Navy veteran Patricia Collins and Army veteran Terrie-Ann Howard will share their remarkable stories of service at an ANZAC Talk at Bundaberg Library.
The combined talk will take place on Friday 24 April from 10 am with bookings available here.
Bundaberg Region Mayor Helen Blackburn said the talk was a great opportunity to hear first-hand accounts of life in the navy and army from two experienced servicewomen.
“As a former servicewoman myself, these kinds of stories are incredibly valuable to share with the wider community,” Mayor Blackburn said.
“Patricia will speak to her experience in the Women’s Royal Australian Naval Service, particularly during and after Cyclone Tracy, while Terrie-Ann will discuss her 12 years of service in the Royal Australian Corps of Signals including peacekeeping and humanitarian roles.
“I would encourage everyone to come along and hear these remarkable stories from the women who lived them.”
If we don’t tell our stories, they may never be told
Patricia Collins, who previously hosted an author talk at the Bundaberg Library, told us what community members could expect from the ANZAC Talk.
Can you tell us a bit more about your navy career?
I joined the Women’s Royal Australian Naval Service (WRANS) in February 1973, straight out of school. Women were not allowed to join the Royal Australian Navy (RAN) back then, and were only able to serve in the auxiliary organization, the WRANS.
Servicewomen could not go to sea but worked with sailors on navy shore bases.
The WRANS was a wonderful organisation and I was proud to belong.
What can community members expect from your ANZAC talk?
I will talk about the roles of servicewomen internationally during World War 2.
I will also share my personal experiences of the Navy in the 1970’s, in particular during Cyclone Tracy which was one of Australia’s worst natural disasters, and Operation Navy Help Darwin.
I wrote my book, Rock and Tempest – Surviving Cyclone Tracy and its Aftermath, to ensure that there was a permanent record of our experience of that disaster and our work on the clean-up.
Why do you think it’s important to share these stories of service?
There aren’t many military history books written by women, let alone by Australian women.
There are few about the role and experiences of servicewomen worldwide, yet there are some amazing stories out there.
In her book Ships’ Belles, Shirley Fenton Huie wrote, “We should leave enough evidence to show that in each generation we were ‘women of our time’ who adapted to change with that extra dimension we gained from the traditions of the Navy.”
If we don’t tell our own stories, they may never be told.
ANZAC Talk Patricia Collins and Terrie-Ann Howard
When: Friday 24 April, 10 – 11.30 am
Where: Bundaberg Library, 49 Woondooma Street, Bundaberg
Cost: Free, bookings appreciated here (available from 10 April)
