Luke Gosling (Solomon, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I'd pay tribute today to Edith Alexandra McQuade White, an outstanding Territorian who served as a nurse and as a senior Army officer during World War II. Edith moved to the NT in 1937—before the war—and joined the Army in 1941. She served as a matron of a 1,200-bed military hospital in Darwin. This is where Edith was the day that time stopped for Darwin as Japanese planes dropped bombs on 19 February 1942. Hundreds of patients were burned and one died in the bombing. Matron White was at the wharf the next day to help the 190 severely wounded people off an Australian hospital ship. She movingly described the scene of devastation with the wharf and ship still burning, and bodies washing up on the shore. She helped 300 refugees from the Philippines who were fleeing the war and was known for her great skill in treating burns.

Edith was promoted to lieutenant colonel in the Army Nursing Service in 1943 and became the Northern Territory's principal matron. Despite all of this outstanding service to Australia and on the home front, Edith was never recognised. I agree with Dr Jan Hills, who spoke at Adelaide River War Cemetery recently, that this needs to change and Edith needs to be recognised in some way.