Australian National Memorial for Service Nurses

Australian Service Nurses National Memorial
Place	Campbell, suburb of Canberra	Click on image for larger view
State	Australian Capital Territory
Postcode	2612
Location	Anzac Parade, East side
Position	35 17 19 S 149 08 68 E
Reference	00010

The memorial consists of two curvilinear glass walls. Each wall is faced with clear glass over glass on which has been inscribed quotations and the names of places in which nurses have served. These portray important images and events drawn from the history of Australian Service 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. 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

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
- Bougainville
JAPAN 1946 - 1953
- Japan
- Banka Island
KOREA 1950 - 1953
MALAYAN EMERGENCY 1950 -1960
VIETNAM 1962-1973
GULF WAR 1990 -1991

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

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
BOUGAINVILLE 1997 -

1999 - EAST TIMOR
(Remaining "portholes" have no inscriptions at present)

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

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
_________________________________________________

DESIGN
MonuMental Design

SCULPTOR
Robin Moorhouse

MANAGING CONTRACTOR
Manteena Pty Ltd

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

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