Our Wartime Heroes: firsthand stories from men and women who were there

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Jessie was running her own private hospital in country WA when war broke out. The Australian Army very quickly made use of her skills and assigned her to a troop transport ship.

The nurses coped with not just with injuries but also with other debilitating diseases afflicting the soldiers. The conditions were difficult to say the least.

Narration Rhys Hughes. Voice of Jessie Adele Peirce. Written by Jeffrey Peirce.

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Towards the end of WWII, Norm and other prisoners in Germany were forced to march ahead of the liberators, Their young guards were afraid of the advancing Americans.

Once back home, Norm became an essential part of the Bunbury community.

Narration Sharon Kennedy. Voice of Norm, Andrew Robinson. Written by Jeffrey Peirce.

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Norm and his brother went to extreme measures in order to sign up during WWII. If he'd known what lay ahead, he might not have been so keen.

During the voyage to Palestine to join the 11th Battalion, the men weren't impressed with the food and conditions on board. When they complained, they were soon told what was what in the army! Norm laughed about it later in life.

However, it was an early lesson of what was to come on Crete.

Narration Sharon Kennedy. Voice of Norm, Andrew Robinson. Written by Jeffrey Peirce.

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Jack was an excellent leader of men. He needed all his courage and skill as he was part of one of the bloodiest battles in which Australians fought in France.

His letters home describe the hell and noise of the battle.

Back in Bunbury, he again accepted leadership in his profession and made far reaching changes.

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Jack Blair was a teacher. When WWI broke out, he was torn between his students and his duty. He wrote careful letters to his students to prepare them for what might lie ahead.

Narration Adele Peirce. Voice of Jack, Rhys Hughes. Written by Jeffrey Peirce.

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A former Mayor of Bunbury, Western Australia, Dick flew daring and dangerous missions at low level altitude in Burma (now Myanmar) against the Japanese in WWII.

The Bunbury populace of the time recognised that Dick suffered from the effects of his hazardous war service.

Narration Sharon Kennedy. Voice of Dick McKenzie, Ron Tait, citation read by Kris Csillag. Written by Jeffrey Peirce.

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Elma faced unsanitary conditions in Lemnos where she helped set up the hospital to better treat the many cases coming from Gallipoli.

Later she nursed in Egypt and France. She was a dedicated and highly skilled nurse who, along with other nurses, coped with the large numbers of men in her care.

Narration Ron Tait. Voice off Elma, Adele Peirce. Written by Jeffrey Peirce.

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John thought that beginning his new assignment with the corvette HMAS Bunbury would be an easy walk up the gangplank.

Instead he traversed from one side of Australia to the other, with a few detours in between.

The story has a very happy and unexpected ending.

Narration Sharon Kennedy. Peter Hopkins recorded his father's story with the Bunbury Oral History Group.

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In 1941, HMAS Napier was tasked with picking up a passenger in Scotland. It all had to be hush, hush. John's first impression of this important personage wasn't entirely complimentary.

Narration Sharon Kennedy. Peter Hopkins recorded his father's story with the Bunbury Oral History Group.

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Leading Seaman John Hopkin's first ship during WWII was the flagship of the Australian fleet. The Australia was patrolling near the Arctic Circle when a call came to rescue the crew of the Short Sunderland flying boat.

Conditions were difficult for both rescuers and the stricken airmen. John could swim so he was roped over the side. He had to be careful not to fall into the freezing water.

That wasn't the end of the excitement for John on board HMAS Australia. The ship caught the attention of German planes during the evacuation of Crete.

Narration Sharon Kennedy. Voice of John, Ron Tait.