St John's Cathedral, Brisbane and the Anzac Legend

The central window illustrates Christ’s supreme sacrifice on the cross. On either side are two windows which show various soldiers from historic epochs looking towards Christ. At the bottom of each window is a group of Australian and British service personnel (Navy, Army and Air Force) in their First World War uniforms, with the front figures kneeling in prayer. One of the notable features of the windows is the place given to women who served in the war: in the windows they appear on equal footing to the men. The early 20th Century was an age when women had lower status than men and experienced few of the opportunities for equal advancement that they have today. In giving prominence to women, the Cathedral was reflecting the enormous contribution that women had played during the war in supporting enlisted men (as they were again to do during the Second World War). In the windows, particular prominence is given to the nurses. During the First World War more than 3000 Australian nurses volunteered for active service. They worked in military hospitals, on hospital ships and trains, or in casualty clearing stations close to the front line. They served in Gallipoli, the Middle East, France, Belgium and the Mediterranean.

The first group of nurses arrives in Egypt to care for wounded soldiers from Gallipoli, 1915.

State Library of Queensland

One of their first tasks was to care for the many wounded soldiers from Gallipoli. They did this from the nearby Greek island of Lemnos and from centres in Egypt. In the Anzac spirit they worked tirelessly around the clock, often confronting horrific injuries, disease, poor facilities and food, overcrowding, inadequate supplies and death. Afflictions such as ‘trench foot’ and gangrene were common among the soldiers—as were amputations —leaving men crippled for life. Many troops, particularly on the Western Front in France and Belgium, also suffered from severe psychological injury, then called ‘shell-shock’ or ‘battle fatigue’—now known as Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). The condition was brought on by constant bombardment, fear and the miserable environment of trench warfare. Some soldiers found themselves unable to speak; others trembled or shook uncontrollably.

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