I'm Nan Swan and I will be 101 on 5 March 2024. I was born in Lake Cargelligo, NSW (on the Lachlan River). I enlisted in the Australian Army Medical Women’s Service (AAMWS) in 1943 and discharged in 1946.
I had polio when I was 12 and couldn’t walk for about six weeks. But we had a young doctor working with Sister Kenny and he said you must exercise, exercise, exercise! There were a lot of prayers going too, I’ve got good faith, and I was able to walk. It took a little while.
My girlfriend Maria and I were living in Shepparton, my family had recently moved from Shepparton back to Lake Cargelligo, I didn't return with them so we decided to join the Army and the best thing we could do was join the medical section. It was marvellous because I met some wonderful people.
We did our ‘rookies’ [recruit] training in Bacchus Marsh in Victoria. Our accommodation was in huts. I had to get up early in the morning, put my greatcoat on and walk down to the showers, then breakfast and then went to go on the switchboard. Some nights you slept under your greatcoat and sometimes you slept wearing it. It was cold on the camp stretchers.
When I wasn't working, I was eating, sleeping, reading, exercising or marching. We did a lot of marching. Maria and I were very good and spent a lot of time visiting all the churches in Melbourne and both had very good faith.
There was a time when they didn’t know what to do with me. I hadn’t told them I had polio; they didn't want to know anyway. So, I used to run the mail around because I wasn’t able to do nursing. During those rounds I’d find my way to the Padre's office - John Tressider - and we’d play cards. He was a lovely man but he went to New Guinea.
I wasn’t able to do nursing because of my polio so I went to the switchboard at 13th Australian General Medical Hospital in Heidelberg in Melbourne. The switchboard was automatic, because that’s where Army headquarters was and it was armed by four women.
I was transferred to Concord in Sydney in the first week of peace in September 1945 and the weather was better in Concord … and that’s where I met my husband. My job was to put the plugs in to connect the caller to the right person. Mainly it was to call the doctor notifying him of which ward he was needed on. Compared to Melbourne, in Concord there were about 10 women in a row working the switchboard. It was a lovely life working there.
My husband's name was William, but always called ‘Jim’. He was a champion tennis player at the time. A mutual friend told him I’ve got the girl for you, and said to me I’ve got the bloke for you. We met and that was history. We were married 52 years. We had three children, a boy and two girls.
I was discharged in 1946 because I was marrying in 1947.
My husband stayed in the Air Force for years, was posted to Australia House in London so we went to England for three years with the baby and two children. Lived in Kent, I loved that.
I’m most proud being a pretty good telephonist.
This is the story of Nancie Swan as told to Carla Edwards.
