Doherty, Muriel Knox (1896 - 1988)

Muriel Knox Doherty began nursing in 1921 at Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, New South Wales, and set up the first preliminary training school at the Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, 1933-1937. In her capacity as matron-in-charge she was the first nurse appointed to the rank of squadron leader in the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF), where she inaugurated the Royal Australian Air Force Nursing Service. After World War II she worked with displaced persons at Bergen Belsen concentration camp, as a member of United Nations Relief and Rehabilitation Administration. One of four founders of the New South Wales College of Nursing in 1949, she was also instrumental in the establishment of the Civilian Nursing Services Bureau, and co-authored the first Australian text book for nurses, Modern Practical Nursing Procedures, 1944. She was awarded the Royal Red Cross Medal (1st Class) in 1945 for her work in the RAAF Nursing Service.

Related Corporate Bodies

• Australian Army Nursing Service (AANS) (1903 - 1948)

  Service no: N60136

  [1939 - 1940]

• Royal Australian Air Force Nursing Service (RAAFNS) (1940 - )

  Service no: 501020

  [1940 - 1945]

• Voluntary Aid Detachments (VAD) (1914 - )

  Served as a Red Cross Voluntary Aid during the First World War

Books

• Doherty, Muriel Knox and Russell, R. Lynette (ed.), Off The Record - The Life and Times of Muriel Knox Doherty 1896-1988: An Autobiography, New South Wales College of Nursing, Glebe, NSW, 1996, 117 pp. [ Details... ]
• Doherty, Muriel Knox, and Cornell, Judith and Russell, R. Lynette (eds), Letters from Belsen 1945 : An Australian Nurse's Experiences with the Survivors of War, Allen & Unwin, St Leonards, NSW, 2000, 240 pp. [ Details... ]
• Murray, James, Lifework: Heroes of Australian Health, Focus Publishing for [Medical Benefits Fund of Australia Ltd], Edgecliff, NSW, 1997, 160 pp. [ Details... ]

Online Resources

• 'Doherty, Muriel Knox (1896 - 1988), Biographical Entry', in Bright Sparcs, Australian Science and Technology Heritage Centre, 2002, http://www.asap.unimelb.edu.au/bsparcs/biogs/P003416b.htm. [ Details... ]
• Department of Veterans' Affairs, 'DOHERTY, MURIEL KUOX', in World War 2 Nominal Roll, 2002, http://www.ww2roll.gov.au/script/veteran.asp?ServiceID=R&VeteranID=1081225. [ Details... ]
• Department of Veterans' Affairs, 'DOHERTY, MURIEL KNOX', in World War 2 Nominal Roll, 2002, http://www.ww2roll.gov.au/script/veteran.asp?ServiceID=A&VeteranID=306784. [ Details... ]

See also

• Australian Science and Technology Heritage Centre, 'Where are the Women in Australian science?', 22 August 2003, http://www.austehc.unimelb.edu.au/wisa/wisa.html. [ Details... ]
• Doherty, Muriel Knox and Russell, R. Lynette (ed.), The Life and Times of Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, Sydney, Australia, New South Wales College of Nursing, Sydney, 1996, 352 pp. [ Details... ]
• Halstead, Gay., Story of the RAAF nursing service : 1940-1990, Nungurner Press, Metung, Vic., 1994, 440 pp. [ Details... ]