Sister Eleanor McGlade Memorial Plaque, Armidale

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The memorial is dedicated to Sister Eleanor McGlade of 2/13th Australian General Hospital, and other victims of the Bangka Island Massacre, Malaya. The plaque is mounted on a timber frame with the dedication in raised gold lettering. The Australian Commonwealth Military Forces emblem sits in the top left of the plaque and a decorative banner with Australian fauna in the right hand corner.  The dedication service, organised by College teacher Andrew May, was held in the De La Salle Church at O'Connor Catholic College on 26 April 2017. The assembled students from the College and St Mary's School in Armidale (Sister McGlade's primary school) were addressed by Major Erica Van Ash, from the Royal Australian Army Nursing Corps, who spoke of the life, service and sacrifice of Sister McGlade and her fellow nurses involved in the tragic massacre. Representatives of the Ursuline Nuns, the RSL, and Hunter New England Health also attended.  Mary Eleanor "Ellie" McGlade was born in Armidale on 2 July 1903. She was orphaned by age three and from age four was raised and educated by the Ursuline Nuns in Armidale. After finishing school in 1927 Ellie trained as a nurse at Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, Sydney. She enlisted in the Australian Army Nursing Service in 1941 and was posted to 2/13th Australian General Hospital. She embarked to Singapore on the Hospital Ship, Wanganella, arriving in September 1941.  With the fall of Singapore, Ellie was among 65 Australian nurses evacuated aboard the SS Vyner Brooke on 12 February 1942. The ship was attacked by the Japanese and sank on 14 February.  Ellie, one of 150 survivors, eventually made it ashore to Bangka Island after hours at sea. Two days later on 16 February 1942, she died, when all but four survivors were massacred on Radji Beach.