The role women have played in various conflicts was the topic of the guest speaker, Gawler’s own Kerrie Barrett, at the annual Vietnam Veterans Day held yesterday.

Flight Officer Ms Barrett, a retired nurse, trained at St Vincent’s Hospital from 1963 till 1967 and joined the RAAF soon after finishing her training as an “innocent and naive” 21-year-old.

Ms Barrett then moved to Laverton and undertook her aeromedical training at Point Cook and posted to Richmond working in the hospital wards, including medevacs.

In 1968, Ms Barrett was posted to 4 RAAF Hospital in Butterworth, which included medevacs to Vietnam.

Ms Barrett said that “from traditional roles as nurses to today’s combat units, women have always served in the military and volunteered in times of war and conflict throughout history.”

“Despite their contributions, the role of women in wartime often remains overlooked in historical narratives such as the ANZAC legend,” said Ms Barrett.

“…during WWI, eight nurses received the Military Medial, and between thirteen to twenty-five nurses lost their lives.”

“In WWII, nurses served on all battlefronts, many becoming prisoners of war and some losing their lives, as in the Banka incident.”

In recognition of the role played by women in the defence forces, the Australian Women’s Army became part of the regular army in 1949.

During the Vietnam War, the Australian Army Nurses were stationed alongside doctors in conflict zones to provide medical services to triage injured solders, at all hours of the day and night.

Ms Barret said, “witnessing the injuries and deaths of young men often left the nurses, doctors and medics with PTSD, profoundly altering their lives.”

Local Member of Parliament, Mr Tony Piccolo, attended the commemorative service and said it was an honour to hear Ms Barrett’s story and has a lot of respect and appreciation for the women who served and currently serve our country.

“Most nurses who served during the wars were in their early twenties with little experience in treating gunshot wounds or extreme trauma,” said Mr Piccolo.

“The demands of the postings were compounded by heavy workloads, appalling conditions, limited medical supplies, far exceeding the scope of their hospital training and duties in Australia.”

Ms Barrett finished her speech saying, “when you see women adorned with medals on the left side at ANZAC or Remembrance Services, remember those awards rightfully belong to these women for their own service, not as representatives of others in their families.”