About+Vivian

About Vivian

Name: Vivian Bullwinkle,

Date of birth: 18th of December 1915

Place of birth: Kapunda, South Australia

Date of death: 3rd of July 2000 (Vivian died as Vivian Statham which was her married name.)

Place of death: Perth, Western Australian

__ Vivian's early days __

Vivian was born in Kapunda, South Australia, and was educated and did her nurse training in Broken Hill, where her father (George) worked for one of the mining companies. She had one brother - John. Vivian completed her general training at the Broken Hill and District Hospital in 1938. She worked as a Staff Nurse at the Kiaora Private Hospital, Hamilton, Victoria, from 1940 - 1941.

During World War 2, Vivian made a decision to join the Australian Army Nursing Service. Vivian had originally applied to be a nurse with the Royal Australian Air Force, but had failed the medical because they said she had flat feet.

In 1941, Vivian found herself a member of staff in the newly formed 13th Australian General Hospital and in September of that year their unit sailed on the Hospital Ship Wanganella for an unknown destination, which eventually became Singapore.