Red paperback book with colour drawings on cover and white and blue text on cover and spinenon-fiction'War memorabilia with a difference. The spirit of pariotism and self sacrifice which gave birth to an organisation such as the V.A.D. and allowed it to function, initially as a vouluntary unit in the early years of the war and later, through integration, as the Australian Army Medical Women's Service, is recorded for all time in this beautifully presented book. Accounts of service throughout Australia, in the Middle East and the S.W. Pacific, exhibit the particular brand of good humour and comradeship which was so much a part of service life. These personal experiences have been skilfully combined by Mary Critch (who herself saw service in Australia and the Islands) with photographs and official documents to create an absorbing story of both historical and human interest. The foreword is by Miss May Douglas, M.B.E.' From back cover 'Contents: Who Were the V.A.D.'s? Suitable Capable Women of the A.M.F. V.A.D Service Overseas 1941-1943 The Australian Continent Finding Our Bearings 1941-1942 The Australian Connection Reorganisation of the Service of the V.A.D. Training the A.A.M.W.S As Nurses The South West Pacific 1943-1946 Service With Occupational Forces and Demobilisation'australian army voluntary aid detachments, australian army medical women's service, mary critch, history of vad, history of aamws, australia

First story - Colonel Annie Sage recounts memories that come up on Anzac Day. 'Dressing' their ship while in mid-ocean, listening to 'Australia Will Be There'; the agony and suspense waiting to learn if allies and friends had escaped terrible situations; having patients in beds and under beds in rain, mud and heat; learning awful news; reuniting with POW sisters and hearing their stories. Second story - Mrs GM Knight marched on Anzac Day in the light grey dress of the Auxiliary Nursing Service(ANSI), India. Born in England, she has lived in Australia for 30 years. Her husband, an officer in the RAF, died before WW2. Her two sons joined the army. Mrs Knight went to India and joined the ANSI and served for six years. Third story - Nearly 200 ex-servicewomen took part in the Anzac march. Led by Matron-in-Chief Sage, the grey nurse's uniforms was the signal for cheers and clapping. Mrs E Wildy and Miss Lillian Foster, both Voluntary Aid Detachment (VAD) during the war also attended.A newspaper clipping of three stories. The first story consists of three columns of text and includes a small black and white portrait photo of a woman in nurse's uniform. The second story is a single column of text beneath a small black and white portrait photo of a woman in nurse's uniform. The third story is two columns of text underneath the title.'WWII' [blue ink, top right]order of the british empire, ans, aans, australian general hospital, australian imperial forces, royal air force, strathaird, ramilles, navy, 2/4 australian general hospital, tobruk, haifa, kantara, greece, crete, islands, 2/9th, moresby, centaur, japanese, singapore, malaya, rabaul, la haat, sumatra, reg knight, sidney knight, irak, persia, st kilda, edith cavell, swadeston, norwich, england, london, imperial ex-service women's association