Training, ethos, camaraderie and endurance of World War: Two Australian POW nurses

Abstract

This thesis examines the ethos, camaraderie and resourcefulness of a group of Australian nurses who became prisoners of war to the Japanese during World War Two after their ship, the Vyner Brooke, was sunk on 14 February 1942 as it evacuated from Singapore. It investigates how their living-in-training and patient first mentality contributed to their survival during internment and after, with reference to characteristics attributed to Australian soldiers.