The true story of young nurse, Sister Alice Ross-King who sailed to war in 1914 to become the most decorated woman in Australia.
When Alice Ross-King left Melbourne in 1914, she was one of more than 2,000 nurses who volunteered during WWI to work in hospitals, hospital ships, trains and medical posts near the battlefront to care for wounded soldiers. Alice is also the great grandmother of Kate Simpson who is the author of this inspiring and moving story.
Kate says "I am so grateful for her war diaries. Although we never met, I feel that I have come to know her through her words."
In Anzac Girl, Kate Simpson has carefully woven extracts from Alice's war diaries and letters with her own storytelling to transport readers to the battlefields of WWI. We are with Alice when she meets her sweetheart Harry Moffitt in Cairo and they sit atop a pyramid having tea and feel her grief when she receives a sad letter about Harry. We see Alice in France tirelessly nursing rows of wounded soldiers, some of them hardly old enough to shave and we are in awe when she risks her life to protect her patients amidst 'the roar of planes and Archies' as Germans bomb her medical post. Alice King-Ross was awarded the Military Medal for her courage and devotion to duty that night on July 22nd, 1917.
Through Alice's eyes we witness the devastation and heartache of war, but we also see courage, resilience, compassion and kindness.
So much thought and care have gone into the visual details of Anzac Girl, from the embossed text on the cover (touch it!), collaged end papers, red poppies scattered throughout, diary entries and in particular Jess Rackyleft's gentle, poignant watercolour and mixed media illustrations. Jess has done an enormous amount of research to find Primary Sources to inform and create her illustrations, including photos, postcards, maps, posters and even a vintage apricot dress that all bring the story to life.The text and illustrations combine seamlessly to draw you into Alice's story and touch your heart.
Alice Ross-King wearing her Military Medal
Marion Sander: Public Domain
Alice Ross-King would be proud of the exceptional way her story has been told.
Happy reading!
