Ethel Adelaide Baxter as a member of the Australian Army Medical Women's Service (AAMWS), 1941-1948, the Royal Australian Army Nursing Service (RAANS), 1948-1951, and the Royal Australian Army Nursing Corps (RAANC), 1951-1972, interviewed by Jan Bassett

Places	Asia: Japan, Kure Oceania: Australia, South Australia, Woomera Oceania: Australia, Tasmania, Campbell Town Oceania: Australia, Tasmania, Hobart, Brighton Oceania: Australia, Victoria, Melbourne, Heidelberg Oceania: Australia, Victoria, Mornington Peninsula, Balcombe Oceania: New Guinea1
Accession Number	S01817
Collection type	Sound
Measurement	41 min 19 sec
Object type	Oral history
Physical description	1/4 inch sound tape reel; BASF LP 35; 3 3/4 ips/9.5 cm.s; stereo; 5 inch
Maker	Baxter, Ethel Adelaide Bassett, Jan
Date made	11 November 1986
Access	Open
Conflict	Period 1950-1959 Period 1970-1979 Period 1960-1969 Second World War, 1939-1945 Period 1940-1949
Copyright	Item copyright: © Australian War Memorial This item is licensed under CC BY-NC
Copying Provisions	Copyright restrictions apply. Only personal, non-commercial, research and study use permitted. Permission of copyright holder required for any commercial use and/or reproduction.
Source credit to	AWM Special Project Fellowship Award

Description

(F617; TFX6133, T321) Ethel Adelaide Baxter as a member of the Australian Army Medical Women's Service (AAMWS), 1941-1948, the Royal Australian Army Nursing Service (RAANS), 1948-1951, and the Royal Australian Army Nursing Corps (RAANC), 1951-1972.

History / Summary

Enlisted in Hobart in June 1941, discharged in 1972. Brief rundown of postings; sent to Woomera in June 1950; describes hospital conditions and general activities in Woomera; replaced by civilian nurses in September 1951; posted to Balcombe in Victoria for over a year then posted to Kure in Japan in December 1954; closed down hospital in Japan and returned to Australia in November 1956; brief rundown of postings; commenced civilian nursing training in 1937; after enlistment in June 1941 sent to Heidleberg Hospital in Victoria for several months then posted to 2/9th Australian General Hospital (AGH) in New Guinea; describes uniform and work clothes worn in New Guinea; describes ailments treated; assistance from nearby American hospital; conditions in hospital; air raids; professional relationship between nurses, doctors and orderlies; recreation and leave passes; effects of army service on the health of nurses; lack of fresh food and monotony of food rations; effects of war on advances in medical treatment and procedures; after retirement from army joined Sisters Sub-Branch of the Returned Services League (RSL). END OF INTERVIEW

Listen to Ethel Adelaide Baxter as a member of the Australian Army Medical Women's Service (AAMWS), 1941-1948, the Royal Australian Army Nursing Service (RAANS), 1948-1951, and the Royal Australian Army Nursing Corps (RAANC), 1951-1972, interviewed by Jan Bassett