History Club - World War 1 Nurses From Campbelltown Historical Display
The History Club launched its display on Campbelltown’s Anzac nurses on 26 June 2019. The History Club have been working on the display all year conducting research into the seven World War I nurses associated with Campbelltown - Eleanor Dagma Gjedsted, Ida Mary Graham, Clarice Elizabeth Green, Elizabeth McRae, Dora Ohlfsen-Bagge, Ruth Allardyce Steel and Elizabeth Chisholm Thomson. Each nurse had its own display featuring archival information and a replica doll uniform handmade by Mrs Lucette Zapirain. An additional display about two special World War II nurses, Sr Helen Haultain of Ingleburn who was killed on the Centaur in World War II and Sr Nea Chambers (Dr Freelander’s mother-in-law).
With Dr Freelander and Greg Warren
Mrs Lennox welcomed our guests and did an acknowledgment of country. Layla E officially welcomed our guests and played a video on the Anzacs of Macarthur that Olivia L and her had made. Madison M and Caitlin R gave an overview of all the activities the History Club has been involved in over the past year and introduced Eve M’s video on the College’s Anzac nurse project (this video has been submitted as part of the Anzac Day Schools Award). Chelsea P and Amy W gave a brief historical overview of the experience of nurses in World War I and then each of the History Club members dressed in World War I nurses outfits from Anzac Day, each representing one of the Campbelltown nurses, and spoke about their lives.
We had several distinguished guests attend the launch including Dr Mike Freelander, Federal Member for Macarthur and Mr Greg Warren, State Member for Campbelltown. We were honoured to have several veterans attend including 103 year old World War II veteran, Mr Bert Collins. Mr Elwyn Spencer and Ms Maria Pownall (ex-student) attended from Campbelltown RSL Sub Branch, Mr Peter McFarlane and Mr Paul Gribble, Ingleburn RSL Sub Branch and Mr Jim Wrigley and Mr Bert Collins, Bankstown RSL Sub Branch. Other guests included Lucette and Paul Zapirain (Lucette created all the nurse outfits), Ms Claire Lynch, Local Studies, Campbelltown Library, Mr Jeff McGill, historian, Margaret and Kevin Rixon of Campbelltown and Airds Historical Society and representatives from Campbelltown District Family History Society and Picton Historical Society. Mayor George Brticevic attended his own viewing of the display this week.
The display also gained a great deal of attention from our visitors on Grandparents Day. If you would like to see the display it will be up for the rest of the year. Please contact me and I can organise a viewing.
Link to article in the Macarthur Advertiser https://www.macarthuradvertiser.com.au/story/6243832/st-patricks-college-honours-australias-service-women/?cs=1437
Fran Musico Rullo - HSIE Teacher
