Colin Burgess, Sisters in Captivity, Simon & Schuster, July 2023, 368 pp., RRP $34.99 (pbk), ISBN 9781761109089
The rather long subtitle of this book, ‘Sister Betty Jeffrey OAM and the courage story of the Australian Army nurses in Sumatra 1942 – 1945’ gives a clear summary of what this biography is about. Author Colin Burgess, with his extensive research offers a compassionate and sensitive account of what many prisoners of war would have suffered under the Japanese forces’ harsh conditions.
Readers are treated to Sister Jeffrey’s early life and strong family support, through her enrolment into the Australian Army and then subsequent time working in Singapore and Hong Kong prior to her capture and containment. Burgess has access to many primary sources, including Betty’s secret journals as well as other nurses’ diaries and interviews. While the focus is clearly on Betty, we also gain insight into other significant women who showed much bravery and optimism during a long dark time. This includes other Australian nurses – Iole Harper and Vivian Bullwinkel. Interestingly, two books about Vivian’s time in capture have recently been released. One even targets a young age group, in contrast to this book and Sister Viv, which are both aimed at much older readers. It is heartening to see more recognition of what women went through during times of war, especially given the changing role of women is now a strong and mandatory component of the Australian History curriculum.
While some of the content is tough to read (horrendous sanitary conditions, near incidences of sexual assault, and references to violent attacks), Burgess’s writing remains objective and always based on the sisters’ own words. It’s astonishing to read what they went through and it’s clear that the support they gave each other was a significant factor in their survival. Although, of course, not for all of them. Diseases were rife, they had very little food, and were denied medical supplies, so a number of the captives did not come home. The final two chapters deal with the aftermath of their liberation and it’s worth getting through the tough times to be able to see those that did survive reunited with their families and the commendations they received.
I am not much of a non-fiction or biography reader these days, even though I am a trained History teacher. But the opportunity to add this text about women in war to my library collection was too good to pass up. There is much in here to inspire a younger generation and to build empathy for people who in the past suffered and sacrificed so much without a second thought. It is also hard to read this story about oppressors who defy International Laws protecting civilians and medical personnel and not make connections to what is happening in other countries today. This brings history to life and challenges young people to take more notice of what is happening around them.
Anzac Day is nearly upon us again, and every year, it acknowledges the importance of keeping aspects of war relevant to young people. They are a truly knowledgeable generation which gives us much hope for the future. A book like Sisters in Captivity builds on this awareness and celebrates the significant role played by women during wartime.
Reviewed by Trish Buckley
