Blog

MERLE HARE (nee STORRIE)

Merle Hare (nee Storrie) is an iconic figure in the ACT naval community. Remarkedly spry, she continues to live independently in the same villa she has called home for 25 years. Merle doesn’t use a stick but suggests she is slowing down. Merle Hare is 105 years of...

RUBY BOYLE-JONES

Ruby Olive Boye, born in Sydney on 29 July in 1891 in Sydney, was the fifth of eight children. She worked in retail until her marriage on 25 October 1919 to Sydney Skov Boye. Ruby was described as a tall and imposing woman who radiated a natural dignity and a...

Another war in Broken Hill

There is another more uplifting story concerning war and Broken Hill. The initial incident was certainly sad, but the enduring relationship and international connection enriched the town and two families. The land surrounding Broken Hill is harsh. But there is also...

Katherine Stinson

KATHERINE STINSON was born in Alabama in 1891. That likely was the least amazing thing she did because her achievements were soon remarkable by world-wide standards. Stinson wanted to go to Europe to study music and return to teach piano. To accomplish this, she...

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Dr Phoebe Chapple (Captain QMAAC)

It could be tough growing up in a family of high achievers. Her father was Headmaster at Prince Alfred College, Adelaide. A brother was a Cambridge University, England, graduate and now lecturer in engineering; another brother also a graduate of Cambridge, was taking...

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Anzac Courage: Curtis McGrath

Anzac Courage: Curtis McGrath

During August and September 2015 Australian Army Sapper Curtis McGrath, added more medals to the cabinet. At the ICF Canoe Sprint & Paracanoe World Championships in Milan, Italy, in late August he defended the World VL2 200m title he won in Moscow in 2014. Even...

Paper planes, a school, and a Victoria Cross.

Paper planes, a school, and a Victoria Cross.

There are paper planes in the foyer dangling on string from above. As the door is opened the rush of winter air makes them flutter and bob playfully. This is fitting because there are children’s names festooned on fuselages, and this mid-west New South Wales school,...

The emotional legacy of war

The emotional legacy of war

Invariably the history of war is presented from the perspective of campaigns, strategic and tactical delineations and, generals. The story of war, however, is about the people and the ongoing legacy suffered by families, communities, and the nation. They fell in...

Two Amazing Franks and HMAS Perth

Two Amazing Franks and HMAS Perth

When I climbed into the bus it was near full. Onboard were the most amazing survivors – crew of the first HMAS Perth. I knew these men well by now after many interviews for my book Cruel Conflict: the triumphs and tragedies of HMAS Perth 1. I had delighted in their...

The tragedy which killed Midshipman Megan Pelly

The tragedy which killed Midshipman Megan Pelly

I first met Midshipman Megan Anne Pelly (RAN) during her final year at the Australian Defence Force Academy (ADFA), Canberra in 1997. I was teaching history at the UNSW campus and doing research on women in the military. Megan offered to be interviewed for that...

Too Young to Die – Finding Michael Skarrett, RAAF 460 Squadron.

Too Young to Die – Finding Michael Skarrett, RAAF 460 Squadron.

It was a journey which took me from the Sydney harbourside to a quiet and distant Dutch church ground. I stood and listened to John Skarrett. His front yard was small but what a magnificent view. A cruise ship, something which became rare in 2020, reversed carefully...

Fun and Inspiration with Helen Reddy

Fun and Inspiration with Helen Reddy

The words from ‘I am Woman’ bounced around in my head. They had inspired me to stand up and have an opinion. Yes, I am one of the older generation, and yes, I had adolescent memories of being ignored because I was a girl. This might be hard to believe by later...

Controversy surrounds combat roles for women

Controversy surrounds combat roles for women

The Government has announced women will be allowed into elite front-line military units if they pass stringent physical and psychological tests. Kathryn Spurling spoke on ABC Lateline