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Royal Australian Air Force Nursing Service (RAAFNS). (1940-)

Persistent Identifier
http://nla.gov.au/nla.party-764062

Biographies

Australian Women's Register

Established in July 1940 The Royal Australian Air Force Nursing Service (RAAFNS) personnel expanded from 45 in December 1940 to 616 in December 1945. Miss Margaret Irene Lang was appointed Matron-in-Chief and her staff’s conditions of service were similar to those of the Australian Army Nursing Service. The nurses were orginally attached to Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) bases in Australia, and later in New Guinea and the Pacific Islands. With the Medical Air Evacuation Transport Unit (MAETU), established in 1944, nurses helped with aerial evacution of casulties and were involved with the liberation of Prisoners of War from Singapore and other areas. The service was disbanded at the end of the war, but in 1948 a peace-time service was formed and RAAF nurses have served in the Korean War, the Malayan Emergency and the Vietnam War. They continue to attend to the sick and injured at RAAF hospitals.

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Related people and organisations

Australian Women's Register

Resources for Royal Australian Air Force Nursing Service (RAAFNS).

Selected resources (7)

Australian Women's Register

  1. Story of the RAAF nursing service : 1940-1990
    Halstead, Gay.
    [1994]
    Published: Nungurner Press, Metung, Vic.
  2. World War II : Nursing Services
    Jacobson, Gwendoline
    Published: The Grolier Society of Australia, Sydney
  3. Women in Air Force
    RAAF
    [1995]
    Published: Department of Defence
  4. Commandant Janice Webb and Wing Officer Betty Docker
    [Photograph : 1967]
    Colour photograph taken at Vung Tau, South Vietnam. 1967. Commandant Janice Webb (later Hilton), Australian Red Cross (ARC) (left), and Wing Officer Betty Docker, Matron of 4 RAAF Hospital at Butterworth, Malaysia, standing on the airstrip tarmac beside a United States Army refuelling truck. The two women had just supervised the pre-flight care and loading of sick patients and wounded servicemen being evacuated (medivacs) aboard an RAAF C130-E aircraft.
    Australian War Memorial Research Centre
    P02017.027
  5. Scrapbooks, letters and papers of Muriel Knox Doherty (Matron, RRC, AANS and RAAF Nursing Service)
    [1914 - 1954]
    Scrapbooks containing news reports, letters, cards, insignia and nominal rolls covering both wars. Letters regarding the nursing service. Photograph album presented to Matron Hetherington by patients at Reinga, 1916. Certificate of service, diaries.
    5 items
    Australian War Memorial Research Centre
    3DRL/2518
  6. RAAF Nursing Service model their flying uniform
    [Photograph : c. 1944]
    Black and white photograph of a group of members of the RAAF Nursing Service model outdoors their flying uniform of khaki shirt, slacks, gaiters, blue boots and blue forage caps. Blue fur-lined jackets were also worn at high altitudes. Specially selected sisters were trained for duty with the first complete Medical Air Evacuation Transport Unit whereby a sister and a medical orderly were allotted to each aircraft used for evacuating casualties from forward areas.
    Australian War Memorial Research Centre
    P00784.016
  7. Joyce Connolly (born Patterson), Flying Officer Royal Australian Air Force Nursing Service, interviewed by Angie Michaelis for the Keith Murdoch Sound Archive of Australia in the War of 1939-45
    [cassette : 26 March 1989]
    Discussing nursing training; reasons for enlistment in Air Force; nursing duties at Point Cook, Vic; embarkation for New Guinea; description of journey to Kiriwina, Trobrian Islands; pay rate for RAAFNS; contact with American servicemen; leisure; description of Air Evacuation Scheme; categories of injuries that required Air Evacuation Services; nursing duties during air evacuation flights; nursing POWS.
    Australian War Memorial Research Centre
    S00567

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  1. ALL WALKS OF LIFE IN NEW YEAR'S HONOURS
    PREVIEW ONLY. This article is not yet available as it is undergoing quality control procedures.
    The Sydney Morning Herald..., Monday 1 January 1951 p 4
    ... outstanding service contributed greatly to the excel- lent mutual relations between the Australian ... Australian Capital Territory. Gave outstanding service with the Lady Gowrie Services Can- teen during ... of the Townsville branch of the Australian Red Cross from 1940 to 1946. Has acted for some years as ... 2638 words