The Australian War Memorial Collection. Test site
Australian Army Nursing Service; NFX76584 Sister Ellen Savage, GM, AANS. Sister Ellen Savage was the only nurse to survive the sinking of the hospital ship Centaur when it was torpedoed by the Japanese off Stradbroke Island. Although badly hurt, Savage concealed her injuries and helped the other survivors. When morale flagged as sharks circled, and ships and planes passed by without seeing the survivors' raft, Savage organised a sing-a-long.
Seaman Martin Pash recalled that Centaur "just went straight down. There was no noise or anything - a lot of people calling out, the nurses and all & The deck boy brought Sister Savage on. She had a fractured jaw. You wouldn't think there was anything wrong with her but she suffered very badly. She had broken ribs and [was] bruised and one of the fellas gave her his overcoat to put over her."
Sister Savage was awarded the George Medal for her courage during this ordeal.
Survivors of the hospital ship Centaur which was torpedoed about fifty miles north-east of Brisbane, tell of their harrowing experience. Survivor Chief Pantryman Ronald G (Ron) Moate comes back to his
Victory Medal. Impressed around edge with recipient's details. Ellen Jean Imlay was already working as a nurse in Glebe Point when she enlisted as a Staff Nurse with the Australian Army Nursing Serv
MV Centaur, a motor passenger ship of 3223 tons owned by the Ocean Steamship Company Ltd and registered at Liverpool, England, was made available by the Ministry of War Transport for conversion to a h
British War Medal 1914-20. Impressed around edge with recipient's details. Ellen Jean Imlay was already working as a nurse in Glebe Point when she enlisted as a Staff Nurse with the Australian Army
1914-15 Star. Impressed reverse with recipient's details. Ellen Jean Imlay was already working as a nurse in Glebe Point when she enlisted as a Staff Nurse with the Australian Army Nursing Service i
Informal group portrait of 12 Australian Army Nursing Service (AANS) nurses on the deck of 2/3 Australian Hospital Ship Centaur. Nine names are written on the verso of the print, with the statement th
