The Australian College of Nursing has established the Vivian Bullwinkel Scholarships in tribute to the 21 Australian Army nursing officers and one civilian nurse murdered during the Banka Island Massacre in World War 2.
The scholarships are named after Lieutenant Colonel Vivian Bullwinkel, who survived being struck by a bullet that passed through her body, missing her internal organs.
She feigned death until it was safe to escape, but was recaptured after 12 days and held captive until the war ended more than three years later.
Bullwinkel became a prominent leader in Australian nursing and dedicated herself to honouring those killed on Banka Island.
Continuing this legacy, the scholarship program supports current ADF nurses who embody the same spirit of service.
Captain Amanda Plant, a nursing officer from Headquarters 1st Brigade, who received a scholarship this year, began her ADF career in 2004 as an Army geomatic technician and completed her nursing studies in 2013.
Captain Plant believes soldiers make for the best patients in the world.
“Instead of saying ‘how long can I get off work?’, they ask ‘when can I go back?’,” she said.
“They really take responsibility for their health and see their bodies as part of their capability.”
On the flip side, Captain Plant found the most challenging aspect of her role was witnessing soldiers who could no longer fulfil their duties, because of injury or illness, thereby losing a part of their identity and sense of purpose.
“Army’s a lifestyle. Not just a job,” she said.
Captain Plant’s scholarship is dedicated to Sister Florence Carson, one of the Australian Army nurses killed in the massacre, adding an emotional dimension to the honour.
“Many of us don’t understand today that nurses back then had to be unmarried and without children to serve in the military,” Captain Plant said.
This meant the nurses killed that day had no immediate family to carry on their legacy.
“I feel that by receiving the scholarship in her name, she’s been reunited with the ADF nursing family, ensuring she is remembered. Next year, another nurse will have the honour of carrying that torch.”
“That’s what really got me, especially at Anzac Day. Nobody has her medals, nobody marches for her, nobody is sitting there on Remembrance Day, remembering Sister Flo in particular,” Captain Plant said.
“I feel that by receiving the scholarship in her name, she’s been reunited with the ADF nursing family, ensuring she is remembered. Next year, another nurse will have the honour of carrying that torch.”
Valued at $10,000, the scholarship will enable Captain Plant to take part in a five-day intensive nurse director leadership course that will teach evidence-based research and practice on improving nursing services.
The course participants had the task of selecting an area of nursing within Defence where innovative ideas could be beneficial.
Being part of 1st Brigade, Captain Plant wants to explore how she can make a nursing impact in the littoral environment.
“We’re very interested in how the land-based trauma system can be implemented into small boats in a tropical environment, where we’re often logistically isolated with a small footprint,” she said.
“One of my research projects is focusing on the lessons that we can learn from the health impacts of World War 2 and understanding the health conditions that were taking people out of the fight.”
Her research aims to improve healthcare outcomes for soldiers by understanding the processes and resources required for prolonged field care in the littoral environment.
Government, military nurses, businesses and the wider community support and donate to make the Bullwinkel Scholars Program possible.
