About the event

On 14 May 1943, Australian Hospital Ship Centaur was on her way to Papua New Guinea to pick up wounded soldiers. She was torpedoed off the Queensland coast, with the loss of 268 lives, of whom 12 were nurses. Only one nurse survived, Sister Ellen Savage, who was awarded the George Medal for her bravery. After the war, she became a leader in nursing and was instrumental in setting up the Royal College of Nursing Australia. This webinar will discuss the AHS Centaur and the nurses who served on her.

Key Learning Objectives

1. Understand: the work of AHS Centaur in World War Two
2. Hear about the 12 nurses who served on her, including Sister Ellen Savage, the only survivor.   
3. Learn how the sinking of this hospital ship influenced nursing in Australia
   
   

About the speaker

Ms Sue M De Vries RN, DipAppSci (NrsEd), BA, MPH, FACN - Registered Nurse



Susan is a long-term member of ACN and was Queensland Chair of RCNA for 5 years. She is Treasurer of Centaur Memorial Fund for Nurses, which honours the history of nursing, providing research scholarships to nurses. Sue has worked clinically in a many areas, is now a nurse immuniser, and has developed online learning materials for educational sectors in nursing and health.