'Not Openly Encouraged' - Nurse Soldier Settlers After World War One

Abstract

Australian women who served overseas as nurses were entitled to apply for land under the Returned Soldiers Settlement Scheme after World War One. Land settlement as a method of repatriation was to become central to the rehabilitation process in Australia, and nurses were included in the Repatriation Act (1917-1918) under the broad category of 'soldier'. Central to the soldier settlement scheme was the philosophy of providing for returning soldiers, 'land for heroes'. This philosophy focused solely on the soldiers who fought, rather than the women who served as nurses. Only a very small percentage of the 37,500 people who took up the offer of land were indeed women. This thesis seeks to highlight the neglected and little known history of Australian nurse soldier settlers focusing on a small sample from New South Wales and Victoria. It will examine their stories, their applications for land, their struggles as farmers and the difficulties they had obtaining pensions and repatriation benefits. This thesis will show that many nurse soldier settlers were discharged as medically unfit after the war which had a significant impact on their ability, not only to work their farms profitably but also to lead peaceful happy lives in the aftermath of war. The thesis will reveal that although a score of women did take up the challenge and did attempt to make a go of it on the land, they were never actively encouraged and acknowledged.