Meet Kathleen Best, OBE and founding director of the Australian Women's Army Corps. Kathleen is featured on the Extraordinary Lives part 1 tour, where you can also learn about other stories from Fawkner Memorial Park.
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Watch a video about Kathleen.
Download a transcript of Kathleen's story from the Discover Cemeteries app.Early years
Kathleen was born in Sydney on 28 August 1910 to parents Rupert and Emily Best.
After school, Kathleen trained and worked as a nurse in various Sydney hospitals.
Career
Kathleen was a deputy matron when she enlisted with the Australian Imperial Force (AIF) in 1940.
The army posted her to the 2/5th Australian General Hospital in Rehovet, Palestine as matron. Her staff respected her and thought she was firm but fair. She was well liked and a good cricketer.
When Australian troops went to Greece in April 1941, Kathleen and her nurses followed. They came under German fire immediately.
By 25 April the army ordered the troops and medical staff to evacuate to Crete. Kathleen and 39 others volunteered to stay to nurse the wounded. But later that day they were also ordered to leave. The army recognised Kathleen’s work in the safe evacuation of her charges and awarded her a Royal Red Cross.
Returning to Palestine, the ranks referred to her hospital as ‘Katie’s Birdcage’. After a stint in Ethiopia, she returned to Australia and left the Army in 1942.
Recognition
At home, Kathleen served in positions in nursing organisations connected to the military. In 1951 the army recalled her from the Department of Post-war Reconstruction to become the Director of the Australian Women's Army Corps.
They promoted her to Honorary Colonel on 17 September 1952. She went on to receive an OBE for her services in a ceremony in Melbourne in 1956.
Death
Throughout her working life, Kathleen made a huge impression on the nurses in her charge.
On the day of Kathleen’s death, members of the Women’s Royal Australian Army Corps (WRAAC) presented her with a custom-made brooch. The brooch sparkled with silver, diamonds and 18 carat gold.
The brooch now sits in the collections of the Australian War Memorial.
Kathleen died of melamonatosis in November 1957 at Epworth Hospital. The army gave her a military funeral with many of her valued nurses attending the ceremonies.
Adapted from material supplied by historian Dr Jan Penney, GMCT Trust member 2010-2020.
Bibliography
Australian War Memorial, n.d., Colonel Kathleen Annie Louise Best collection
Brodziak, I. 2007, Proudly we Served: 2/5 Australian General Hospital, Australian Military History Publications.
Ollif, L. 1985, Colonel Best and her soldiers: the story of the 33 years of the Women's Royal Australian Army Corps, Ollif Publishing Company, Hornsby.
Siers, R. 2013, Devotion: stories of Australia’s wartime nurses, Australian War Memorial, Canberra.
Image source
Image from Australian War Memorial.
