The Other Anzacs (63 page)

Authors: Peter Rees

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BOOK: The Other Anzacs

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John Carter, grandson of Kath King, has provided great help with records and photos of Kath and her husband, Gordon Carter. I’d also like to thank Kath’s son, Ted Carter, and her niece, Sue Myers, for additional help.

Hartley Cook, grandson of Elsie and Syd Cook, kindly shared Elsie’s photo album—which he only found in 2006 while moving premises. It was a great find.

Norm Hoyer knew Pearl Corkhill and was ever-willing to share his memories of her and their conversations. Gay Lane also contributed information about her great aunt Pearl and her engagement ring.

Rae Richmond was in the unique position of being related to two of the nurses in this narrative—Daisy Richmond and Marie Cameron. Rae and his late wife, Molly, were only too happy to share their records and recollections. Thanks also go to July Bailey and Maggie White for help with photos, and for their generous decision to donate Marie Cameron’s medals to the Nurses’ Chapel in Christchurch.

Many others have helped out in important ways. John Tilton and Judy Dyer shared their knowledge of May Tilton, while Margaret van Schaijik and Andrew Talbot were very helpful with family history records and photos relating to Tev Davies.

Thanks go to Bill Thompson, in Bathurst, for sharing his records on Lillian Fraser Thompson, and to Patricia Williams and Daphne Tongue for providing information and records relating to their mother, Nell Pike.

Thanks also go to Des Ryan for generously sharing his family history research on Annie Shadforth, and to Margaret Stibbs for sharing her records and photos relating to Ada Willis. I’d also like to thank Yvonne Sangster for material provided.

At the Australian War Memorial, I would especially like to thank Robyn van Dyk and Jeremy Richter, while at the Red Cross, Noel Barrow and Shirley Wood went to some effort to provide me with records relating to the Bluebirds. Thanks are also due to Iain McInnes for sharing photos and memorabilia of Ada Moore.

Helen Croll, of the Royal Prince Alfred Hospital Museum in Sydney, helped with Kath King’s records and photos. Thanks are also due to Caitlin Rees and Tim Langford for their help in relation to photos and records.

In New Zealand, I am indebted to the tireless Lorraine Shannon who provided wonderful help in research into the
Marquette
disaster. Lorraine had boxes of documents ready for my arrival in Christchurch and went out of her way to help follow up extra leads.

Thanks are due to Martin Collett, Manuscripts Librarian at the Auckland War Memorial Museum, for his help in sourcing the letters of Lottie Le Gallais and her brother, Leddra. Michael Gorman kindly provided letters of his aunt, Mary Gorman.

Ivon Teague, Ian Wilson and Barbara Collie generously provided me with copies of family records relating to the
Marquette
nurses, while I am indebted to Linda Stopforth of the New Zealand Nurses Organisation for providing me with copies of
Kai Tiaki
published during the World War I. Thanks are also due to eminent New Zealand historian Christopher Pugsley for allowing me to publish an interview he recorded with one of the
Marquette
survivors.

Thanks are also due to Chris Bryett for his invaluable help on the Battle of Fromelles, Alan Kitchen of the Western Front Association, and to Chris Wesley and David Bartlett, of Bartlett’s Tours, for their insights into the Australian experience on the Western Front.

Nursing historian and author Dr Ruth Rae generously shared her knowledge of the Australian First World War nurses. Christchurch historian and author Anna Rogers helped me understand the New Zealand perspective.

I’d also like to thank Sherayl McNab for her updated research on the number of New Zealand nurses who went to the war, and similarly acknowledge the work of Dr Kirsty Harris in updating the number of Australian nurses who served overseas. I’d also like to acknowledge Dr Melanie Oppenheimer’s research on the Bluebirds and, in particular, the poor treatment they received on their return home.

For the fourth time around, I have been fortunate to be under the wing of Rebecca Kaiser, my publisher at Allen & Unwin, who has influenced this book from start to finish, suggesting changes with clarity, delicacy and tact—and all with her usual humour. Thanks are also due to copyeditor Liz Keenan for her helpful suggestions, and to proofreader Alex Nahlous for her forensic eye.

And lastly, no words can do justice to the wonderful support, encouragement and suggestions that Sue Langford provided during the research and again as the manuscript took shape.

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