An initiative of The National Foundation for Australian Women (NFAW) in conjunction with The University of Melbourne
Skip to contentA member of the Australian Army Nursing Service, Irene Drummond was killed by Japanese soldiers during the Banka Island massacre of 1942.
The daughter of Cedric and Katherine Drummond, Irene worked as a nursing sister at Millswood, South Australia, before moving to Broken Hill in 1933 to work at the local hospital. She was Deputy Matron there before enlisting in the Australian Army in October 1940. Drummond was appointed to the 2/13th Australian General Hospital (AGH). In 1942, following the sinking of the SS Vyner Brooke en route from Singapore, she was gunned down by Japanese soldiers during the Banka Island massacre.
The Drummond Memorial Park was opened in Broken Hill in 1949 in honour of Irene Drummond.
Sources used to compile this entry: Camilleri, Jenny, Some Outstanding Women of Broken Hill and District, Jenny Camilleri (Broken Hill Historical Society/Broken Hill Council), Broken Hill, NSW, 2002.
Barbara Lemon
Created: 12 January 2009
http://www.womenaustralia.info/biogs/AWE3990b.htm
