The Surgeon, Atherton

Modeled on the British system of Voluntary Aid Detachment (VAD), Australia's VAD was established as an auxiliary service to supplement the war effort during the First World War by members of the Australian Red Cross and the Order of St John. Labour shortages during the Second World War brought female Voluntary Aids (VAs) into the military hospital system as paid workers to release men for other duties. VAs were given some medical training, and in 1941 were approved for employment on overseas service. To be considered for service, applicants had to be unmarried without dependents, and between 21 and 35 years of age (45 years of age in the case of officers).

Born in Melbourne in 1917, Joyce Meier (nee Ehms) began studying at the National Gallery School in 1937, winning the first prize in the 'drawing from life' category at the school in 1940. Having trained as a VA, Meier was called up for service in the Second World War in 1941. Initially sent to the Heidelberg Military Hospital for further training, she was selected as one of the first 200 VAs for overseas service, departing Sydney on the Queen Mary on 1 November 1941, and becoming attached to the 2/6 Australian General Hospital (AGH) in Palestine. Meier would remain with the 2/6 AGH until late 1945, serving in the Middle East, Queensland (Rocky Creek, Atherton) and Labuan. Painted while with the 2/6 AGH at Atherton, 'The Surgeon, Atherton' suggests contemplative moments in the daily life of medical service staff. Painted with quick gestural brush strokes, 'The Surgeon' (possibly Colonel R.A. Money, Commander of 2/6 AGH) reveals a complex, introspective portrait of an Army Surgeon at a moment of rest. The lighting suggests that the work was painted in lamplight, inadvertantly revealing the lack of electricity at the Atherton site, which was without power for the first several months of operation.