Historical information

The matron-in-cjief of the Royal Australian Army Nursing Corps(RAANC), Colonel A M Sage, RRC, is to retire from the service. Matron Sage has said the postwar years in nursing have been particularly important. During the war, nurses learnt they could achieve almost anything they set their minds to, and while previously most of them did not have the drive to push for nursing reforms, since the war they have achieved a tremendous for their profession. Achievements such as the Australian College of Nursing, the Melbourne School of Nursing and the War Nurses' Memorial Centre.

Annie joined the Army Nursing Service in January of 1940, and as matron of the 2/2nd AGH went to Palestine. Later she was made Principal Matron of the 2nd AIF, with the rank of lieutenant-colonel, and then Matron-inChief with the rank of colonel. In 1943 she returned to Australia and was made Matron-in-Chief of nurses in all army services. Annie finished her full time service with the army in January of 1947, being appointed matron of the Women's Hospital. Prior to the war Annie had worked for eight years with the Victorian Baby Health Centres Association, four as assistant matron of its training school and four as matron. Up to her retirement from the RAANC Annie will have completed 32 years of nursing.

Physical description

A newspaper clipping of a story with three columns of text underneath the title, including a small black and white photo portrait of a woman in nurse's uniform

Inscriptions & markings

'AGE 11/7/52' [black ink, along top left]
'WWII' [blue ink, top right]