Mary Eleanor McGLADE

Mary Eleanor McGLADE. Nursing Sister (Lieutenant) NFX76275 AANS attached to 13th Australian General Hospital. Born 2 July 1903 to Francis Alois McGlade and Agnes Beatrice McGlade, nee Hume.(Her father was born 1877 In Belfast, Ireland). Enlisted 19 August 1941 at Victoria Barracks, Sydney, N.S.W., aged 38 years. Next of kin was her aunty, Mrs Evelyn Mary Scott of Wallbong, Hinton, N.S.W. Embarked for Singapore from Australia 7 September 1941, disembarked Singapore 15 September 1941.
She and sixty-four Australian nurses, wounded service men and 250 civilian men, women and children were evacuated on Vyner Brooke from Singapore on the 12 February 1942. The ship was bombed and sunk by Japanese aircraft of Bangka island east of Sumatra on the 14 February 1942. Some of the survivors reached the island only to be captured by the Imperial Japanese Army Some were imprisoned in Palembang and Muntok POW camps others were massacred including twenty-one nurses. On the 16 February 1942 the nurses were ordered to march into the sea and stand in a row where they were shot from behind. She was aged 38. Only one nurse survived, Sister Vivian Bullwinkel.
Commemorated on the Singapore Memorial, Singapore
Some notes from her Service Record. She enlisted 17 December 1940 in Emergency Unit at Victoria Barracks, Sydney, N.S.W. aged 28. Civilian occupation, nurse. She embarked on Queen Mary with the 10th Australian General Hospital on the 3 February 1941 disembarked at Singapore 18 February. Reported missing 16 February 1942. Later reported missing, believed killed on or after the 11 February 1942. Another entry on her record shows 14 February POW S.W.P.A. Presumed to be dead (Malaya)
Last entry 16 February POW S.W.P.A. Deceased while POW EXECUTED by JAPS (see her army record) Commemorated on the Singapore Memorial, Singapore
One nurse survived although being shot and that was Sister Vivian Bullwinkel. She lived and testified at the War Crime trials later on.


Attestation photograph