When ABC TV and Screentime began searching for ideas for shows to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the Anzac involvement in World War I, a book called The Other Anzacs by Peter Rees struck a chord. Weaving together the diaries and letters of real Australian and New Zealand nurses, it reminded the producers of how seldom the story of the war has been told through the eyes of the women who volunteered their skills, and their lives, to help the allied forces.
• Read more: Anzac Girls: Caped crusaders
Their tales of hardship, survival, friendship, success and heartbreak not only seemed perfect for a television series, but also a wonderful way to remember the ties that bound New Zealand and Australian forces, and the integral role that these women played.
This six-part miniseries focuses on five young nurses: Hilda (played by Antonia Prebble, in her most virtuous role), Alice (Georgia Flood), Olive (Anna McGahan), Elsie (Laura Brent), and Grace (Caroline Craig). It starts with the nurses' arrival in Cairo, before taking them through the terror of Gallipoli, a stint on a barren Greek island called Lemnos, and in various spots in France as they move across the Western Front, telling of their experiences over four-and-a-half years.
Needless to say there's a lot of spilt blood, illness and, of course, death among the mud and rain, or wind and dust, and very limited resources, but it's not all horrific. There's romance, adventure, celebration and all five of them experience tremendous growth as they come up against old-fashioned rules and regulations and must stand their ground as competent women who deserve equal recognition and respect.
