All wars occasion collateral damage, but conflict may also provoke an opposite consequence: collateral benefit. For many young Australian women the collateral benefits of the Second World War were the opportunity, training, expertise and camaraderie they gained by joining the war effort, which many did in response to serious workforce shortages resulting from so many men volunteering for the armed forces.
One service opportunity open to women was the Australian Women’s Land Army, formed in 1941 to address primary industry labour shortages. This female rural workforce initially met with scepticism from farm owners and managers but soon, with hard work and application in farming of all sorts, earned respect and admiration.
They came from all walks of life. Mrs Joan Sandilands, in 1943, “gave up household duties” at Sandgate to join the land army and became assistant sub-matron at the AWLA camp at Wowan. In 1944, Private Elva Mcintyre relinquished a typing job in favour of the AWLA. After four weeks’ training, she was sent to Mapleton to work on a fruit farm. Later, working on a farm at Claxton, she was bitten by a brown snake. Undaunted by this, the following year she enlisted in the military and served until 1946.
Women in the Armed Forces and Other Services
Other Sandgate women went directly into the armed forces. Patricia Mackenzie, aged 18 and working in the clothing industry, signed up for the AWAS signals training course in Melbourne. There about 600 young women from all over Australia gained expertise in wireless telephony, switchboard and teleprinter use. The many Queenslanders in the cohort “keenly felt Melbourne’s cold snap” but, stirred by “patriotic motives” and a liking for army life, were happy “to be doing a job of war work”.
Private Doris Swales who, reported the Sunday Mail, “lives at Sandgate and plays basketball in her spare time” enlisted in the army as a driver in 1943. In addition to driving duties, she and her co-workers were responsible for the maintenance and cleanliness of assorted vehicles
Private Mary Jackman of Sandgate served in north Queensland in the Australian Army Medical Women’s Service. Home on leave in 1944, she married her fiancé, Alan Behrens, but, unusually, returned to duty after the wedding. It is as Mary Behrens that her service is recorded by the Australian War Memorial.
While these women, in answering the call to war service, gained new skills, new friends and, sometimes, new lives, the nation also benefited from their efforts as farm workers, telephonists, medical staff and in many other occupations – undoubtedly, as one official remarked, “a fine type of girl”.
With thanks to the Sandgate Historical Museum (opening hours: Sunday and Wednesday, 10am to 3pm).
Read more stories from the Sandgate Guide print magazine here:
- The Hidden Cost Of Digital Distraction
- Manage Your Passwords Effectively
- Noisy Visitors From The North
- Art An Easter Sweet Treat
- Childhood Friends Skip To Glory At World Jump Rope Championships
- Share The Dignity Toasts 10 Years Of Impact And Gratitude
- Local Youth Collecting 50,000 Cans For Cape Town
- Drainage Funding Top Of Wish List For Deagon Ward
- Alfred No Match For Bayside Spirit
- Local Author To Release Two Hilarious New Children’s Books
- How You Can Help The Environment
- Meet Australia’s Wildest Stars
- Syd Signals Start Of Anzac Day
- Celebrating 25 Years Of Artrageous Creativity And Community
- King Of Atlantis Rev Up For Charity Ride
- Shoes, Books And Breakfast Initiative To Support Local Kids
- Organic Gardening In April
- Choose Bob At Brisbane Comedy Festival
- Things To Do Around Sandgate For Easter
