McPherson (nee Keast), Daisy Cardin (Tootie) as a member of the Australian Army Nursing Service (AANS), 1940-1946, interviewed by Jan Bassett Accession Number: S01824

Description

Early life; commenced civilian nursing training in 1932; enlisted late 1940 and posted to Ingleburn camp hospital; 18 April 1941 left Sydney on the Hollandia for Rabaul, New Britain and attached to 2/10th Field Ambulance; in early 1942 Japanese air attacks forced evacuation of hospital from Rabaul to catholic mission out of Rabaul; after capitulation held in Catholic convent; on 5 July 1942 taken back to Rabaul and boarded Naroota Maroo for shipment to Yokohama in Japan; held in Yokohama amateur rowing club; describes living conditions and work duties; transferred to Tosuka; describes conditions and duties; camp discipline; after end of war treatment and food rations improved; released by Americans and transported to Manila in the Philippines where they were passed to Australian authorities; recounts description of treatment and conditions of prison camp; tells story of dog in Yokohama; recounts time in Manila before flying out to Darwin; after rest period in Darwin arrival at Mascot Aerodrome in Sydney; critical of the way the Australian military authorities ignored and made no arrangements for the civilian nurses who were held captive with the army nurses; placed in hospital in Sydney for tests and examination; arrival home at Junee, NSW; what became of the other nurses after the war; describes return visit to Rabaul and Japan. END OF INTERVIEW

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Details

People

• Field Marshal Thomas Albert Blamey GBE, KCB, CMG, DSO, ED

Conflicts

• Second World War, 1939-1945

Places

• Ingleburn
• Mascot
• Yokohama
• Rabaul
• Manila

Units

• Australian Army Nursing Service
• 2/10 Field Ambulance

Tags

• Oral history
• Prisoners of war
• Japanese
• Nurses
• Prisoners of war camps