Singapore nurses in WWII

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lorcan

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Greetings! I'm looking for any information on Singapore General Hospital nurses during the WWII era (both before and after the Japanese invasion). Specifically, I'd like to know how they were educated, their general background (were they mostly Malay, Chinese, British, etc.?), their working conditions, uniforms, ranking system, etc. I'm also interested in resources depicting their lives after the Japanese invasion. There are plenty of general resources on the Web, but more specific case histories/narratives, memoirs, etc., are difficult to find.

Thank you so much!

MRA
 

Gltagaman

Nurses in Singapore in WW11

Hi Dorcan

My only contact who had been there died a few years ago. However an Australian source may be found if you follow up on the Book 'White Coolies' by Betty Jeffreys, a nurse who was imprisoned by the Japanese in 1942.

A UK source may be The Queen Alexandra's Nursing Corps (possibly now changed' Their members would certainly have been there in 1942

Good luck

Geoff
 

lorcan

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Geoff, thank you for your post! I'll make a request for that book through my library's Interlibrary Loan program.

There doesn't appear to be much published information about the Queen Alexandra Nursing Corps (although this is based solely from a quick Google search). That's intriguing as it appears to have had a very interesting history, particularly during WW2. If I had the time, I might consider tackling this in a novel! ;-)

Cheers,
MRA
 

aruna

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Hello!

I actually researched this era for my first novel. A great source for me was the novel "Tanamera" by Noel Barber - but I think it's out of print. I's a wonderful epic novel, and the female main character was a nurese in General Hopital around the time of the Japanese invasion, so you;ll find out tons of intimate details, just as I did.

In particular, I was moved by one incident and used it in my own novel.
All the local nurses were told they were absolved form duty just before the invasion. They could go home. British nurses would be staying on. They were told this at a big gathering of all the nurses just before the invasion, bombs dropping all around. And al the Chinese/Singaporian nurses with one voice said: "We will stay too."
LIke I said, try and get hold of that novel; though I don't know if it answers youtr specific questions, it will give you invaluable and very touching material about these nurses.

PS. Found several used copies of Tanamera on amazon:

http://www.amazon.com/dp/0340282622/?tag=absolutewritedm-20
 
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BARBAREM

Singapore Nurses WWII

Google the Australian War Memorial (can't get the address at the moment). They have records for all wars involving Australians and there were many Australian nurses and other personnel as well as civvies there.

regards




Greetings! I'm looking for any information on Singapore General Hospital nurses during the WWII era (both before and after the Japanese invasion). Specifically, I'd like to know how they were educated, their general background (were they mostly Malay, Chinese, British, etc.?), their working conditions, uniforms, ranking system, etc. I'm also interested in resources depicting their lives after the Japanese invasion. There are plenty of general resources on the Web, but more specific case histories/narratives, memoirs, etc., are difficult to find.

Thank you so much!

MRA
 
Last edited:

BARBAREM

Singapore Nurses WWII

Google the "Australian War Memorial" (can't get the address at the moment). They have records for all wars involving Australians and there were many Australian nurses and other personnel as well as civvies there.

regards

BRM
 
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