Acrylic on stretched canvas, ready to hang.

Signed on the front.

‘Nurses of ANZAC’

This was painted on ANZAC Day 2024 as my personal tribute to all the past and present service men, women and animals and their ultimate sacrifices for our freedom. The red poppy symbolises the fallen service men and women, and the purple poppy symbolises the fallen service animals, and their ultimate sacrifice for our freedom.

In the Hall of Memory at the Australia War Memorial in Canberra, there are 15 stained glass windows. Each shows a figure dressed in military uniform, and under each figure is a word that describes a quality displayed by Australians during wartime.

One window features a nurse. She represents all military nurses who have shown dedication to their patients and a commitment to caring for the sick and wounded during wartime.
This window bears the word Devotion.

Australian and New Zealand Nurses have been serving their respective countries and devoting themselves to the sick and wounded since the Boer War in early 1900.

Military nurses often work in remote and dangerous places, under difficult conditions. Such service does not come without a cost. Some nurses have not returned home, losing their lives to sickness or at the hands of the enemy. Those that do come home, would have potentially suffered greatly from PTSD and other mental illnesses, most likely suffering in silence.

The dedication to their patients and the service to their country is second to none and shows the true spirit of the ANZAC legacy.

This is also reflected beautifully in the lyrics to the song ‘Nurses of Anzac’ by Marian Theresa Burns:

“Nurses of Anzac, you were so brave,
Tending the wound, the men that you saved.
Lifting their spirits, giving them hope,
Your love and devotion, but how your hearts broke.
So unfair, so unfair…”

LEST WE FORGET

16" x 20" / 41cm x 51cm

This work is painted on a gallery wrapped canvas and has been sealed with varnish, is ready to hang and comes with a signed Certificate of Authenticity.