Born

31 May 1905
Woodside, South Australia, Australia

Died

2002

Occupation

Nurse and Servicewoman

Summary

Jean Ashton was born at Woodside, South Australia. After appointments at Lameroo and Jamestown in South Australia, Jean did infant welfare training in Hobart, Tasmania, while awaiting call-up for the Australian Army Nursing Service. In 1941 she went with the 13th Australian General Hospital to Malaya and was among those who escaped from Singapore just before its capture by the Japanese in February 1942. When the ship 'Vyner Brooke' was sunk in Bangka Strait, Jean and fellow nurses were interned by the Japanese. She was among 24 nurses (from a total of 65) who survived until their release in September 1945.

Sources used to compile this entry: http://www.catalog.slsa.sa.gov.au:1083/search/aAshton%2C+Jean%2C+1905-2002/aashton+jean+1905+2002/-5,-1,0,B/frameset&FF=aashton+jean+1905+2002&1,1, accessed 2004-04-08.