Gwen Illidge, Labuan

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.

'Gwen Illidge, Labuan' presents a haunting portrait of one of Meier's VA colleagues. Having trained as part of the New South Wales Scottish Voluntary Aid Detachment during the 1930s, Gwen Illidge was selected as one of only 15 VAs to serve on the hospital ship 'Oranje', a former Dutch ship offered to the Australian and New Zealand governments for use between 1942 and 1943. She was later sent (along with Meier) to serve with medical support services as a VA to Labuan. As part of the Borneo campaign, three major allied campaigns required medical support for wounded soldiers and civilians. Their main task in Labuan centred around a recovered POW camp - treating the rescued POWs and local civilians in what was confronting and difficult work. Looking tired and worn, Illidge possesses the 'thousand yard stare' of the battle-weary soldier - suggesting that while not in combat, the work of the VAs was none the less stressful.