade, east side
Position: 35 1719 S 149 08 68 E
Ref: 00010

__________________________

The memorial consists of two curvilinear glass walls. Each wall is faced with clear glass over glass. Etched and cast into the inner glass walls, in a timeline sequence, are important images and events drawn from the history of Australian Service nursing. They include names of places in which nurses have served and a collage of historical photographs and extracts from diaries and letters, in the original handwriting . Among values reflected in the memorial are those of human dignity and worth, dedication in bringing succour and care, commitment beyond self, courage, companionship and fortitude. Some panels are blank. This is intentional, reminding visitors of the inconclusive nature of any memorial to an ongoing Service group. The memorial is distinctly horizontal and the form of the interlocking glass walls represents nurturing hands, symbolic of nursing. The walls sit on an elliptically shaped platform. To the south of the two glass walls is a curving masonry wall and below this another curved wall. South of this is an arching wall with seating on its north face. A contemplative space is surrounded with rosemary for remembrance. There are three flagpoles at the north west corner of the forecourt.

The design by Robin Moorhouse, a Sydney-based sculptor, was chosen following a two-stage national design competition conducted by the National Capital Authority. Ms Moorhouse worked with a design team comprising Warren Langley, Brian Wilson, Jenny Toynbee Wilson, Felicity Carruthers and Michael Biddulph.

The memorial was unveiled on 2 October 1999 to mark 100 years of military nursing and to honour those who served and suffered in war. Military nursing in Australia was established in 1899. In January 1900 fourteen nurses set off from Sydney for the Boer War. Nurses from South Australia, Victoria and Western Australia followed. Since then, service nurses have played an important role in every major conflict in which Australia has been involved.

West face of west wall
Metal lettering
AUSTRALIAN SERVICE NURSES

Etching
beyond all praise

East face of west wall
White lettering, reading from south end to north
In the midst of the chaos of war, the nurses
on the civilian surgical teams provided
small islands of sanity, security and care

the oil smoke, the drill, the ever present
threat and vulnerability...

patients were nursed in blankets,
there were no sheets, no running water

Not now, tomorrow

War casualties called for new skills...VADs AAMWS
and orderlies assisted in their nursing care

...the suction was great, I was pulled into the
terrific whirlpool with the sinking ship

We grew tomatoes near the wards
so we could give the boys
a tomato sandwich

We were quite a distance out to sea
before any of the bullets hit us
No one panicked
They just marched ahead with their chins up

They came to us straight from the trenches,
their muddy clothing
frozen on them

an example of calmness
and courage
to many a shaken soldier

Oblivious to fatigue, to hunger
or any need for sleep

North face of east wall
In memory of
Australian Service Nurses
whose supreme sacrifice, courage
and devotion
were inspiring to those
for whom they so willingly
risked their lives

Their memory will always be
our sacred trust

Unveiled by

His Excellency the Honourable
Sir William Deane, AC, KBE
Governor-General of the Commonwealth of Australia
2 October 1999

West face of east wall
Reading from north to south

BOER WAR
1899 - 1902
South Africa

WORLD WAR I
1914 - 1918
Australia
Mesopotamia
Gallipoli
France
United Kingdom
Belgium
Lemnos
Salonika
India
Egypt
Italy
Vladivostok

WORLD WAR II
1939 - 1945
Australia
Eritrea
Lebanon
United Kingdom
Syria
Crete
Ceylon
Egypt
Palestine
Malaya
New Guinea
Sumatra
Singapore
Rabaul
Borneo
Morotai
Bouganville

JAPAN
1946 - 1953
Japan
Banka Island

KOREA
1950 - 1953

MALAYAN
EMERGENCY
1950 -1960

VIETNAM
1962-1973

GULF WAR
1990 -1991

On curving wall on south side, etched wording on a series of 11 circular glass and metal "portholes"

1st
CAMBODIA
1992 - 1993

1994 - 1995
RAWANDA

2nd
KURDISTAN
1991

1992 - 1993
SOMALIA

3rd
BOUGANVILLE
1997 -

1999 -
EAST TIMOR

(Remaining "portholes" have no inscriptions at present)

Plaque on small plinth in garden of rosemary on south side
This symbol of remembrance
marks the site for the
National Memorial to
Australian Service Nurses.

This site was dedicated on 15th February 1997
in the presence of
the Hon. Bruce Scott MP
Minister for Veterans' Affairs.

Plaque on wall at rear of monument
_________________________________________________

THE AUSTRALIAN SERVICE NURSES'
NATIONAL MEMORIAL MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE
GRATEFULLY ACKNOWLEDGES THE CONTRIBUTION
OF THE FOLLOWING PRINCIPAL DONORS

	AUSTRALIAN NURSING FEDERATION (VICTORIAN BRANCH)
	HEALTH CARE OF AUSTRALIA
	NEW SOUTH WALES ASSOCIATION (? NSW BRANCH)
	NURSES BOARD OF VICTORIA
	NURSES BOARD OF WESTERN AUSTRALIA
	NURSES MEMORIAL CENTRE (INC) OF WESTERN AUSTRALIA
	NURSES REGISTRATION BOARD OF NEW SOUTH WALES
	RETURNED SISTERS SUB-BRANCH R &SL (QUEENSLAND)
	RETURNED SISTERS SUB-BRANCH R &SL (SOUTH AUSTRALIA)
	ROYAL COLLEGE OF NURSING, AUSTRALIA
	THE PRATT FOUNDATION
	THE QUEENSLAND NURSING COUNCIL
	THE RETURNED & SERVICES LEAGUE OF AUSTRALIA
	THE WESLEY HOSPITAL - NURSING DIVISION

_________________________________________________

Plaque on wall at rear of monument
_________________________________________________

DESIGN
MonuMental Design

SCULPTOR
Robin Moorhouse

MANAGING CONTRACTOR
Manteena Pty Ltd

NATIONAL CAPITAL AUTHORITY
_________________________________________________

Plaque on west side of memorial
AUSTRALIAN SERVICE NURSES NATIONAL MEMORIAL
Insignia of Insignia of Insignia of
Royal Australian Navy The Australian Army Royal Australian Air Force

The Australian Service Nurses National Memorial honours past and present Australian
Service nurses. Since the time of the South African War, nurses have served by caring for
the sick and wounded in every conflict to which Australia has committed troops.

This memorial, designed by Robin Moorhouse in conjunction with MonuMental Design
and Australian nursing associations, is made of cast glass. Etched and cast into the inner
glass walls are text and images, in a timeline sequence, portraying the history and
contribution of Australian Service Nursing. The memorial also includes a collage of
historical photographs and extracts from diaries and letters, in the original handwriting.

Some panels are blank. This is intentional, reminding visitors of the inconclusive nature
of any memorial to an ongoing Service group. The memorial is distinctly horizontal and
the form of the interlocking glass walls represents nurturing hands, symbolic of nursing.
A contemplative space surrounded with rosemary for remembrance completes the
memorial.

Among values reflected in the memorial are those of human dignity and worth, dedication
in bringing succour and care, commitment beyond self, courage, companionship and
fortitude.

Coat of arms of Commonwealth of Australia

Information current to April 2001

Sources: The Memorials of Anzac Parade, pamphlet produced by the National Capital Authority, Canberra, undated
                 Australian Service Nurses National Memorial, press release from office of the Prime Minister, 17 August 1998
                 Australian Service Nurses National Memorial, on website of National Capital Authority
                         http://nationalcapital.gov.au/experience/attractions/anzac_parade/mem_Aust_ServiceNurses.htm at 14 January 2005

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