Published on Tuesday, 8 April 2025 at 9:38:06 AM
Vivian Bullwinkel October 1945, upon repatriation - Australian War Memorial.
Among the many courageous, resilient, and compassionate figures who have served and sacrificed throughout history, Lieutenant Colonel Vivian Bullwinkel stands out for her extraordinary journey from a dedicated nurse to a war hero and advocate for her fallen comrades. Born in December 1915 in Kapunda, South Australia, Bullwinkel's life is a testament to the indomitable human spirit.
Vivan Bullwinkel's story is one of survival against unimaginable odds. During World War II, she served with the Australian Army Nursing Service and was stationed in Singapore. As the Japanese forces advanced, she and her colleagues were evacuated aboard the SS Vyner Brooke. The ship was bombed, and Bullwinkel found herself clinging to a lifeboat, eventually making it ashore on Banka Island.
What followed was a harrowing ordeal. On Radji Beach, Bullwinkel and 21 other Australian nurses, along with a British civilian woman, were forced into the sea and machine-gunned by Japanese soldiers. Bullwinkel was the sole survivor, feigning death and later hiding in the jungle with a wounded British soldier, Cecil George Kingsley, whom she nursed until they surrendered.
Bullwinkel was held as a prisoner of war in and around Sumatra for three and a half years. During this time, she and her fellow nurses endured heavy manual labour on Japanese working parties and were constantly under threat of molestation and personal violence. Despite these brutal conditions, Bullwinkel exhibited outstanding courage, selfless devotion to duty, and set a magnificent example for others.
Her survival was not just a personal triumph but a beacon of hope and remembrance for those who perished. She testified at the war crimes tribunal in Tokyo, ensuring that the atrocities committed were not forgotten. Her determination to survive was fuelled by her commitment to all the men and women she had seen brutally murdered. Of the 65 Australian nurses who left Singapore aboard the Vyner Brooke, 12 drowned at sea, 21 were killed in the Bangka Island massacre at Radji Beach, and eight died in captivity. Only 24 survived the war.
“When we first got back, we missed each other, very, very much,” Bullwinkel said. “We felt that nobody talked the same language. We felt that nobody had any idea. They were saying yes, how awful, how terrible, but they didn’t know.”
Vivan Bullwinkel at the war crimes tribunal, Tokyo - Australian War Memorial.
Bullwinkel's dedication to her fallen comrades continued throughout her life, raising funds for a nurses' memorial and serving on numerous committees, including as the first woman on the Council of the Australian War Memorial. Her contributions to nursing and her unwavering commitment to her colleagues earned her numerous accolades, including the Florence Nightingale Medal, an MBE, and the AO. In 1992, she returned to Banka Island to unveil a shrine to the nurses who had not survived the war.
Vivian Bullwinkel passed away in Perth on 3 July 2000, but her legacy endures. A sculpture in her honour stands at the Australian War Memorial, a poignant reminder of her bravery and the sacrifices of those who served alongside her. Her statue stands opposite that of Sir Edward ‘Weary’ Dunlop, reminding us of the enduring legacy of their courageous service, defying the odds whilst giving hope to others. The new Federal electorate of Bullwinkel is named in her honour, ensuring that her story of resilience and compassion continues to inspire future generations.
Lt Colonel Vivian Bullwinkel, trip to Bangka Island - David Bailey.
Hollywood Private Hospital memorial to the Women who Served
Twenty-seven years ago this month, in April 1998, Mrs Marlena Jeffrey unveiled Hollywood Private Hospital’s memorial honouring the women who served during World War II. In September 1998, the Vivian Bullwinkel wing was unveiled by His Excellency Major General Michael Jeffrey AC MC, Western Australia’s 27th Governor.
Hollywood Private Hospital was built during World War II by the Commonwealth Government as a military hospital to care for service men and women. In 1947, control of the hospital was passed to the Repatriation Commission to provide acute care for veterans and war widows and widowers, and it became known as the Repatriation General Hospital Hollywood. Ramsay Health Care became the owner-operator on 24 February 1994.
In keeping with the hospital’s special links with veterans, its wards and some procedural units have been named after servicemen who were awarded the Victoria Cross and George Cross Medals of Honour and who either resided at the time of enlistment, died, or were buried in Western Australia, as well as nurses who served during World War I and World War II, including a wing named after Lieutenant Colonel Vivian Bullwinkel.
Marlena Jeffrey was made ‘Citizen of Western Australia’ for her charitable work during her husband’s term as Governor of WA, including successfully lobbying for better housing and conditions for army families. Marlena was married to the late Major General the Honourable Michael Jeffrey AC, AO (Mil), CVO, MC (Retd), whose operational service included Malaya, Borneo, Papua New Guinea, and the Vietnam War. He became WA’s 27th Governor in November 1993, retiring in 2000, and then served as Governor-General of Australia from 2003-2009. He served with and commanded the Special Air Service Regiment and was later appointed Honorary Colonel of the SASR. He died in Perth on 18 December 2020.
"To Honour the Women who Served" memorial at Hollywood Private Hospital.
A local Special Air Service Regiment soldier salutes the memorial at Hollywood Private Hospital, unveiled 27 years ago by Mrs Marlena Jeffrey (April 1998). Later the same year, along with opening the Vivian Bullwinkel Wing in September 1998, the late Major General Michael Jeffrey presented this very soldier with his Special Air Service Regiment sandy beret, adding layers of poignancy to this photo.
The Vivan Bullwinkel Wing at Hollywood Private Hospital, opened in September 1998 by WA's 27th Governor, His Excellency Major General Michael Jeffrey.
Mrs Marlena Jeffrey and the late Major General the Honourable Michael Jeffrey AC, AO (Mil), CVO, MC (Retd).
This is the first in a series of local stories we will share leading up to Anzac Day.
Lest we Forget.
Back to All News